WO1991015922A1 - Audio, video or television apparatus - Google Patents

Audio, video or television apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1991015922A1
WO1991015922A1 PCT/GB1991/000467 GB9100467W WO9115922A1 WO 1991015922 A1 WO1991015922 A1 WO 1991015922A1 GB 9100467 W GB9100467 W GB 9100467W WO 9115922 A1 WO9115922 A1 WO 9115922A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
lock
sequence
locked
audio
key press
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/GB1991/000467
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Richard Francis Altwasser
Alan John Dixon
Original Assignee
Amstrad Public Limited Company
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Amstrad Public Limited Company filed Critical Amstrad Public Limited Company
Publication of WO1991015922A1 publication Critical patent/WO1991015922A1/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N7/00—Television systems
    • H04N7/16—Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/422—Input-only peripherals, i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
    • H04N21/42204—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor
    • H04N21/42206—User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor characterized by hardware details
    • H04N21/4221—Dedicated function buttons, e.g. for the control of an EPG, subtitles, aspect ratio, picture-in-picture or teletext
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/45—Management operations performed by the client for facilitating the reception of or the interaction with the content or administrating data related to the end-user or to the client device itself, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies, resolving scheduling conflicts
    • H04N21/454—Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
    • H04N21/4542—Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/475—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
    • H04N21/4753—End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/60—Network structure or processes for video distribution between server and client or between remote clients; Control signalling between clients, server and network components; Transmission of management data between server and client, e.g. sending from server to client commands for recording incoming content stream; Communication details between server and client 
    • H04N21/61—Network physical structure; Signal processing
    • H04N21/6106—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network
    • H04N21/6143—Network physical structure; Signal processing specially adapted to the downstream path of the transmission network involving transmission via a satellite
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N5/00—Details of television systems
    • H04N5/44—Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/41—Structure of client; Structure of client peripherals
    • H04N21/418—External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access
    • H04N21/4185—External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access for payment
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
    • H04N—PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION
    • H04N21/00—Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD]
    • H04N21/40—Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
    • H04N21/47—End-user applications
    • H04N21/472—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content
    • H04N21/47211—End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content for requesting pay-per-view content

Definitions

  • This invention relates to audio, video or television apparatus.
  • U.K. Patent Application GB-A-2 206 759 describes a television set which can be electronically locked by a sequence of key presses and then can only be unlocked by re-entering the key press sequence. Such a system may be used by parents to stop use of the television set by children.
  • audio, video or television apparatus comprising means for generating an audio or video output signal, a plurality of operating keys associated with the apparatus, lock means responsive to a locking sequence which includes a selected key press sequence to lock the apparatus and responsive to an unlocking sequence which includes a related key press sequence to unlock the apparatus, and timer means, in which the lock means includes means responsive to the timer means for automatically unlocking the apparatus a predetermined time period after locking thereof.
  • Figure 1 is a view of the front panel of a satellite television receiver/decoder
  • Figure 2 shows a remote control unit for use therewith.
  • Embodiment Figure 1 shows the front panel of a combined satellite receiver/decoder embodying the invention for use with broadcast television signals received from satellite.
  • the front panel has conventional buttons or the like for the necessary functions to operate the equipment as follows:-
  • TV/SAT - switches the associated television from internal (terrestrial) signal to external (satellite derived) signal if connection is made via SCART socket.
  • RECALL - displays the frequency and audio setting for the current channel.
  • AUDIO - selects one of seven audio modes.
  • PRESET - stores a user-changed set of channel parameters.
  • TUNING UP and DOWN - activation of these buttons allows the user to select a desired transmission.
  • the frequency is displayed in the four-digit display at the right hand end of the front panel. The tuned frequency can then be stored and recalled by use of the channel buttons, see below.
  • H/V SELECT - enables switching between horizontally and vertically polarised received signals at the antenna.
  • CHANNEL DP and DOWN - this enables the user to select the desired one of a number of pretuned channels.
  • AUTHORISE - registers a user request for debiting credits from a pay-per-view smart card.
  • the receiver may also comprise a card reader for receiving a decrypting or descrambling enabling card to allow the reception of scrambled signals on a prepayment or other basis.
  • the receiver includes appropriate circuitry to allow the equipment to be electronically locked.
  • a facility is designed for use by parents to inhibit use of the equipment by children, and is, therefore, termed a parental lock. It is achieved by the parent entering a personal identification number (PIN) into the equipment, and then entering an instruction which locks the receiver either so that it cannot be used at all, or so that it can be locked to only one channel or alternatively so that it can not be tuned to one selected channel.
  • PIN personal identification number
  • the receiver has two locked modes and, of course, an unlocked mode.
  • H/V SELECT button is pressed once, and secondly the same H/V SELECT button is pressed again.
  • This button operates as a "toggle” on the receiver circuitry, the net effect is to cancel each other out. However, this "primes” the receiver circuitry so that it recognises that it is now in the "lock entry sequence” function.
  • the third key press then initiates PIN entry. Either of two keys may be pressed for this purpose. If the AUDIO key is pressed, the PIN will be displayed as it is entered by the parent. Alternatively, if the RECALL button is pressed, the PIN will not be displayed as entered by the parent but instead a blank appears as each subsequent digit is entered. That is to say the bar or hyphen which normally appears in the absence of a character is removed.
  • the PIN is then stored in an electronically erasable read-only memory (EEROM) and will act as the current PIN for the lock function about to be performed.
  • EEROM electronically erasable read-only memory
  • the PIN is checked with the one held in the EEROM. If they do not match, the receiver immediately drops back to the mode it was in before the lock entry sequence was commenced, and the whole procedure will need to be repeated with the correct PIN to gain access to the unlocking utility. If the PIN does match, or if the receiver was previously in unlocked mode, a brief period of half a second after the entry of the fourth digit, eight vertical bars appear on the receiver display indicating that the system is now ready to receive a lock or unlock command.
  • remote control illustrated includes certain digits 1*, 2*, 3* and 4* but that these have no effect on the locking function.
  • the third stage in operation of the lock is the lock function selection operation. Any one of three keys may be pressed here.
  • the three keys have the following functions:-
  • CHANNEL DOWN prevents the current channel to which the receiver is tuned from being accessed.
  • AUDIO unlocks the system from either of the above modes. Entry of an invalid key will result in droping back to the state before the lock entry sequence began.
  • the "all-key" lock initiated by the RECALL button operates as follows. If the receiver is tuned, it will be locked to the particular channel it was on before the locking procedure was initiated. If the receiver is off, i.e. on standby it will be locked into standby so that no broadcasts can be received.
  • the receiver/decoder includes a software timer and advantage of this is taken for the following purpose. It is common for users to forget the PIN which they have entered with the obvious inconvenient consequences. In practice we have appreciated that it is not normally necessary for the lock function to be maintained indefinitely. Accordingly, the receiver notes the time at which any locking function is effected and automatically deactivates the lock a specified period, such as forty eight hours, after the locking operation. Thus, the equipment automatically reverts to the unlocked mode forty eight hours after programming and the inconvenience caused by forgetting the PIN number (or by malicious locking of the equipment) is minimised while maintaining the important function of the apparatus.
  • the software unlock timer is only active while power is applied to the receiver. Also it resets itself, i.e. re-starts its 48-hour period, if any of the keys are pressed. This is in order to minimise the chance of someone finding the PIN by experimentation. The effect of this is thus that a user must turn the set on, and leave it for 48 hours without pressing any keys or using the remote handset in order for the lock to be deactivated automatically.

Abstract

Audio, video or television apparatus, e.g. a satellite receiver/decoder, or a video cassette recorder, can be locked by a selected key press sequence, and unlocked by a related key press sequence. In case the key press sequence is forgotten, the apparatus is automatically unlocked a predetermined time period, e.g. 48 hours, after being locked. When locked, the depression of keys restarts the time period. With a broadcast receiving apparatus, the receiver may be locked in the off condition, or may be locked to a single channel, or may be locked so that a specified channel can not be received.

Description

AUDIO, VIDEO OR TELEVISION APPARATUS
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to audio, video or television apparatus.
U.K. Patent Application GB-A-2 206 759 describes a television set which can be electronically locked by a sequence of key presses and then can only be unlocked by re-entering the key press sequence. Such a system may be used by parents to stop use of the television set by children.
Summary of the Invention According to the present invention there is provided audio, video or television apparatus comprising means for generating an audio or video output signal, a plurality of operating keys associated with the apparatus, lock means responsive to a locking sequence which includes a selected key press sequence to lock the apparatus and responsive to an unlocking sequence which includes a related key press sequence to unlock the apparatus, and timer means, in which the lock means includes means responsive to the timer means for automatically unlocking the apparatus a predetermined time period after locking thereof. Brief Description of the Drawings
An embodiment of the invention will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a view of the front panel of a satellite television receiver/decoder, and
Figure 2 shows a remote control unit for use therewith.
Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Figure 1 shows the front panel of a combined satellite receiver/decoder embodying the invention for use with broadcast television signals received from satellite. The front panel has conventional buttons or the like for the necessary functions to operate the equipment as follows:-
STANDBY - this button serves to switch the equipment between standby and fully operative modes.
TV/SAT - switches the associated television from internal (terrestrial) signal to external (satellite derived) signal if connection is made via SCART socket.
RECALL - displays the frequency and audio setting for the current channel.
AUDIO - selects one of seven audio modes. PRESET - stores a user-changed set of channel parameters. TUNING UP and DOWN - activation of these buttons allows the user to select a desired transmission. The frequency is displayed in the four-digit display at the right hand end of the front panel. The tuned frequency can then be stored and recalled by use of the channel buttons, see below. H/V SELECT - enables switching between horizontally and vertically polarised received signals at the antenna. CHANNEL DP and DOWN - this enables the user to select the desired one of a number of pretuned channels. AUTHORISE - registers a user request for debiting credits from a pay-per-view smart card. The receiver may also comprise a card reader for receiving a decrypting or descrambling enabling card to allow the reception of scrambled signals on a prepayment or other basis.
The receiver includes appropriate circuitry to allow the equipment to be electronically locked. Such a facility is designed for use by parents to inhibit use of the equipment by children, and is, therefore, termed a parental lock. It is achieved by the parent entering a personal identification number (PIN) into the equipment, and then entering an instruction which locks the receiver either so that it cannot be used at all, or so that it can be locked to only one channel or alternatively so that it can not be tuned to one selected channel. Thus the receiver has two locked modes and, of course, an unlocked mode.
In order to change between these modes, a sequence of operation is followed by the user. First the H/V SELECT button is pressed once, and secondly the same H/V SELECT button is pressed again. As this button operates as a "toggle" on the receiver circuitry, the net effect is to cancel each other out. However, this "primes" the receiver circuitry so that it recognises that it is now in the "lock entry sequence" function. The third key press then initiates PIN entry. Either of two keys may be pressed for this purpose. If the AUDIO key is pressed, the PIN will be displayed as it is entered by the parent. Alternatively, if the RECALL button is pressed, the PIN will not be displayed as entered by the parent but instead a blank appears as each subsequent digit is entered. That is to say the bar or hyphen which normally appears in the absence of a character is removed.
As soon as the third key of the sequence has been pressed, four horizontal bars appear on the receiver display which indicates the need for a PIN to be entered. The four PIN digits are then entered from the remote handset, shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. It will be appreciated that there are no numeric keys available on the main equipment as shown in Figure 1. If the third key press of the lock entry sequence was AUDIO, the PIN digits appear on the display left to right as they are entered. As noted above, if the third key press was RECALL, a blank appears as each digit is entered.
If the receiver was previously in unlocked mode, the PIN is then stored in an electronically erasable read-only memory (EEROM) and will act as the current PIN for the lock function about to be performed. Alternatively, if this is an attempt to unlock a previously locked feature, the PIN is checked with the one held in the EEROM. If they do not match, the receiver immediately drops back to the mode it was in before the lock entry sequence was commenced, and the whole procedure will need to be repeated with the correct PIN to gain access to the unlocking utility. If the PIN does match, or if the receiver was previously in unlocked mode, a brief period of half a second after the entry of the fourth digit, eight vertical bars appear on the receiver display indicating that the system is now ready to receive a lock or unlock command.
Thus it is seen that this stage can only be reached in one of two ways:-
1. By entering the correct four digits if a lock function has already been actioned or
2. By entering any four digits if no lock function has been actioned.
It should be noted that the particular remote control illustrated includes certain digits 1*, 2*, 3* and 4* but that these have no effect on the locking function.
Finally,, the third stage in operation of the lock is the lock function selection operation. Any one of three keys may be pressed here. The three keys have the following functions:-
CHANNEL DOWN prevents the current channel to which the receiver is tuned from being accessed.
RECALL locks out all of the keys and does not allow the equipment to be used, except to recommence the lock entry sequence for an unlocking operation.
AUDIO unlocks the system from either of the above modes. Entry of an invalid key will result in droping back to the state before the lock entry sequence began.
After any of the keys CHANNEL DOWN, RECALL or AUDIO has been pressed, the appropriate lock or unlock function is performed. Any function thus achieved will completely override any other so that locking the keys will override and permanently erase any channel lock that may have been set up previously. Thus it is not possible to have more than one lock function active at any time.
It should be noted that the "all-key" lock, initiated by the RECALL button operates as follows. If the receiver is tuned, it will be locked to the particular channel it was on before the locking procedure was initiated. If the receiver is off, i.e. on standby it will be locked into standby so that no broadcasts can be received.
The receiver/decoder includes a software timer and advantage of this is taken for the following purpose. It is common for users to forget the PIN which they have entered with the obvious inconvenient consequences. In practice we have appreciated that it is not normally necessary for the lock function to be maintained indefinitely. Accordingly, the receiver notes the time at which any locking function is effected and automatically deactivates the lock a specified period, such as forty eight hours, after the locking operation. Thus, the equipment automatically reverts to the unlocked mode forty eight hours after programming and the inconvenience caused by forgetting the PIN number (or by malicious locking of the equipment) is minimised while maintaining the important function of the apparatus.
The software unlock timer is only active while power is applied to the receiver. Also it resets itself, i.e. re-starts its 48-hour period, if any of the keys are pressed. This is in order to minimise the chance of someone finding the PIN by experimentation. The effect of this is thus that a user must turn the set on, and leave it for 48 hours without pressing any keys or using the remote handset in order for the lock to be deactivated automatically.
While described in the context of a satellite receiver/decoder it will be appreciated that the invention is applicable generally to audio, video or television apparatus, including for example video cassette recorders.

Claims

1. Audio, video or television apparatus comprising means for generating an audio or video output signal, a plurality of operating keys associated with the apparatus, lock means responsive to a locking sequence which includes a selected key press sequence to lock the apparatus and responsive to an unlocking sequence which includes a related key press sequence to unlock the apparatus, and timer means, in which the lock means includes means responsive to the timer means for automatically unlocking the apparatus a predetermined time period after locking thereof.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, in which the apparatus is a satelitte television receiver/decoder.
3. Apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, in which the locking sequence comprises key presses on the apparatus and numeric key presses on a remote control.
4. Apparatus according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which the lock means includes means for restarting the timing operation if keys are depressed while the apparatus is locked.
5. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the lock means can be selectively operated by different key press sequences to lock the apparatus into one of two modes, in one of which all except one function of the apparatus is unlocked.
6. Apparatus according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the lock means can be operated to lock the apparatus to the function which is active when the locking takes place.
7. Apparatus according to claim 5 or 6, in which the said function may be the reception of a selected broadcast channel.
PCT/GB1991/000467 1990-03-30 1991-03-27 Audio, video or television apparatus WO1991015922A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9007135.8 1990-03-30
GB9007135A GB2243472A (en) 1990-03-30 1990-03-30 Audio,video or television apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO1991015922A1 true WO1991015922A1 (en) 1991-10-17

Family

ID=10673537

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/GB1991/000467 WO1991015922A1 (en) 1990-03-30 1991-03-27 Audio, video or television apparatus

Country Status (2)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2243472A (en)
WO (1) WO1991015922A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2284914A (en) * 1993-12-18 1995-06-21 Michael Keith Andrew Godfrey Discretionary viewing control

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4510623A (en) * 1982-07-23 1985-04-09 General Electric Company Television channel lockout
US4718107A (en) * 1986-02-14 1988-01-05 Rca Corporation Parental control for CATV converters
GB2206759A (en) * 1987-06-30 1989-01-11 Gold Star Co Method for controlling video and audio of television set

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4510623A (en) * 1982-07-23 1985-04-09 General Electric Company Television channel lockout
US4718107A (en) * 1986-02-14 1988-01-05 Rca Corporation Parental control for CATV converters
GB2206759A (en) * 1987-06-30 1989-01-11 Gold Star Co Method for controlling video and audio of television set

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB9007135D0 (en) 1990-05-30
GB2243472A (en) 1991-10-30

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