Dynamically shifting control word

• US 7,916,865 B2
• Filed: 06/02/2008
• Issued: 03/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: NDS Limited (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wald, Stephanie, Patinkin, Akiva, Poupko, Avraham
• Primary Examiner(s): Pyzocha; Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fields; Courtney D
• Application Number:
  US12/156,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20080240431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,030 Days
• Field of Search: 380/239, 380/282, 725/6, 713/155
• US Class Current: 380/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234318 by decomposing into objects, e.g. MPEG-4 objects
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4781 Games
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A method for generating a plurality of control words, each control word controlling access to an object. The method includes providing a control word packet (CWP), generating a first control word (CW) from the CWP, providing a second CW generation input and producing a second CW based, at least in part, on both of the following the first CW and the second CW generation input. Control word generating apparatus for generating a plurality of control words is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for providing a multiple-question game, the method comprising:

providing a first scrambled question;

providing a first control word (CW) including descrambling information for descrambling the first question;

receiving, from a user, a first answer to the first question; and

producing a second CW using a control word processor, the control word processor being implemented at least partly in hardware, the second CW being based, at least in part, on both of the following;

the first CW and the first answer,

the second CW including descrambling information for descrambling a second question.

2. The method according to claim 1 and wherein at least one of the first question and the second question comprises a plurality of questions.

8. The method according to claim 1 and wherein the control word processor comprises a removable security element.

9. The method according to claim 8 and wherein the removable security element comprises a smart card.

3. Game apparatus for providing a multiple-question game, the apparatus comprising:

a scrambled question descrambler receiving a first scrambled question and a first control word (CW) including descrambling information for descrambling the first question and operative to descramble the first question; and

a control word processor receiving, from a user, a first answer to the first question and operative to produce a second CW based, at least in part, on both of the following;

the first CW and the first answer,

the second CW including descrambling information for descrambling a second question,

the control word processor being implemented at least partly in hardware.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 and also comprising a security subsystem, and

wherein the security subsystem comprises at least one of the following:

the scrambled question descrambler; and

the control word processor.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 and wherein the security subsystem comprises a removable security element, and

the removable security element comprises at least one of the following:

the scrambled question descrambler; and

the control word processor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5 and wherein the removable security element comprises a smart card.

10. The apparatus according to claim 3 and wherein the control word processor comprises a removable security element.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 and wherein the removable security element comprises a smart card.

7. Game apparatus for providing a multiple-question game, the apparatus comprising:

scrambled question descrambling means for receiving a first scrambled question and a first control word (CW) including descrambling information for descrambling the first question and operative to descramble the first question; and

a control word processor for receiving, from a user, a first answer to the first question and operative to produce a second CW based, at least in part, on both of the following;

the first CW and the first answer,

the second CW including descrambling information for descrambling a second question,

the control word processor being implemented at least partly in hardware.

12. The apparatus according to claim 7 and wherein the control word processor comprises a removable security element.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12 and wherein the removable security element comprises a smart card.