Macrovision Corporation

Ampex Corporation

Rovi Solutions Corporation

Command Audio Corporation

Other

Microvision, Inc.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.

John O Ryan

Ronald Quan

James R Holzgrafe

Peter J Wonfor

Mark A Hollar

Kordian Jacek Kurowski

Gregory C Copeland

Gerow D Brill

Patrice J Capitant

William J Wrobleski

Joseph L Corkery

E Fraser Morrison

James H Salter

Alistair J Knox

Jeremy J Corcoran

Johan Cornelis Talstra

Antonius Adrianus Cornelis Maria Kalker

David C Collier

Vinson R Perry

Clayton L Davidson

Derek T Nelson

Tony Forrest Rodriquez

Andrew Mellows

Andrew B Mellows

Edward P Sudyka

Anne M Reagan

A method and apparatus is disclosed which reduces or removes the effectiveness of commercial skip systems such as presently found in VCRs, PVRs, etc. which are designed to delete commercials from signal material upon playback of a previously recorded version of the signal material. In an embodiment, the effectiveness of the commercial skip system is reduced or removed by adding a flat field of selected signal level to active line portions of video lines of the signal material. Other embodiments modify the normal fade to black signal indicative of a commercial to provide a fade to non-black signal. In further embodiments, a fade to non-black signal is inserted in an overscan area of the signal picture. Still further embodiments modify audio signals or selected signals in the horizontal blanking interval which may be used in commercial skip systems to detect the presence of commercials.

Method and apparatus for reducing and restoring the effectiveness of a commercial skip system

A method and apparatus is disclosed which reduces or removes the effectiveness of commercial skip systems such as presently found in VCRs, PVRs, etc. which are designed to delete commercials from signal material upon playback of a previously recorded version of the signal material. In an embodiment, the effectiveness of the commercial skip system is reduced or removed by adding a flat field of selected signal level to active line portions of video lines of the signal material. Other embodiments modify the normal fade to black signal indicative of a commercial to provide a fade to non-black signal. In further embodiments, a fade to non-black signal is inserted in an overseas area of the signal picture. Still further embodiments modify audio signals or selected signals in the horizontal blanking interval which may be used in commercial skip systems to detect the presence of commercials.

A copy protection apparatus and method enabling storage of copy protection information separately from protected content is disclosed. One embodiment includes a digital data signal receiver to receive a digital data signal, the digital data signal receiver also to receive a copy protection signal produced from a copy protection information file being storable on a copy protection information storage device, a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the digital data signal receiver for converting the digital data signal to an analog signal, and a signal modifier connected to the digital to analog converter and the digital data signal receiver to produce a viewable copy protected analog signal from the analog signal and the copy protection signal, the copy protection signal specifying a modification to the analog signal to change video lines of the analog signal.

Method and apparatus for storing copy protection information separately from protected content

A copy protection system and method for allowing copying or distribution of a copy protected signal is disclosed. One embodiment includes an apparatus and method for receiving a content signal via a WiFi communications channel, the content signal including a control signal; and using a modifying circuit coupled with the WiFi communications channel to generate an analog copy protection signal based on the control signal, the control signal causing the modifying circuit to add or delete the analog copy protection signal to or from the content signal.

System and method for allowing copying or distribution of a copy protected signal

A method and apparatus is disclosed which reduces or removes the effectiveness of commercial skip systems such as presently found in VCRs, PVRs, etc. which are designed to delete commercials from signal material upon playback of a previously recorded version of the signal material. In an embodiment, the effectiveness of the commercial skip system is reduced or removed by adding a flat field of selected signal level to active line portions of video lines of the signal material. Other embodiments modify the normal fade to black signal indicative of a commercial to provide a fade to non-black signal. In further embodiments, a fade to non-black signal is inserted in an overscan area of the signal picture. Still further embodiments modify audio signals or selected signals in the horizontal blanking interval which may be used in commercial skip systems to detect the presence of commercials. Still other embodiments provide techniques for overcoming the commercial skip system altering effects of the previously mentioned embodiments to at least partially restore the commercial skip system, or to enhance the reliability or effectiveness of an existing commercial skip system which has not been altered.

A robust technique to prevent illicit copying of video information notwithstanding the use of image scaling. A watermark is embedded into the video signal (e.g., DVD's content or other video sources) at different scales (i.e., sizes). The watermark is maintained at each scale for a predetermined time duration that is sufficient to allow the detector circuit in a DVD-recorder, DVHS recorder, DVCR, or any other digital format recorder to detect, extract, and process information contained in the watermark. At the end of the predetermined time duration, the watermark is changed to a different scale preferably on a pseudo-random basis to ensure that each one of all the scales in a predetermined scaling range is achieved a predetermined number of times. Thereby the recorder shuts off a number of times during play of the content, each time the detector circuit senses the watermark.

Scaling independent technique for watermarking images with recorder shut-off

A copy protection system and method for allowing copying or distribution of a copy protected signal is disclosed. One embodiment includes an apparatus and method for receiving a media signal in which a copy protection signal is embedded, receiving a control signal, generating a modified media signal by modifying or blanking at least a portion of the copy protection signal, if the control signal is configured to enable modification or blanking of the copy protection signal, and outputting the modified media signal.

A copy protection system and method enabling storage of copy protection information separately from protected content is disclosed. One embodiment includes a mechanism for playing a recording medium, the recording medium having stored thereon a digital content file and a copy protection information file, the mechanism producing a digital content signal from the digital content file and a copy protection signal from the copy protection file; a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the mechanism for converting the digital content signal to an analog signal; a copy protection detector connected to the mechanism for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal; and a signal modifier connected to the copy protection detector for modifying the analog signal to include the copy protection signal in response to detection of the copy protection trigger.

A robust technique to prevent illicit copying of video information notwithstanding the use of image scaling. A watermark is embedded into the video signal (e.g., DVD's content or other video sources) at different scales (i.e., sizes). The watermark is maintained at each scale for a predetermined time duration that is sufficient to allow the detector circuit in a DVD-recorder, DVHS recorder, DVCR, or any other digital format recorder to detect, extract, and process information contained in the watermark. At the end of the predetermined time duration, the watermark is changed to a different scale preferably on a pseudo-random basis to ensure that each one of all the scales in a predetermined scaling range is achieved a predetermined number of times.

Scaling independent technique for watermarking images

Enhancements to a video anticopying process that causes an abnormally low amplitude video signal to be recorded on an illegal copy. In one version, positive going pulses are added to the video signal. The enhancements in one version introduce into the overscan portion of the television picture, just prior to the horizontal or vertical sync signals but in active video, a negative going waveform that appears to the television receiver or videotape recorder to be a sync signal, thereby causing an early horizontal or vertical retrace. One version provides (in the right overscan portion of the picture), a checker pattern of alternating gray and black areas which causes the TV set on which the illegal copy is played to horizontally retrace earlier than normal in selected lines with a consequential horizontal shift of the picture information on those lines. This substantially degrades picture viewability. In another version a gray pattern at the bottom overscan portion of the picture causes vertical picture instability. In another version selected horizontal sync signals are narrowed, causing irregular vertical retraces. Also provided is apparatus for removing or attenuating these enhancements from the video signal, to allow copying.

Copy protection for video signal added pulses

Method and apparatus for scrambling a high definition television signal to discourage unauthorized recording of same. While recording per se is not prevented, the resulting recorded signal is rendered unusable due to an induced 'wobble' between the active video and the associated sync pulses. The scrambled television signal is readily viewable on a compliant high definition television set which descrambles the HDTV signal using an encoded indication of the amount of wobble accompanying the HDTV signal. Also provided is a special interface to prevent unauthorized persons from using the indication of the amount of wobble so as to defeat the scrambling. Also provided are method and apparatus for defeating the scrambling method and hence allowing recording of the scrambled video signal.

Scrambling and descrambling a high definition TV signal

A method and apparatus for modifying a video signal to allow it to carry encoded data which is detectable at a suitably compliant receiver but is not recorded by a conventional video recorder. One application is to carry a descrambling key to prevent useful recording (but not viewing) of a scrambled television signal since the key will not be recorded. This encoded 'hidden' data is not recorded by the conventional video recorders because, for instance, it is located in the vertical or horizontal blanking intervals of the video signal, or is carried by a high frequency carrier signal, or is expressed by phase modulation of the video signal's synchronization pulses.

Growing community of inventors

Woodside, CA, United States of America

John O Ryan