Classifications

• • 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
  • H04N21/462—Content or additional data management e.g. creating a master electronic programme guide from data received from the Internet and a Head-end or controlling the complexity of a video stream by scaling the resolution or bit-rate based on the client capabilities
  • H04N21/4622—Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet
• • 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
  • H04N21/4183—External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access providing its own processing capabilities, e.g. external module for video decoding
• • 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
  • H04N21/4184—External card to be used in combination with the client device, e.g. for conditional access providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• • 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
• • 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
  • H04N21/426—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof
  • H04N21/42607—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof for processing the incoming bitstream
  • H04N21/4263—Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof for processing the incoming bitstream involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners

Definitions

• An integrated DTT TV has this different from a conventional identical TV (not TNT), it can receive the TNT without having to add a decoder and / or external adapter (the functions "tuner (or digital tuner English)" and
• the integrated DTV does not only provide the display functions (of an analog terrestrial source, or a digital or analog source from external equipment), but also those of terrestrial digital signal processing end-to-end, and of course, the navigation and environment & user interface (menu) functions specific to a generic decoder (these functions notably make it possible to scan the channels, to list them, to assign parental codes, automatic recording functions, etc.) .
• TNT TV manufacturers are forced by the cycle of use of a TV that is close to 10 years, to be careful not to integrate natively functions likely to evolve in a shorter period of time. For this reason, integrated TNT TVs do not carry proprietary access control. This necessary conservatism also implies that only mature and internationally standardized technologies are likely to be integrated de facto one day.
• the TV becomes only a display, and with the generalization of flat screens that smooth the still notorious differences in cathodic time (eg Sony Trinitron®), the competition intensifies with a leveling of prices from below (convenience product ).
• the second problem is the consideration of High Definition in extenso.
• HD Ready the TV screen is able to display a high-definition picture decoded by external equipment (HD decoder, HD camcorder, HD game console, Blu-ray DVD player, ...), for cost, scale-saving or time-out problems the market (or time-to-market in English), the manufacturers of integrated TNT TVs still have mostly generic TNT models (namely with an onboard decoder MPEG-2 SD).
• a Directive (EC-2002-22) defines the obligations regarding the connectivity and interoperability of TNT televisions that can no longer be satisfied by the Scart socket alone (previous directive), see HDMI. It is clearly established that a digital television, thus essentially an integrated DTT, with a screen size greater than 30 centimeters, is equipped with at least one open interface socket, namely the DVB-CI standard ( Common Interface), the only one able to transfer all signal elements, including security and interactivity - which HDMI does not allow.
• DVB-CI standard Common Interface
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an integrated TNT TV ⁇
• Audio & video decoder (standardized MPEG and DVB) 3 ⁇ Scart socket (+ HDMI in option) - European directive (mandatory for screens> 40 cm).
• the idea, according to the invention consists in proposing a very simple "slave decoder", which can be added to a digital television (typically TNT), and without substituting for the integrated decoder (at said digital television), the capabilities of signal processing that may be missing, typically, but not only, high-definition stream decoding.
• a digital television typically TNT
• the integrated decoder at said digital television
• This slave decoder would also be low consumption and low cost by the fact that it may not include a tuner (or tuner) / demodulator, nor of course remote control or memory of footprint (or footprint in English) and hardware (or hardware in English) to run the complete application environment
• the problem to be solved is to indicate in real time to this slave decoder on which service it must lock if it comes to be solicited, and then send the stream or the capabilities to filter and recover for processing and sending by his care0 on the proper entrance to the secure reception of the video in all its dimensions
• HDMI (SD and HD), ie the HDMI jack.
• the solution proposed by the invention is a method for adding to a digital receiver (preferably an integrated DTT television but other digital receivers that can be used), without replacing it, the flow decoding capabilities which it lacks, in which ⁇ 0 - the digital receiver receives and processes flows that it can support natively,
• a service when a service, previously scanned, is proposed in a non-intelligible format by the digital receiver, said service is received and processed by a slave decoder, the latter being provided with its own tuner (and tuner in English) and demodulator, the management of the remaining tuner (or tuner) commands made at the level of the only master decoder, its remote control and its navigation interface, the flow not passing through a fast bus from the master decoder, but, in the case of simple commands, transits via a low-rate bus, the slave decoder being connected, via the video bus, to the master decoder if it is provided with this input, or directly to an external television,
• the slave decoder then performs the appropriate decryption and / or decoding processing, via a processor, then sends the digital receiver the signal via the HDMI input specifically provided for this purpose
• the slave decoder processes the stream
• the slave decoder does not have the smart card resource (subscriber card) to ensure the possible decryption of the stream, but relies on the presence of said card remained permanently on the master decoder. to obtain the decryption of the keys necessary for descrambling locally (and thus secure end-to-end) of the flow that it must process (ex: "ECM” keys transformed under the control of the smart card into “control words” ").
• ECM keys transformed under the control of the smart card into "control words” ").
• a single smart card can therefore be shared between the two decoders, without compromising security (each of the decoders having its own onboard descrambler and its own application for managing and processing security signals (eg filtering and routing to ECM map and loading control words obtained).
• the slave decoder is solicited only under the influence of the master decoder, the remote control and menu navigation sequences being interpreted by the only master decoder, as well as the calls to the specific resource slave decoder. Control and intelligence are therefore concentrated on the single master decoder, the slave decoder becoming a dedicated and limited external resource, totally inoperative taken individually.
• the slave decoder can take the form of a smart "Y" cable consisting of ensuring on the one hand the double connection between the video and control input bus (eg DVB -CI), and the video output bus (ex ⁇ HDMI), and on the other hand the power cable of this cable (the internal process of the slave decoder may not necessarily be fully powered by the only connection to the aforementioned video input bus).
• a smart "Y" cable consisting of ensuring on the one hand the double connection between the video and control input bus (eg DVB -CI), and the video output bus (ex ⁇ HDMI), and on the other hand the power cable of this cable (the internal process of the slave decoder may not necessarily be fully powered by the only connection to the aforementioned video input bus).
• the slave decoder would be connected at the input by a standardized high-speed connection (for example
• the slave decoder is a complementary option to a module already inserted into the master decoder (for example, a DVB-CAM Standard Access Control Module with an Ethernet or USB hybrid port, see also potentially its function smart card reader).
• the slave decoder would have its own tuner (or tuner in English) & demodulator.
• the management of the tuner controls (or tuner in English) would be made at the level of the only master decoder, its remote control and its navigation interface.
• the stream would no longer have to pass through a fast bus from the master decoder, but for simple commands (tuner controls (or tuner in English), possible calls to the smart card), it could be done by a low speed bus (for example, but not only, a serial bus present on almost all digital decoders).
• the slave decoder could then be connected via the video bus (for example HDMI or SCART) or to the master decoder if it is provided with this input, soH directly on an external television.
• the tuner (or tuner in English) of the slave decoder could be different from that integrated in the master decoder in terms of the type of modulation supported (typically, but not only, the DVB-T2 compared to the DVB-T), and / or network connected (typically, but not only, the addition of a tuner (or satellite tuner) compared to a tuner (or terrestrial tuner).
• the slave decoder could take the form of a power supply directly connected to the mains, this block integrating or not access functions to the home network (typically, but not only, a current carrier type connection - CPL).
• the slave decoder could implement, in addition to the functions of decoding, decryption and access to the network, complementary functions such as, but not only, storage and access.
• program recording PVR
• an analog acquisition mode connection of input or output devices (hard disk, camcorder, etc.), etc.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an integrated DTT television
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the arrangement between an integrated DTT television and the slave decoder according to the invention, said slave decoder having no tuner (or tuner in English)
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the arrangement between an integrated TNT television and the slave decoder according to the invention, said slave decoder comprising a tuner (or tuner in English),
• FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of an embodiment of the slave decoder. Embodiments of the invention
• the TV TNT (1) receives and processes all the streams it can support natively, namely in this case the free TNT channels (not scrambled) in MPEG-2.
• the TNT TV When a service (television channel), previously scanned and received by the TNT TV is offered in an unintelligible format, for example MPEO-4 HD (2), the TNT TV could then, as provided by the Standard DVB-CI, let the flow through the port (or slot in English) of Common Interface, so that the module that is inserted (3), can filter this stream and send it via its port Ethernet on the slave decoder connected to it (4).
• This slave decoder then ensures proper decryption and / or decoding processing, typically HD decoding (5), then sends the signal via the HDMI input specifically provided for this purpose (6) to the TNT television.
• the slave decoder is here limited to its simplest expression, namely a small powered box comprising only the torque [decoding processor with its HDMI controller] capable of ensuring at least the entry of the Ethernet transport stream and its output after processing on the HDMI connection. No need for complex wiring, new remote control, or general substitution to the master decoder of the TNT TV.
• the access control function can of course be processed on board the slave decoder, knowing that if a smart card is requested, it can remain permanently on the module inserted in (3) in the case where it ensures , independently of the slave decoder, an autonomous security function (the Common Interface was initially developed and made mandatory in Europe to insert Ad-hoc card reader access control modules). If it is necessary to feed the slave decoder, it is possible that the dialogue components (or chipsets in English) are actually inserted into a power supply connected to the wall socket (and that from this block comes out the cable
• HDMI to return to the TV TNT This block could also provide the function of connection to a local network (power line for example).
• the slave decoder could also take the form of a smart "Y" cable (7) with a slight over-molding for inserting the processor (5). ).
• This cable would have on the Y part an Ethernet input and an HDMI output, and on the other part the mains connection for the power supply.
• the CAS # 1 can be summarized by a method to add to a digital receiver (preferably an integrated DTT TV but other digital receivers that can be used), without replacing the integrated master decoder, the decoding capabilities of missing flows, in which:
• the digital receiver receives and processes all the streams it can support natively, - when a service, previously scanned and received by the TNT TV, is offered in a non-intelligible format, the digital receiver passes the flow through the common interface port (or slot), so that the module inserted in it can filter this stream and send it via its Ethernet port to a slave decoder connected to it, - the slave decoder then performs the appropriate decryption and / or decoding processing, via a processor, and then sends back to the digital receiver the signal via the HDMI input specifically provided for this purpose
• the slave decoder does not have a dedicated tuner but retrieves the stream to be processed via the appropriate standardized interface present on the master decoder (in this case the Common Interface DVB-CI, or any other interface allowing the routing of the stream previously filtered by the master decoder).
• the appropriate standardized interface present on the master decoder in this case the Common Interface DVB-CI, or any other interface allowing the routing of the stream previously filtered by the master decoder.
• ⁇ CAS t 2 Slave decoder with tune (or tiner in English) (figure 3).
• This scenario involves enriching the decoder of a tuner (or tuner in English), and this, to provide two specific cases, namely:
• connection between the Module (3) and the slave decoder (4) would not necessarily have to be Ethernet because almost no data other than the tuner (or tuner) settings commands (8) would transit (d '). where a significant reduction in costs, because it could be a simple RS232 link, hence the economy of Ethernet bricks on both sides).
• the selection information of a given channel would be sent to the slave decoder (4) via the resource Common Interface (3) - the module being, by the Standard, permanently informed about the service context in question. course (to know on which channel one is at a given instant according to the order sent by the user with his remote control TV).
• This information would then be transmitted via the bus chosen (for example series), processed by the processor of the slave decoder (5) which would arm the filters and give its tuner (or tuner in English) (8) the order of lock (or locker in English) on a service and demodulate.
• the stream (9) would then be interpreted by the slave decoder, processed, and sent as in the first case on the HDMI input of the host television (6).

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Two-Way Televisions, Distribution Of Moving Picture Or The Like (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=40886290

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Family Cites Families (5)

• 2008
  • 2008-02-07 FR FR0800656A patent/FR2927440B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2009
  • 2009-02-05 EP EP09713579A patent/EP2241097A1/de not_active Ceased
  • 2009-02-05 WO PCT/FR2009/050173 patent/WO2009103916A1/fr not_active Ceased

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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