EP0183392A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Geographic blackout method for direct broadcast satellite system
Assignee: Arris Technology Inc
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Filing: 1985-10-28
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-28
Abstract
Abstract Television programs are broadcast to a plurality of receiver units in various geographic areas. Each unit (Fig. 1) has a memory for storage of designation code representative of its location and a memory for the storage of a blackout tier indication. Pnor to the transmission of the program to be blacked out, each unit is separately addressed and provided with a message including a.designation code for storage. Then, a globally addressed message (Fig. 2) provides all receiver units having a selected designation code with a blackout tier indication for storage (Fig. 3). A program tier indication is transmitted along with the program to be blacked out. Each unit, upon receiving the transmitted program, compares (Fig. 4) the transmitted program tier indication and the blackout tier indication in its memory. All receiver units having a stored blackout tier indication which matches the program tier indication are simultaneously prevented from displaying the program to be blacked out.
Inventors
- 👤 Wayne S. Mundy
- 👤 John M. Jeffers
- 👤 Stephen P. Knight
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 09:52
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4524; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/167; H04N7/1675
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for simultaneously blacking out a program for all receivers in a particular geographic area for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receiver units in various geographic areas, each comprising a memory, the method characterized by the steps of: prior to the transmission of a program to be blacked out, separately addressing each receiver unit, providing each addressed receiver unit with a designation code for storage m its memory, globally addressing all units and providing same with a designation code and a blackout tier indication, storing the provided blackout tier indication in the memory of the addressed receiver if the provided designation code matches the stored designation code, transmitting a program tier indication with the program to be blacked out. each of the receiver units, upon receiving a transmitted program, comparing the program tier indication transmitted with the program with the blackout tier indication in its memory, the receiver units having a stored blackout tier indication matching the transmitted program tier indication being unable to display the transmitted program.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
178 words
A method for simultaneously blacking out a program for all receivers in a particular geographic area for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receiver units in various geographic areas, each comprising a memory, the method characterized by the steps of: prior to the transmission of a program to be blacked out, separately addressing each receiver unit, providing each addressed receiver unit with a designation code for storage m its memory, globally addressing all units and providing same with a designation code and a blackout tier indication, storing the provided blackout tier indication in the memory of the addressed receiver if the provided designation code matches the stored designation code, transmitting a program tier indication with the program to be blacked out. each of the receiver units, upon receiving a transmitted program, comparing the program tier indication transmitted with the program with the blackout tier indication in its memory, the receiver units having a stored blackout tier indication matching the transmitted program tier indication being unable to display the transmitted program.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of Claim 1 , wherein the provided designation code is transmitted in an encrypted message and wherein the step of storing the designation code comprises the step of decrypting the message to obtain the designation code.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of Claim 2, wherein each of the receiver units has a unique address code and wherein an address code is transmitted along with the encrypted message and further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted message only if the address code transmitted therewith matches the address code of the receiver.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of Claim 1, wherein the blackout tier indication comprises a plurality of bits and wherein the memory comprises a blackout bit map memory.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for simultaneously blacking out a program from all receivers in a particular geographic area for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receivers in various geographic areas, each receiver having a designation code memory and a blackout bit map memory, the method characterized by the steps of addressing each receiver unit and providing same with a designation code for storage in its designation code memory, different geographic codes representing different geographic areas, selecting each designation code and, for each selected designation code, providing a blackout tier indication to be stored in the blackout bit map memory of each receiver unit having that designation code stored in its designation code memory, transmitting a signal comprising a program to be blacked out accompanied by a program tier indication, to all receiver units, each receiver unit, upon receiving the signal, comparing the program tier indication and the blackout tier indication in its blackout bit map memory, any receiver units having a stored blackout tier indication corresponding to the transmitted program tier indication associated with the program being unable to display that program.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
188 words
A method for simultaneously blacking out a program from all receivers in a particular geographic area for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receivers in various geographic areas, each receiver having a designation code memory and a blackout bit map memory, the method characterized by the steps of addressing each receiver unit and providing same with a designation code for storage in its designation code memory, different geographic codes representing different geographic areas, selecting each designation code and, for each selected designation code, providing a blackout tier indication to be stored in the blackout bit map memory of each receiver unit having that designation code stored in its designation code memory, transmitting a signal comprising a program to be blacked out accompanied by a program tier indication, to all receiver units, each receiver unit, upon receiving the signal, comparing the program tier indication and the blackout tier indication in its blackout bit map memory, any receiver units having a stored blackout tier indication corresponding to the transmitted program tier indication associated with the program being unable to display that program.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of Claim 5, wherein said signal comprises a data stream comprising a plurality of addressable portions and wherein the step of providing a blackout tier indication comprises the steps of generating an addressable portion addressed to all receiver units and containing a blackout tier indication, and commanding all receiver units having a given stored designation code to store the blackout tier indication.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of Claim 6, wherein each of said receiver units has a unique address and wherein the step of providing a blackout tier indication comprises addressing a message to a particular receiver unit, said message comprising a command to enter a particular designation code into the designation code memory of the addressed unit.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for simultaneously preventing designated receiver units from displaying a given program for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receiver units, each comprising a memory, the method characterized by the steps of: prior to the transmission of the given program, addressing each designated receiver unit, providing each addressed receiver unit with a designation code for storage in the memory, globally addressing the receiver units and providing same with an indication representing a program not to be displayed for storage in the memory if the memory has stored therein a given designation code, transmitting an indication with the given program, each of the receiver units, upon receiving a transmitted program, comparing the transmitted indication with the program with the indication in its memory, the receiver units having a stored indication matching the transmitted indication being unable to display the transmitted program.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
149 words
A method for simultaneously preventing designated receiver units from displaying a given program for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receiver units, each comprising a memory, the method characterized by the steps of: prior to the transmission of the given program, addressing each designated receiver unit, providing each addressed receiver unit with a designation code for storage in the memory, globally addressing the receiver units and providing same with an indication representing a program not to be displayed for storage in the memory if the memory has stored therein a given designation code, transmitting an indication with the given program, each of the receiver units, upon receiving a transmitted program, comparing the transmitted indication with the program with the indication in its memory, the receiver units having a stored indication matching the transmitted indication being unable to display the transmitted program.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of Claim 8, wherein each of the receiver units is separately addressable and further comprising the steps of: addressing each receiver unit, providing each addressed receiver unit with a designation code and storing the provided designation code in the addressed receiver's memory.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
72 words
1 0. The method of Claim 9, wherein the step of globally addressing the receiver units comprises the step of transmitting a designation code to all receiver units along with . the indication representing the program not to be displayed, comparing the transmitted designation code with the stored designation code, each receiver unit having a stored designation code matching the transmitted designation code setting its memory in accordance with the provided indication.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
The method of Claim 9, wherein the designation code is transmitted in an encrypted message and wherein the step of storing the designation code comprises the step of decrypting the message to obtain the designation code.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of Claim 11, wherein each of the receiver units has a unique address code and wherein an address code is transmitted along with the encrypted message and further comprising the step of decrypting the encrypted message only if the address code transmitted therewith matches the address code of the receiver.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
175 words
1 3. A receiver for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receiver units and a transmission station generating a composite television signal including program information including programs on a plurality of tiers and an addressable data stream including a program tier indication for each program, a portion addressable to particular receivers including a designation code and globally addressable portions including a blackout tier indication, the receiver characterized by means for receiving the composite television signal, means for locating the portion of the data stream addressed to the particular receiver unit, means for storing the designation code information in the portion addressed to the particular receiver, means for locating the globally addressed portion of the data stream containing the blackout tier indication corresponding to the stored designation code information, means for storing the blackout tier indication corresponding to the stored designation code, means for comparing the program tier indication for a selected program with the stored blackout tier indication and means for displaying the selected program if said
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
175 words
1 3. A receiver for use in a direct broadcast satellite system of the type including a plurality of receiver units and a transmission station generating a composite television signal including program information including programs on a plurality of tiers and an addressable data stream including a program tier indication for each program, a portion addressable to particular receivers including a designation code and globally addressable portions including a blackout tier indication, the receiver characterized by means for receiving the composite television signal, means for locating the portion of the data stream addressed to the particular receiver unit, means for storing the designation code information in the portion addressed to the particular receiver, means for locating the globally addressed portion of the data stream containing the blackout tier indication corresponding to the stored designation code information, means for storing the blackout tier indication corresponding to the stored designation code, means for comparing the program tier indication for a selected program with the stored blackout tier indication and means for displaying the selected program if said
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
5 words
compared indications do not match.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
5 words
compared indications do not match.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
60 words
The receiver of Claim 13, wherein the globally addressed portion includes a designation code and a blackout tier indication and wherein said means for locating the globally addressed portion comprises means for comparing the designation code in the globally addressed portion with the stored designation code and means for storing the blackout tier indication if the compared designation codes match.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
33 words
The receiver of Claim 13, wherein the addressable portion comprises an authorization tier indication and further comprising means for storing the authorization tier indication and for comparing same with the program tier indication.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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