Copy protection arrangement

• US 7,703,113 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2007
• Issued: 04/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Dawson, Thomas Patrick
• Primary Examiner(s): Salce; Jason P
• Application Number:
  US11/880,798
• Publication Number:
  US 20070277197A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,001 Days
• Field of Search: 725 25- 31, 705 50- 54, 705 57- 59, 705/63, 705/67, 705 75- 77, 382168-180, 380200-203, 345/629
• US Class Current: 725/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/085 involving remote charge determination or related payment systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3674 involving authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3821 Electronic credentials
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/06 Energy or water supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234327 by decomposing into layers, e.g. base layer and one or more enhancement layers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42661 for reading from or writing on a magnetic storage medium, e.g. hard disk drive
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43072 of multiple content streams on the same device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45455 applied to a region of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/04 Synchronising for television systems using pulse code modulation H04N7/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 : for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

In certain embodiments, a method for generating fees using a receiving device, involves distributing censored video from a distributor video to a receiving device; and uncensoring the censored video using the receiving device upon payment of a fee. The receiving device uses overlay data received from the distributor to uncensor the censored video by overlaying the overlay data over the censored video using a video overlay frame to overlay a video frame containing the censored video data in accordance with boundaries determined by an alpha plane within the receiving device. This abstract should not be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may involve more, different or fewer elements.

Claims

1. A method for generating fees using a receiving device, comprising:

distributing censored video from a video distributor to a receiving device; and

uncensoring said censored video using the receiving device upon payment of a fee, said receiving device using overlay data received from said distributor to uncensor said censored video by overlaying the overlay data over the censored video using a video overlay frame to overlay a video frame containing the censored video data in accordance with boundaries determined by an alpha plane within the receiving device.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the censored video data comprises at least one region or more than one region selected from the following:

a static portion of the video data, a motion vector portion of the video data, a random block of the video data, a macroblock of video data, or any combination thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising permitting a user to store the video data having the censored region and the overlay data on a personal video recorder.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising permitting the user to store data defining the alpha plane on the personal video recorder.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the uncensoring comprises compositing the video data with the video overlay data in accordance with the boundaries defined by the alpha plane.

6. The method according to claim 3, wherein the overlay video data are encrypted.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the receiving device comprises either a television, a television set top box or a personal video recorder.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein said distributor comprises a content provider.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein said content provider, upon receiving payment of the fee, instructs said receiving device to uncensor said censored video.

10. A method for generating fees using a receiving device, comprising:

distributing censored video from a video distributor to a receiving device;

uncensoring said censored video using the receiving device upon payment of a fee, said receiving device using overlay data received from said distributor to uncensor said censored video by overlaying the overlay data over the censored video using a video overlay frame to overlay a video frame containing the censored video data in accordance with boundaries determined by an alpha plane within the receiving device;

wherein the censored video data comprises at least one region selected from the following;

a static portion of the video data, a motion vector portion of the video data, a random block of the video data, a macroblock of video data, or any combination thereof; and

wherein the uncensoring comprises compositing the video data with the video overlay data in accordance with the boundaries defined by the alpha plane.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising permitting a user to store the video data having the censored region and the overlay data on a personal video recorder.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising permitting the user to store data defining the alpha plane on the personal video recorder.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the overlay video data are encrypted.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the receiving device comprises either a television, a television set top box or a personal video recorder.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein said distributor comprises a content provider.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said content provider, upon receiving payment of the fee, instructs said receiving device to uncensor said censored video.

17. A method for generating fees using a receiving device, comprising:

distributing censored video from a content provider serving as a video distributor to a receiving device;

uncensoring said censored video using the receiving device upon payment of a fee, said receiving device using overlay data received from said distributor to uncensor said censored video by overlaying the overlay data over the censored video using a video overlay frame to overlay a video frame containing the censored video data in accordance with boundaries determined by an alpha plane within the receiving device;

wherein the overlay video data are encrypted;

wherein the censored video data comprises at least one region selected from the following;

a static portion of the video data, a motion vector portion of the video data, a random block of the video data, a macroblock of video data, or any combination thereof;

wherein the uncensoring comprises compositing the video data with the video overlay data in accordance with the boundaries defined by the alpha plane;

and further comprising permitting a user to store the video data having the censored region and the overlay data on a personal video recorder, and permitting the user to store data defining the alpha plane on the personal video recorder.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein the receiving device comprises either a television, a television set top box or a personal video recorder.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said content provider, upon receiving payment of the fee, instructs said receiving device to uncensor said censored video.