Program Hiding via Sub-EPG Filtering in Digital TV
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital television technologies fail to effectively hide programs from subscribers, as current authorization mechanisms require individual authorization for each subscriber, making it cumbersome to restrict access to specific programs across multiple subscribers and do not allow for hiding program existence from certain groups or areas.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize sub-electronic program guide (EPG) identifiers and eigenvalues to filter and hide programs by transmitting a total EPG with sub-EPG identifiers and sub-EPGs, allowing the central front end to assign eigenvalues and the sub-front end to filter out unauthorized programs, ensuring that only specified programs are visible to subscribers in specific areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual authorization mechanism is used for each subscriber, then program access control is achieved, but system complexity and implementation burden increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The EPG data is segmented into multiple sub-EPG modules, each corresponding to a specific subscriber group or region. The central front end transmits a total EPG containing identifiers for multiple sub-EPGs, and each receiving end selects and displays only the sub-EPG corresponding to its authorization, thereby simplifying the authorization mechanism while maintaining access control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a new dimension of organization by grouping EPG data according to subscriber categories or regions rather than treating each subscriber individually. This dimensional shift allows one authorization mechanism to control access for multiple subscribers simultaneously, reducing system complexity.
2Reliability
If programs are hidden from individual subscribers through authorization, then access restriction is achieved, but inability to hide program existence from groups or areas occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The EPG is divided into multiple sub-EPGs that can be selectively transmitted to different receiving ends based on their authorization. This segmentation enables the system to hide entire categories of programs or program existence from specific subscriber groups or regions, not just restrict access on an individual subscriber basis.
Solution Approach 2:
The total EPG structure serves multiple functions: it contains identifiers for multiple sub-EPGs, enables selective transmission to different subscriber groups, and supports both individual and group-based authorization. This multi-functionality allows the same mechanism to handle various hiding scenarios.
3Adaptability or versatility
If total EPG with multiple sub-EPGs is transmitted, then flexible program hiding is achieved, but data transmission volume increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of transmitting complete sub-EPG data for all possible subscriber groups, the patent extracts and transmits only the essential identifiers (sub-EPG identifiers) in the total EPG. The actual sub-EPG content is made available locally or transmitted on-demand, significantly reducing the data transmission volume while maintaining the flexibility to hide programs from different groups.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention discloses a method, a system and an apparatus for hiding programs. With the technology solution, which involves obtaining a sub-EPG identifier, receiving a total EPG, which contains sub-EPG identifiers and sub-EPGs each of which corresponds to one of the sub-EPG identifiers and which is transmitted by a central front end, searching the received total EPG for a sub-EPG corresponding to the obtained sub-EPG identifier and hiding programs based on the found sub-EPG. With technology solution, the program hiding is realized, and the regional program hiding and the programs hiding from particular subscribers may be realized.