KR100403236B1 - Apparatus for conditional access in digital satellite broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention provides a digital satellite broadcasting receiver having a reception limitation device in the form of a common interface (CI) that restricts only subscribers subscribed to pay broadcasting to receive broadcast signals. The present invention relates to a reception limitation device of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver that can be separated from a module.

A reception limiting device provided in a satellite broadcasting receiver for receiving satellite broadcasting in a limited manner, comprising: an FTA module for receiving and processing a received broadcast stream signal; A CI module for decoding the encrypted broadcast stream signal; The FTA module and the CI module are connected in a communication state and include a detachable connection part; The CI module outputs a connection signal; The FTA module is configured to selectively control whether or not to perform encryption / decryption of the received broadcast stream signal according to whether the access signal generated from the CI module is received.

Description

Restriction device for digital satellite broadcasting receiver {Apparatus for conditional access in digital satellite broadcasting receiver}

The present invention relates to a reception limiting device of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver, and more particularly, to a digital receiver having a built-in reception limiting device in the form of a CI (Common Interface) that restricts a subscriber to a paid broadcast to receive a broadcast signal. In the satellite broadcasting receiver, the CI module is related to a reception limiting device of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver which can be separated from a free-to-air (FTA) module.

In addition, the present invention can automatically recognize that the CI module is mounted on the FTA module, and relates to a reception limiting device of the digital satellite broadcasting receiver easy to upgrade the CI module.

Digital satellite broadcasting has the commercial advantage that it can broadcast up to about 5 channels compared to the current analog channel using digital technology, and due to various functions such as high image quality, sound, interactive service and internet connection, etc. It is being activated. The Digital Set-Top Box (D-STB) industry is growing mainly in the US and Europe, and is showing high growth in the Middle East and Asia due to the introduction of digital satellite broadcasting.

Digital satellite broadcasting is mainly led by pay-TV companies, and the set-top box market is directly purchased by pay-TV businesses. In terms of technology, digital set-top boxes are capable of decoding analog content from broadcast stations and decoding the signals sent out by satellite or cable terrestrial into analog signals that customers can watch on ordinary television. Since this process requires complex processing, technical issues are being raised for broadcasters to supply various broadcasting services. First of all, the standards adopted by the world's largest broadcasters due to broadcast standards are the European standard called DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) or DSS (Digital Satellite Service) in the US. Various criteria are defined, including the adoption of their own criteria. More than a dozen companies, including Media-Guard, NDS, and Viaccess, are also competing in a technology called the Conditional Access System (CAS), which restricts reception so that only subscribers can receive it in pay-TV.

DVB-CI (Digital Video Broadcasting-Common Interface) develops broadcasting service that is unique to our company by developing and implementing unique CAS of digital pay broadcasting companies in each of Europe's countries, which leads such CAS service. Starting from the need for a unified standard created by providing it to consumers, it became the unified standard in 1996 with the adoption of the DVB-CI specification EN50221 from the European Committee for Electro-Technical Standardization (CENELEC). However, since the backlash of existing CAS makers was large, it is more accurate to see that it was enacted by adding additional functions while accepting most of the existing standard rather than a new unified standard.

As mentioned above, CAS refers to a reception limiter of a set-top box for digital satellite broadcasting, and is responsible for a paid reception function of digital satellite broadcasting. In particular, CAS supports both basic and paid channels as well as PPV (Pay Per View) at the same time, accounting for only 15% of the total price of satellite receivers. To protect broadcast content, MPEG2 packets are scrambled and transmitted. However, the receiver cannot see the broadcast content until it is decrypted by the receiver. When this decryption function is in the form of a card (CAM) inserted into the PCMCIA slot, it is called a CI (Common Interface) type set-top box. In addition, when implemented in the form of middleware on the OS or device driver on the host CPU, it is called an embedded CAS type set-top box.

Meanwhile, the standard proposal for the CI part was made through the following standards bodies and documents.

1) DVB-CI (CENELEC EN 50221): The European Committee for Electro-technical Standardization (CENELEC) is operated under the Belgian law established in 1973 with the aim of enacting the European Standard (EN / ENV) in the field of electronic technology. As an international standardization organization, the guidelines and CI extensions have been published in relation to the common interface.

2) NRSS Part B: National Renewable Security Standard (NRSS) Part B refers to the specification for CAS in Terrestrial broadcasting, in which Part A represents the specification for Smart Card, Part B Indicates the specification for PCMCIA. CI is a PCMCIA type standard that also specifies an HTML engine for the MMI (Man Machine Interface) from the host.

3) DAVIC v1.2 (CAO Interface): DAVIC is a non-profit group made up of 222 companies from more than 25 countries including manufacturer service providers, government agencies, and research institutes related to the audio-visual industry around the world. Enact.

Referring to Figure 1, the configuration of a conventional CI type reception limiter is as follows.

The reception limiter shown in FIG. 1 largely shows that the FTA module 100 and the CI module 200 are configured in one board form. Here, the FTA module 100 means a free channel broadcasting receiver, and the FTA may receive free broadcasting without a separate scramble.

The conventional reception limiter includes a tuner 101 for frequency tuning a received high frequency modulated broadcast signal, and a demodulator for demodulating the high frequency modulated broadcast signal tuned by the tuner 101 to detect the original broadcast stream signal from the modulated broadcast signal. 102, a descrambler 201 that descrambles the demodulation of the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator 102, and a multiplexer of a broadcasting station, synthesized in a single channel. A demultiplexer (103) for separating the transmitted complex signal, an MPEG decoder (104) for restoring that the complex signal separated by the demultiplexer (103) is compressed by the MPEG specification in a broadcasting station, and a CI module (200). Microprocessor 105 for FTA controlling the operation of the CI module 200 while communicating with the microprocessor 200 for controlling the decryption operation of the descrambler 201 while communicating with the FTA module 100. 02).

However, according to the conventional reception limiter for the satellite broadcasting receiver, the following problem (s) occurs.

In other words, since the conventional reception limiter for a satellite broadcasting receiver is configured in the form of a card in which the FTA module and the CI module are integrated, the user must purchase an expensive CI module in addition to the FTA module for watching free broadcasting. This adds to the economic burden on the user.

In addition, when the CI module needs to be upgraded, since the CI module and the FTA module are integrated, the user has a dual economic burden of separately purchasing the FTA module in addition to the CI module for the upgrade.

Accordingly, the present invention is to solve such a problem (s), an object of the present invention is to configure the CI module in a form that can be separated from the FTA module, the digital satellite broadcasting receiver to upgrade the CI module at a low price To provide a reception restriction device of.

In addition, another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for limiting reception of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver, which enables the FTA module to automatically determine whether a CI module is installed.

1 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional reception limiting apparatus.

2 is a schematic block diagram showing the configuration of the reception limiter according to the present invention.

<Description of the code | symbol about the principal part of drawing>

300: FTA module 301: tuner

302: demodulator 303, 304: buffer

305: demultiplexer 306: MPEG decoder

307: microprocessor for FTA 400: CI module

401: Descrambler 402: Microprocessor for CI

500: connection

A feature of the present invention for achieving such object (s) is a reception limiting device installed in a satellite broadcasting receiver for receiving satellite broadcasting in a limited manner, the reception limiting device comprising: receiving and processing a received broadcast stream signal; An FTA module; A CI module for decoding the encrypted broadcast stream signal; The FTA module and the CI module are connected in a communication state and include a detachable connection part; The CI module outputs a connection signal; The FTA module is configured to selectively control whether or not to perform encryption / decryption of the received broadcast stream signal according to whether the access signal generated from the CI module is received.

Here, the CI module includes: a microprocessor for CI for outputting a connection signal; A descrambler for decrypting the encrypted broadcast stream signal; The FTA module includes a tuner for receiving a broadcast stream signal; A demodulator for demodulating the broadcast stream signal received through the tuner; A demultiplexer for separating the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator into a video channel and an audio channel; An MPEG decoder for decompressing each channel signal separated by the demultiplexer; A buffer 1 for transmitting the demodulated broadcast stream signal to the demultiplexer; A buffer 2 for transmitting the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator to a descrambler in the CI module; It is preferable to include a microprocessor for FTA which selectively enables buffer 1 and buffer 2 according to whether the access signal transmitted from the microprocessor for CI is received.

At this time, if the access signal is not received, the microprocessor for FTA enables buffer 1, disables buffer 2, and controls the demodulated broadcast stream signal to be transmitted to the demultiplexer; When the access signal is received, it is preferable to disable the buffer 1 and enable the buffer 2 to control the demodulated broadcast stream signal to be transmitted to the descrambler.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiment (s) of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. First, in adding reference numerals to the elements of each drawing, it should be noted that the same elements are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible even if they are displayed on different drawings. In addition, in the following description there are shown a number of specific details, such as components of the specific circuit, which are provided only to help a more general understanding of the present invention that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. It is self-evident to those of ordinary knowledge in Esau. In describing the present invention, when it is determined that a detailed description of a related known function or configuration may unnecessarily obscure the subject matter of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted.

2 is a schematic block diagram of a reception limiter for a satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention.

Referring to Fig. 2, the configuration of the present invention will be described.

The reception limiting apparatus of the digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention is connected to the FTA module 300 and the CI module 400 and the FTA module 300 and the CI module 400 in a communicable state and detachable connection unit ( 500).

That is, a tuner 301 for frequency tuning a received high frequency modulated broadcast signal, a demodulator 302 for demodulating a high frequency modulated broadcast signal tuned by the tuner 301 and detecting an original broadcast stream signal from the modulated broadcast signal; A buffer 1 303 serving as a gate for the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator 302 (in this case, the descrambled broadcast stream signal and the free broadcast), and the broadcast demodulated by the demodulator 302. Decryption (scramble) of the broadcast stream signal transmitted through the buffer 2 304 and the buffer 2 304, which serves as a gate for the stream signal (in this case, the scrambled broadcast stream signal, pay broadcasting) a descrambler 401 to descramble, a demultiplexer 305 to separate a complex signal synthesized and transmitted in a single channel by a multiplexer of a broadcasting station, and a demultiplexer; Enables the buffer 1 303 and the buffer 2 304 in communication with the CI module 400 and the MPEG decoder 306 for restoring that the complex signal separated by 305 has been compressed by the MPEG specification at the broadcast station. The microprocessor 307 for FTA which controls the / disable state, and the microprocessor 402 for CI which controls the decryption operation of the descrambler 401 while communicating with the FTA module 300 are comprised.

Referring to the operation of the present invention having such a configuration as follows.

Since the connection signal is not received by the FTA microprocessor 307 when the CI module 400 is not mounted, the FTA microprocessor 307 recognizes that the CI module 400 is not mounted and buffer 1 An enable signal is output to 303 and a disable signal is output to buffer 2 304. Accordingly, buffer 2 304 does not operate, and buffer 1 303 transitions to an operating state.

In addition, the broadcast stream signal tuned and received by the tuner 301 and demodulated by the demodulator 302 is transmitted to the demultiplexer 305 through the buffer 1 303 which is in an enabled state, and the demultiplexer 305 is a broadcast stream. The signal is separated into a video signal and an audio signal, and then transmitted to the MPEG decoder 306. The MPEG decoder 306 restores and finally outputs a video signal and an audio signal compressed according to the MPEG standard. Thus, the user can watch the broadcast signal. At this time, since the CI module 400 is not installed in the reception limiting device, the user cannot view the encrypted broadcast signal (ie, pay-per-view) and can only listen to the unencrypted broadcast signal (ie, free broadcast). have.

On the other hand, when the CI module 400 is mounted, the CI microprocessor 402 transmits a connection signal to the FTA microprocessor 307. When the access signal is received by the FTA microprocessor 307, the FTA microprocessor 307 recognizes that the CI module 400 is mounted, and outputs an enable signal to the buffer 2 304. At the same time, a disable signal is output to the buffer 1303. Accordingly, buffer 1 303 does not operate, and buffer 2 304 outputs an enable signal to descrambler 401 in CI module 400.

In addition, the broadcast stream signal tuned and received by the tuner 301 and demodulated by the demodulator 302 is transmitted to the descrambler 401 through the buffer 2 304 that is enabled, and the descrambler 401 After the scramble of the demodulated broadcast stream signal is descrambled, the demodulated broadcast stream signal is transmitted to the demultiplexer 305 in the FTA module 300.

The demultiplexer 305 separates the decoded broadcast stream signal into a video signal and an audio signal, and then transmits the demultiplexer 305 to the MPEG decoder 306. The MPEG decoder 306 restores and finally outputs a video signal and an audio signal compressed according to the MPEG standard. Thus, the user can watch the broadcast signal. In this case, since the CI module 400 is mounted in the reception limiting device, the user may watch an encrypted broadcast signal (ie, pay broadcasting).

In addition, since the FTA module 300 and the CI module 400 are connected in a state in which they can communicate with each other through the connection unit 500, the FTA module 300 and the CI module 400 are easily removable. In addition, when the CI module 400 is upgraded, the user may purchase only the upgraded CI module 400 and use the upgraded reception limiter by combining with the existing FTA module 300.

As described above, although the specific embodiment (s) have been described in the detailed description of the present invention, various modifications are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should not be limited to the described embodiment (s), but should be defined by the claims below and equivalents thereof.

As a result, according to the reception limiting apparatus of the digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention, the following advantage (s) occurs.

That is, by configuring the CI module in a detachable form from the FTA module, it is possible to upgrade the reception limiting device at a low price.

In addition, since the FTA module can automatically determine whether the CI module is installed, it is convenient because no additional setting work is required after the CI module is installed.

Claims (3)

In the reception limiter installed in the satellite receiver to receive satellite broadcast in a limited way: The reception limiting apparatus includes an FTA module for receiving and processing a received broadcast stream signal; A CI module for decoding the encrypted broadcast stream signal; And The FTA module and the CI module are connected in a communicable state and include a detachable connection unit; The CI module outputs a connection signal; The FTA module, And selectively controlling whether or not to perform encryption / decryption of the received broadcast stream signal according to whether the access signal generated from the CI module is received. The method of claim 1, The CI module includes: a microprocessor for CI for outputting the access signal; And A descrambler for decrypting the encrypted broadcast stream signal; The FTA module includes a tuner for receiving the broadcast stream signal; A demodulator for demodulating the broadcast stream signal received through the tuner; A demultiplexer for separating the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator into a video channel and an audio channel; An MPEG decoder for decompressing each channel signal separated by the demultiplexer; A buffer 1 for transmitting the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator to the demultiplexer; A buffer 2 for transmitting the broadcast stream signal demodulated by the demodulator to the descrambler in the CI module; And And a microprocessor for FTA selectively enabling the buffer 1 and the buffer 2 according to whether the access signal transmitted from the CI microprocessor is received. The microprocessor of claim 2, If the access signal is not received, enable the buffer 1, disable the buffer 2, and control the demodulated broadcast stream signal to be transmitted to the demultiplexer; Receiving the access signal, disables the buffer 1, enables the buffer 2, and controls the demodulated broadcast stream signal to be transmitted to the descrambler.