United States Patent
`Sheldrick et al.
`
`[19]
`
`.
`
`[11] Patent Number:
`[45] Date of Patent: ~
`
`5,506,904
`A r. 9 1996
`P
`9
`
`l|||||llllllllllllllll|||l|||||||||||||ll||||||lllll|||ll|l||l|||l|ll||||||'
`US005506904A
`
`...................... 380/10
`380/23
`
`
`
`5/1989 Seth-Smith et al.
`8/1989 Laurance etal.
`C
`'
`.
`.
`,
`,
`2:
`. 380/25 X
`10/1990 Schlesinger ..........
`4,962,449
`:::::"333%Z
`2:323:18? 511331 1°/’é‘12ii,1,“,‘; ,1:
`.. 348/473
`5,200,823
`4/1993 Yoneda et al.
`5,243,552
`9/1993 Teare et al.
`......................... .: 380/23 x
`OTHER PUBLICATIONS
`
`4,829,569
`4,860,352
`
`“Requirements and Method for High—-Level Multiplexing of
`MPEG and Other Digital Service Bitstreams with Universal
`Transport Layer”, Anthony J. Wasilewski; Scientific—At-
`lama: 1110-~ GA: (1992)-
`“Syntax Proposal for MPEG-2 Transport Steam Program
`Specific Information Contribution to Systems”, Anthony J.
`Wasilewski; Scientific—Atlanta, Inc. GA; (Jul. 1993).
`
`Primary Examiner—Bemarr E. Gregory
`Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Banner & Allegretti, Ltd.
`
`ABSTRACT
`[571
`Authorization information, such as blackout and spotlight
`regions, CiI'cu]ar blackout and spotlight regions’ and tier
`pointers, may be transmitted from an encoder to a decoder
`in a plurality of sessions of data frames. By spreading the
`authorization information over a plurality of sessions, more
`space may be allocated for the provision of services. ln
`addition, the authorization information may be framed by
`START and STOP fields so that the length of authorization
`information may be variable. Calculation of a circular black-
`out/spotlight region can be simplified by transmitting a
`distortion factor from the encoder to the decoder. Accord~
`ingly, complex calculations need not be performed at a
`mi°F°PT°°eSS°T in the decoder-
`
`34 Claims, 12 Drawing Sheets
`
`[54] SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`'1‘RANs1v[1'['T]NGAN[) RECEIVING
`
`W51
`
`CONTROL FOR DIGITAL SERVICES
`W998 8- She1d9ck= Scarborough:
`Kath 3- Ghmhher Markhalhi Arthur
`5- W00: Gary W- C- Chan» both Of
`Scarborough, all of Canada
`
`[73] Assignee: Scientific-‘Atlanta, Inc., Norcross, Ga.
`
`[21] Appl. No.: 160,830
`
`[22]
`
`Filed:
`
`Dec. 3, 1993
`
`Related U_s_ Application Data
`
`[63] Continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 101,974, Aug. 4, 1993, Pat.
`No_ 5’381,431_
`
`Int. Cl.5 ...................................................... .. H04L 9/32
`[51]
`[52] U.S. Cl.
`................................... 380/23; 380/9; 380/10;
`_
`380/253 380/49
`Fleld Of Search ....................................
`10, 20,
`380/23, 25. 49: 50
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`U_S_ PATENT DOCUMENTS
`
`4,077,005
`4,536,791
`
`2/1978 Bishop ..............
`
`---------------- 380/49
`8/1985 Campbell et al.
`330/10
`ml ------
`3;-mfg;
`9/1987 van Rm3] ______H
`H 375/116
`4:697:277
`2/1988 Nagasawa et al.
`4,723,283
`380/20
`‘L... 380/48
`8/1988 Barr
`4,763,357
`..................
`4,787,085 12/1988 Suto et al.
`370/110.1
`4,817,142
`3/1939 van Rassal ................................ 380/15
`
`
`
`MODULATOR
`
`
`
`
`LOW SPEED
`DATA FORMATTER
`
`TRANSWTER 100
`
`RECEIVER 150
`
`(cid:50)(cid:83)(cid:72)(cid:81)(cid:55)(cid:57)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:40)(cid:91)(cid:75)(cid:76)(cid:69)(cid:76)(cid:87)(cid:3)(cid:20)(cid:19)(cid:19)(cid:22)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:3)(cid:51)(cid:68)(cid:74)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:20)
`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
`Page 1
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`

`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 9, 1996
`
`Sheet 1 of 12
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
`Page 3
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`

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`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 9, 1996
`
`9
`
`Sheet 3 of 12
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`5,506,904
`
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`
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`OpenTV Exhibit1003 Page4
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
`Page 5
`
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`
`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
`Page 6
`
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit1003 Page7
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`U.S. Patent
`
`Apr. 9, 1996
`
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit 100.3
`Page 9
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
`Page 10
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003
`Page 11
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`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`OpenTV Exhibit1003
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`
`U.S. Patent
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`Apr. 9, 1996
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`Sheet 12 of 12
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`OpenTV Exhibit1003
`Page 13
`
`BLACKOUT
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`MULTIPLEXER
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`
`5,506,904
`
`1
`SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR
`TRANSMITTING AND RECEIVING
`VARIABLE LENGTH AUTHORIZATION
`CONTROL FOR DIGITAL SERVICES
`
`This application is related by subject matter to U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 08/161,160, entitled “System and
`Method for Transmitting a Plurality of Digital Services
`Including Imaging Services” and filed Dec. 3, 1993; U.S.
`patent application Ser. No. 08/160,828, entitled “System and
`Method for Transmitting a Plurality of Digital Services
`Including Compressed Imaging Services and Associated
`Ancillary Data Services” and filed Dec. 3, 1993; U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 08/160,841, entitled “Memory Efficient
`Method and Apparatus for Synch Detection” and filed Dec.
`3, 1993, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,420,640 U.S. patent application
`Ser. No. 08/161,159,
`entitled “A multi-Service Data
`Receiver Architecture” and filed Dec. 3, 1993; U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 08/160.848, entitled “System and
`Method for Simultaneously Authorizing Multiple Virtual
`Channels ” and filed Dec. 3,1993, now U.S. Pat. No.
`5,425,101; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/160,827,
`entitled “System and Method for Providing Compressed
`Teletext Services and Teletext Support Services” and filed
`Dec. 3, 1993; and is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
`application Ser. No. 08/101,974, entitled “Method and
`Apparatus for Uniquely Encrypting a Plurality of Services at
`aTransn1ission Site” and filed Aug. 4, 1993, now US. Pat.
`No. 5,380,481.
`
`I. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
`
`A. Field of the Invention
`
`The present invention relates generally to digital signal
`transmission, and more particularly, to a system and method
`for transmitting control information together with a multi-
`plex of digital services,
`including imaging services, for
`selective display of the services at a plurality of remote
`locations.
`
`B. Description of the Relevant Art
`With the growing trend toward a merger of the previously
`separate technologies of telecommunications
`including
`voice and data telecommunications and television including
`satellite, broadcast and cable television, there has emerged
`an increased interest in developing adaptable transmission
`systems capable of handling any one or more of a collection
`or plurality of such services. The primary media investigated
`for providing such services to date comprise, for example,
`coaxial cable,
`land-based microwave, so-called cellular
`radio, broadcast FM, broadcast satellite and optical fiber, to
`name a few.
`
`Each media has its own characteristics. For example,
`comparing cable and satellite for digital data transmission,
`cable tends to have a medium error rate, but, when errors
`appear, the errors come in long bursts. Satellite as a media
`has a pretty poor error rate, primarily due to the requisite
`weak signal power, and hence, low signal to noise ratio. In
`satellite,
`then,
`the poor error rate is specially corrected
`utilizing such techniques as convolutional error correctors,
`not required in a cable environment.
`In copending US application Ser. No. 07/968,846 filed
`Oct. 30, 1992 and entitled “System and Method for Trans-
`mitting a Plurality of Digital Services,” now U.S. Pat. No.
`5,400,401, there is described an encoder for generating a
`multiplexed data stream carrying services to remote loca-
`tions via, for example, a satellite or a cable distribution
`
`2
`network. The generated data stream comprises a continuous
`sequence of frames, each frame comprising two fields, and
`each field comprising a plurality of lines. A first group of
`lines of a field defines a transport layer and a second group
`of lines defines a service data region. A feature of the
`disclosed scheme is the ability to dynamically vary the
`multiplexed data stream from field to field. A further feature
`of the disclosed scheme is that the data transmission rate of
`the multiplexed data stream is related to the frequency of
`known analog video formats, i.e. frame, field and horizontal
`line rates.
`
`In U.S. application Ser. No. 07/970,918 filed Nov. 2,
`1992, entitled “System and Method for Multiplexing a
`Plurality of Digital Program Services for Transmission to
`Remote Locations,” now U.S. Pat. No. 5,319,709, there is
`described another system, this for multiplexing a plurality of
`digital program services comprising a collection of, for
`example, video, audio,
`teletext, closed-captioning and
`“other data” services. According to the disclosed scheme, a
`plurality of subframe data streams are generated, each
`having a transport layer region and a program data region.
`These subframe data streams are then multiplexed together
`into superframes having a transport
`layer region and a
`subframe data region.
`While these disclosed transmission systems permit a
`variety of services to be transmitted over various media to
`remote locations, there remains a need to provide yet other
`alternative arrangements more particularly adapted to the
`wide variety of services that may be offered over various
`media and permit the end user at the remote location greater
`flexibility over the data content
`the user is ultimately
`enabled to receive. Moreover, such a system should be able
`to be easily adapted to transmit an increasing number of
`different services in an increasingly eflicient manner, for
`example, utilizing the same or less bandwidth.
`When such a variety of services are transmitted, it is
`desirable for system operators to exert various forms of
`authorization control over the services transmitted to a user.
`By using authorization control, the system operator can
`make a set of services available to some users but not to
`others. The forms of authorization control desired by the
`system operators may differ depending on a classification of
`the service provided, a classification of the user receiving the
`service, or both.
`
`Such authorization control includes implementation of a
`blackout, whereby one or more services are denied to a user
`according to a predetermined classification. For example,
`broadcasters may be prohibited by contract from broadcast-
`ing a sporting event to users within a fixed distance from the
`stadium, arena, or track where the sporting event takes place
`in order to protect ticket revenues. In current systems, the
`decoder at the user’s location calculates whether a blackout
`is required according to a complicated, three-dimensional
`mathematical algorithm. Of course, the decoder must be
`equipped with a processor capable of performing the calcu-
`lations. If such a processor is already provided in the
`decoder, the processor must be diverted from other jobs to
`perform the complex calculations necessary to determine
`whether the decoder is within the blackout area. Accord-
`ingly, the speed of processing is reduced.
`Users may also be classified for blackout purposes by
`region, for example, by city or county. This regional black-
`out authorization control is currently available in certain
`B-MAC (B-type Multiplexed Analog Component) products.
`Spotlighting is another type of authorization control where
`one or more services are provided only to a predetermined
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`3
`class of users. Thus, spotlighting may be considered as the
`inverse of blackout.
`
`The group authorization is implemented as follows. Each
`decoder is sent an addressed data packet which specifies the
`group to which the decoder belongs. System data includes
`seeds and control information, and two bytes are used to
`send CSACS packets. CSACS packets send the entire autho-
`rization stream in a list of group codes. If a decoder is a
`member of a listed group,
`it uses the CSACS package
`authorization description. If the decoder is not a member of
`the listed groups, it is not authorized. Accordingly, a black-
`out can be implemented by removing a group to be blacked
`out from the transmitted list.
`
`Over several sessions, control such as audio routing and
`mute controls, data mute control, video on/oft”, etc. is trans-
`mitted via the CSACS method of group authorization so as
`to extend the available bits of system data. However, this
`information would be sent in one session if allowed by the
`system data. In addition, as indicated above, reception of a
`CSACS cycle was required to make authorization possible.
`Authorization control may also be used by the broadcaster
`to offer a variety of service packages to users at different
`prices. This is called tiering, and the various service pack-
`ages available to users are called tiers. In B-MAC applica-
`tions, a single tier pointer is transmitted. The tier pointer
`references a bit string in the decoder. If the bit pointed to by
`the tier pointer is in a first state, authorization occurs. If the
`bit pointed to is in a second state, authorization is denied.
`The operator is aiforded maximum flexibility if the sys-
`tem can support numerous authorization control schemes.
`However, as more authorization control schemes are pro-
`vided, an increasing portion of the transmitted signal must
`be dedicated to authorization control
`information. As a
`result,
`less capacity is available for the transmission of
`services. In addition, a significant amount of time may be
`needed for a decoder to decrypt authorization control infor-
`mation encrypted by the broadcaster at an encoder. Further-
`more, the need for certain authorization schemes may vary
`over time as conditions change. Therefore, an operator may
`waste a significant portion of transmission bandwidth by
`providing for authorization control schemes that are not in
`USE.
`
`H. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
`
`It is an object of the present invention to provide a highly
`flexible system and method for delivering authorization
`information to a decoder at a user’s location.
`
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`system and method for delivering authorization information
`to a decoder at a user’s location without adversely affecting
`the bandwidth available for services, such as video and
`audio, and without increasing the time required to decrypt
`the information in a security microprocessor.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`system and method for delivering a variable number of bytes
`of authorization information to a decoder without adversely
`affecting the bandwidth available for services and without
`increasing decryption time.
`It is a further object of the present invention to provide a
`system and method for implementing a circular blackout
`and/or spotlight authorization that may be easily and efli-
`ciently determined at a decoder.
`The above objects and others are achieved by the present
`invention in which a plurality of authorization codes, for
`example, circular blackout codes, group blackout codes,
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`spotlight codes, and a list of program tier pointers, are
`transmitted from an encoder to a decoder in fields of a
`plurality of data frames. The data frames containing the
`authorization codes are framed by start and end bytes.
`Frames that do not
`include authorization data may be
`interposed between data frames that contain authorization
`data. Thus, the authorization codes may be transmitted in a
`plurality of cycles of frames. Each of the fields must be
`completely received from start to end without errors or
`omissions in order for the authorization to be implemented.
`Other authorization schemes may be implemented in addi-
`tion to those in the frame cycles. Accordingly, the authori-
`zation schemes in the cycle of frames can be supplemental
`to those not in the cycle of frames, and authorization may be
`achieved without transmission of the authorization in the
`cycle of frames.
`By spreading the authorization codes out over a plurality
`of data frames, fewer bytes of the data frame may be
`allocated for authorization control thereby allowing greater
`capacity for the provision of services. Decryption time is not
`increased because the decoder may decrypt the authorization
`code bytes one frame at a time. Further, by framing the
`authorization codes with start and stop bytes, authorization
`codes having a variable length and content may be trans-
`mitted and received. Accordingly, the need for variable
`length packets of control information is eliminated without
`destroying the capability of transmitting variable length
`control information.
`
`In addition, the circular blackout/spotlight codes specify
`a circular region in terms of a center latitude, a center
`longitude, and a radius. A particular decoder receiving stores
`its location in terms of longitude and latitude. Further, a
`distortion factor is stored to effect a two-dimensional cal-
`culation of whether the decoder is in the circular region that
`approximates the much more complicated three-dimensional
`calculation. The two-dimensional calculation requires fewer
`arithmetic operations than the prior art three-dimensional
`algorithms discussed above. Accordingly,
`less processor
`time is consumed in making the blackout/spotlight determi-
`nation at the decoder. Finally, the present invention is highly
`flexible in that, among other features described above, it
`need not be used in connection with each prograrmning
`service.
`
`The present invention may be implemented in a system
`for multiplexing a plurality of digital service data streams at
`varying data rates and transmitting the services from an
`origination point to a plurality of remote locations. A digital
`service may comprise a collection selectable by the user
`from any of a number of low data rate, medium data rate and
`high data rate services including, but not limited to, video
`(both standard and high resolution), audio (from monaural to
`“surround-sound”), and data (from subscription software to
`video games to high speed data—base exchanges).
`The present invention is described primarily in the context
`of a pay television system such as a cable television or direct
`broadcast satellite system (DBS), that typically distribute a
`variety of program services to subscribers for presentation
`on home terminal equipment which is the property of the end
`user or subscriber to the pay services. Such home terminal
`equipment may comprise video game apparatus, a television
`signal receiver (either standard or high definition), a home
`computer, a printer (either a facsimile or high resolution
`image printer), a stereo sound system, a telephone (including
`portable, mobile or stationary), a picture-phone, an energy
`system or alarm equipment interface, or any other known
`such apparatus or combination of apparatus. The present
`invention is also envisioned to be used in the telecommu-
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`OpenTV Exhibitl003' Page 15
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`nications environment or other fixed or switched one-way or
`two-way program apparatus. It will be assumed, however,
`that such services be converted, if not already in digital
`form,
`to digital form for transmission over the present
`system.
`
`BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THEDRAWJNGS
`
`A more complete appreciation of the present invention
`and many of the attendant advantages thereof will be readily
`obtained as the invention becomes better understood by
`reference to the following detailed description when con-
`sidered in connection with the accompanying drawings.
`FIG. 1 is a system block diagram showing a transmitter
`site 100 including an encoder and a receiver site 150
`including a decoder according to the present invention for
`transmitting control, low data rate, medium data rate (audio)
`and high data rate (video) data implemented in a satellite
`communications system.
`FIG. 2A is a diagram showing a scalable multiplex frame,
`including synchronization words BLOCK SYNCH (also
`referred to herein as HSYNCH) and FRAME SYNCH, for
`transmitting a digital data stream of low data rate (included
`within PACKETS), medium data rate (audio) and high data
`rate (video) data protected by Reed-Solomon encoding
`according to the present invention.
`FIG. 2B is a second diagram of the frame of FIG. 2A
`wherein the PACKETS area is further broken down into first
`and second regions, the first region including packets with
`extra error protection and the second region including data
`protected only by Reed-Solomon encoding.
`FIG. 2C is a diagram showing that a sequence of frames
`in the form of FIGS. 2A or 2B are transmitted to a receiver
`according to the present invention.
`FIG. 3A is an encoder block diagram for one preferred
`embodiment of a portion of transmitter 100 of FIG. 1
`showing the connection of audio and video compressors and
`low speed data formatters to a multiplexer under control of
`a control computer for modulation by a modulator on to a
`carrier for transmission, for example, by satellite as shown
`in FIG. 1.
`
`FIG. 3B is a detailed schematic block diagram of a
`multiplexer 110 of FIGS. 1 or 3A according to the present
`invention for outputting multiplexed data according to the
`multiplex frame format of FIGS. 2A, 2B and 2C.
`FIG. 4 depicts a data structure for a virtual channel packet
`according to an embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 5 depicts a data structure and command types for
`encrypted’ data according to an embodiment of the present
`invention.
`
`FIG. 6 depicts a variety of encrypted cycling data and
`their corresponding functions for an embodiment of the
`present invention.
`FIG. 7 depicts a data structure for an addressed data
`packet (ADP) that transmits authorization codes according
`to an embodiment of the present invention.
`FIG. 8 illustrates an example of the use of BLACKOUT
`codes in combination with BLACKOUT LOCATION codes.
`
`FIG. 9 illustrates an example of the interaction of over-
`lapping blackout and spotlight commands.
`
`DETAILED DESCRIPTION on THE DRAWINGS
`
`FIG. 1 shows a transmitter site 100 including an encoder
`and a receiver site 150 including a decoder according to the
`present invention applied in the environment of a satellite
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`communications system. Audio/video compressor circuits
`101(1) to 101(m) are shown for individually receiving audio
`service data and/or video service data, for example, from a
`plurality of programmers providing such services. One such
`MPEG video compressor known in the art is a National
`Transcommunications, Ltd. (England) NTL 2000 V com-
`pressor. Sinrilarly, a plurality of low data rate services, for
`example, RS232 digital data, are received at low speed data
`formatters 105(1) to 105(n). The audio video compressors
`compress the received medium and high data rate data in
`accordance with known algorithms (for example, in accor-
`dance with currently known or proposed standards such as
`MPEG 1 or II, audio or video, in particular, for example, ISO
`11171 or ISO 13818).
`
`Control computer 120 supplies control information, pref-
`erably as data packets, to the multiplexer 110. For example,
`the data packets may be constructed by the control computer
`according to specified formats responsive to the entry of
`appropriate instructions into control computer 120. Accord-
`ingly, the operator can control the various modes of autho-
`rization made available by the present invention. The spe-
`cific information required by the decoder to implement
`authorization modes andthe data structure by which this
`information can be transmitted is discussed in greater detail
`below.
`‘
`
`In addition, control computer 120 controls multiplexer
`110 to time division multiplex the compressed medium and
`high data rate streams output from compressors 101(1) to
`101(m) and the low data rate streams output from forrnatters
`105(1) to 105(n) into a serial data stream for output to
`modulator 130. The high speed data link connecting multi-
`plexer 110 and modulator 130 may be coaxial cable, optical
`fiber or twisted pair, so long as the transmission is relatively
`noise free and at sufficient data rate. In a preferred, but
`nonetheless nonlimiting, embodiment the control informa-
`tion and the data streams are encrypted. Modulator 130 then
`modulates the multiplexed digital data stream on to a carrier
`and up converts the carrier as necessary for transmission via,
`for example, C or Ku band frequencies through a satellite
`antenna 140. Modulator 130 may preferably comprise a
`quadrature phase shift key modulator known in the art for
`satellite transmission. Satellite anterma 140 beams a signal
`including the modulated data to satellite 160 which may be
`functionally referred to as a transponder. Transponder 160
`simply repeats the received signal toward earth and satellite
`receiver antenna 151.
`
`Receiver site 150 typically includes a tuner/demodulator
`154 for selecting one of a plurality of charmels to which
`satellite tuner/demodulator 154 may be tuned. Tuner/de-
`modulator 154 down converts and outputs a demodulated
`data stream to clock and data recovery circuit 155. Clock
`and data recovery circuit 155 in turn outputs an error
`corrected data stream and synchronization data to demulti—
`plexer 158. Additional details concerning a suitable clock
`and data recovery may be obtained from U.S. patent appli-
`cation Ser. No. 08/160.839, entitled “Method and Apparatus
`for Locating and Tracking a QPSK Carrier”, filed Dec. 3,
`1993 and incorporated herein by reference, now abandoned.
`A user may input a selected charmel via a selector (herein-
`after referred to as KBD) 156, e.g. remote control or using
`push buttons on a panel thereof, keypad, etc. The channel
`selection information is sent to display control processor
`(DCP) 153.
`Under the control of DCP 153, the demultiplexer 158
`extracts control information corresponding to the selected
`charmel from the received data. The DCP 153 then reads the
`control information out of the demultiplexer 158. The con-
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`OpenTV Exhibit 1003. Page 16
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`7
`trol information may be encrypted as discussed above and
`may include authorization information. Accordingly, the
`DCP supplies the encrypted control information to digital
`compression in—board security element (DISE) 157. DI