METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODIFYING A SUBSEQUENTLY GENERATED CONTROL COMMAND IN A CONTENT CONTROL SYSTEM

• US 20100290620A1
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald Quan
• Original Assignee: Ronald Quan
• Inventors: Quan, Ronald
• Granted Patent: US 8,374,347 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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 afters 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

1-38. -38. (canceled)

39. A method of synthesizing a copy protection signal in a video signal, wherein the copy protection signal includes a color burst envelope containing one or more subcarrier cycles of a phase which differs from the normal color burst phase and or one or more cycles of substantially normal color burst phase to form a color stripe burst envelope, the method comprising:

reducing the amplitude of at least a portion of the color stripe burst envelope to maintain the copy protection signal while improving the playability of the video signal in a television set.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the amplitude reduced portion occurs at the beginning of, or at a selected region within, the color stripe burst envelope.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the step of reducing the amplitude comprises eliminating or attenuating said at least a portion.

42. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

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

43. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

reducing or eliminating the amplitude of at least a selected portion of the color stripe burst envelope.

44-51. -51. (canceled)

52. A method of synthesizing a copy protection signal in a video signal having color bursts in selected video lines, comprising:

reducing or altering the amplitude of at least one portion of color subcarrier signal of a color burst in at least one video line.

53. The method of claim 52 including reducing more than one portion of color subcarrier signal in a selected video line.

54. The method of claim 53 wherein a reduced amplitude of non-normal phase or frequency subcarrier of selected duration comprises at least one of the portions.

55. The method of claim 52 comprising:

applying a phase alternate line sequence of predetermined phase to at least one cycle of a color burst signal for a selected set of video lines.

56. The method of claim 55 wherein a reduction in amplitude is applied to at least a portion of the phase alternate line sequenced color burst signal.

57. The method of claim 55 wherein the phase alternate line sequence causes an altered control command in a content or record control system.

58-85. -85. (canceled)