Subscriber-limited reception television broadcast security encoder-decoder system
First Claim
1. A subscription television system for scrambling and unscrambling of standard television signals having horizontal scan lines that include horizontal synchronizing signals, vertical synchronizing signals, and video signals, and accompanying audio signals to enable reception of the video and audio signals in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers, said system comprising:
- (1) transmitting means comprising;
(a) means for scrambling video signals by inversion of the video portion of some horizontal scan lines in a line-by-line fashion on a pseudo-random basis to produce a picture having some video signals inverted and others not inverted which produces a substantially unintelligible visual display;
(b) means for scrambling audio signals;
(c) means for generating a plurality of discrete pulse coded control signals serving to identify individual subscribers which are authorized to unscramble the scrambled video and audio signals and to provide decoding pulses;
(d) means for transmitting the scrambled video and audio signals together with the control signals, said control signals being transmitted separately and simultaneously during transmission of each of the horizontal scan lines on a separate preselected frequency distinct from the video signals to determine whether or not the video portions of the next successive horizontal scan lines is are to be inverted; and
(2) receiving means comprising;
(a) means for receiving the transmitted scrambled video and audio signals together with the control signals;
(b) means for storing a unique subscriber identity code;
(c) means for comparing each of the discrete pulse coded control signals with the stored identity code(d) unscrambling means converting said control signals into decoding pulse and responsive to said comparing means when there is a code match for unscrambling of the video and audio signals by means of said decoding pulse in the same sequence as used for scrambling to provide restored video and audio signals without degradation in picture and sound qualities; and
(3) controlling means responsive to said plurality of control signals for continuously enabling each of the individual unscrambling means at a particular subscriber'"'"'s receiving means on a selective basis so that if the comparing means fails to produce a code match for an individual subscriber identity code before a pre-selected time interval has elapsed the unscrambling means is automatically disabled.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for encoding and decoding of standard television signals are provided for enabling reception thereof in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers. The scrambling of the video signals is effected by inversion of the video signals of some horizontal scan lines on a pseudo-random basis to produce a picture having some video signals inverted and others not inverted which is unpleasant to view and virtually unintelligible. The scrambling of the audio signals is effected by conversion of analog audio signals to coded digital audio signals. A plurality of unique pulse coded control signals consisting of 32-bit binary pulse trains are transmitted separately to identify individual authorized subscribers and to provide information needed to unscramble the scrambled video and audio signals. When there is a comparison between one of the pulse-coded control signals and a unique address code stored at a particular subscriber'"'"'s receiver, unscrambling of the video and audio signals occurs in the same sequence as used for scrambling so as to provide restored video and audio signals without degradation in picture and sound qualities.
128 Citations
68 Claims
-
1. A subscription television system for scrambling and unscrambling of standard television signals having horizontal scan lines that include horizontal synchronizing signals, vertical synchronizing signals, and video signals, and accompanying audio signals to enable reception of the video and audio signals in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers, said system comprising:
-
(1) transmitting means comprising; (a) means for scrambling video signals by inversion of the video portion of some horizontal scan lines in a line-by-line fashion on a pseudo-random basis to produce a picture having some video signals inverted and others not inverted which produces a substantially unintelligible visual display; (b) means for scrambling audio signals; (c) means for generating a plurality of discrete pulse coded control signals serving to identify individual subscribers which are authorized to unscramble the scrambled video and audio signals and to provide decoding pulses; (d) means for transmitting the scrambled video and audio signals together with the control signals, said control signals being transmitted separately and simultaneously during transmission of each of the horizontal scan lines on a separate preselected frequency distinct from the video signals to determine whether or not the video portions of the next successive horizontal scan lines is are to be inverted; and (2) receiving means comprising; (a) means for receiving the transmitted scrambled video and audio signals together with the control signals; (b) means for storing a unique subscriber identity code; (c) means for comparing each of the discrete pulse coded control signals with the stored identity code (d) unscrambling means converting said control signals into decoding pulse and responsive to said comparing means when there is a code match for unscrambling of the video and audio signals by means of said decoding pulse in the same sequence as used for scrambling to provide restored video and audio signals without degradation in picture and sound qualities; and (3) controlling means responsive to said plurality of control signals for continuously enabling each of the individual unscrambling means at a particular subscriber'"'"'s receiving means on a selective basis so that if the comparing means fails to produce a code match for an individual subscriber identity code before a pre-selected time interval has elapsed the unscrambling means is automatically disabled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
-
-
15. For use in a subscription television system, a method for scrambling and unscrambling of standard television signals having horizontal scan lines that include horizontal synchronizing signals, vertical synchronizing signals, and video signals, and accompanying audio signals to enable reception of the video and audio signals in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers, said method comprising the steps of:
-
scrambling video signals by inversion of the video signals of some horizontal scan lines on a line-by line fashion in a pseudo-random basis to produce a picture having some video signals inverted and others not inverted which is unpleasant to view and virtually unintelligible; scrambling audio signals by conversion of analog audio signals to coded digital audio signals; generating a plurality of unique pulse coded control signals serving to identify individual subscribers which are authorized to unscramble the scrambled video and audio signals; transmitting the scrambled video and audio signals together with the control signals, said control signals being transmitted separately and simultaneously during each of the horizontal scan lines to determine whether or not the video portion of the next successive horizontal scan line is to be inverted; receiving the transmitted scrambled video and audio signals together with the control signals; storing a unique address code to identify a particular subscriber; comparing each of the pulse coded control signals with the stored address code; unscrambling of the video and audio signals by means of decoding pulses converted from said control signals in the same sequence as used for scrambling when the step of comparing indicates a match to provide restored video and audio signals without degradation in picture and sound qualities; and enabling continuously the unscrambling step at each individual subscriber'"'"'s unit on a selective basis so that if there is no match by the comparing step before a pre-selected time interval has elapsed the step of unscrambling is automatically disabled. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 25, 26, 27)
-
- 19. A method for scrambling and unscrambling of standard television signals as claimed in claim 19, further comprising the step of providing an amplifier responsive to one bit in each of the 4-bit codes to increase further the security for generating either an inverted or non-inverted video signal.
-
29. For use with receivers in a subscription television system, a method for unscrambling of standard television signals scrambled by inversion of video signals of some horizontal scan lines on a line-by-line fashion in a pseudo-random basis to enable reception to transmitted scrambled video signals in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers, said method comprising the steps of:
-
receiving the transmitted scrambled video signals together with a plurality of unique pulse coded control signals which are transmitted separately and simultaneously during each of the horizontal scan lines to determine whether or not the video portion of the next successive horizontal scan line is to be inverted, said control signals identifying individual subscribers which are authorized to unscramble the scrambled video signals and providing information needed to unscramble the transmitted scrambled video signals; storing a unique address code to identify a particular subscriber; comparing each of the pulse coded control signals with the stored address code; unscrambling of the video signals by means of decoding pulses converted from said control signals in the same sequence as used for scrambling when the step of comparing indicates a match to provide restored video signals without degradation in picture quality; and enabling continuously the unscrambling step in response to said plurality of control signals on a selective basis so that if there is no match by the comparing step before a pre-selected time interval has elapsed the unscrambling means is automatically disabled. - View Dependent Claims (30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. For use with receivers in a subscription television system, an apparatus for unscrambling of standard television signals scrambled by inversion of standard television signals scrambled by inversion of video signals of some horizontal scan lines on a line-by-line fashion in a pseudo-random basis to enable reception of the video signals in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers, said apparatus comprising:
-
means for receiving the transmitted scrambled video signals together with a plurality of unique pulse coded control signals which are transmitted separately and simultaneously during each of the horizontal scan lines to determine whether or not the video portion of the next successive horizontal scan line is to be inverted, said control signals identifying individual subscribers which are authorized to unscramble the scrambled video signals and providing information needed to unscramble the transmitted scrambled video signals; means for storing a unique address code to identify a particular subscriber; means for comparing each of the pulse coded control signals with the stored address code; means responsive to said comparing means when there is a match for unscrambling of the video and audio signals by means of decoding pulses converted from said control signals in the same sequence as used for scrambling to provide restored video signals without degradation in picture quality; and controlling means responsive to said plurality of control signals for continuously enabling each of the individual unscrambling means at a particular subscriber receiving means on a selective basis so that if there is no comparison by the comparing means of an individual subscriber before a pre-selected time interval has elapsed the unscrambling means is automatically disabled. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 48)
-
-
65. In a subscription television system having means for generating and conveying composite television signals intelligible only to authorized subscribers, the television signals including a video portion, an aural portion, and an encryption codes signal comprising a sequence of encryption codes;
- the aural portion comprising a periodically sampled and digitized audio signal encrypted in accordance with the encryption codes signal;
said samples occurring at least at twice the maximum audio frequency of the program audio signal;
receiver means including;(a) encryption codes signal detector means for separating the encryption codes signal from the television signals; (b) aural detector means for separating the digitized and encrypted audio signal from the television signals; (c) inverse encryption means responsive to the separated encryption codes signal to return the detected audio signal to the pre-encryption digitized condition; and (d) analog conversion means connected to the inverse encryption means to return the audio signal to the original analog format whereby program audio may be processed and presented in a conventional manner. .Iaddend. .Iadd.66. In a subscription television system having means for generating and conveying composite television signals intelligible only to authorized subscribers, the television signals including a subscriber address codes signal comprising a sequence of address codes, a video portion, and an aural portion, the aural portion comprising a periodically sampled and digitized audio signal subsequently encrypted in accordance with audio encryption codes generated from the address signal, said samples occurring at least at twice the maximum audio frequency of the program audio signal;
receiver means including;(a) subscriber address codes signal detector means for separating the address codes signal from the television signals; (b) aural detector means for separating the digitized and encrypted audio signal from the television signals; (c) means for generating audio de-encryption codes responsive to the address codes signal, the de-encryption codes corresponding to the encryption codes used to initially encrypt said audio signal; (d) inverse encryption means responsive to the de-encryption codes to return the detected audio signal to the pre-encryption digitized signal condition; and (e) analog conversion means connected to the inverse encryption means to return the audio signal to the original analog format whereby program audio may be processed and presented in a conventional manner. .Iaddend. - View Dependent Claims (66)
- the aural portion comprising a periodically sampled and digitized audio signal encrypted in accordance with the encryption codes signal;
-
67. receiver. .Iaddend. .Iadd.73. A subscription television transmitter for generating television signals having a program video portion and a program aural portion in a non-standard format to enable reception of both program video and program audio portions in an intelligible manner only by authorized subscribers;
- said television transmitter comprising;
(a) authorized subscriber address codes signal generating means for generating a sequence of address codes; (b) at least one carrier signal generator means adapted to convey the program video and program aural portions and the subscriber address codes signal from the transmitter to authorized subscribers; (c) audio encryption codes generation means responsive to the subscriber address codes signal for generating a sequence of encryption codes; (d) means for periodically sampling and digitizing the program audio signal, said samples occurring at least at twice the maximum audio frequency of the program audio signal; (e) means responsive to the audio encryption codes for digitally encrypting each digitized program audio sample from the digitizing means; (f) means for combining the address codes signal;
the digitized and encrypted program audio signal, a video program signal with the carrier signals whereby the address codes signal;
the digitized and encrypted program audio signal, and the program video signal may be individually separated at a receiver. .Iaddend. .Iadd.74. The subscription television transmitter of claim 73 including;(a) video scrambler codes generation means responsive to the subscriber address codes signal; (b) means responsive to the video scrambler codes for scrambling the program video signal whereby the subscriber address codes signal functions not only to identify authorized subscribers, but additionally, to generate
- said television transmitter comprising;
-
68. encrypted audio and scrambled video. .Iaddend. .Iadd.75. The subscription television transmitter of claim 73 wherein the subscriber address codes signal from the address codes generating means is comprised of successive address codes, each address code having a plurality of binary digits, and wherein the audio encryption codes generating means includes binary adder means responsive to the address codes wherein the address codes binary digits are combined to produce encryption codes having fewer binary digits than the address codes. .Iaddend. .Iadd.76. The subscription television transmitter of claim 72 in which the digitally encrypting means includes adder means wherein the audio encryption codes are added to the digitized program audio signal to produce the digitized and encrypted program audio signal. .Iaddend.
Specification