Thomson Consumer Electronics Inc.

Thomson Licensing

Rca Licensing Corporation

Thomson Licensing S.a.

Thomas Licensing

David J Duffield

Michael Scott Deiss

Barth Alan Canfield

Billy W Beyers, Jr

Ahmet Mursit Eskicioglu

David Lowell McNeely

Aaron Hal Dinwiddie

Timothy W Saeger

Kevin Elliott Bridgewater

Paul Dean Filliman

Robert D Altmanshofer

William Bennett Hogue, Jr

Jean-Louis Yves Diascorn

Yousef Wasef Nijim

Mark Alan Schultz

Eric Douglas Romesburg

Michael Anthony Pugel

Billy Wesley Beyers

Thomas Anthony Stahl

Eric Stephen Carlsgaard

Karl Francis Horlander

Mike Arthur Derrenberger

Nathaniel H Ersoz

Gabriel Alfred Edde

David Emery Virag

Kenneth Wayne Maze

Michael Dwayne Knox

Michael D Landis

Michael Allan Sterling

Ion Vizireanu

Robert James Ramspacher

Gene H Johnson

Kirk Edward Shafer

Mark Alan Schulz

A method for adding a conditional access system to a digital audio/video transmission system that delivers content from a source to a security device associated with an audio/video processing device by providing at the broadcast source a datastream having system information data including an unused identifier reserved for security data associated with the additional conditional access system.

Method and system for adding a conditional access system

A projection system can include a color wheel and at least one digital micromirror device. The color wheel can produce different colors of light from a light source. Each color can be produced in sequential order for a predetermined color phase. Each of the digital micromirror device(s) can have a plurality of micromirrors. At least one of the plurality of micromirrors can be activated at different respective portions of each of two consecutive color phases responsive to a control signal. The projection system also can include a lens configured to project light reflected from the at least one digital micromirror device onto a projection surface.

Reduced rainbow artifacts in digital light projection systems

A method for providing local security of audio and video content during transmission and storage within digital home networks. Scrambled content may be recorded in all conditions, however, only authorized copies are processed for descrambling and viewing. Content is protected within a network by rebundling the keys required for descrambling, e.g., the TDES keys, into a new ECM (LECM), which is protected by a local public key.

Global copy protection system for digital home networks

A method for managing access to a signal representative of an event of a service provider by permitting a subscriber of the service provider to view an event for which the subscriber is not authorized for a specified time period; and transmitting at least one authorization code for the event to the subscriber during the specified time period.

Method and apparatus for permitting unconfirmed viewing time with addressable pay TV

An apparatus for marking a film copy includes a mapper and a coder. The mapper maps a print identifier to be associated with the film copy into a serial number comprising a sequence of J numbers. The coder creates at least two-error correcting numbers, e.g. Y and Z, as a function of one, or more, of the J numbers. The film copy is then marked in accordance with L numbers, which comprise at least the two-error correcting numbers Y and Z.

Watermarking of motion picture prints

A conditional access system and method including a first source device and a first sink device coupled to the first source device, wherein the source device includes a module for generating sequence counter values and appending the values to content transmitted from the source device to the sink device.

Sequence counter for an audio visual stream

A method for protecting the digital output signal of a security module, comprising the steps of: receiving a scrambled digital signal from a source external to said security module, recovering at least one transport scramble control flag from the scrambled digital signal, descrambling said received scrambled signal to generate a descrambled signal, monitoring the at least one transport scramble control flag, generating a scrambling key in response to said monitored at least one transport scramble control flag, and scrambling said descrambled signal using said scrambling key to generate a re-scrambled signal. The present invention also includes a conditional access system comprising a host device and a security device coupled to the host device, such that the security device includes at least one transport scramble control flag modification circuit. By monitoring the transport scramble control flag as content passes through the security module, protection of the content can be securely maintained.

Key transport tamper protection

A method and a system for identifying a copy of an image sequence which is presented on a screen. At least one identifier distinct from the image sequence can be projected through the screen such that the identifier is displayed using visible light along with the image sequence. The identifier can be presented at periodic intervals and can define a theater location, a date and/or a time. A color and/or an illumination of at least a portion of the image sequence presentation can be measured. Based on the measured illumination and/or color, a projection brightness and/or color can be determined for the identifier. Also, a location on the screen through which the identifier should be projected can be determined.

Theater identification system utilizing identifiers projected through a screen

A method for verifying that a source device is authorized to communicate otherwise protected content to a sink device in a conditional access system using identification codes.

System and method of verifying authorization for communicating protected content

An apparatus and a method for controlling distribution of digital content from an device attached to a network to another device outside the network. The device receives a digital signal containing content, the digital signal having an authorization field indicative of a first transport mode authorizing the content for distribution outside the network, and of a second transport mode wherein the content is not authorized for transmission outside the network. The method comprises the steps of receiving location information of a router on the network for routing content to devices outside the network, receiving destination data indicative of location information associated with a destination device to which the device intends to distribute the content, determining whether the destination device is outside the network based on the router location information and the received destination data examining the authorization field and, inhibiting transmission of the content if the destination device is outside the network and the digital signal is in the inhibit mode.

Method and apparatus for controlling the distribution of digitally encoded data in a network

A system and method for marking, coding and tracking a film print in an efficient, adaptive and customized manner for providing unique and robust identification of each individual film print and for facilitating accurate tracking of the origin of a pirated copy is described herein. A film print to be marked is calibrated and provided in computer-readable form for input to a prescreening device. The calibrated film print is reviewed and ideal locations on each frame of the film print are chosen for applying a mark. A unique coding scheme is generated for each desired print. If a pirate copy is found, all marks are located and a matching serial number (e.g., coding scheme) is determined for the pirated copy based on marks found in the pirate copy when compared to a database storing film print mark information generated during the marking and coding process.

System and method for adaptive marking and coding of film prints

A method for uniquely identifying a copy of a motion picture disposed on a medium. A first sequence and a second sequence of the motion picture each can be selectively marked with an identifier mark to collectively define a uniquely identifiable marking pattern. A third sequence of the motion picture can be selectively marked with an error correction mark correlating to the uniquely identifiable marking pattern. The uniquely identifiable marking pattern is determinable absent at least one of the identifier marks by processing the error correction mark and remaining ones of the identifier marks. The error correction mark can be determined from values correlating the identifier marks.

Anti-piracy coding of motion pictures

A method for enabling a security device to access a service protected by a conditional access system, wherein the service has associated with it two conditional access (CA) system identifier pairs. The device extracts the two CA identifier pairs and automatically identifies the pairs based on a predefined convention, for example, the order in which the identifier pairs are sent. The identifier pairs may comprise a conditional access entitlement control message identifier and a local entitlement control message identifier.

Method and system for handling two CA systems in a same receiver

A device for sensing unauthorized use of an electronic security device has a host device and a detector with a loop antenna associated with the port that receives the electronic security device, such as a smart card. The host device comprises a housing having the port formed therein. In one embodiment, the port detector senses radiation emitted from unauthorized use of the electronic security device by attachment of hot-wire conductors to the security device, which conductors carry currents through the port and the detector. In an alternate embodiment, the dielectric constant of the electronic security device is measured and compared to a predetermined value for distinguishing a nominal device from one with attached hot wiring.

Apparatus and associated method for limiting access of information transferred between an electronic security device and a host device

In order to increase the speed of the transfer of control data to an OSD circuit, and to eliminate 'holes' in memory caused by the use of memory mapped registers, dual use is made of the serial data port of the OSD circuit to accomplish two distinct tasks, serial transfer of graphics data and serial transfer of the control data. The on-screen display apparatus includes an OSD circuit for generating an graphics signal for display on a display screen, a controller coupled to the OSD circuit, for controlling the OSD circuit, and a VRAM including a first area for storing graphics data and a second area for storing control data for the OSD circuit. The VRAM has a parallel input/output port coupled to the controller and a serial output port coupled to the OSD circuit, the serial output port conveys the graphics data from the first area of the VRAM to the OSD circuit for processing and display. The controller writes the control data to the second area of the VRAM via the input/output port and the OSD circuit reads the control data from the VRAM via the serial output port during each vertical sync interval.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

David J Duffield