Abstract: In one embodiment, a localization beacon is inserted into a digital communication signal by a localization device. The resulting modified signal is transmitted to customer premises equipment (CPE). One or more CPE devices monitor incoming signals to detect the presence of a localization beacon. If a localization beacon having certain characteristics is not received, the one or more CPE devices are configured to disable one or more CPE features.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a localization beacon is inserted into a digital communication signal by a localization device. The resulting modified signal is transmitted to customer premises equipment (CPE). One or more CPE devices monitor incoming signals to detect the presence of a localization beacon. If a localization beacon having certain characteristics is not received, the one or more CPE devices are configured to disable one or more CPE features.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a localization beacon is inserted into a digital communication signal by a localization device. The resulting modified signal is transmitted to customer premises equipment (CPE). One or more CPE devices monitor incoming signals to detect the presence of a localization beacon. If a localization beacon having certain characteristics is not received, the one or more CPE devices are configured to disable one or more CPE features.

Abstract: Systems and methods of direct delivery of content descrambling keys using chip-unique code are described herein. One such method includes receiving a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; determining a chip key associated to the chip identifier; encrypting a service instance using the chip key; and transmitting the encrypted service instance. One such system includes a chip key server configured to store a plurality of chip identifiers, each identifier associated with a chip key, and configured to receive a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; and an encryptor configured to encrypt a service instance using the chip key associated with the unique chip identifier, the chip key provided by the chip key server.

Abstract: Systems and methods of direct delivery of content descrambling keys using chip-unique code are described herein. One such method includes receiving a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; determining a chip key associated to the chip identifier; encrypting a service instance using the chip key; and transmitting the encrypted service instance. One such system includes a chip key server configured to store a plurality of chip identifiers, each identifier associated with a chip key, and configured to receive a unique chip identifier from a digital subscriber communications terminal; and an encryptor configured to encrypt a service instance using the chip key associated with the unique chip identifier, the chip key provided by the chip key server.

Abstract: Systems and method for partial encryption are disclosed. One example method comprises: creating a program association table to include a first program number which identifies a program encrypted in accordance with a first encryption scheme, and a second program number which identifies the same program encrypted in accordance with a second encryption scheme; and creating a program map table for the same program to include first audio and video identifiers associated with the first encryption scheme and second audio and video identifiers associated with the second encryption scheme.

Abstract: The present invention is suitable for use in a partial dual encrypted system. The present invention allows for two different decryption devices (e.g., an incumbent, or first, set-top and an overlay, or second, set-top) to be located in a single system having an incumbent encryption scheme and a second encryption scheme. Each set-top is designed to decrypt the first or second proprietary encryption schemes, respectively. In accordance with the present invention, the second set-top utilizes a novel program map table to ensure that the second set-top chooses correct elementary streams in the partial dual-encrypted stream (i.e., a combined stream including a first encrypted stream, a second encrypted stream, and a clear stream) for a desired program.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards providing a partial dual-encrypted stream in a conditional access overlay system. The headend equipment includes an aligner, identifier, and remapper (AIR) device (615) that receives a clear stream and one or two encrypted streams, where the two encrypted streams have been encrypted by two different encryption schemes. The AIR device (615) identifies critical packets associated with the clear stream and subsequently allows two encrypted streams to pass and drops the critical packets of the clear stream. A multiplexer (640) then combines a percentage of the non-critical packets of the clear stream and the critical packets of the two encrypted streams to provide the partial dual-encrypted stream.

Abstract: Methods of providing a transport streams are disclosed. In one embodiment, among others, a method comprises receiving an input transport stream having a plurality of packet identifier (PID) streams included therein, the plurality of PID streams comprising first, second, third, and fourth PID streams, decrypting the first PID stream, statistically multiplexing the second PID stream, encrypting the third PID stream, and transmitting the fourth PID stream, wherein the receiving, decrypting, statistically multiplexing, encrypting, and transmitting are implemented at a transport stream apparatus.

Abstract: A server in a subscriber television network receives service instances from a headend of the subscriber television network. The server is adapted to encrypt according to an encryption scheme and re-transmit service instances to a client-receiver. The server reformats the service instance from a first format into a second format the client-receiver can access the service instance.

Abstract: Partial pre-encryption with network-based packet sorting. A video-on-demand (VOD) delivery system for delivering encrypted transport streams to incumbent and overlay set-top boxes utilizes a packet picker/duplicator for sorting selected packets from non-selected packets, duplicating the selected packets, and encrypting one of the pair of duplicated selected packets according to an incumbent encryption scheme. A VOD file server stores the transport stream from the packet picker/duplicator. A network sorter sorts the unencrypted selected packet from the non-selected packets and the encrypted selected packet. The network sorter also sorts the encrypted selected packet from the non-selected packets and encrypts the unencrypted selected packets and the non-selected packets according to an overlay encryption scheme and then sends the transport stream to an overlay set-top box.

Abstract: Processing an MPEG elementary stream contained in multiple PID streams in a conditional access overlay environment. A multi-program transport stream contains numerous video and audio elementary streams. Critical packets in the elementary streams are encrypted with two different encryption schemes creating a stream having multiple PID values. The streams are then sent from the headend to individual set-top boxes. One encryption scheme can be decoded by the incumbent set-top box and the second encryption scheme can be decoded by the overlay set-top box. The overlay set-top box uses a dual filter system to filter and decode the PIDs for each video and audio stream of the desired program.

Abstract: The present invention is suitable for use in a partial dual encrypted system. The present invention allows for two different decryption devices (e.g., an incumbent, or first, set-top and an overlay, or second, set-top) to be located in a single system having an incumbent encryption scheme and a second encryption scheme. Each set-top is designed to decrypt the first or second proprietary encryption schemes, respectively. In accordance with the present invention, the second set-top utilizes a novel program map table to ensure that the second set-top chooses correct elementary streams in the partial dual-encrypted stream (i.e., a combined stream including a first encrypted stream, a second encrypted stream, and a clear stream) for a desired program.

Abstract: A system includes a memory with logic and a processor configured with the logic to receive a user request from a user to designate a content instance for download, the user request received during a presentation of the content instance, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to, responsive to receiving the user request, effect saving of identifying indicia of the content instance.

Abstract: A cable television system provides conditional access to services. The cable television system includes a headend from which service “instances,” or programs, are broadcast and a plurality of set top units for receiving the instances and selectively decrypting the instances for display to system subscribers. The service instances are partially-encrypted using public and/or private keys provided by service providers or central authorization agents. Keys used by the set tops for selective decryption may also be public or private in nature, and such keys may be reassigned at different times to provide a cable television system in which piracy concerns are minimized.

Abstract: A transport stream transmitter receives a jittered stream of network frames carrying a stream of transport packets. The transport stream transmitter de-encapsulates the stream of transport packets from the network frames and dejitters and transmits the stream of network frames.