Asynchronous copy protection detector

1. A video system, comprising:

detection circuitry operative to detect pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme within a composite synchronization signal in dependence upon at least two timing signals,

wherein detection of said pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme by said detection circuitry is independent of timing signals generated utilizing synchronization information within the composite synchronization signal, and

wherein said detection circuitry comprises circuitry to: subsample said composite synchronization signal to create a subsampled signal; perform matched filtering on said subsampled signal; and further process said matched filtered subsampled signal using said at least two timing signals to generate a signal indicating the presence of said pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme; and

timing circuitry operative to generate the at least two timing signals;

wherein the at least two timing signals are generated independently of said synchronization information within the composite synchronization signal.

2. The video system of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuitry includes a filter operative to detect at least one predetermined bit pattern representative of the pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme.

3. The video system of claim 1 , wherein the detection circuitry is operative to detect pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme in each of a plurality of consecutive lines of a video field.

4. The video system of claim 1 , wherein one of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to one line of a video field.

5. The video system of claim 4 , wherein another of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to a plurality of video fields.

6. The video system of claim 1 , wherein one of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to a plurality of video fields.

7. An asynchronous detector, comprising:

detecting means for detecting pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme within a composite synchronization signal in dependence upon at least two timing signals, wherein detection of said pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme by said detecting means is independent of timing signals generated utilizing synchronization information within the composite synchronization signal, and wherein said detecting means comprises: means for subsampling said composite synchronization signal to create a subsampled signal; means for performing matched filtering on said subsampled signal; and means for further processing said matched filtered subsampled signal using said at least two timing signals to generate a signal indicating the presence of said pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme; and

means for generating the at least two timing signals;

wherein the at least two timing signals are generated independently of said synchronization information within the composite synchronization signal.

8. The asynchronous detector of claim 7 , wherein the detecting means includes means for detecting at least one predetermined bit pattern representative of the pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme.

9. The asynchronous detector of claim 7 , wherein the detecting means detects pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme in each of a plurality of consecutive lines of a video field.

10. The asynchronous detector of claim 7 , wherein one of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to one line of a video field.

11. The asynchronous detector of claim 10 , wherein another of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to a plurality of video fields.

12. The asynchronous detector of claim 7 , wherein one of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to a plurality of video fields.

13. A method for asynchronously detecting a copy protection scheme in a video system, comprising steps of:

detecting pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with the copy protection scheme within a composite synchronization signal in dependence upon at least two timing signals, wherein detection of said pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme by said detection circuitry is independent of timing signals generated utilizing synchronization information within the composite synchronization signal, and wherein said detecting comprises: subsampling said composite synchronization signal to create a subsampled signal; performing matched filtering on said subsampled signal; and further processing said matched filtered subsampled signal using said at least two timing signals to generate a signal indicating the presence of said pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme; and

generating the at least two timing signals independently of said synchronization information within the composite synchronization signal.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the detecting step comprises detecting at least one predetermined bit pattern representative of the pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the detecting step comprises detecting pseudo-synchronization pulses associated with a copy protection scheme in each of a plurality of consecutive lines of a video field.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein one of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to one line of a video field.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein another of the timing signals-approximates an interval corresponding to a plurality of video fields.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein one of the timing signals approximates an interval corresponding to a plurality of video fields.