EP0112869A1 - Systeme video-television d'abonne - Google Patents

Systeme video-television d'abonne

Info

Publication number
EP0112869A1
EP0112869A1 EP19830902080 EP83902080A EP0112869A1 EP 0112869 A1 EP0112869 A1 EP 0112869A1 EP 19830902080 EP19830902080 EP 19830902080 EP 83902080 A EP83902080 A EP 83902080A EP 0112869 A1 EP0112869 A1 EP 0112869A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
key
signal
scrambling
station
radio frequency
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP19830902080
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
Inventor
Alex Ivachev
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Publication of EP0112869A1 publication Critical patent/EP0112869A1/fr
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04K—SECRET COMMUNICATION; JAMMING OF COMMUNICATION
    • H04K1/00—Secret communication
    • H04K1/02—Secret communication by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H04N7/173—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal
    • H04N7/17309—Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Definitions

  • THIS INVENTION relates to a video - TV subscriber system for providing subscribers thereto with means for viewing a particular channel on a television receiver wherein the channel would normally contain unintelligible information, and for providing means for monitoring the periods of use by subscribers of the system.
  • the invention relates to a device for selec ⁇ tively unscrambling a previously scrambled channel of in ⁇ formation, wherein the information is derived from a video cassette player for ultimate viewing upon a number of television receivers within a hotel, motel or the like, and a computerized monitoring network for monitoring the use of a key which is used by a subscriber to enable or disable the scrambling device.
  • the invention finds particular application in the field of user-pay-video subscription in that a video recording from a video cassette player may be combined with a conven ⁇ tional TV signal and displayed upon a particular channel on a number of television receivers within a hotel, for example.
  • the video recording on the particular channel would normally be scrambled so that a user of the tele ⁇ vision receiver may view the normal TV channels without difficulty but would not be able to view the channel displaying the video recording with any coherency, unless he was able to disable the scrambler.
  • Means of disabling the scrambler are provided by way of a key which must be purchased or hired from the authority controlling the video recording.
  • the invention provides computerized means for accounting the periods of time for when keys have been removed from a key storage module location.
  • the invention resides in a video - TV subscri ⁇ ber system for selectively providing one or more channels of information within a transmitted signal for ultimate viewing on a television receiver by a subscriber thereto, said information being derived from a video recording means, and a subscriber monitoring means for providing an account of the transactions made by subscribers to the system; wherein the video - TV subscriber system includes a radio frequency scrambling means and a subscriber moni- toring means.
  • the invention resides in a radio frequency signal scrambling means comprising a scrambling means, the output thereof being combined with an RF signal having at least one channel of transmitted information carried at a prescribed frequency, wherein the scrambling means in ⁇ cludes a selectively operable signal generator which is adapted to produce an output signal at approximately the carrier frequency of a channel of the RF signal, and said output signal being unsynchronized with the carrier wave form of said channel.
  • the radio frequency scrambling means includes a control means adapted to control the operation of the signal generator in accordance with the use of a. ey therewith.
  • the key is characterized by a code identifiable with the control means and the control means comprises a key decod ⁇ ing means and a switching means wherein the key decoding means is adapted to receive a key, decode the said key and provide a resultant control signal to the switching means, the switching means being adapted to receive the said con ⁇ trol signal and disable or enable the operation of the said generator in accordance with the control signal.
  • OMPI ⁇ ⁇ a key monitoring means for monitoring the presence of a key within a key module, comprising:-
  • an input sensing means adapted to sense the presence of a key addressed by the addressing means;
  • a master control means adapted to control the operation of the addressing means and input sensing means, and to process information acquired from said input sensing means;
  • a key station includes a decoding means to decode a correctly coded key accommodated therein and to provide an indication of the status of the said station to the input sensing means upon access thereto.
  • the key monitoring means is a computer, and communication with the computer is conducted through the input and output ports thereof.
  • Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a video - TV subscriber system embodying a radio frequency scrambling means in accordance with the first embodiment of the in vention
  • Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a video frequency scram ⁇ bling means in accordance with the first embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 3 is a circuit diagram of a radio frequency scrambling means in accordance with the first embodi ⁇ ment of the invention
  • Fig. 4 is a block diagram of a video - TV subscriber system embodying a radio frequency scrambling means in accordance with the second embodiment of the in- vention;
  • Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a radio frequency scram ⁇ bling means in accordance with the second embodiment
  • Fig. 6 is a block diagram of a video - TV subscriber system embodying a key monitoring means in accordance with the third embodiment of the invention
  • Fig. 7 is a circuit diagram of a key monitoring means in accordance with the " third embodiment of the inven ⁇ tion.
  • the first embodiment is directed towards a means of selec- tively scrambling a video signal produced by a video cas ⁇ sette player which has been combined with a TV signal for receipt by a number of television receivers.
  • a video informa ⁇ tion signal is produced at a source 11, being a video cassette player and is transmitted ultimately to a number of television receivers 12 at a prespecified carrier frequency for viewing on a particular channel .
  • the video information signal is initially transmitted along a trans ⁇ mission line 13 at a prespecified carrier frequency and is conditioned by means of an RF amplifier 14 for acceptance into a combination network 15.
  • the combination network 15 combines the RF video information signal with the standard RF TV information signal, usually received via a conven ⁇ tional receiving TV antenna 17 along a transmission line 16, such that a resultant RF signal is produced for fur ⁇ ther transmission along line 18.
  • This resultant RF signal is subsequently amplified by a second RF amplifier 19 for acceptance into a splitter network 20.
  • the splitter network 20 essentially divides the resultant RF signal into a number of identical input signals and conditions these input signals for reception by the television re ⁇ DCvers 12 along input transmission lines 30 and via signal scrambler-decoder units 31.
  • a single input signal is transmitted along its individual transmission line 21 to an isolation network 22.
  • the isolation network 22 comprises a matched RF amplifier 23 and a signal attenua ⁇ tor 24 which combine to initially raise the signal level by approximately 18 dB and subsequently lower the signal level by 18 dB. This action provides sufficient isolation of an input signal from other input signals such that spurious line effects which may be incurred by the system are effectively eliminated.
  • the isolated signal from the isolation network 22 is then combined with the output of the signal scrambler-decoder unit 25 by way of another combination network 26 whereupon the resultant signal is received by the television receiver 29.
  • the signal alternator 24 is not necessary due to high isolation levels between adjacent rooms.
  • the signal scrambler-decoder unit 31 comprises a key decoder circuit, shown generally at 27, and an oscillator circuit, shown generally at 28.
  • the key decoder circuit may be preset to receive a singu ⁇ larly coded key 34 in order to control operation of the oscillator circuit.
  • a series of resistors 32, each cha ⁇ racterized by different respective resistance values, are connected via an eight pole dip switch 33, to form one branch of a voltage divider network 49.
  • the other branch of the network is defined when a coded key 34 is inserted into the key receiving socket 35 of the signal scrambler, the key itself containing a resistive component which completes the circuit of the divider network.
  • Prespecified resistors 39 and 40 combine to form two separate secondary voltage divider networks which, when applied respectively to the non-inverting input of the first comparator 36 and the inverting input of the second comparator 37, provide a reference signal with a specified tolerance to which the output 38 is compared.
  • the outputs of the comparators are connected via resistors 41a and 41b to the base of a pnp transistor 42.
  • the output of the transistor 42 taken from the collector thereof, is con ⁇ nected by way of an RF choke 43 to the input of a Colpitt's Oscillator circuit shown generally at 44.
  • a zener diode 45 is included to stabilize the voltage to the oscillator circuit.
  • the oscillator 44 is tuned to provide an output sine wave at approximately the carrier frequency of the channel containing the video information transmitted within the previously described isolated RF signal which is input to a television receiver.
  • the output connectors 46 is iso-
  • the output of at least one of the comparators 36, 37 will normally be low when there is an imbalance in the voltage divider network 49 which is sufficient to provide a voltage output beyond the bounds of the toler ⁇ ance of the reference signal specified by the aforemen- tioned secondary voltage divider networks. Accordingly, the base-emitter junction of the transistor 42 will be forward-biased and hence the collector output signal will be high. This high signal is sufficient to effect opera ⁇ tion of the oscillator circuit whereby the signal output therefrom will be applied to the isolated RF signal by way of the combination network 26.
  • the output signal generated from the oscillator circuit is not synchronized with the video information signal, and the frequency of the generated output signal is approximately the same as the carrier of the video information signal , interference and distortion of the channel containing the video infor ⁇ mation signal will result.
  • control of the signal scrambler-decoder unit 25 is facilitated by the use of a coded key 34, whereby use of a key characterised by a resistance which matches the preset resistance specified by the DIP switch 33, will effectively eliminate the distorting influence of the oscillator circuit upon the isolated RF signal.
  • the distortion (when present) of the isolated signal will only appear on the channel containing the video informa ⁇ tion signal within the said isolated signal, hence the remaining channels containing standard TV information signals will be unaffected.
  • the oscillator when the oscillator is enabled, coherent viewing through the television receiver of the channel displaying the video signal is virtually impossible due to the interference effect of the oscilla ⁇ tor generated signal upon the video signal, whilst viewing of other channels displaying the TV signal will be un ⁇ affected.
  • two video players 101 and 102 produce separate video information signals which are transmitted along transmission lines 103 and 104 respectively at dif ⁇ ferent prescribed carrier frequencies to a combination network 105.
  • the combination network 105 combines the two transmitted video information signals with a conventional television signal which has been transmitted to the net ⁇ work 105 via a main transmission line 106 so as to provide two further channels of transmitted information for view ⁇ ing by a subscriber upon a television receiver.
  • This combined RF signal is transmitted along the line 107 to a splitter network 108 as described in the previous embodi ⁇ ment.
  • the splitter network divides the applied combined signal into identical input signals for transmission along lines 112 to a series of television receivers 109.
  • the outputs of respective scrambler decoder units 110 are with the transmitted input signals, shown generally at 115, prior to reception by the receivers 109.
  • the scrambler decoder unit 110 comprises a key decoder circuit 113 and first and second oscillators 114 and 115 respectively.
  • the key decoder circuit 113 is adapted to control the operation of both oscillators which combine to provide the output signal of the scrambler decoder unit 110.
  • the first oscillator 114 is tuned to generate a signal at approximately the carrier frequency of one of the additional channels of the transmitted input signal and the second oscillator 115 is tuned to generate a signal at approximately the carrier frequency of the other additional channel.
  • Each generated signal is unsyn ⁇ hroni- sed with the transmitted input signal and hence, when present, distort the video information signal contained within the respective additional channels.
  • the key de ⁇ coder circuit 113 is conditioned to selectively operate either oscillator upon the input of a correctly coded key thereto.
  • the key decoding circuit being provided with means to select only one oscillator as determined by the coded key. That is each oscillator is matched with a singularly coded key. Thus it is possible to disable the distortion or interference effects of only one oscillator at a time.
  • the third embodiment of the invention is directed towards a key monitoring system which is adapted to monitor the use of a number of coded control keys as described in the first and second embodiments.
  • a key module 51 contains a series of key stations 54 arranged in banks of eight. Each station 54 is adapted to accommodate a coded key (not shown), and is defined to be located at a unique
  • a station is adapted to receive one and only one specifically coded key.
  • a decoding circuit collectively grouped at 52, is associated with each station 54 and is connected by way of a data/address bus 56 and interface circuit 59 to the input/output port 55 of a micro-computer 53. Communication to and from the computer with the outside world may be provided by way of a peripheral device 62, which may be a terminal or printer device.
  • the data/address bus 56 and interface circuit 59, between the decoding circuits 52 of the key stations 54 and the micro-computer 53, is shown in more detail in Fig. 7.
  • a series of input lines 65 from the decoding circuits of key stations 54 are connected in banks of eight to one of a series of eight input buffers 57 which are of the IC type designated 'LS240.
  • Each buffer 57 is connected by way of buffer outputs 58 to a busline 63.
  • the busline 63 is in turn connected to the input port of the micro-computer by way of data lines 64.
  • Successive stations 54 located within a bank are consecutively addressed by the micro-computer 53 through an output buffer 58 and an address decoder 61, which is of the IC type designated ' S138.
  • the addressing technique involves the selection of an appropriate input buffer 57 containing data reflec ⁇ ting the status information of each key station located within the bank thereby.
  • the key module starting address is accomplished by the comparison of the state of a set of four address lines 67 output from the output port of the micro-computer 53, with the state of four preset reference lines 60.
  • the reference lines being set by a bank of four DIP-switches SI, S2, S3, S4.
  • the comparison is performed by a 4-bit magnitude comparator 68, which is of the IC type designa- ted 'LS85.
  • the address decoder 61 Upon the successful comparison of these four address lines the address decoder 61 is enabled by way of line 66 and subsequently decodes three remaining address lines 67' output from the output port of the micro-compu ⁇ ter 53.
  • the particular enable line 68 selected by the decoded address is used to enable the appropriate input buffer 57 by way of chip enable inputs 69.
  • the micro-computer 53 is programmed to continuously monitor each of the key stations 54 con ⁇ tinuously and sense the presence of a corresponding cor ⁇ rectly coded key. Accordingly the time for which a coded key is present or absent from a key station is recorded within the memory of the micro-computer.
  • the micro-computer may be programmed to enter an alarm state upon the incorrect insertion or withdrawal of a coded key from its key station. Accordingly the micro-computer may provide an instruction procedure for the correct insertion or withdrawal of a coded control key from the key module.
  • the key monitoring system may be controlled by a computer network characterized by a master-slave type of arrangement.
  • the master may be defined as a unit embodying the main key storage facility and the slave may be defined as a remote unit which only accepts the return of keys which have been previously withdrawn from the master. Further, the system may include a facility wherein a key must be returned to the main storage facility from the site of the slave within a prescribed time.
  • the coded key is a jack plug and has its out ⁇ put impedance .characterized by the value of a resistance therein, which forms. an identifiable code for the key. •i
  • the invention could be applied to the use of more than two additional information channels, wherein the scrambler-decoder unit is adapted to provide more than two generated output sig ⁇ nals for scrambling the transmitted input signal.
  • the decoding means may incorporate facilities for decoding more than one key at a time and hence disable the operation of more than one signal generator at the same time.

Abstract

Système vidéo-télévision d'abonné fournissant un ou plusieurs canaux à partir d'un moyen d'enregistrement vidéo comprenant: (a) un organe de brouillage à signal de haute fréquence comprenant un organe de brouillage (31), dont la sortie est combinée à un signal de haute fréquence possédant au moins un canal d'informations transmises véhiculées à une fréquence prédéterminée, l'organe de brouillage comprenant un générateur de signaux fonctionnant de manière sélective pour produire un signal de sortie ayant approximativement la fréquence porteuse d'un canal du signal de haute fréquence et n'étant pas synchronisé avec l'onde porteuse dudit canal; (b) un organe de contrôle de clé servant à contrôler la présence d'une clé à l'intérieur d'un module de clé (51) ladite clé commandant le fonctionnement du générateur, comprenant: (i) au moins une station de clé (54) recevant une clé; (ii) un organe d'adressage permettant l'accès périodique à cette station; (iii) un organe de détection d'entrée permettant de détecter la présence d'une clé adressée par l'organe d'adressage; (iv) un organe de commande principale (53) servant à commander l'organe d'adressage et l'organe détecteur, et à traiter les informations aquises à partir de ces organes de détection; et (v) un organe d'interface (59) permettant de faciliter le fonctionnement de l'organe de commande principale, dans lequel un station (54) comprend un organe de décodage (52) permettant de décoder une clé reçue et codée correctement et d'indiquer l'état de cette station à l'organe de détection.
EP19830902080 1982-06-29 1983-06-29 Systeme video-television d'abonne Withdrawn EP0112869A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU4631/82 1982-06-29
AU463182 1982-06-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0112869A1 true EP0112869A1 (fr) 1984-07-11

Family

ID=3695085

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19830902080 Withdrawn EP0112869A1 (fr) 1982-06-29 1983-06-29 Systeme video-television d'abonne

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0112869A1 (fr)
WO (1) WO1984000264A1 (fr)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
USRE37209E1 (en) 1988-10-21 2001-06-05 David Ellis Hensley Extension deceleration orthosis

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DE1474706C3 (de) * 1965-04-02 1974-01-10 Acker Norbert Karl Automationseinrichtung für Kassenstellen von Verkaufsanlagen
US3576539A (en) * 1968-10-21 1971-04-27 Digital Data Systems Corp Counter controller credit verification system
US3684823A (en) * 1970-12-09 1972-08-15 Coaxial Scient Corp Television communications system
US3899633A (en) * 1972-05-12 1975-08-12 Columbia Pictures Ind Inc Subscription television system
US3896262A (en) * 1974-03-21 1975-07-22 Hughes Aircraft Co Subscription television jamming system
US4039954A (en) * 1975-05-27 1977-08-02 Oak Holland B.V. Signal distribution device for a cable television
US4025905A (en) * 1975-11-28 1977-05-24 Incoterm Corporation System for on-line processing of banking transactions
US4097727A (en) * 1977-09-01 1978-06-27 A-T-O Inc. Circuit for controlling automatic off-line operation of an on-line card reader
US4222067A (en) * 1978-06-23 1980-09-09 Stern Joseph L Tamper-resistant television signal scrambling
US4317214A (en) * 1980-07-14 1982-02-23 Attinello John S Apparatus for simulating interference transmissions

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO1984000264A1 (fr) 1984-01-19

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