Patent US4890319A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4890319A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for controlling copying of protected information transmitted over a communications link
Assignee: Scientific Atlanta LLC
•
Filing: 1988-09-08
•
Granted: 1989-12-26
•
Expires: 2008-09-08
Abstract
Abstract A subscription television system for distributing program material protected by copyright to subscribers comprises a transmitter including a data insertion circuit for inserting a control bit in a transmitted signal comprising other control data and the protected program material. A receiver of the system includes a memory for storing a pre-assigned subscriber identification. Upon receipt and identification of the control bit at the receiver, the receiver inserts the subscriber identification into the program material so that any unauthorized copy made of the program material may be found to include the subscriber identification.
Inventors
- 👤 Nigel Seth-Smith
- 👤 Cameron Bates
- 👤 Samson Lim
- 👤 William van Rassel
- 👤 Robert Yoneda
- 👤 Keith Lucas
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 23:11
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/20; H04N21/25; H04N21/254; H04N21/2543; H04N7/00; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0888; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/163
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 5
Claim 1
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for identifying an unauthorized copy of a protected program transmitted over a communications link via a signal from a transmitter to a subscriber decoder in a subscription television system, comprising at the transmitter the step of inserting a character in a control signal stream transmitted concurrently with the protected program, and at the receiver the step of responding to said control character by writing a pre-assigned subscriber-specific identification to a screen for displaying said protected program during display or to a copier for making the unauthorized copy thereof, the unauthorized copy made by said copier from the supplied signal for displaying said protected program recording said subscriber-specific information.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
110 words
A method for identifying an unauthorized copy of a protected program transmitted over a communications link via a signal from a transmitter to a subscriber decoder in a subscription television system, comprising at the transmitter the step of inserting a character in a control signal stream transmitted concurrently with the protected program, and at the receiver the step of responding to said control character by writing a pre-assigned subscriber-specific identification to a screen for displaying said protected program during display or to a copier for making the unauthorized copy thereof, the unauthorized copy made by said copier from the supplied signal for displaying said protected program recording said subscriber-specific information.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
58 words
A method for identifying an unauthorized copier of a protected program as recited in claim 1 wherein the protected program is a television program comprising audio and video information transmitted in B-MAC signal format and, during the character insertion step, the character is inserted in the control signal stream in the vertical interval of the B-MAC signal format.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of controlling the unauthorized copying of copyright protected information transmitted over a communications link via a signal from a transmitter to a receiver of a subscription television system comprising the steps of storing at a receiver a unique identification number of a user of the receiver, transmitting a fingerprinting flag bit in control data portions of a composite signal simultaneous with the transmission of the copyright protected information, at the receiver, identifying the fingerprinting flag bit, retrieving from memory at the receiver the unique identification number of the user of the receiver responsive to the identification step and inserting the user identification number in a frame of the copyright protected information.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
113 words
A method of controlling the unauthorized copying of copyright protected information transmitted over a communications link via a signal from a transmitter to a receiver of a subscription television system comprising the steps of storing at a receiver a unique identification number of a user of the receiver, transmitting a fingerprinting flag bit in control data portions of a composite signal simultaneous with the transmission of the copyright protected information, at the receiver, identifying the fingerprinting flag bit, retrieving from memory at the receiver the unique identification number of the user of the receiver responsive to the identification step and inserting the user identification number in a frame of the copyright protected information.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4040099A
Cited
US4528588A
Cited
US4595950A
Cited
US4439785A
Cited
US4694490A
Cited
US4704725A
Cited
US4752676A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1992-12-25 | 1993-06-26 | 1993-12-26 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1996-12-25 | 1997-06-26 | 1997-12-26 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2000-12-25 | 2001-06-26 | 2001-12-26 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |