On Tuesdays the USPTO publishes newly issued patents. Today's Spotlight Patents address various aspects of cable conditional access systems and copy protection. Assigned to Sony, the first patent concerns a configurable cableCARD. Assigned to HP, the second patent concerns copy protection for analog video signals from computing devices.
7,398,544, "Configurable cableCARD," assigned to Sony.
Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a configurable CableCARD adaptable for use by multiple conditional access (CA) providers. CableCARD comprises core logic configured to descramble incoming scrambled content, a first CA logic block and a second CA logic block. Connected to the core logic, the first CA logic block uses a first CA function associated with a first CA provider. The second CA logic block is also connected to the core logic. The second CA logic block uses a second CA function associated with a second CA provider. Where the incoming content is scrambled according to the second CA function, the connection between the first CA logic block and the core logic is disabled.
7,398,008, "Copy protection for analog video signals from computing devices," assigned to Hewlett Packard.
Abstract
A copy protection method and apparatus is provided to inhibit unauthorized viewing or copying of a video signal. A varying set of additional or invalid video pulses are generated onto a typical video signal. A pulse sequence identifier identifies the location of the invalid or additional pulses and is likewise generated onto the video signal prior to the occurrence of the identified pulses. The combined signal is received at an authorized display which then decodes or filters the additional or invalid portion of the video signal from the original signal according to a decode protocol stored in local memory. A resultant video output signal is guaranteed from only the original signal.
