CZ20002873A3 - Device and method for configuration of receiver/decoder - Google Patents

Abstract

A device for use in a receiver / decoder that can be used operate with different conditional access systems, with the receiver / decoder (2020) includes a handling means for manipulating the data received by the receiver / decoder (2020), according to a handling protocol that can be Depending on the conditional access system, and a memory means (4024) for storing the parameters associated with the Handling Protocol, This Device includes: means for receiving an instruction instruction configuring the handling protocol depending on the system conditional access; means for selecting at least one parameter from the memory resource depending on command; and means for issuing said parameter to handling means for use in configuration handling protocol, the handling means does not select all the parameters needed for configuration handling protocol for all of the systems conditional access.

Description

Device and method for configuring a receiver / decoder

Technical field

The present invention relates to a device for use in a receiver / decoder, and more particularly to a device for configuring a receiver / decoder component in response to a change in a manipulation protocol or conditional access system used by a receiver / decoder. The present invention also relates to a method of configuring a receiver / decoder for accessing data, wherein the data may be in any suitable form, such as a computer program or television program.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention finds particular application in a digital broadcast television system in which received signals are transmitted via a receiver to a receiver / decoder and then to a television device. The term receiver / decoder as used herein may include a receiver for receiving either coded or non-coded signals, such as television and / or radio signals.

The term may also include a decoder for decoding the received signals. Embodiments of such receivers / decoders may include a decoder integral with the receiver to decode the received signals, for example, in an STB, or such a decoder that operates in combination with a physically separate receiver, or such a decoder that includes additional functions such as web browser or video recorder.

The receiver / decoder decodes the compressed MPEG signal into a television signal for a television device. It is controlled by a hand-held remote control via the interface in the decoder receiver, which is also known as a control box or STB (set). top box). The receiver / decoder is used to process the incoming bit stream and includes a computer system comprising a plurality (usually computer software) of application modules that cause the system to perform various control and other functions. The term MPEG refers to data transmission standards developed by the International Standardization Organization in the Working Group of the Film Expert Group and in particular, but not exclusively, the MPEG-2 standard developed for digital television applications and defined in ISO documents

13818-1, ISO 13818-2, ISO 13818-3 and ISO 13818-4. In the context of this application, the term includes all variants, modifications, or developments of MPEG formats applicable to the field of digital data transmission.

The conditional access system allows the end user to access digital television broadcasts from one or more broadcasters. In such a conditional access system, the Subscriber Authorization System (SAS) manages access rights to television programs available as commercial offers and sold under various commercialization regimes (subscriber mode, subscriber mode, pulse mode). According to these access rights and according to the information received from the subscriber control system (SMS), the SAS generates so-called message controllers (EMMs) that are transmitted by the message transmitter via the multiplexer to the subscriber receiver / decoder using a message generator. its authorization. The EMM may be designed for a single participant or group of participants. Authorization control messages (ECMs) are then messages transmitted in relation to the coded programs. The ECM allows the user to decode the control word to obtain the right to decode the transmitted broadcast, such as a television program. During transmitted transmission, the control word usually changes every few seconds, and so the ECMs are also periodically transmitted to allow decoding of the changed control word.

A security module, such as a smart card capable of decoding messages related to commercial offers (i.e., one or more television programs sold by the broadcaster) is inserted into the receiver / decoder. Using a receiver / decoder and smart card, the end user can purchase events.

It is contemplated that the receiver / decoder may be designed and manufactured by various different manufacturers. It can therefore have different hardware designs and can support one of many conditional access systems. In fact, a receiver / decoder can support more than one conditional access system. In such a case, the system used at any time is chosen by the subscriber who must insert the correct smart card into the receiver / decoder to have access to the selected conditional access system.

When the transmissions are in the form of MPEG type signals, the data is received in the form of data packets of typically 188 bytes within the respective types of data stream, for example video stream, audio stream and teletext stream. Each packet is preceded by a 13-bit packet identifier (PID), one PID for each packet transported in the MPEG data stream. Application, EMM, and ECM data packets typically include one or more MPEG slices.

• 4 • 4 • 4 · 4 · 4 44 4 44 44 44 44

44 44

The parameters of each conditional access system, such as the frequency of the signals received from the transponder, the PID values, and any other information needed to download (load), for example, EMMs, are stored in the receiver / decoder memory. This can result in high memory requirements in the receiver / decoder, especially if the receiver / decoder supports several different conditional access systems.

When one of these parameters is updated, or when the conditional access system is changed, it is necessary to update the receiver / decoder components that handle the received data stream to allow the end user access, for example, to the television program transmitted in the data stream. Thus, many applications that require access to the receiver / decoder components can be stored in the receiver / decoder, increasing the complexity of the receiver / decoder. Such applications may be required to store parameter values used in handling the received data stream, which may further increase memory requirements in the receiver / decoder.

The present invention aims to solve this and other similar problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a device for use in a receiver / decoder that can be operated with various conditional access systems, wherein the receiver / decoder includes a manipulation means for manipulating the data received by the receiver / decoder according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the conditional system 30, and a memory means for storing a parameter associated with the handling protocol, the nature of the device comprising:

means for receiving a command instructing the configuration of the handling protocol depending on the conditional access system;

means for selecting at least one parameter from the memory means as a function of the command; and means for outputting said parameter to a manipulation means for use in a manipulation protocol configuration 10, wherein the manipulation means does not select all the parameters needed to configure the manipulation protocol for all of the conditional access systems.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the manipulation means is in the form of a demultiplexer and a filter, in which case the handling of the received data takes the form of filtering the received data. In this case, the term manipulation protocol refers to a filter setting that allows only specific components of the received data to be removed by the receiver / decoders, wherein the protocol configuration is done by changing the filter to remove different components from the received data stream.

Because the manipulation means only accepts a parameter relating to one change of the manipulation protocol, the device 25 (referred to as the conditional access device may be an effective means for configuring the manipulation protocol to allow loading of data from different different conditional access systems).

The conditional access device may be arranged to output a parameter to the manipulation means upon receipt of the · • * * • 0 Φ 0 0 »

00 000 command instructs to issue a parameter. Because a parameter that can be used, for example, when configuring a manipulation protocol for one conditional access system is transmitted only after receiving the second command, parameter retrieval from the storage means can take place while the manipulation protocol is configured for a different conditional access system and hence while the manipulation means manipulates the data associated with the conditional access system. This may allow the configuration of the handling protocol to be performed efficiently.

Preferably, the device is capable of receiving commands from a configuration application. The device may receive a command notifying the device to update the parameters stored in the storage means, which command may be issued 15 via the configuration application.

The parameters may include a conditional access system identifier currently being used by the receiver / decoder. This may allow the parameters associated with the handling protocol to be stored in groups, each group associated with a particular conditional access system. Thus, the output means may be arranged to output a parameter associated with the identifier of the conditional access system currently being used by the receiver / decoder. The device may also be able to change the identifier of the conditional access system that is currently being used by the receiver / decoder in response to a command from the configuration application.

Each parameter may include at least one byte of the data packet to be received by the receiver / decoder. Preferably, each parameter includes a data packet identifier to be received by the receiver / decoder. Thus, each parameter may include one or more of an EMM identifier and an ECM identifier.

The device may be arranged to receive commands from a plurality of client applications for a plurality of parameters.

The present invention also provides a receiver / decoder comprising a device as described above, said manipulation means arranged to operate under the control of the device for data manipulation, and said memory means for storing parameters associated with the manipulation protocol.

The present invention also relates to a method of configuring a receiver / decoder for accessing data, the receiver / decoder comprising a manipulation means for manipulating the data received by the receiver / decoder according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the conditional access system and a memory means for storing parameters associated with a handling protocol, the nature of the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a command instructing the configuration of the handling protocol depending on the conditional access system;

selecting at least one of the parameters from the memory means depending on the command; and releasing said parameter to the manipulation means for use in configuring the manipulation protocol, wherein the manipulation means does not accept all the parameters needed to configure the manipulation protocol for all of the conditional access systems.

• «*

· 4 4 4 4 4 ♦

Process features analogous to those of the apparatus described above are also provided for the method.

The present invention also relates to a device for use in a receiver / decoder, the receiver / decoder comprising a memory means for storing parameters associated with the manipulation data received by the receiver / decoder, and at least one application or other device, the device comprising :

means for generating an identifier for at least one parameter; and means for outputting said identifier to at least one application or other device.

The identifier may allow the application or other device to access the received data based on this identifier. In other words, the application or other device may not store all the parameters for the configured manipulation protocol to access the received data, so that the receiver / encoder memory can be used efficiently.

The apparatus may be used in a receiver / decoder that can be operated with various conditional access systems, the parameters being associated with the handling data received by the receiver / decoder, according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the conditional access system.

The at least one parameter may include an identifier of the data packet to be received by the receiver / decoder. Thus, the at least one parameter may include at least one of the authorization control message identifier and the corresponding video, audio, and teletext and subtitle event data packet identifiers, to be received by the receiver / decoder.

The apparatus may be arranged to store a plurality of parameters, each having a corresponding assigned identifier.

The present invention also relates to a receiver / decoder comprising a device as described above, said memory means for storing parameters associated with data handling received by the receiver / decoder, according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the conditional access system, and said application or said other device.

In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, the different conditional access systems are different encoding protocols, the parameters are decoding parameters, the data manipulation is decoding the encoded data, and the handling protocol is a decoding protocol. Accordingly, the present invention also relates to a device for use in a receiver / decoder, comprising:

memory means for storing decoding parameters for use in decoding encoded data received by a receiver / decoder, these parameters being configurable to allow decoding of a plurality of different encoding protocols?

receiving means for receiving decoding parameters for configuring at least one decoding protocol; and handover means for passing the configured decoding protocol identifier to at least one other device or application to allow said device or said application access, in decoded form, to the said device or application. · · · · · · · · Φ · φ · ·

Said encoded data based on said identifier, wherein said other device or application does not store all the parameters necessary to perform decoding of said encoded data.

The present invention also provides a method of configuring a receiver / decoder, the receiver / decoder comprising a memory means for storing parameters associated with the handling data received by the receiver / decoder, and at least one application or other device, the method comprising:

creating an identifier for at least one parameter; and releasing said identifier to said at least one application or other device.

Process features analogous to those of the apparatus described above are also provided for the method.

Preferred features of the present invention will be described in the following description, purely by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows the overall architecture of a digital television system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Giant. 2 illustrates the architecture of a conditional access system in a digital television system;

Fig. 3 illustrates the structure of an authorization control message used in the conditional access system;

Giant. 4 shows a detailed structure of an EMM;

• · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4

Figure 5 is a schematic illustration of a smart card;

Giant. 6 is a schematic illustration of the arrangement of the zones in the memory of the smart card;

Giant. 7 is a schematic representation of a description of a PPV event;

Giant. 8 shows a functional block diagram of a receiver / decoder;

Giant. 9 is a schematic illustration of a receiver / decoder interface;

Figure 10 shows in greater detail certain components of the virtual machine and execution means;

Fig. 11 is a functional block diagram illustrating the arrangement of a conditional access device in a receiver / decoder;

Fig. 12 shows an architecture of a receiving system for downloading (loading) slices from an MPEG data stream;

Fig. 13 shows the steps of a method of configuring a demultiplexer and an EMM download filter; and

14 shows the steps of a method of configuring the demultiplexer and the filter to download (load) the ECM.

»v · · · · · · · · · · · · ·

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Details of a suitable digital interactive television system can be found in co-pending patent applications PCT / EP97 / 02106 to 02117 of the same Applicant, hereby incorporated by reference, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. For ease of reference, the parts described in more detail in the aforementioned patent applications are generally indicated by the same reference numerals as used herein.

An overview of the digital television transmission and reception system 1000 is shown in FIG. 1. The invention includes a generally conventional digital television system 2000 that uses the known MPEG-2 compression system to transmit compressed digital signals. More specifically, the MPEG-2 compressor 2002 at the broadcast center receives a digital signal stream (usually a video signal stream). The compressor 2002 is coupled to the multiplexer and encoder 2004 via a 2006 connection. The multiplexer 2004 receives a number of additional input

The 20Q signals compile one or more broadcast streams and send compressed digital signals to the broadcast center transmitter 2008 via a link 2010. Of course, this may be represented by a variety of forms including telecommunications lines. Transmitter 2008 transmits electromagnetic signals via uplink 2012 to satellite transponder 2014, where these signals are electronically processed and transmitted via theoretical downlink 2016 to terrestrial receiver 2018, typically in the form of a parabolic antenna owned or rented by the terminal

2Q by. The signals received by the receiver 2018 are transmitted to an integrated receiver / decoder 2020 owned by or owned by the receiver or decoder 2020 owned by the receiver. <

rented by the end user and associated with the end user television equipment 2022. The receiver / decoder 2020 decodes the compressed MPEG-2 signal into a television signal for a television device 2022.

The conditional access system 3000 is coupled to the multiplexer 2004 and receiver / decoder 2020 and is located partly in the broadcast center and partly in the decoder. This system allows the end user to access digital television broadcasts from one or more broadcasters. A smart card capable of decoding messages related to commercial offers (i.e. one or more television programs sold by the broadcaster) can be inserted into the receiver / decoder 2020. Using a decoder 2020 and a smart card, the end user can purchase commercial offers either subscriber mode or pay-per-view mode.

Also connected to the multiplexer 2004 and the receiver / decoder 2020 is an interactive system 4000, which is again located partially in the broadcast center and partly in the decoder, and which allows the end user to interact with various applications via the modem return channel 4002.

The conditional access system 3000 will now be described in more detail.

As shown in Fig. 2, the conditional access system 3000 includes a subscriber authorization system (SAS) 3002. The SAS 3002 is connected to one or more subscriber control systems (SMS) 3004, wherein one SMS 3004 is for each broadcasting provider, via a respective TCP-IP φ φ φ φ

300 300 Φ Φ 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 300 Alternatively, one SMS 3004 could be shared between two broadcasters, or one broadcast provider could use two SMS 3004 and the like.

The first coding units in the form of encryption units 3008 using the parent smart cards 3010 are associated with the SAS 3002 connection 3012. The second coding units in the form of the encryption units 3014 using the parent smart cards 3016 are connected to the multiplexer 2004 by the connection 3018. Receiver / Decoder The receiver / decoder 2020 is connected directly to the SAS 3002 via communication service channels 3022 via a modem return channel 4002. The SAS 3002 transmits, among other information, subscriber subscription rights to the daughter smartcard 3020 as required.

Smart cards contain secret information from one or more commercial operators. The parent smart card encodes different types of messages, and the daughter smart cards decode those messages if they are authorized to do so.

The first and second encryption units 3008 and 3014 include a frame, an electronic VME card with software stored on an EEPROM, up to 20 electronic cards and one smart card 3010 and 3016 respectively for each electronic card, one (card 3016) for ECM message encoding and one (card). 3010) for EMM encoding.

The operation of the conditional access system 3000 in the digital television system will now be described in more detail in * * 0 · 0 · 0 0 0 »·« · «0« links to various components of the television system 2000 and conditional access system 3000.

Multiplexer and encoder

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, at the transmitting center, the digital video signal is first compressed (or reduced in bit rate) using the MPEG-2 compressor 2002. This compressed signal is then transmitted to the multiplexer and encoder 2004 over a 2006 connection to be multiplexed with other data, such as additional compressed data.

The encoder generates a control word used in the encoding process and included in the MPEG-2 stream in the multiplexer 2004. The control word is internally generated and allows the integrated receiver / decoder 2020 of the end user to decode the program.

Access criteria that indicate how the program is commercialized are also added to the flow

MPEG-2. The Program may be commercialized by any one of a number of subscription modes and / or one of a number of pay-per-view modes (PPV). In the subscription mode, the end user subscribes (participates) to one or more commercial offers or files, giving him the right to watch each channel within those files.

In a preferred embodiment, up to 960 commercial offers can be selected from the channel set. In pay-per-view mode, the end-user is equipped with the option to purchase events as desired. This can be achieved either by pre-ordering the event in advance (order mode) or by purchasing the event once it is broadcast (pulse mode). In a preferred embodiment, all users are subscribers (subscribers) regardless of whether they are watching subscriber (subscriber) or in PPV mode, but of course PPV viewers are not necessarily subscribers.

Both the control word and the access criteria are used to build an Authorization Control Message (ECM); which is a message transmitted in connection with one coded program;

wherein the message includes a control word (which allows program decoding) and access criteria of the transmitted program. The access criteria and the control word are transmitted to the second encryption unit 3014 via the 3018 connection. In this unit, the ECM is generated, encoded, and transmitted to the multiplexer and encoder 2004. During transmitted transmission, the 15 control word usually changes every few seconds and so ECMs are also periodically transmitted to enable decoding of the changing control word. For redundancy purposes, each ECM typically contains two control words, the current control word and the next control word.

Each service transmitted by the broadcaster in the data includes a number of separate components; for example, a television program includes a video component, an audio component, a subtitle or teletext component, and the like. Each of these service components is individually encrypted and coded 25 for subsequent transmission to the transponder 2014. A separate ECM is required for each coded service component. Alternatively, one ECM may be required for all coded service components.

0 0 00 00

Broadcasting of programs

The multiplexer 2004 receives electrical signals including coded EMMs from the SAS 3002, coded message

The ECM from the second encryption unit 3014 and the compressed programs from the 5 compressor 2002. The multiplexer 2004 encodes the programs and transmits the encoded programs, the encoded EMMs, and the encoded ECMs as electrical signals to the transmitter center 2008 via the 2010 transmitter. transponders 2014 via ascending link 2012.

Receiving programs

The satellite transponder 2014 receives and processes the electromagnetic signals transmitted by the transmitter 2008 and sends these signals to the terrestrial receiver 2018, usually in the form of a parabolic antenna owned or leased by the end user, via the downlink 2016. The signals received by the terrestrial receiver 2018 are transmitted to the integrated

2o of a receiver / decoder 2020 owned or rented by the end user and associated with the end user television equipment 2022. The receiver / decoder 2020 demultiplexes the signals to obtain coded programs with encrypted EMMs and Encrypted ECMs.

If the program is not encoded, i.e., if no ECM has been transmitted with the MPEG-2 data stream, the receiver / decoder 2020 decompresses the data and converts the signal into a video signal for transmission to the television device 2022.

If the program is coded, the receiver / decoder 2020.

extracts the corresponding ECM message from the MPEG-2 stream and forwards it to the lg ·· .........

the end user's smart card 3020 ECM. This is inserted into the slot in the receiver / decoder box 2020. The daughter smart card 3020 controls whether the end user has the right to decode the ECM and access the program. If the user does not have the necessary rights, a negative state is passed to the receiver / decoder 2020 to indicate that the program cannot be decoded. If the end user has the appropriate rights, the ECM is decoded and the control word is removed. The decoder 2020 can then decode the program using this control word. The MPEG-2 stream is decompressed and converted to a video signal for subsequent transmission to the television device 2022.

Participation Management System (fSMS) ¹⁵

Subscriber Control System (SMS) 3004. includes a database 3024 that manages, inter alia, all end-user files, commercial offers, subscriptions, PPV details, and end-user consumption and authorization data. SMS 3004 may be remote from SAS 3002.

Each SMS 3004 sends messages to the SAS 3002 via a corresponding link 3006 to allow modification or generation of Authorization Control Messages (EMMs) to be sent to end users.

SMS 3004 also sends messages to SAS 3002 that do not include any modification or generation of EMMs, but only include the end-user status change (regarding the authorization granted to the end-user when ordering products or the value to be charged to the end-user).

4 4

44 • · 4 * 44 · ···

As will be described in the description below, the SAS 3002 sends messages (typically requesting information such as callback information or billing information) to the SMS 3004, so it should be understood that the communication between the two components is two-way.

EMM or ECM entitlement control messages

An EMM is a message assigned only to an individual end user (subscriber) or group of end users (as opposed to an ECM that is assigned to only one scrambled program or set of scrambled programs if they are part of the same commercial offering). Each group can contain a given number of end users. This grouping organization aims to optimize bandwidth utilization; this means that access to one group can enable more end users to be reached.

Different specific types of EMM may be used. Individual EMMs are assigned to individual subscribers, and q are typically used to provide pay-per-view services, which include the group identifier and the subscriber position in that group. The so-called EMM group subscriber messages are assigned to groups, say, 256 individual subscribers, and are usually used to manage certain subscriber services. This EMM has a group identifier and a subscriber group bitmap. Published (free) EMMs are allocated to entire audiences and could, for example, be used by an operator to provide certain free services. Audience is the sum of iq subscribers with smart cards that have the same identifier *

• 4 4 ··

4 ·· • 4 4 «system (CS ID). Finally, the unique EMM is addressed to the unique smart card identifier.

The structure of a typical EMM will be described below with reference to Fig. 3. The EMM, which is implemented as a series of digital data bits, basically includes a header 3060, an EMM itself 3062, and a signature 3064.

Header 3060 further includes a type identifier 3066 for identifying whether the message is individual, group, audience or any other type message, a length identifier 3068 that indicates the length of the EMM. Of course, the EMM 3062 itself varies considerably according to its type. Finally, the signature 3064, which is typically 8 bytes long, provides a certain number of checks against damaging the remaining data in the EMM.

Subscriber Authorization System (SAS)

The messages generated by the SMS 3004 are forwarded via the connection 3006 to the subscriber authorization system (SAS) 3002, which further generates messages confirming the receipt of the messages generated by the SMS

3004 and passes these confirmations to SMS 3004.

In the SAS report, the subscription chain area for granting subscription mode and renewal rights automatically each month, the pay-per-view chain area for granting rights for PPV events, and the EMM message handler for EMM relay generated by the subscriber chain and PPV chain areas, to the multiplexer and encoder 2004 and thus to fill the MPEG stream with EMMs. If additional rights are to be granted, such as Pay Per File (PPF) rights for downloads ·

«« ·

Počítač ·· computer software to the user's personal computer, other similar areas are also created.

One function of the SAS 3002 is to manage access rights to television programs available as commercial offers in subscriber mode or sold as PPV events according to various commercialization modes (e.g., order mode, pulse mode). According to these rights and the information received from SMS 3004, the SAS 3002 creates EMMs for the subscriber.

EMMs are forwarded to an encryption unit (CU) 3008 for encryption with respect to control and exploitation keys.

The CU completes the signature 3064 on the EMM and passes the EMM back to the message generator (MG) in SAS 3002, where the header 3060 is added. The EMMs are forwarded to the message transmitter (ME) as complete EMMs. The message generator determines the start and end time of the transmission and the transmission speed of the EMMs and passes these parameters as appropriate guidelines together with the EMMs to the message transmitter. The MG generates a given EMM only once, that is, it is an ME that performs a cyclic transmission of EMMs.

When creating an EMM, the MG assigns a unique ID to the EMM. When the MG passes the EMM message to the ME, it also passes the EMM message ID. This allows the identification of a specific EMM in both the MG and the ME transmitter.

Giant. 4 illustrates an exemplary EMM (actually PPV EMM, which is the simplest EMM). The PID (packet identifier) 3170 includes two parts, ID 3172 and length parameter 3174 for the packet (needed to identify the beginning of the next packet). Whole φ φ φφφ ·· φφ φφ φφ

The PID is expressed in just one byte of information, with 4 bits reserved for the ID and four bits reserved for the length parameter.

Smart card

The daughter or subscriber smart card 3020 is schematically illustrated in Fig. 5 and includes an 8-bit microprocessor 110, such as the Motorola 6805 microprocessor, having an input / output bus coupled to a standard contact field 120, which in use is coupled to the corresponding contact field in the reader. a card device in the receiver / decoder 2020, wherein the card reader is of conventional design. The microprocessor 110 is also provided with bus connections with preferably masked ROM 130, RAM 140, and EEPROM 150.

The EEPROM 150 comprises certain dynamically generated operator zones 154, 155, 156 (operator ID) and dynamically generated data zones, which are now described below with reference to FIG. 6.

The EEPROM 150 comprises an 8-byte permanent card ID (or manufacturer) permanent zone 151 that includes a subscriber smart card permanent identifier entered by the smart card manufacturer 3020.

When the smart card is reset, the microprocessor 110 outputs a signal to the receiver / decoder 2020, which signal includes the conditional access system identifier used by the smart card and data generated from the data stored in the smart card, including the card ID (identifier). This signal is stored *

00 * 00 receiver / decoder 2020, which then uses this stored signal to check if the smart card is compatible with the conditional access system used by this receiver / decoder 2020.

The EEPROM 150 also includes a random number generator permanent zone 152 that includes a program for generating pseudo-random numbers. These random numbers are used for splitting transactions of output signals generated by the smart card 3020 and sent back to the transmitter.

A 144-byte permanent control zone 153 is formed below the random number generator zone 152. This permanent control zone 153 is a specific operator zone utilized by the V ROM 130 program to dynamically create (and remove) zones 154, 155, 156 as described in more detail below. Permanent control zone 153 contains smart card privileges for creating or deleting zones.

Below the control zone 153 is a series of operator ID zones 154, 155, 156 for operators 1, 2, and N. Typically, at least one operator ID zone will be preloaded into the EEPROM of the subscriber smart card 3020 so that the end user can decode programs transmitted by that operator. However, additional operator ID zones may subsequently be dynamically created using the permanent control zone 153 in response to the transaction output signal generated via the smart card 3020 by the end user (subscriber), as described in more detail below.

ΦΦΦ φφφ φφφφ φφ «φφ ·· ·· ··

Each operator zone 154, 155, 156 is associated with one or more operator data objects (operator data objects) stored in the EEPROM 150. As shown in Fig. 6, a series of dynamically generated operator data objects 157 to 165 are located below ID zones. operator. Each of these objects is marked with:

a) an identifier 1, 2, 3 ... N corresponding to the corresponding operator 1, 2, 3 ... N, as shown in its left part in Fig. 6;

(b) an ID indicating the type of object; and

c) a data zone reserved for the data, as shown in the right part of each relevant operator data object in Fig. 6.

It should be understood that each operator is associated with a similar set of data objects, so that the following description of the data type in the data objects of operator 1 is also applicable to data objects of all other operators. It will also be apparent that the data objects are located in contiguous physical areas of the EEPROM and that their order is not essential.

Deleting data objects creates a gap 166 in the smart card, that is, a certain number of bytes that previously deleted objects occupied are not occupied now. The number of bytes or space thus released is denoted by:

(a) identifier 0; and

b) An ID indicating that these bytes are free to receive an object.

··· * »

.............

The next data object created fills this gap, which is indicated by the identifier 0. In this way, the limited storage capacity (4 kilobytes) of the EEPROM 150 is effectively used.

Referring now to the set of data objects associated with each operator, examples of these data objects will be described below.

The data object 157 includes an EMM key used to decode the encoded EMMs received by the receiver / decoder 2020. This EMM key is permanently stored in the data object 157. This data object 157 can be created before the smart card is distributed 3020 and / or can be created dynamically when a new operator zone is created (as described above).

The data object 159 includes ECM keys that are sent by the corresponding operator (in this case, operator 1) to allow the end user to decode a particular set of programs to which he has subscribed. New ECM keys are typically sent each month together with a group subscription EMM (renewal) message that restores the overall end-user's right to watch broadcasts from (in this case) operator 1. Using * separate EMM and ECM keys allows the tracking rights to be purchased in different ways (in this case, by subscription and individually (pay per view)), and also increases security. Pay Per View Mode (PPV) will be described in more detail below.

Since new ECM keys are sent periodically, it is essential to prevent the user from using old ECM keys, for example by turning off the receiver / decoder or by resetting the clock to prevent the old ECM key from expiring so that the timer in the receiver / decoder 2020 could be skipped. Therefore, the operator zone 154 includes an area (typically having a size of 2 bytes) containing an ECM key obsolescence date. The smart card 3020 is arranged to compare this date to the current date contained in the received ECMs and to prevent decoding if the current date is later than the obsolescence date. The obsolescence date is transmitted via EMMs as described above.

As seen in Fig. 7, the session description PPV 167 of Session ID 168 includes a session to be identified (corresponding to program and time and date of transmission) session mode 169, indicating how viewing rights are purchased (e.g., in order mode), session index 170 and tracking 171 sessions.

As for receiving the program in PPV mode,

The 2Q receiver / decoder 2020 determines whether the program is a program sold in PPV mode. If so, then the decoder 2020 checks, using the items stored in the PPV event description 167, whether the session ID for this program is stored there. If the session ID is stored here, the control word is removed from the ECM.

If the session ID is not stored here, then a specific application receiver / decoder 2020 will display a message to the end user indicating that the user has the right to watch the session at the cost of, say, 25 units as read from the ECM or can connect to the communication service channels 3022 to buy the event. When using units, if the end user answers yes (via • 4 ··

4 4

4 * 4 * 4

4

4 4

44 of the remote control 2026 (see Fig. 2)), the decoder 2020 sends the ECM to the smart card, the smart card reduces the contents of the smart card 3020 by 25 units, writes session ID 168, session mode 169, session index 170 and session tracking 171 into the PPV event description 167, and extracts and decrypts the control word from the ECM.

In the order mode, the EMM will be passed to the smart card 3020 so that the smart card writes the session ID 168, the session mode 169, the session index 17Q, and the session tracking 171 to the PPV event description 167 using this EMM.

The session index 170 may be set to distinguish one transmission from another. This feature allows authorization to be given to a subset of transmissions, for example, 3 times out of 5 transmissions. When an EMM with a session index different from the current session index 170 stored in the PPV event description 167 is passed to the smart card, the number of session watches 171 is reduced by one. When session tracking 171 reaches zero, the smart card refuses to decrypt the ECM with a session index other than the current session index.

The initial value of session tracking depends only on the manner in which the broadcaster wishes to define the event to be observed; session tracking for a given event can have any value.

The microprocessor 110 in the smart card implements a counting and comparison program for detecting when the program monitoring limit has already been reached.

All components of session ID 168, session mode 169, session index 170 and session tracking 171 in the PPV event description 167, •>

They can be removed from the smart card using the reverse procedure as described in the previous description.

Each receiver / decoder 2020 includes an identifier that can either uniquely identify this receiver / decoder or identify its manufacturer or classify it in some other way to allow it to work only with a specific individual smart card, a class of smart cards manufactured by the same or the corresponding manufacturer or any other class

LQ smart cards that are designed to be used exclusively with this class of receivers / decoders.

In this way, receivers / decoders 2020 that have been supplied to the consumer by one broadcaster are protected against the use of unauthorized daughter cards 3020.

Receiver / Decoder

As seen in Fig. 8, the receiver / decoder includes 20 microprocessor-controlled execution means 4008 and a common application program interface 4054. These elements are installed in each receiver / decoder 2020 so that all receivers / decoders 2020 are application-identical.

For purposes of this description, the application is a machine code section for controlling the high-level functions of the receiver / decoder 2020. For example, when the end user directs the focus of the remote control at the button object seen on the television screen 2022 and presses the acknowledgment key.

• • * t t t t fr t

key, the instruction sequence associated with this button will be started.

The interactive application offers menus and executes commands at the request of the end user and provides data related to the purpose of the application. Applications may be either resident applications, that is, they are stored in ROM (or FLASH or other non-volatile memory) of receiver / decoder 2020, or they may be transmitted and downloaded to RAM or FLASH memory of this receiver / decoder 2020.

Applications are stored in receiver / decoder memory locations 2020 and are represented as source files. Applications can use data files such as icon library files, image files, character font files, color table files, and ASCII text files. The interactive application may also acquire or provide online data by performing inputs and / or outputs.

As shown in Fig. 9, the receiver / decoder 2020 comprises several interfaces, such as a MP28 signal tuner 4028, a serial interface 4030, a parallel interface 4032, and two smart card readers 4036, one for the smart card 3020 forming part of the system and one for kata (used for making payments, home banking, etc.) or for other smart ones

for the modem return channel 4002 to the television signal producer, so that the user may indicate preferences and the like back to the television signal producer (program).

Receiver / Decoder 2020 contains memory divided into ram media, FLASH media and ROM media, but this physical 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 000 000 »» 00 00

0 0 *

0 0 0

0 0 0

00 organization is different from logical organization. Memory can be further divided into storage media or volumes associated with different interfaces. From one perspective, memory can be considered as part of the hardware; from a different perspective, memory can be considered to support or include the entire system shown except for hardware.

As seen from FIG. 9, the system can be regarded as centered on a run time engine 4008 forming part of a virtual machine 4007. This is coupled to applications on one side ¹⁰ (the high side) and on the other side (low level side), via various intermediate logical units, discussed below, with receiver / decoder hardware 4061. Receiver / decoder hardware 4061 can be considered as including various ports or interfaces as discussed above (2030 remote control handset interface 2026, MPEG stream tuner interface 4028, serial interface 4030, parallel interface 4032, reader interface 4036 smart cards, and interface 4034 for modem return channel 4002).

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 8, various applications 4057 are associated with the unit 4007, some of the more commonly used applications may be more or less permanently resident in the system, as indicated by application 4057, while others will be downloaded to the svst. from the MPEG 25 'data stream or other ports as required.

The unit 4007 includes, in addition to the executing means 4008, a function of the resident library 4006, which includes the tool block 4058. Library 4006 contains a variety of C functions used by the 4008 executing means. These functions include data manipulation, such as compression, • 0 · · • 0 · · • 0 ··

0 0 0 · 0 0 0

0 0 0 0 0 0

000 00 00 0 · decompressing or comparing data structures, line drawing and the like. Library 4006 also includes firmware 4060 information in receiver / decoder 2020, such as hardware and software version numbers and available RAM space, and functions used to download new (logical) device 4062. The functions can be downloaded to a library that is stored in FLASH or RAM memory.

The execution means 4008 is associated with a (logical) device control program 4068, which is connected to a set of (logical) devices 4062, which are coupled to the device drivers 4060 (logical), which are further connected to ports or interfaces. In a broader sense, a device driver (control program) can be considered as a means of defining a logical interface so that two different device drivers can be connected to a common physical port. The device exciter will usually be connected to more than one device; if the device is connected to a single device driver, the device will usually be designed to be fully functional for communication so that the need for a separate device driver is eliminated. Certain devices can communicate with each other.

Each function of the receiver / decoder 2020 is represented as a (logical) device 4062. The devices may be either local or remote. Local devices 4064 include smart cards, SCAR.T interface signals, modems, serial and parallel interfaces, an MPEG video and audio player, an MPEG slot, and a table cutter (MPEG). Remote devices 4066, performed at a remote location, differ from local devices in that the port and procedure must be defined by the system administrator or system designer, rather than

• · » v · · ·· 4 4 • · 4 v v * 4 • • · • · · 4 • 4 4 4 4 4 4 44 • 4 44

have been defined by the equipment and the driver of the equipment and constructed by the receiver / decoder manufacturer.

When a new device 4062 is created, it can be installed in existing receivers / decoders 2020 5 by downloading the relevant application 4056 from the broadcast center. This download is performed by the receiver / decoder 2020 through the 4056 application, which verifies the hardware and software versions and, if all is well, downloads the software module representing the new device 4062 and calls the procedure from library 4006 to install new machine code inside the firmware memoirs). This can ensure flexible and secure installation of new functions to the receiver / decoder 2020 without adversely affecting the remaining software.

Device Manager 4068 is a common software interface between application 4056 and receiver / decoder specific features 2020. Program Manager 4068 controls access to devices 4062, declares the reception of an unexpected event, and manages shared memory.

Execution means 4008 operates under microprocessor control and a common application programming interface. These elements are installed in each receiver / decoder 2020, so that in terms of applications all receiver / decoders 2020 are exactly the same.

Executing means 4008 runs applications 4056 on receiver / decoder 2020. Executing means 4008 also executes interactive applications 4056 and receives events from outside the receiver / decoder 2020, displays graphics and texts, calls service delivery devices and for specific calculations

9 4 «• Φ * · _ Φ • · * · 4 · · • ·· φφ * · ·· utilizes the function of library 4006 which is associated with executing means 4008.

Executing means 4008 is executable code installed in each receiver / decoder 2020 and includes an interpreter for interpreting and executing applications. The execution means 4008 is adaptable to any operating system, including a single-task operating system (such as MS-DOS). Executing means 4008 operates on the basis of processing controller units (which take different events, such as ¹⁰ keystrokes, to perform different actions) and includes its own scheduler to control event queues from different hardware interfaces. The execution means 4008 also processes the display of graphics and text. The processing controller unit includes a set of action-groups.

Each event causes the processing controller unit to move from its current action-group to another action-group depending on the nature of the event and execute the actions of that new action-group.

The executing means 4008 includes a code loader for loading and downloading the applications 4056 into the receiver / decoder memory 2028. Only the necessary piece of code is downloaded to RAM media or FLASH media to ensure optimal use. The downloaded data is verified through an authentication mechanism to prevent any modification of the 4056 application or the execution of any unknown or unauthorized application. Executing means 4008 further comprises a decompressor. Because the application code (some form of transition code) is compressed for space saving reasons and for faster download from the MPEG-2 stream or through the built-in receiver / decoder mode, the code must be

Om »» dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek dek Executing means 4008 also includes an interpreter for interpreting the application code for updating various variable values and determining state changes, and means for verifying errors.

Before using the services of any device 4062, a program (such as an application instruction sequence) must be declared as a client, i.e., a logical access path to device 4066 or device control program 4068. The control program provides the client with a client number, which is specified for all accesses to the device. The device 4062 may have several clients, the number of clients for each device 4062 being specified depending on the type of device 4062. The client is loaded to the device 4062 via the Device: Open Channel procedure. This procedure assigns a client number to the client. The client can be removed from the client list of the device driver 4068 via the Device: Close Channel procedure.

Each device communicates with the application under control by the device control program 4068 via one of three standard procedures that are common to other devices. The information can be passed between the application and the device through tables. For simplicity, the three basic procedures are briefly described below:

1) Device: Call. This command can be used by an application to perform synchronous commands or data transfer. Application execution is blocked until the control command is returned when the device control program operation has completed. This allows operations that must be performed in a strict sequence to be controlled reliably.

· ((((((«« «« «« «« «« * V v v v v v v v v v ··

AND

2) Device: I / O. This command allows asynchronous operation. That is, the application can send a request for a data transfer or for performing a certain function by the device driver, and execution of the application can continue while the data transfer or function is performed by the device driver.

3) Device: Event. The event interrupt function allows events to be signaled by the device to the application, and for an action to be performed by the application in response to the event independently of the application code being executed at the time of the event signaling, the application is effectively interrupted. Events can be sorted by priority. The events may be used to signal events occurring at the interface, such as bus reset, or to provide monitoring of asynchronous commands, for example, by signaling completion of the desired data transfer.

As mentioned above, the main loop of the execution means is associated with different processing controller units, and when the main loop intercepts the event, control is temporarily transferred to one of these processing controller units.

As shown in FIG. 10, the device control program includes a queue 100 to which events from the device are forwarded for temporary storage. At appropriate intervals, the third computer sends a sicfricil to this period to remove the first item from this queue. This event entry is moved to the queue structure 101 in the virtual machine. Depending on the priority level of the event item, this item is inserted into a suitable one of 5 queues 0 to 4. Event items are excluded from the queue structure 101

44

4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4

444 < 44 44 44 through the queue selector unit 102 under the control of the execution means.

When an event is selected from the queue structure 101, the event is passed to the processing controller unit execution means 104, which consists of the processing controller unit driver 105 and the processing controller unit set 106. Each processing controller unit is a set of action-groups joined together, so each step from one action-group to the next action-group is, in general, dependent on the current action-group and the nature of the event. The different processing controller units have different sizes and complexities, including one in which the next action-group, i.e. action-group, to which the system goes in response to an event is dependent only on the nature of the event but independent of the current action -group. Also, as shown on the right side of the block of processing controller units, there may be several copies of processing controller units, i.e., several exactly identical processing controller units, to work, for example, with several separate data streams using exactly identical protocols over one port.

When an event is selected, it is passed to the appropriate processing controller unit. This selects the appropriate output from the current action-group on the processing controller unit. This results in the selection of the appropriate next action-group and action in that action-group, which includes, for example, sending a message to the device control program or executing an instruction sequence. Action-groups in the processing controller unit can also send event messages to other processing controller units.

• W W W W W W 9 9 9

I · I · · · ···

If an instruction sequence is selected, the identification of that instruction sequence is transmitted to the instruction sequence selector 107. The latter obtains the desired instruction sequence from the instruction sequence memory 108 and passes it to the instruction sequence interpreter 109, which executes the instruction sequence.

The system also includes a filter 110 that is loaded with event types, for example, from processing controller units 106.

When an event item is passed from the queue 100 in the device manager to the queue structure 101 in the virtual machine, its type or character is compared to the list in the filter 110. and if it is of a type that is not known, it is excluded.

This ensures that if, say, the device or keyboard driver generates events of a type that virtual machine 15 cannot handle, these events are not forwarded to queue 101. (If events of this type were forwarded to queue 101, they would either accumulate in this queue structure 101 or could cause malfunction of the processing controller unit execution means 104.)

Thus, it can be seen that this basic system provides a platform having considerable flexibility to allow the application to communicate with a variety of devices.

Conditional access devices

11 and 12, the receiver / decoder 2020 comprises a conditional access device 4100, or a CA device 4100. This CA device 4100 is connected via port 4103 to the device driver 4102 for the smart card reader device 4036 and via port 4105 with device driver 4104 φ 4ΦΦ II II II II II II pro pro II pro pro pro dem pro pro pro pro / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / / filtr / filtr filtr / filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr filtr. filtr filtr filtr filtr for receiving commands from and for sending messages to applications 4056. 4057 '. stored in the receiver / decoder 2020, and to access the memory 4024 of the receiver / decoder 2020 for the purpose of, for example, selecting data stored in that memory.

The CA device 4100 may inform the configuration application, for example, the resident application 4057 'of the conditional access systems supported by the receiver / decoder, and the conditional access system that is currently being used by the receiver / decoder. Such a configuration application is capable of changing the conditional access system that is currently being used by the receiver / decoder 2020. The type of the conditional access system that is currently being used by the receiver / decoder is written in the buffer register in the receiver / decoder memory 4024 as assigned by the CA device. 4100. The address of this buffer register may be transmitted to the configuration application 4057 'through the device control program 4068 θ. This buffer register also includes information regarding the version of the conditional access system currently in use by the receiver decoder, each conditional access system that is supported by the receiver / decoder, and the version of each conditional access system that is supported by the receiver decoder.

The CALL_SELECT command allows the application program to select the conditional access system to be used by the receiver / decoder. The conditional access system type and version number are stored in a memory zone in the receiver / decoder memory 4024. The address of the memory zone associated with * any of the conditional access systems supported by the receiver / decoder is also transferable to the configuration application 4,057 'via the control program 4068 devices. Subsequently, upon receiving the memory zone address, the application program sends that address to the CA device 4100 in this command. In response to this CA command, the 4100 changes the data stored in the buffer register in the memory zone 4024. The command returns a signal indicating command completion or command failure if the EMM or ECM is either loaded by the receiver / decoder 2020 or processed by the receiver / decoder 2020.

CA device 4100 allows EMMs to be downloaded (downloaded) and ECMs to be demultiplexed to encode components for any conditional access system 15 that is supported by the receiver / decoder 2020.

As shown in Fig. 12, the electromagnetic signals received by the receiver 2018 are transmitted to the tuner 4028 of the MPEG stream. This tuner usually monitors the frequency range and stops only when a carrier frequency is detected within that range. The signals thus detected are transmitted to a demodulator 4500 which demodulates the signals and sends them to the demultiplexer and filter 4502.

The demultiplexer and filter 4502 manipulate the received data stream such that only the required components of the data stream are extracted by the receiver / decoder 2020 from the data stream. Data manipulation is performed according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on

3Q on a conditional access system that is currently being used by the receiver / decoder.

· T t t t t t t t t t t t t

The data is transported in the MPEG data stream in the form of data packets typically 188 bytes in size within corresponding types of data streams, for example video data streams, audio data streams and teletext data streams. Each packet is preceded by a 13-bit packet identifier (PID), one PID for each packet transported in the MPEG data stream. The program mapping table (PMT table) lists various data streams and defines the contents of each data stream according to the corresponding PID. Each PMT table is associated with a corresponding transmission channel. The PID may alert the device of the presence of applications in the data stream, the PID being identified using a PMT table. The PID value provides a parameter associated with the handling protocol.

Application, EMM, and ECM data packets typically include one or more MPEG slots. To allow video packets, audio packets, teletext packets, and service caption packets to be downloaded (loaded) by the receiver / decoder, the correct EMM and ECM messages must first be provided.

The demultiplexer and filter handling protocol 4502 utilizes one or more, typically 8, byte MPEG bytes of the data stream, typically an offset byte 0 and offset bytes 3 to 9, to filter the stream from the data stream to allow downloading (loading) the desired application or EMM or ECM. Depending on the PID of the application, EMM, or ECM to be downloaded, the filter can be configured to allow only that particular application, EMM, or ECM to be downloaded. After filtering by the demultiplexer and filter 4502, the EMM or ECM may be transmitted to the smart card 3020 * 0 0 0 00 00

0 0 • 00 · 0 ·· 0 ·· 0

00 inserted into the smart card reader of the receiver / decoder for storing on this card.

The demultiplexer and filter 4502 are coupled to the decoder 4504. which is further coupled to the MPEG chip 4506. This chip 4506 is further coupled to the television device 2022. The demultiplexer and encoder 4502 typically provide up to 32 outputs associated with RAM media 4022 of receiver 4024 memory 4024 .

Video packets, audio packets, teletext packets, and subtitle packets for the service are demultiplexed by the demultiplexer 4502, decoded by the decoder 4504 using the control word extracted from the ECM, and transmitted to the MPEG chip 4506 for processing into signals compatible with the television device 2022.

Download (download) EMMs

The CA device 4100 controls the download of EMMs in the decoder receiver depending on the conditional access system that is being or is being used by the receiver / decoder

The conditional access table (CAT table) lists various conditional access systems (in the form of system identifiers (CS IDs)) and defines PID 3170 EMMs associated with each C3 ID for demultiplexing and data filtering. The CAT table is downloaded periodically from the data stream and stored in the memory zone 4024 of the receiver / decoder 20Q. The CAT table may be updated at any time, for example, if the PIDs of any of the EMMs identified by that table have changed since EMM packets are transmitted from the new transponder.

• t • t · t · t · t · t · t

Once the updated CAT table has been downloaded to the receiver / decoder 2020, the application using the CALL_SET_CAT command can notify the CA device 4100 of the presence of a new CAT table.

List of PID for each system is used to configure the demultiplexer and filter 4502 of the receiver / decoder 2020 so that the conditional access system, which is currently being used by the receiver / decoder 2020 is used proper handling protocol data to enable broadcasting the correct EMM to ^10, for example, , smart card 3020.

So when there is a change in either:

(i) CAT table; or (ii) a conditional access system currently being used by the receiver / decoder;

the demultipelxor and filter 4502 are updated to change the data manipulation protocol.

Upon receiving the CALL_SET_INFO command from the CA application, the device identifies the conditional access system used by the receiver / decoder 2020 and generates, using the CAT table stored in the memory 4024, a table including the PID values of the EMM of this conditional access system.

When the CA device 4100 receives an OI_EMM__START command from the application 25, the table so created is transmitted to the demux and filter driver 4104 to configure the demux and the filter 4502, respectively, using the correct handling protocol. The command returns a signal to the application 4057 'indicating completion of the command or command failure if the EMM is being downloaded or if the conditional access system has not been set up using the CA_SELECT command.

The CA operation 4100 described above is summarized in FIG. 13.

First, in step S100, CA 4100 receives the command

CALL_SET_CAT via port 4101 from an application that informs the CA device of a new CAT table in the receiver / decoder memory 4024

From the CAT table, the CA device is able to access a list of all of the various conditional access systems (in the form of system identifiers (CS IDs)) supported by the receiver / decoder 2020, and the PID lists of EMMs associated with each CS ID. These lists provide the parameters associated with the demultiplexer and filter handling protocol

4502.

Further, at step S102, CA device 4100 receives a CALL_SET_CAT command via port 4101 from an application that identifies the conditional access system used by the receiver / decoder, and in response to the CA device using the CAT table generates in step S104 a table including EMID PID values. access as removed from memory 4024 via port 4101.

Finally, in step S106, the CA receives the IO_EMM_START command via port 4101 from the application, and in step S108, the table created in step 5104 is transmitted to the demultiplexer and filter 4104 via port 4105 to configure the demultiplexer and filter 4502 handling protocol. and filter 4502 such that only EMMs of this conditional access system can be downloaded by receiver / decoder 2020.

* »

In the above operation, only those parameters that are required to configure the handling protocol are transmitted to the demultiplexer and filter 4502.

· · · · · · · · · «« «« ««

Concerning the downstream processing of downloaded EMMs, an EVENT_CA_EMM event is arranged from the CA 4100 to signal to the application receipt by the smart card the EMM transmitted to it, and to provide a parameter block addressed to the application containing the address of the stored EMM and driver information The smart card 4102 of the smart card via port 4103, which information depends on the conditional access system currently in use by the receiver / decoder 2020. The EVENT_CA_EMM_ERROR event is arranged to signal the smart card's rejection by the smart card sent to it, for example if the smart card does not have the right to store the EMM , and to provide a data block addressed to the application that contains the information provided by the smart card, which information depends on the conditional access system currently in use by the receiver / decoder.

Alternatively, the application EMM (i.e., the EMM transmitted in relation to the application) may be stored in the memory of the receiver / decoder, for example, to verify that the application 4056 is operating correctly. The EVENT_CA_APP_EMM event is arranged to signal to an EMM receive application. This event provides an application data block that contains the address of the stored application message addressed to the EMM.

• 4 4 444 4444 4444 4444 44 4 4

Download (download) ECM messages

CA device 4100 controls demultiplexing of ECMs for component decoding.

Using the CALL_ADD_ECM command, the application provides 5

CA device 4100 of the ECM PID message to be downloaded by the receiver / decoder 2020 as specified in the PMT table. The PMT table is stored in a memory 4024 which contains a list of different data streams and defines contents for each data stream according to the respective PID. The PID is provided together with any other information regarding the conditional-access system that is selected using the command

CALL_SELECT needed to handle the ECM. This information typically includes the conditional access system identification, the PPV event session number, and the PPV 15 event index number.

The CA device 4100 assigns a DESCR_ID for the ECM PID and returns to the application via the device control program 4068 the address of the memory zone in which the

DESCR_ID for ECM PIDs can be found. The ECM PID corresponds to a unique DESCR_ID. Alternatively, the CA device may return an error message to the application via the device control program 4068 indicating that the conditional access system has not been selected, that the PID has already been transmitted to the device, or that a predetermined maximum number of DESCR_ID has already been reached.

The CA device 4100 is also prepared to return the PID value to the demultiplexer driver 4104 and filter to allow the receiver / decoder to receive the ECM.

* 4 4 4444 4 4444

The application then sends a CALL_SERVICE_ SET_PID command to the CA device 4100 to identify the addresses in the memory of the PID receiver / decoder of video, audio, subtitle and teletext event packets to be demultiplexed. These PID values may be associated with the DESCR_ID previously assigned to the PID of the ECM. This identifier can then be used by the application to identify components in the data stream without requiring the application to receive values for all of these components.

Demultiplexing and filtering of video, audio, subtitle and teletext packets does not begin until the application sends a CALL_SERVICE_START command to the CA 4100. After receiving this command, the CA sends the ECM and event data packets to the demultiplexer driver 4104. The ECM is demultiplexed, filtered, and sent to the smart card 3020 for storage on the card. The control word for decoding the event components is extracted from the ECM and transmitted to the decoder 4504.

The operation of the CA device described above is summarized in FIG. 14.

First, at step S20Q, the CA device receives a CALL_ADD_ECM command via port 4101 from an application that provides CA device 4100 PID of ECM message to be downloaded by receiver / decoder 2020 as specified by PMT table stored in receiver / decoder memory 4024. CA device 4100 assigns a DESCR_ID to the ECM PID and returns the memory zone address of the ECM to the application.

Next, in step S202, the CA receives the command

CALL_SERVICE_SET_PID from an application that provides a CA

The 4100 address in the receiver / decoder memory for the PID video, audio, subtitle and the texttext event packets to be demultiplexed so that the values of these PIDs can These PID values are associated with a DESCR_ID assigned to the PID of the ECM.

Finally, in step S2Q6, the CA receives the CALL_SERVICE_START command via port 4101 from the application, and in step 5208, the CA 4100 sends to the demultiplexer driver 4104 the filter value (s) of the ECM and event packets.

Again, in the operation described above, only those parameters that are required to configure the handling protocol are sent to the demultiplexer and filter 4502. In addition, one DESCR_ID is assigned to the ECM PID and various different types of data packets, which the application can subsequently reference without referring to any parameters associated with it.

As described above, CA device 4100 controls EMM download and demultiplexing of ECMs to decode components for any conditional access system that is supported by receiver / decoder 2020. For each of these CA 4100 control functions, any application is transmitted to CA devices 4100 the same commands. Regarding EMM download, the CA receives CALL_SET_CAT, CALL_SET_INFO, and CALL_EMM_START commands from any application regardless of the conditional access system being used. Regarding ECM message handling, the CA device receives CALL_ADD_ECM, CAL_SERVICE_SET_PID and CALL_SERVICE_START commands from any application again, regardless of the system currently in use «« ·; j:.: ¹ : * «·. ·: I::

·· Μ ·· conditional access. Downloading EMMs and handling ECMs starts only after receiving the final command, so there is no need, for example, to update the demultiplexer and filter 4502. until the CA has received a command to start downloading the EMM. Also here, it is not necessary to transmit all the parameters listed in the CAT table and PMT table to the demultiplexer and filter 4502. but only those parameters that are associated with the desired handling protocol are transmitted to the demultiplexer and filter 4502. Similarly, it is not necessary to transmit all the parameters in the PMT table to the application, but only the DESCR_ID of these parameters.

It should be understood that the present invention has been described above purely by way of example, and modifications of particular details may be made within the scope of the invention.

Each feature described in the description and (where appropriate) in the claims and illustrated in the drawings may be provided independently or in any suitable combination.

In the preferred embodiments described above, certain features of the present invention have been implemented using computer software. It should be understood, however, that those skilled in the art will appreciate that any of these features may be embodied in hardware. In addition, it should be understood that functions performed by hardware, computer software and the like are realized on or using electrical and similar signals.

Claims (41)

PATENT CLAIMS A device for use in a receiver / decoder that can be operated with various conditional access systems, wherein the receiver / decoder includes a manipulation means for 5 data manipulation received by the receiver / decoder according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the conditional access system , and a memory means for storing the parameters associated with the handling protocol, comprising: means for receiving a command instructing the configuration of the handling protocol depending on the conditional access system; means for selecting at least one parameter from the memory means as a function of the command; and 15 means for outputting said parameter to a manipulation means for use in configuring a manipulation protocol, wherein the manipulation means does not select all the parameters needed to configure the manipulation protocol for all of the conditional access systems. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is arranged to output said parameter to the handling means upon receiving an instruction instructing to release said parameter. 25 parameter. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it comprises means for receiving a command to notify the device of updating parameters stored in the memory means. • 0 0 • * 0 • 0 0 0 0 · • ♦ '· J · * ϊ 0 0 000 00 i · 0 0 0 0 0 • 00> 0 0 »00 The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein said parameters include a conditional access system identifier being used by the receiver / decoder. The device of claim 4, wherein said parameter is associated with said identifier. 6. Device according to xcx cc txm, configuration application. any of the preceding claims, e being arranged to receive commands from The apparatus of claim 6, characterized in that it is configured to change the conditional access system identifier currently being used by the receiver / decoder in response to a command from the configuration application. The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein each said parameter includes at least one byte of a data packet section to be received by a receiver / decoder. 20 May The apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein each said parameter includes a data packet identifier to be received by a receiver / decoder. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said 25 parameters include an Entitlement Control Message (EMM) identifier. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein said parameters include an authorization control identifier 30 messages (ECM). •; *; ; • · · · · · · · Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is arranged to receive requests from a plurality of client applications for a plurality of parameters. A receiver / decoder comprising a device according to any preceding claim, wherein said manipulation means is arranged to operate under the control of a data manipulation device and said means for storing parameters associated with a manipulation protocol. 14. The receiver / decoder of claim 13, wherein said manipulation means comprises a demultiplexer and a filter operable to filter specific data components from data received by the receiving means. 15. The receiver / decoder of claim 14, wherein the handling protocol changes the filter such that only specific components of the data received by the receiving means are downloaded by the receiver / decoder. A method of configuring a receiver / decoder for accessing data, the receiver / decoder comprising manipulating means for manipulating the data received by the receiver / decoder according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the conditional access system and a memory means for storing parameters associated with a handling protocol, comprising the steps of: receiving a command instructing the configuration of the handling protocol depending on the conditional access system; selecting at least one of the parameters from the memory means depending on the command; and outputting said parameter into the handling means w w w 4 4 • 4 · WWW w 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 « 44 4 4 w v 4 4 4 4 použití protokolu manip přičemž použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití použití. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein said parameter is issued upon receipt of an instruction instructing to issue said parameter. Method according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that it comprises the step of receiving a command alerting the device to update the parameters stored in the memory means. The method of any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein said parameters include a conditional access system identifier being used by the receiver / decoder. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein said parameter output to said handling means is associated with said identifier. The method of any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the commands are received from a configuration application. The method of claim 21, wherein the conditional access system identifier currently being used by the receiver / decoder is changed in response to a command from the configuration application. A method according to any one of claims 16 to 22, wherein each said parameter comprises a parameter. At least one byte of the data packet section to be received by the receiver / decoder. The method of any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein each said parameter includes an identifier of the data packet to be received at the receiver / de encoder. 25. The method of claim 24, wherein the parameters of masonry are as follows: H-J (EMM). 26. The method of claim 24, wherein said parameters include an entitlement control message (ECM) identifier. The method of any one of claims 16 to 24, wherein requests are received from a plurality of client applications for a plurality of parameters. A device for use in a receiver / decoder, wherein the receiver / decoder comprises a memory means for storing 20 parameters associated with the handling data received by the receiver / decoder, and at least one application or other device, comprising: means for generating an identifier for at least one parameter; and 25 means for delivering said identifier to at least one application or other device. Device according to claim 28, characterized in that the receiver / decoder can be operated with various conditional access systems, said parameters being associated with ³⁰ handling data received by the receiver / decoder, according to the invention. The manipulation protocol, which can be configured depending on the conditional access system. 30. The apparatus of claim 28 or 29, wherein said at least yarn parameter includes a data packet identifier to be received by a receiver / decoder. 31. The apparatus of claim 30, wherein said at least one parameter includes an identifier &lt; 1 V * Π ø-3-l Z “ ¹ Ί · 7 ν '* 1 V 1 í PPM' J-Ο V iy V i- i- X X X ul / / / / / / / receiver / decoder V 4- λ in 6 τη a τ> τ * i ί a ť a J i. Ur kj · J_ LA. Ihbi jf The apparatus of claim 30 or 31, wherein said at least one parameter includes respective video, audio, teletext and subtitle data packet identifiers of the event to be received by the receiver / decoder. An apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 32, characterized in that it is arranged to store a plurality of parameters, each having a respective associated identifier. 34. A receiver / decoder, comprising a device according to any one of claims 28 to 33, and said memory means for storing parameters associated with the handling data received by the receiver / decoder, and 25 said other device or said application. 35. A method of configuring a receiver / decoder, the receiver / decoder comprising a memory means for storing parameters associated with the handling data received by the receiver / decoder, and at least one application or other device, comprising: * φ • φ φ · φ · create an identifier for at least one parameter; and releasing said identifier to said at least one application or other device. 36. The method of claim 35, wherein the receiver / decoder can be operated with various conditional access systems, wherein said parameters are associated with the manipulation data received by the receiver / decoder according to a manipulation protocol that can be configured depending on the system. conditional access. The method of claim 35 or 36, wherein said at least one parameter includes a data packet identifier to be received by a receiver / decoder. 38. The method of claim 37, wherein said at least one parameter includes an identifier of an authorization control message (ECM) to be received by a receiver / decoder. 39. The method of claim 37 or 38, wherein said at least one parameter includes respective video, audio, teletext and subtitle data packet identifiers of the event to be received by the receiver / decoder. A method according to any one of claims 35 to 39, 25, further comprising storing a plurality of parameters each having a respective associated identifier. 41. A device for use in a receiver / decoder substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings. A ’·» a a · · · · · · · · φ φ φ φ φ Φ φ Φ 42. A method of configuring a receiver / decoder substantially as described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.