On Thursdays the USPTO publishes new patent applications. Today's Spotlight Applications concern copy protection and conditional access systems. Assigned to Macrovision, the first application discloses techniques for the copy protection of optical discs. Assigned to Nagravision, the second application discloses a conditional access system.
20080247289, "Copy protection of optical discs," assigned to Macrovision.
Abstract
The more effective is the copy protection provided on a DVD, the greater is the likelihood that the copy protection will adversely interfere with legitimate uses of the disc. In a disc where the content is arranged in physical sectors, it is now proposed to provide subversive regions on the disc having a similar structure to genuine regions. A subversive region and a genuine region will each extend over one or more physical sectors. The subversive region will be provided with physical sector addresses which coincide with addresses of the genuine region. Navigational data will ensure that it is the genuine, rather than the subversive, region which will be accessed during normal play, but the subversive region will effectively hide the genuine region during copying.
20080250444, "Method for processing conditional access contents by a user unit," assigned to Nagravision S.A (CH).
Abstract
A method allows a broadcasted conditional access content accessible at the time of transmission to be also accessible at a later time thanks to intermediate storage on a hard disk of a user unit. The processing method includes the steps of receiving at the user unit a data stream encrypted by at least one control word, at least one control message stream containing the control words, forming an index file, each index comprising an identifier of a control message formed by the extraction of data associated to the control messages and an identifier of the part of the content to which the control message is applied; and, at the time of the deferred processing of the content, extracting at least one part of the control messages and resynchronizing the content with the control messages by the use of the index file, the identifier of the control message allowing the selection of the current control message from a set of control messages at the time of the exploitation of the content identified by the identifier of the part of the content related to this control message.
Abstract
The more effective is the copy protection provided on a DVD, the greater is the likelihood that the copy protection will adversely interfere with legitimate uses of the disc. In a disc where the content is arranged in physical sectors, it is now proposed to provide subversive regions on the disc having a similar structure to genuine regions. A subversive region and a genuine region will each extend over one or more physical sectors. The subversive region will be provided with physical sector addresses which coincide with addresses of the genuine region. Navigational data will ensure that it is the genuine, rather than the subversive, region which will be accessed during normal play, but the subversive region will effectively hide the genuine region during copying.
20080250444, "Method for processing conditional access contents by a user unit," assigned to Nagravision S.A (CH).
Abstract
A method allows a broadcasted conditional access content accessible at the time of transmission to be also accessible at a later time thanks to intermediate storage on a hard disk of a user unit. The processing method includes the steps of receiving at the user unit a data stream encrypted by at least one control word, at least one control message stream containing the control words, forming an index file, each index comprising an identifier of a control message formed by the extraction of data associated to the control messages and an identifier of the part of the content to which the control message is applied; and, at the time of the deferred processing of the content, extracting at least one part of the control messages and resynchronizing the content with the control messages by the use of the index file, the identifier of the control message allowing the selection of the current control message from a set of control messages at the time of the exploitation of the content identified by the identifier of the part of the content related to this control message.
