Abstract: A television broadcast receiver is provided, for example a set-top box or television set for terrestrial, cable and/or satellite broadcasts, comprising a memory for storing channel view data encoding channel view events and a processor. The processor stores channel view data in the memory and generates a signal encoding the channel view data. The signal is an audio and/or video signal. The processor then causes the signal to be presented to a viewer. Further provided is a method of receiving information about channel view events from a broadcast receiver. A signal encoding channel view data is received. The signal is a still image or video signal and/or an audio signal and the channel view data encodes channel view events. The signal is decoded to obtain the channel view data and the channel view data is decoded to obtain information about channel view events.

Abstract: A television broadcast receiver is provided, for example a set-top box or television set for terrestrial, cable and/or satellite broadcasts, comprising a memory for storing channel view data encoding channel view events and a processor. The processor stores channel view data in the memory and generates a signal encoding the channel view data. The signal is an audio and/or video signal. The processor then causes the signal to be presented to a viewer. Further provided is a method of receiving information about channel view events from a broadcast receiver. A signal encoding channel view data is received. The signal is a still image or video signal and/or an audio signal and the channel view data encodes channel view events. The signal is decoded to obtain the channel view data and the channel view data is decoded to obtain information about channel view events.

Abstract: A method of modifying the output of an output device is provided. A first code, associated with a first recipient party, is received and used to generate, within the output device, a second code, the second code containing encoded data identifying the first recipient party and instructions for activating an additional functionality of the output device. The additional functionality is activated in accordance with the instructions contained in the second code. The output of the output device is modified according to data encoded in the second code, to encode a third code in the output of the output device, the third code including an ID code associated with the first recipient party.

Abstract: In a conditional access network a provider distributes valuable contents such as digital TV over the network and end-users are allowed to access such valuable contents in function of individual access rights defined by a user license. The valuable contents are made available to the end-users, by way of a plurality of different conditional access systems, each end-user is provided with a generic conditional access component having a basic functionality common to all conditional access systems, and particular conditional access systems are selectively enabled on each conditional access component subject to a successful verification of a corresponding license.

Abstract: A conditional access system for multimedia data is disclosed that offers acceptable security at drastically reduced requirements on hardware performance. A selectively encrypted transport stream is formed from a clear transport stream by detecting particular data packets within the clear transport stream, removing and encrypting the particular data packets with an event encryption key, and inserting the encrypted data packets into the remaining clear transport stream at insertion positions corresponding to the original positions of the particular data packets in the clear transport stream. For specific embodiments that include decryption circuitry inside a user smart card, the level of security of such system is even higher than that of conventional ones.

Abstract: A digital television receiving system having a security mechanism which simultaneously handles two or more separate television program signals is described. The system includes a plurality of digital television receiver mechanisms for receiving a plurality of separate digital television program signal transport streams. The system also includes a multiplexer mechanism coupled to the digital television receiver mechanisms for tagging and multiplexing the received program signal transport streams into a single combined signal transport stream. The combined transport stream is supplied to a security mechanism which limits usable access to the combined stream to authorized users. The system further includes a demultiplexer mechanism for receiving an access-allowed combined transport stream from the security mechanism and demultiplexing the combined transport stream into separate transport streams corresponding to the separate transport streams received by the receiver mechanisms.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an interface module for a host (2) such as a digital television decoder, permitting the processing of information coming from the host (2) in a conditioned manner subject to a conditional access system (11), comprising authorization means (7) by which the user justifies his access rights.

Abstract: A conditional access system is provided wherein digitized data are received in successive data packets at least some of which are scrambled. The digitized data contain content data and access control data. The system has a module with descrambler circuitry and a security device such as a smart card adapted to be coupled to the module to provide descrambling control data to the module as derived from the access control data. Selected ones of the data packets are encrypted in addition to being scrambled, and the access control data include decryption control data.

Abstract: Conditional access methods and apparatus are provided for use with digital television receivers and other digital broadband receivers. The methods and apparatus are capable of handling several different digital signal transmission protocols in an automatic and flexible manner. An input unit is provided for analyzing and tagging incoming data bytes so that further processing operations are less dependent on the transmission format being received. A cipher handling unit is provided for adapting in real time the scrambling and descrambling performances to match the requirements of the transmission network and the receiving apparatus. A filtering mechanism is provided for filtering and handling multiple asynchronous data streams in a parallel manner.