Sony Corporation

Sony Electronics Inc

General Instrument Corporation

Gi, LLC

Henry Derovanessian

Brant L Candelore

Leo M Pedlow, Jr

Leo M Pedlow

Robert Allan Unger

Vincent C Liu

Leo M,jr Pedlow

Edward A Krause

Paul Shen

Woo H Paik

Vincent Hok Liu

Brant L Sony Electronics Inc Candelore

A television set-top box has a receiver receiving a digital television signal comprising: a plurality of unencrypted packets and a plurality of encrypted packets, where the encrypted packets carry data describing an active region of a video frame. A decrypter decrypts the encrypted packets. A decoder decrypted packets to produce a signal suitable for play on a television set. This abstract is not to be considered limiting since other embodiments can include more, fewer or different features than those described in this abstract.

Video slice and active region based multiple partial encryption

A selective encryption encoder consistent with certain embodiments of the invention has vertical and/or horizontal stripes encrypted. In one embodiment, packets are examined in the digital video signal to identify a specified packet type, the specified packet type being both packets carrying intra-coded data representing a pattern of horizontal stripes across an image and packets carrying intra-coded data representing a pattern of vertical stripes across an image. The packets identified as being of the specified packet type are encrypted using a first encryption method to produce first encrypted packets. These first encrypted packets are then used to replace the unencrypted packets in the digital video signal to produce a partially encrypted video signal. The packets of the specified type can also be multiple encrypted and replaced in the data stream to produce a multiple encrypted video data stream. This abstract is not to be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may incorporate more, fewer or differing elements than mentioned in this abstract.

Slice mask and moat pattern partial encryption

A selective encryption decoder for decrypting and decoding a selectively encrypted digital video signal has a demultiplexer that receives packets of digital video, certain of the packets being unencrypted and certain of the packets being encrypted. Certain of the encrypted packets carry data representing an active region of a video frame. The unencrypted packets have a first packet identifier (PID) and the encrypted packets have a second packet identifier (PID). A decrypter receives the encrypted packets having the second PID and decrypts the encrypted packets using a first encryption method to produce decrypted packets. A PID remapper changes at least one of the first and second PIDs so that the unencrypted packets and the decrypted packets have the same PID. A decoder decodes the unencrypted and decrypted packets to produce a decoded video signal. This abstract is not to be considered limiting since other embodiments can include more, fewer or different features than those described in this abstract.

A television set-top box has a receiver receiving a digital television signal comprising, a plurality of unencrypted packets; and a plurality of encrypted packets. The encrypted packets are of at least one selected packet type and the at least one selected packet type has at least one of the following: packets containing a video slice header appearing in an active region of a video frame, any packet carrying data describing an active region of a video frame, I Frame packets, packets containing motion vectors in a first P frame following an I Frame, packets having an intra_slice_flag indicator set, packets having an intra_slice indicator set, packets containing an intra_coded macroblock, packets that carry data for a slice containing an intra_coded macroblock, packets containing data from a first macroblock following the video slice header, packets containing video slice headers, packets containing anchor data, and P Frame packets for progressively refreshed video data. A decrypter decrypts the encrypted packets; and a decoder decodes the unencrypted packets and the decrypted packets to produce a signal suitable for play on a television set. This abstract is not to be considered limiting since other embodiments can include more, fewer or different features than those described in this abstract.

A CableCARD device for manipulation of a stream of data has an inband data input for receiving a stream of video data from a host, the stream of video data being encrypted and encoded according to a first coding. A decrypter decrypts the encrypted data. A transcoder transcodes the stream of video data to convert the stream of video data to a second coding, producing a transcoded data stream. An encrypter encrypts the transcoded data stream. An inband data output sends the encrypted transcoded data stream back to the host. This abstract should not be considered limiting, since other embodiments may incorporate more, fewer or different elements that those described in this abstract.

Transcoding CableCARD

In certain embodiments, a selective encryption encoder has a packet identifier that identifies packets of a specified packet type. The specified packet type includes packets carrying data representing a video slice wherein the video slice contains a larger amount of data than a threshold amount of data. A packet duplicator duplicates the identified packets to produce first and second sets of the identified packets. Packets are sent and received to and from a primary encryption encoder to encrypt the first set of identified packets under a first encryption method. A secondary encrypter encrypts the second set of identified packets under a second encryption method. This abstract should not be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may involve more, different or fewer elements.

Selective encryption encoding

A multimedia stream head end includes a legacy conditional access (CA) device that fully encrypts the stream using legacy keys. A copy of the stream is sent to a secondary CA device that encrypts only critical packets in the stream using secondary keys to render a partially encrypted stream. The critical packets in the fully encrypted stream from the legacy CA device are obtained and inserted next to the corresponding critical packets in the partially encrypted stream. Thus, only critical packets are encrypted, with encrypted versions being generated by both the legacy CA and secondary CA without the legacy CA knowing which of the packets that it encrypts are 'critical'.

System and method for partially encrypted multimedia stream

In certain embodiments, a method of partially dual encrypting a digital video signal involves examining unencrypted packets of data in the digital video signal to identify a specified packet type. The specified packet type includes packets occurring in a star pattern approximately situated at approximately a center of an image; encrypting packets identified as being of the specified packet type using a first encryption method to produce first encrypted packets; encrypting the packets identified as being of the specified packet type using a second encryption method to produce second encrypted packets; and replacing the unencrypted packets of the specified packet type with the first encrypted packets and the second encrypted packets in the digital video signal to produce a partially dual encrypted video signal. This abstract should not be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may involve more, different or fewer elements.

Star pattern partial encryption method

A method of processing digital content consistent with certain embodiments involves receiving a signal containing the digital content, wherein the digital content has a first encrypted sample of the digital content, the sample being encrypted under a first encryption method, a second encrypted sample of the digital content, the sample being encrypted under a second encryption method, and an unencrypted portion; and decrypting the first encrypted sample to produce a decrypted sample. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Time division partial encryption

In certain embodiments, a method of detecting a scene change in a digital video signal involves examining a slice of the digital video signal; determining if the slice contains a greater amount of data than a threshold amount of data; and if the slice contains a greater amount of data than the threshold, determining that the slice forms a part of a scene change. This abstract should not be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may involve more, different or fewer elements.

Scene change detection

A television signal receiver device consistent with certain embodiments has a receiver that receives a digital television signal including a plurality of unencrypted packets, and a plurality of encrypted packets, wherein the encrypted packets are of at least one selected packet type. The at least one selected packet type has packets occurring in a star pattern approximately situated at an upper center of an image. A decrypter decrypts the encrypted packets. A decoder decodes the unencrypted packets and the decrypted packets to produce a signal suitable for play on a television set. This abstract should not be considered limiting since embodiments consistent with the present invention may involve more, different or fewer elements.

Receiver device for star pattern partial encryption

According to one embodiment of the invention, a configurable CableCARD adaptable for use by multiple conditional access (CA) providers. CableCARD comprises core logic configured to descramble incoming scrambled content, a first CA logic block and a second CA logic block. Connected to the core logic, the first CA logic block uses a first CA function associated with a first CA provider. The second CA logic block is also connected to the core logic. The second CA logic block uses a second CA function associated with a second CA provider. Where the incoming content is scrambled according to the second CA function, the connection between the first CA logic block and the core logic is disabled.

Configurable cableCARD

A selective encryption encoder and method of dual selective encryption. The selective encryption encoder has a packet identifier that identifies packets of at least one specified packet type, the at least one specified packet type being any of a plurality of packet types including packets containing a video slice headers or packets carrying data appearing in an active area of the image. A packet duplicator duplicates the identified packets to produce first and second sets of the identified packets. The packets are sent to and from a primary encryption encoder to encrypt the first set of identified packets under a first encryption method. A secondary encrypter encrypts the second set of identified packets under a second encryption method.

A method of upgrading an encryption process for encryption of video information from an old encryption process to a new encryption process, consistent with certain embodiments involves selecting a portion of video content for selective encryption. The selected portion is duplicated to produce first and second copies of the selected portion. The first copy is encrypted using the old encryption process and the second copy is encrypted using the new encryption process to produce a dual partially encrypted segment of video information that can either be broadcast over a cable or satellite system or stored in a package medium as two program chains.

Growing community of inventors

San Diego, CA, United States of America

Henry Derovanessian