Method and apparatus for modifying a subsequently generated control command in a content control system

• US 7,792,293 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2005
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Solutions Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Quan, Ronald
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): PERUNGAVOOR, VENKATANARAY
• Application Number:
  US11/123,826
• Publication Number:
  US 20060251252A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,950 Days
• Field of Search: 380201-204, 380/210, 380/221, 380236-238
• US Class Current: 380/203
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91314 the copy protection signal being a pulse signal inserted in blanking intervals of the video signal, e.g. pseudo-AGC pulses, pseudo-sync pulses
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91321 the copy protection signal being a copy protection control signal, e.g. a record inhibit signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91328 the copy protection signal being a copy management signal, e.g. a copy generation management signal [CGMS]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91335 the copy protection signal being a watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91371 the video color burst signal being modified
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection

Abstract

In record or content control management systems, various selected reference, record control, copy protection or control information signals, or other signifiers, are used to identify control signals, for example, bits, to provide control of subsequent use of data, audio and video signals in the analog and digital domain. Method and apparatus are disclosed for modifying the effects of a content control system as well as for modifying an effect of a copy protection signal. To this end, the reference, record control, copy protection signals, or other control information signals, e.g., content control signals, may be modified to cause an erroneous or unintended reading subsequently of the reference or control signals which in turn correspondingly alters the control command of the record or content control system. Further, where a copy protection signal is being used as a control signal, a modification may be made to the copy protection signal to alter the subsequently generated control command while still maintaining copy protection effects in the analog domain and allowing recording in the digital domain. Also, included are unique methods for providing content control.

Claims

1. A method implemented by a processor of altering a control command in a copy, record or content control system, wherein the copy, record, or content control system receives a program video signal including an analog copy protection signal, wherein the analog copy protection signal includes at least one pseudo sync pulse and or positive going pulse in a horizontal blanking interval, and or a color stripe burst signal, and wherein one or more portion of the analog copy protection signal provides a content control signal, the method comprising:

providing via a circuit the program video signal with a content control signal indicative of a control command for performing a subsequent intended function, wherein the program video signal is playable on a monitor; and

altering via a modifying circuit at least a portion of the program video signal and/or the analog copy protection signal to cause a correspondingly altered control command to be subsequently generated by the content control system, wherein the modifying circuit selectively repositions or redistributes at least a portion of the content control signal.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the program video signal contains reference, copy protection, content control, record control, or data signals.

3. The method of claim 2 including:

determining a location in the program video signal of the reference, copy protection, content control, record control, or data signals.

4. The method of claim 3 further including:

selectively modifying the located reference, copy protection, content control, record control, or data signals so as to alter the program video signal and/or content control signal and thus to provide the alteration of the control command.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the reference signal comprises a sync or header signal contained in the program video signal; and

the step of altering includes selectively modifying at least a portion of a sync or header signal to correspondingly subsequently alter the control command defined by the modified sync or header signal.

6. The method of claim 5 including:

generating a timing signal indicative of the occurrence of a sync or header signal;

providing a selected modifying signal; and

adding or inserting the selected modifying signal to the program video signal in response to the timing signal, to alter accordingly the subsequently detected control command.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the program video signal includes a color burst in selected video lines, the method comprising:

phase shifting at least a portion of a color burst to provide a selectively modified color stripe burst in one or more of the selected video lines of the program video signal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the modified color stripe burst is located in line patterns of 2 lines or 4 lines, wherein changing from the 2 line or 4 line pattern to a 1 line or 3 line, or a 3 line or 5 line pattern, respectively, correspondingly alters the subsequently detected control command.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

reversing the location of any phase shifted portions of the color stripe burst and the color burst to correspondingly alter the subsequently detected control command.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the modified color stripe burst is located in a given line pattern, the method including:

redistributing the given line pattern to form an alternate line pattern, to correspondingly alter the subsequently detected control command.

11. The method of claim 7 wherein the phase shifted portion or portions of an envelope of a color burst is delayed or advanced in its position in the respective video line.

12. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

reducing the amplitude of at least a portion of the phase shifted portion of the color burst to alter accordingly the control command in the one or more video lines.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

amplitude, position, and or pulse width modulating the amplitude reduced portion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the amplitude is modified up to 20%.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the pulse width of the amplitude reduced portion is varied from four to six cycles of subcarrier over time.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the amplitude reduced portion occurs at the start, or within a selected region, of the phase shifted portion of the color burst.

17. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

reducing or eliminating the amplitude of at least a selected portion of the color burst in the one or more video lines to alter accordingly the control command.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein the program video signal includes a color burst in one or more selected video lines, wherein the color burst contains subcarrier cycles of normal phase in a predetermined sequence with subcarrier cycles of non normal phase, the method comprising:

altering the predetermined sequence of the normal phase and non normal phase subcarrier cycles so as to provide a subcarrier cycles sequence other than the predetermined sequence, thereby providing an altered subsequently detected control command.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the program video signal contains horizontal and vertical sync signals, the method including:

changing the position, location, width, level, edges, and or presence of a horizontal sync signal, a vertical sync signal, a content control signal, a record control signal, and or a data signal to subsequently correspondingly alter the control command such that the altered control command fails to provide the intended function.

20. The method of claim 19 including:

advancing a horizontal sync signal to increase the interval between the sync signal and a color stripe burst so that an insufficient number of color stripe burst cycles are available for detection to correspondingly alter the control command.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the program video signal contains pseudo sync and or automatic gain control (AGC) pulses which represent a control command for subsequently providing an intended function, the method including:

changing the position, width, level, edges and or presence of one or more pseudo sync and or AGC pulses, to subsequently correspondingly alter the control command such that the altered control command fails to provide the intended function.

22. The method of claim 1 wherein the program video signal contains back porch pulses representative of a control command for subsequently providing an intended function, the method including:

changing the position, pattern, distribution, location, presence and or number of the back porch pulses, to subsequently correspondingly alter the control command such that the altered control command fails to provide the intended function.

23. The method of claim 1 including:

generating a selected voltage signal;

providing a timing signal indicative of a portion or portions of the program video signal to be modified; and

adding to or replacing the portion or portions of the program signal with the selected voltage signal in response to the timing signal to correspondingly alter the subsequent control command.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the portion or portions includes selected pixels, back porch pulse, pseudo sync pulse, AGC pulse, sync pulse and or data signal of one or more selected video lines.

25. The method of claim 1 including:

generating first and second selected voltage signals;

providing first and second timing signals indicative of first and second portions of the program video signal; and

inserting or adding the first and second selected voltage signals into the first and second portions in response to the first and second timing signals, respectively, to subsequently alter the control command.

26. A method implemented by a processor of modifying a subsequently generated control command in a copy, record or content control system, wherein the copy, record, or content control system receives a program video signal including an analog copy protection signal containing at least one pseudo sync pulse and or positive going pulse in a horizontal blanking interval, and or a color stripe burst signal, wherein at least part of the analog copy protection signal may include an embedded content control signal, the method comprising:

providing via a circuit the program video signal with the embedded content control signal or the at least part of the analog copy protection signal, wherein the program video signal is playable on a monitor; and

modifying via a circuit at least a portion of the content control signal and/or the at least part of the copy protection signal, to cause the subsequently generated control command to be altered and thereby fail in performing an intended function, wherein at least a portion of the content control or copy protection signal is repositioned or redistributed.

27. A method of modifying a control command in a content control system when processing a program video signal, wherein the program video signal includes an analog copy protection signal having at least one pseudo sync pulse, a positive going pulse and or a color stripe burst signal in a horizontal blanking interval, the method comprising:

providing via a circuit the program video signal with a content control signal embedded therein, wherein the program video signal is playable on a monitor; and

modifying via a circuit at least a portion of the program video signal and/or the analog copy protection signal to correspondingly alter a subsequently generated control command to preclude it from performing an intended function, wherein at least a portion of the content control signal is repositioned or redistributed.

28. Apparatus for altering a control command in a copy, record or content control system, which receives a program video signal including an analog copy protection signal having at least one pseudo sync pulse, a positive going pulse and or a color stripe burst signal in a horizontal blanking interval, the apparatus comprising:

circuitry for supplying a content control signal and for selectively outputting the content control signal with the program video signal, wherein the program video signal is playable on a monitor; and

a modifying circuit responsive to the combined signals for selectively altering at least a portion of the combined signals to cause a correspondingly modified control command to be subsequently generated by the copy, record, or content control system, wherein at least a portion of the content control or copy protection signal is repositioned or redistributed.

29. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the circuit for selectively combining includes a summing circuit.

30. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a circuit for providing a control signal;

a shifting circuit receiving the program video signal for phase shifting or relocating at least a portion or portions of a color burst envelope therein; and

a switch receiving the program signal for combining the phase shifted or relocated portion or portions with the program video signal in response to the control signal.

31. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a color stripe generating circuit for providing a color stripe burst or modified color stripe burst; and

a summing or inserting circuit for combining the color stripe burst or modified color stripe burst with the program video signal.

32. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a sync regenerator circuit receiving the program signal for selectively modifying a horizontal or vertical sync signal; and

a summing or inserting circuit for combining the modified horizontal or vertical sync signal with the program video signal.

33. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a pseudo sync generator circuit receiving the program video signal for providing a selected variation of pseudo sync pulses;

an automatic gain control (AGC) generator circuit operatively coupled to the pseudo sync generator circuit; and

a summing or inserting circuit operatively coupled to the AGC generator circuit and responsive to the pseudo sync and AGC generator circuits so as to provide a selected variation of pseudo sync pulses and or AGC pulses for combination with the program video signal.

34. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a back porch pulse circuit receiving the program video signal for providing a selected variation of a back porch region; and

a summing or inserting circuit for combining the selectively varied back porch region with the program video signal.

35. The apparatus of claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a switch receiving the program video signal on a first input and coupled at a second input to a voltage source;

a timing generator receiving the program video signal and coupled at its output to a control input of the switch; and

wherein the switch switches the voltage source into the program video signal in response to the timing generator.

36. The apparatus of the claim 28 wherein the modifying circuit comprises:

a switching circuit configured to receive the program video signal and a voltage signal on respective inputs;

a summing circuit coupled to the output of the switching circuit;

a color stripe generator circuit, a sync regenerator circuit, a pseudo sync and automatic gain control generator circuit, a back porch generator circuit and a blanking generator circuit configured to receive the program signal;

wherein the blanking generator circuit supplies a control signal to the switching circuit; and

wherein an output of one or more of said circuits is combined with the output of the switching circuit via the summing circuit to provide a subsequently altered control command.

37. A method of modifying a control command in a copy, record or content control system, wherein the copy, record or content control signal receives a program video signal, wherein the program video signal is playable on a monitor, and wherein the program video signal contains an original content control signal and or at least part of an analog copy protection signal indicative of a corresponding subsequently generated original control command for performing an intended function, the method comprising:

altering via a circuit the original content control signal and or a portion of at least part of the analog copy protection signal so as to subsequently correspondingly alter the original control command such that the altered control command fails to provide the intended function of the original control command, wherein at least a portion of the content control or copy protection signal is provided with an added or inserted signal.

38. A method implemented by a processor of altering a control command in a content control system, wherein the content control system receives a program video signal including an analog copy protection signal having at least one pseudo sync pulse, a positive going pulse and or a color stripe burst signal, wherein one or more portions of the analog copy protection signal provides a content control signal, and wherein the program video signal is playable on a monitor, the method comprising:

modifying via a circuit at least a portion of the program video signal and/or the analog copy protection signal to cause a change in the control command subsequently generated, wherein at least a portion of the content control or copy protection signal is altered in level, pulse width, position, phase, or amplitude.

39. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes color burst signals, comprising:

deleting or altering a selected portion of a color burst signal prior to a pseudo sync pulse to thereby alter an effect on the content control system.

40. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes sync pulses, comprising:

shifting an amplitude, position and or pulse width of a selected portion or portions of a sync pulse.

41. The method of claim 40, comprising:

level shifting at least one portion of a sync pulse to provide a narrowed negative going pulse and or a positive going pulse.

42. The method of claim 41 wherein either or both negative or positive going pulse may be varied in level.

43. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes one or more pseudo sync pulse, and wherein the duration of the pseudo sync pulse is altered, narrowed, and or widened.

44. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes two or more pseudo sync pulses, and wherein the period between two pseudo sync pulses is altered, shortened, and or lengthened.

45. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes a content control signal, a data signal, and or sync pulses, comprising:

repositioning a content control signal or a data signal or one or more sync pulses.

46. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes two or more automatic gain control (AGC) pulses, and wherein the period between two AGC pulses is altered, shortened, and or lengthened.

47. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes a set number of pseudo sync and or automatic gain control (AGC) pulses per television line, comprising:

modifying the set number of pseudo sync and or AGC pulses per television line.

48. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes sync pulses and a data or CGMS signal on an active portion of a television line, and wherein at least a portion of a sync pulse or data or CGMS signal is modified in position, amplitude and or pulsewidth.

49. The method of claim 48 wherein the video signal includes a back porch region, comprising:

altering a portion of the back porch region.

50. The method of claim 48 including:

level shifting a sync pulse portion.

51. The method of claim 48 wherein a sync pulse is level shifted to form more than one negative going pulse, and at least one positive going pulse, and wherein either or both negative or positive going pulse may have a level change.

52. The method of claim 48 wherein the sync pulses may comprise a vertical sync signal, comprising:

modifying at least a portion of the vertical sync signal, or adding or inserting another sync signal or pulse prior to and or after the vertical sync signal.

53. The method of claim 52 comprising:

modifying the vertical sync signal by changing the duration and or position of the vertical sync signal, or by adding or inserting at least one alternative vertical sync-like pulse or sync-like signal prior to or after the vertical sync signal.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the vertical sync signal includes serration, equalizing and or vertical sync pulses, and whereby the modification includes an amplitude, pulse width and or position alteration of at least one of the serration, equalizing and or vertical sync pulses.

55. The method of claim 52 wherein the sync pulses include a vertical sync signal and wherein the vertical sync signal includes broad vertical sync pulses, comprising:

modifying a broad vertical sync pulse so as to cause an erroneous read or count of a data signal.

56. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes a vertical or frame rate signal or pulse for determining the location of a data or CGMS signal, comprising:

at least partly altering the vertical or frame rate signal to cause the data signal to be misread.

57. The method of claim 38 wherein the modification causes a data signal or a content control signal to be skipped or not read.

58. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes sync pulses and a data signal comprised of a reference start bit or reference clock signal, wherein the reference start bit or reference clock signal is modified in position, duration, phase, amplitude and or frequency.

59. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes sync pulses and a data signal, comprising:

modifying a sync pulse prior to the data signal or modifying an amplitude of a portion of the data signal.

60. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes a data signal, sync pulses, and back porch intervals, comprising:

modifying at least one back porch in a back porch area so as to cause a misread of the data signal.

61. The method of claim 38 wherein the video signal includes a data or CGMS signal comprising a data signal and a reference clock signal, or a reference start bit, wherein at least a portion of the data bit signal is modified in position, amplitude, and or pulse width.

62. The method of claim 38 wherein the content control signal contains a modulated portion of a copy protection signal forming a dynamic copy protection signal, comprising:

modifying at least a portion of the dynamic copy protection signal with a static copy protection signal that correspondingly alters a subsequently generated control command in the content control system.

63. The method of claim 38 wherein the content control system contains at least a portion of a dynamic copy protection signal, comprising:

modulating at least a portion of the dynamic copy protection signal to alter a subsequently generated control command in a content control system.