KR20050020506A - Digital satellite broadcasting receiver and method for purchasing restricting using the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A digital broadcasting receiver and a purchase limit setting method using the receiver are provided to prevent users from purchasing programs of a pay per channel using a smart card without limit and prevent minors from purchasing unsuitable programs. CONSTITUTION: A digital satellite broadcasting receiver includes a multi-switching unit(103), a main unit(110), and a plurality of sub units(120). The multi-switching unit divides an RF digital satellite broadcasting signal, which has been received and low-noise-amplified, into a plurality of satellite signals and outputs the signals through respective paths. The main unit receives the plurality of satellite signals output from the multi-switching unit, respectively tunes the signals to specific channels and demodulates the signals to output TP signals. The sub units are respectively set in independent spaces and do not have an internal satellite tuner. The sub units receive the TP signals from the main unit, descramble and decode the signals, and display images corresponding to the signals. The sub units transmit a purchase restriction set value input by a user to the main unit.

Description

Digital satellite broadcasting receiver and method for purchasing restricting using the same}

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a receiver for receiving digital satellite broadcasts. In particular, one sub-unit includes itself in a main unit that tunes multiple channels simultaneously and sub-units that tune each different channel in multiple spaces. A method of limiting purchases in a digital satellite broadcasting system for restricting program purchases for units.

In general, digital satellite broadcasting has spread rapidly to Europe, Japan, Asia, and Africa since the world's first DirecTV in 1994, and can be viewed anywhere in the world.

Digital satellite broadcasting is a method of compressing video / audio / additional data and transmitting digitally through satellites in MPEG 2 standard, and is related to a wide coverage area and region which are inherent to satellites compared to other transmission media. Due to the lack of equal broadcasting quality, economics of establishing a satellite broadcasting network, and simplicity of satellite channels, it is mainly led by pay broadcasting companies.

In addition, a CAS (Conditional Access System) is used to restrict reception so that only subscribers can receive in a pay TV via a receiver capable of receiving the digital satellite broadcast.

The CAS receives a TV program and a data service signal scrambled by a transmitting station in a receiver for pay per channel (PPC) or pay per view (PPV) other than the free and basic channel of satellite broadcasting. It is a system for managing authorized subscribers to receive service by descrambling using a smart card. Here, the PPC is a service that collects a predetermined fee for receiving a channel and is able to receive a broadcast, and the PPV is a service that calculates and charges a fee per program as a reception time. To this end, the CAS operator issues a smart card to the subscriber. Smart cards are also known as Conditional Access Modules (CAMs).

The smart card stores, for example, channel information that a user can view in the memory portion in the case of a pay channel, and usage information in the case of a PPV.

The PPV service allows the user to purchase a movie or sporting event in advance, for example. In other words, the user may purchase a paid viewing program through the smart card.

Therefore, it is possible to extract the information stored in the smart card at the request of the limited reception system operator or the receiver. Also, the smart card has a decryption function that can descramble the scrambled signal. Provide the required key.

The digital satellite broadcast includes not only a program but also program guide information. The program guide information is called APG (Advanced Program Guide) in digital satellite broadcasting such as DirecTV, and EPG (Electronic Program Guide) in digital terrestrial broadcasting. The program guide information is additional data information that allows the viewer to more conveniently use the TV to watch TV, and the viewer can obtain information about the current broadcast program and the future broadcast program directly on the screen without a newspaper or other guide medium. .

On the other hand, as people's income levels rise and their lives get better, it's common for homes to have more than one television these days.

As such, users receive digital satellite broadcasting in an independent space and purchase a program of a pay channel using a smart card without limit, thereby increasing the burden on the user and preventing the purchase of inappropriate programs by minors.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and simultaneously tunes multiple channels in one main unit, and one subunit among multiple subunits in a plurality of independent spaces is itself The present invention provides a method for restricting purchase in a digital satellite broadcasting system for restricting program purchase for sub-units.

       According to one aspect of the present invention for achieving the above object, the multi-switching unit for dividing the received and low-noise amplified RF satellite digital satellite broadcast signal into a plurality of outputs through the respective paths, respectively in the multi-switching unit A main unit that receives a plurality of satellite signals output through the path of the tuner, and tunes and demodulates to a specific channel, respectively, and outputs them in the form of TP, and are installed in separate spaces, and are not provided with a satellite tuner inside the main unit. It is composed of a plurality of sub-units that receive the TP signal of the corresponding channel from the unit, descramble, decode and display, and transmit the purchase limit setting value input by the user to the main unit.

       According to another feature of the present invention for achieving the above object, a first step in which a user inputs a setting value to the purchase limit menu for the second sub-unit from the first sub-unit, the input unit to the main unit The second step of transmitting to the second unit, and the main unit comprises a third step of transmitting the purchase-restricted set value from the first sub unit to the second sub unit.

       Preferably, the first step enters a purchase limit menu only when a user inputs a password.

       The password check is performed in a first subunit or a main unit, and the password check in the first subunit requires that a first subunit receives and stores a password from the main unit. To perform the password check in the first sub-unit should send the main unit to the password entered by the user and receive a test result response.

       The set value may be a program price or rating information.

Hereinafter, a configuration and an operation according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-channel digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention, in which an antenna 101 capable of receiving a high frequency band digital satellite broadcast and a satellite signal of a high frequency band received through the antenna 101 are shown. A low noise amplifier (LNB) 102 for low noise amplification, a multi-switching unit 103 for dividing and outputting a plurality of satellite signals output from the LNB 102 and an output from the multi-switching unit 103 The main unit 110 receives a plurality of satellite signals that are inputted through a multi-tuner and tunes to a channel required by each sub unit, converts them into a transport stream (TP), and outputs them to each sub unit. Each of the plurality of sub-units 120 are installed and descrambled, decoded, and displayed by receiving a specific channel from the main unit 110.

FIG. 2 is a detailed block diagram of the main unit 110 and includes a plurality of tuners and demodulators 111a to 111d to receive satellite RF signals output from the multi-switching unit 103 to request each sub-unit. Multi-channel TP that simultaneously tunes to a channel and demodulates and outputs the TP signal in a TP form, and distributes the TP signal output from each tuner and demodulator of the multi-tuner unit 111 to each sub-unit. Central processing unit (CPU) 113, which controls the overall operation of the distribution unit 112, and also controls the data communication between the main unit and each sub unit, the main unit distributed in the distribution unit 112 The main transceiver unit 116 receives the TP signal through the CPU 113 and outputs it to each sub unit, or receives the signal output from the sub unit and outputs it to the CPU 113, at the request of each sub unit. According to the above It is configured to include the modem 114 for performing two-way communication with the broadcast transmitting side.

Here, each tuner and demodulator of the multi-tuner unit 111 demodulates the satellite signal of the tuned channel by a quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) method and converts the demodulated signal into a TP form.

3 is a detailed block diagram of each of the sub-units, a sub-integrated receiver and decoder (IRD) for receiving the TP signal transmitted from the main unit 110 and restoring the original digital video and audio signal. Display devices (eg, TVs) for displaying signals are connected and do not have a built-in satellite tuner.

Referring to FIG. 3, the sub-transmitter / receiver 301, a ROM and a RAM configured to receive a TP signal output from the main unit 110 or output a signal according to a user's request to the main unit 110 is provided. A CAS unit 303 for performing user authentication and descrambling using a memory 304, a smart card, and a TP signal output from the sub transceiver unit 301 to the CAS unit 303 to perform descrambling. The A / V decoder and the control unit 302 then separate the audio and video signals from the descrambled TP signal and decode the separated audio and video signals using a corresponding algorithm using the memory 304. In addition, the A / V decoder and the controller 302 output the user input signal input through the remote controller to the sub transceiver 301 to transmit to the main unit 110.

In the ROM of the memory 304, various control programs for controlling sub-units are mapped, and the RAM reads and decodes data necessary for writing and reading bit streams for decoding and motion compensation during A / V decoding. Used to write data and read data to be displayed.

The CAS unit 303 is provided in each sub unit, and manages information related to user registration, authentication, and billing by using a smart card inserted into the CAS unit 303, and simultaneously descrambles scrambled data. Perform. Here, the smart card inserted into the CAS unit 303 is a family smart card that can be equally applied to each sub IRD, and may be issued as many as the number of sub units registered in the satellite broadcasting service provider. That is, only one ID and password may be registered in the smart card or ID and password may be registered for each subunit. For example, if only one ID and password are registered, user ID can be authenticated by inputting the ID and password in any subunit. If an ID and password are registered for each subunit in one smart card, the corresponding subunit must register its ID and password to receive this user authentication. In this case, security can be kept secure for each subunit.

When using the integrated smart card, the satellite broadcasting service provider may provide a subscriber service such as discounting the subscription fee according to the number of registered subunits.

In this case, the modem 114 is not installed in each subunit but is installed only in the main unit 110, and a signal transmitted or received to a satellite broadcasting service provider from each subunit is transmitted through the modem 114 of the main unit. Is done. That is, the main unit 110 independently transmits purchase information of each subunit to the satellite broadcasting service provider, and transmits the result back to the corresponding subunit.

Therefore, it is not necessary to install a modem for each subunit, so that the burden on the user can be reduced.

Meanwhile, a remote control unit (eg, a remote controller) provided for each sub unit allows a user to interact with and control the main unit, and a signal input from the remote control unit is a front panel of each sub unit. It is output to the A / V decoder and the control unit 302 through 305.

4 is a block diagram showing an example of a purchase limit setting menu using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention to set a program purchase limit for all subunits including itself through one subunit menu.

The content of the purchase restriction may be a program price or rating information.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a purchase limit setting process of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention. FIG. 5 is an example of communication between units in the process of setting purchase limit for subunit B in subunit A. The purchase limit for the unit B is set (S100).

Here, the user can enter the purchase limit menu of FIG. 4 only by inputting the correct password. When the purchase limit for the sub unit B is set in the sub unit A by inputting the correct password (S100), the sub unit A The purchase limit setting value for the sub unit B is transmitted to the main unit (S101).

Then, the main unit transmits the purchase limit setting value to the sub unit B (S102) so as to know the setting value of the purchase limit for the corresponding sub unit B itself.

 The password check may be performed in the sub unit or the main unit. When performing the password check in the main unit, the sub unit should transmit the password input by the user to the main unit and receive the test result in response.

When performing the password check in the subunit, the subunit must receive and store the correct password from the main unit in advance.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a purchase restriction process of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention. Each sub unit limits a user's purchase of a program based on a setting value received from a main unit. The sub unit makes the purchase impossible if the program that the user wants to purchase is a program that exceeds the set purchase limit value.

That is, if the program viewable level to be purchased exceeds the set level or the price of the program exceeds the set price, the operation for purchasing is stopped and the user is notified that the purchase is impossible. First, the user inputs the program purchase to the subunit. Send a command (S110).

Then, when the user inputs a purchase for a program exceeding a purchase limit, the sub unit transmits a purchase impossibility message that rejects the purchase (S111).

In addition, by allowing a password input during the purchase restriction process, if the user enters the correct password, you can purchase the program. The password check can be performed in the sub unit or the main unit. The user inputs and transmits a password to the sub unit, and informs the user of the password checking result of the sub unit, so that the purchase process result when the password entered by the user is the correct password. Notify the user to proceed with the purchase (S112 ~ S114)

When the user inputs a password to the sub unit and a password is input to the main unit, the main unit notifies the user of the password check result through the sub unit and the sub unit operates for purchase if the password check result of the main unit is correct. Proceed to (S115 ~ S119).

As described above, the present invention can reduce the burden on the user by preventing users from receiving digital satellite broadcasts in an independent space and unlimited purchase of pay channel programs using a smart card, which is not suitable for minors. It has the advantage of limiting the purchase of unsuccessful programs.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the embodiments, but should be defined by the claims.

1 is a conceptual block diagram of a multi-channel digital satellite broadcast receiver according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a detailed block diagram of the main unit of Figure 1

3 is a detailed block diagram of each sub-unit of FIG.

4 is a block diagram showing an example of a purchase limit setting menu using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention;

5 is a diagram illustrating a purchase limit setting process of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention.

6 is a diagram illustrating a purchase restriction process of a digital satellite broadcasting receiver according to the present invention.

Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

101: satellite antenna 102: LNB

103: multi-switching unit 110: main unit

111: multi-tuner section 112: multi-channel TP distribution section

113: CPU 114: modem

115: EPG DB 116: main transceiver

120: sub unit 301: sub transceiver

302: A / V decoder and control unit 303: CAS unit

304: memory 305: front panel

Claims (7)

        A multi-switching unit for dividing the received and low noise amplified RF satellite digital satellite broadcasting signal into a plurality of paths and outputting the plurality of digital satellite broadcasting signals;         A main unit which receives a plurality of satellite signals output through respective paths from the multi-switching unit, tunes and demodulates each of a specific channel, and outputs the signal in the form of TP; And         Each unit is installed in a separate space, and there is no satellite tuner inside, and receives the TP signal of the corresponding channel from the main unit, descrambles and decodes it, and displays the purchase limit setting value input by the user. Digital satellite broadcasting receiver, characterized in that consisting of a plurality of sub-units to transmit to A first step of a user inputting a setting value in a purchase limit menu for a second sub unit in the first sub unit; A second step of transmitting the input setting value to a main unit; And, The main unit includes a third step of transmitting a purchase limit setting value from the first sub unit to the second sub unit, the purchase limit setting method using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver.         The method of claim 2,         In the first step, a purchase limit setting method using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver characterized in that the user enters a purchase limit menu only by inputting a password.        The method of claim 3, wherein        The method of setting a purchase limit using a digital satellite broadcasting receiver, wherein the checking of the password is performed in the first sub unit or the main unit.        The method of claim 4, wherein        The performing of the password check in the first sub unit requires that the first sub unit receive the password from the main unit and store the password.        The method of claim 4, wherein        And performing a password check in the main unit, wherein the first subunit transmits the password input by the user to the main unit and receives a test result. The method of claim 1, The set value is a purchase limit setting method using a digital satellite broadcast receiver, characterized in that the program price or rating information, etc.,