Method and apparatus for storing copy protection information separately from protected content
View Patent ↗A copy protection apparatus and method enabling storage of copy protection information separately from protected content is disclosed. One embodiment includes a digital data signal receiver to receive a digital data signal, the digital data signal receiver also to receive a copy protection signal produced from a copy protection information file being storable on a copy protection information storage device, a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the digital data signal receiver for converting the digital data signal to an analog signal, and a signal modifier connected to the digital to analog converter and the digital data signal receiver to produce a viewable copy protected analog signal from the analog signal and the copy protection signal, the copy protection signal specifying a modification to the analog signal to change video lines of the analog signal.
1. An apparatus, comprising:
a receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for playing a recording medium, the recording medium having storable thereon a digital content file, the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for producing a digital content signal from the digital content file;
a copy protection information storage device having storable thereon a copy protection information file, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform, the copy protection information storage device being different from the recording medium, the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for producing a copy protection signal from the copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
a signal modifier to produce a digital copy protected content signal by combining the digital content signal with the copy protection signal;
a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for converting the digital copy protected content signal to a copy protected analog signal, the copy protected analog signal configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog signal; and
a copy protection detector, coupled to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player, for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, wherein the signal modifier is coupled to the copy protection detector to enable the signal modifier to combine the digital content signal with the copy protection signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the digital content signal and the copy protected analog signal are video signals.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the copy protection signal is an anti-copy protection (ACP) waveform.
4. An apparatus, comprising:
a receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for playing a recording medium, the recording medium having storable thereon a digital content file, the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for producing a digital content signal from the digital content file;
a remote copy protection information storage device for retaining a copy protection information file accessible via a network, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform, the remote copy protection information storage device being different from the recording medium, the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for producing a copy protection signal from the copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
a signal modifier to produce a digital copy protected content signal by combining the digital content signal with the copy protection signal;
a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for converting the digital copy protected content signal to a copy protected analog signal, the copy protected analog signal configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog signal; and
a copy protection detector, coupled to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player, for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, wherein the signal modifier is coupled to the copy protection detector to enable the signal modifier to combine the digital content signal with the copy protection signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
5. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the digital content signal and the copy protected analog signal are video signals.
6. The apparatus of claim 4 , wherein the copy protection signal is an anti-copy protection (ACP) waveform.
7. An apparatus, comprising:
a receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for playing a recording medium, the recording medium having storable thereon a digital content file, the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for producing a digital content signal from the digital content file;
a copy protection information storage device for receiving a copy protection information file via a network, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform, the copy protection information storage device being different from the recording medium, the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for producing a copy protection signal from the received copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
a signal modifier to produce a digital copy protected content signal by combining the digital content signal with the copy protection signal;
a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the mechanism receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for converting the digital copy protected content signal to a copy protected analog signal, the copy protected analog signal configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog signal; and
a copy protection detector, coupled to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player, for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, wherein the signal modifier is coupled to the copy protection detector to enable the signal modifier to combine the digital content signal with the copy protection signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the digital content signal and the copy protected analog signal are video signals.
9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the copy protection signal is an anti-copy protection (ACP) waveform.
10. An apparatus, comprising:
a receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for receiving a digital content signal from a digital content source;
a copy protection information storage device having storable thereon a copy protection information file, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform, the copy protection information storage device being different from the digital content source;
a copy protection signal generator for producing a copy protection signal from the copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
a signal modifier to produce a digital copy protected content signal by combining the digital content signal with the copy protection signal;
a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player for converting the digital copy protected content signal to a copy protected analog signal, the copy protected analog signal configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog signal; and
a copy protection detector, coupled to the receiver of broadcast video content and optical disc player, for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, wherein the signal modifier is coupled to the copy protection detector to enable the signal modifier to combine the digital content signal with the copy protection signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the digital content signal and the copy protected analog signal are video signals.
12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the copy protection signal is an anti-copy protection (ACP) waveform.
13. A method, comprising:
playing a recording medium, the recording medium having storable thereon a digital content file;
producing, by use of a processor, a digital content signal from the digital content file;
retrieving a copy protection information file from a storage device different from the recording medium, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform;
producing, by use of the processor, a copy protection signal from the copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
combining, by use of the processor, the digital content signal with the copy protection signal to produce a digital copy protected content signal;
converting the digital copy protected content signal to a copy protected analog signal, the copy protected analog signal configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog signal; and
detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, and combining, by use of the processor, the digital content signal with the copy protection signal to produce a digital copy protected content signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the digital content signal and the copy protected analog signal are video signals.
15. The method of claim 13 , wherein the copy protection signal is an anti-copy protection (ACP) waveform.
16. A method, comprising
receiving a digital content signal from a digital content source;
retrieving a copy protection information file from a storage device different from the digital content source, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform;
producing, by use of a processor, a copy protection signal from the copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
combining, by use of the processor, the digital content signal with the copy protection signal to produce a digital copy protected content signal;
converting the digital copy protected content signal to a copy protected analog signal, the copy protected analog signal configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog signal; and
detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, and combining, by use of the processor, the digital content signal with the copy protection signal to produce a digital copy protected content signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the digital content signal and the copy protected analog signal are video signals.
18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the copy protection signal is an anti-copy protection (ACP) waveform.
19. A recording apparatus comprising:
a network receiver coupled to a packet-switched network to receive digital programming via the packet-switched network;
a copy protection receiver coupled to the packet-switched network to receive a copy protection information file via the packet-switched network, the copy protection information file including a digitized analog video copy protection waveform, the copy protection receiver to produce a copy protection signal from the copy protection information file, the copy protection signal comprising a digitized analog copy protection waveform configured to disrupt recording in an unauthorized analog recording device;
a signal modifier to produce digital copy protected programming by combining the digital programming with the copy protection signal;
a digital to analog converter operatively connected to the signal modifier to convert the digital copy protected programming to copy protected analog programming, the copy protected analog programming configured to prevent unauthorized copying of the copy protected analog programming; and
a copy protection detector, coupled to the network receiver, for detecting a copy protection trigger present in the digital content signal, wherein the signal modifier is coupled to the copy protection detector to enable the signal modifier to combine the digital content signal with the copy protection signal in response to the detection of the copy protection trigger in the digital content signal.
20. The recording apparatus of claim 19 wherein the copy protection signal includes at least one AGC pulse.
21. The recording apparatus of claim 19 wherein the digital programming received via the packet-switched network is video content.
22. The recording apparatus of claim 19 wherein the packet-switched network is the Internet.