Conditional Access System for Digital TV Program Start Time Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
The cable industry faces high costs due to expensive set-top units and limited ability to compete with satellite TV in terms of digital transmission quality and service offerings, particularly in delivering viewer-controlled digital TV program start times and video-on-demand services.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus using an input unit, storage unit, gigaQAM unit, controller, and conditional access unit to manage digital TV program start times, enabling viewer control and efficient delivery of multiple channels with advanced security features, leveraging existing cable infrastructure without significant changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If expensive set-top units are deployed to provide digital TV services, then service quality and viewer control capabilities are improved, but system cost and investment requirements increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a conditional access system as an intermediary between the cable system and set-top units. This system uses encryption and key distribution mechanisms to control access to digital channels, allowing the cable operator to manage service features and costs centrally without requiring complex expensive set-top units at each subscriber premises.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the approach from providing full digital TV services universally to providing conditional access based on subscriber entitlement. By using encryption parameters and access control keys, the system can selectively provide services to authorized subscribers while maintaining lower costs for basic receivers.
2Reliability
If digital transmission is implemented to compete with satellite, then transmission quality is improved, but the ability to deliver viewer-controlled services and video-on-demand is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic service control through the conditional access system. The cable operator can dynamically adjust which channels and services are available to which subscribers based on their entitlements, allowing the system to adapt to different viewer needs and service requirements while maintaining digital transmission quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the digital TV service into encrypted channels that can be selectively distributed. By dividing the service into separate encrypted streams with individual access controls, the system can provide multiple services and channels while maintaining the ability to control and manage each segment independently.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If Digital Rights Management is implemented to protect content, then content security is improved, but access control and service delivery complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses encryption keys as copies that can be distributed to authorized subscribers. Instead of protecting content through complex physical security measures, the system creates and distributes encrypted copies of the content with embedded access control information, allowing secure delivery while simplifying the overall access control mechanism through standard cryptographic operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A conditional access method and apparatus for use with a system for controlling of digital TV program start time. Subscriber access is authorized to digital program streams. Content are divided into a plurality of working periods. Each working period of the plurality of working periods is scrambled with a different working key. A working key of a given period is delivered ahead of the given period. The working key is synchronized with scrambling control bits in an header. working keys are inserted into an entitlement control message (ECM) packet, and the ECM packet is encrypted using a service key. A time period is inserted into the ECM packet during which the service key is valid. A service key is inserted in an entitlement.