Television programme distribution signal having the capability to selectively block non-programme material

A method of distributing television programmes comprising the steps of:

• A) Broadcasting a programme signal of a television programme interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• C) Transmitting said encrypted indicating signal;
• D) Receiving said programme signal and said indicating signal at a receiving station;
• E) Recording the received programme signal;
• F) Decrypting the received indicating signal;
• G) Determining if the decrypted indicating signal indicates reception of non-programme material;
• H) Testing stored data representing an amount of credit, and if the said amount exceeds a predetermined value:
• i) Pausing the recording of the programme whenever said indicating signal indicates non-programme material, and
• ii) Reducing a value of the stored data representing an amount of credit in response to said pausing step.

A television, programme distribution system comprising:

• a broadcasting station including
• A) Means for broadcasting a programme signal which represents television programmes interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Means for encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• and
• C) Means for transmitting said encrypted indicating signal and
• a receiving station including
• A) Means for receiving said programme signal and said encrypted indicating signal;
• B) Means for selectively recording said received programme signal;
• C) Means for decrypting said received indicating signal;
• D) Means for storing data indicating whether said receiving station is authorised to remove non-programme material;
• and
• E) Control means for pausing the selective recording of the received programme signal, while said decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material is being received by said means for receiving, if the stored data indicates that the user is authorised, and for continuing the selective recording said received signal if the stored data indicates that the user is not authorised.

A television programme distribution system comprising:

• a broadcasting station including
• A) Means for broadcasting a programme signal of a television programme interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Means for encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• and
• C) Means for transmitting said encrypted indicating signal;
• and
• a receiving station including
• A) Means for receiving said programme signal and said encrypted indicating signal;
• B) Means for recording said received programme signal;
• C) Means for decrypting said received indicating signal;
• D) Means for storing data representing an amount of credit;
• E) Control means for pausing the recording of the received programme signal, while said decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material is received, if said stored data representing an amount of credit exceeds a predetermined amount;
• and
• F) Means for reducing a value of the stored data representing an amount of credit in response to a pausing operation initiated by said control means.

A television signal recording control system comprising:

• A) A television signal receiver for receiving a television signal;
• B) A recorder for recording a television signal received by said television signal receiver;
• C) An indicating signal receiver for receiving an encrypted indicating signal;
• D) A signal decryptor for decrypting said received encrypted indicating signal;
• E) Credit memory means for storing data indicating an amount of credit;
• and
• F) A controller generating a recording pause signal for pausing said recorder when the decrypted indicating signal indicates reception of non-programme material by said television signal receiver and the data stored in said credit memory means indicates that the user is authorised to pause said recorder.

A television signal recording control system comprising:

• A) A television signal receiver for receiving a television signal;
• B) A recorder for recording a television signal received by said television signal receiver;
• C) A receiver for receiving an encrypted indicating signal;
• D) A signal decryptor for decrypting said received encrypted indicating signal;
• E) Means for storing data representing an amount of credit;
• F) Control means for generating a recording pause signal, for pausing said recorder when said decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material is received by said television signal receiver, if said stored data representing an amount of credit exceeds a predetermined amount;
• and
• G) Means for reducing a value of the stored data representing an amount of credit in response to said recording pause signal generation.

A method of distributing television programmes comprising the steps of:

• A) Broadcasting a programme signal which represents television programmes interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• C) Transmitting said encrypted indicating signal;
• D) Receiving said programme signal and said indicating signal at a receiving station;
• E) Selectively displaying a program responsive to the received programme signal;
• F) Decrypting the received indicating signal;
• G) Determining if the decrypted indicating signal indicates reception of non-programme material;
• H) Determining whether the user is authorised to remove non-programme material;
• and
• I) If the user is authorised and the decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material, disabling the selective display of the programme until such time as the decrypted indicating signal indicates cessation of non-programme material;
• and
• J) If the user is not authorised, continuing the selective display of said programme responsive to said received signal.

A method of distributing television programmes comprising the steps of:

• A) Broadcasting a programme signal of a television programme interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• C) Transmitting said encrypted indicating signal;
• D) Receiving said programme signal and said indicating signal at a receiving station;
• E) Displaying a programme responsive to the received programme signal;
• F) Decrypting the received indicating signal;
• G) Determining if the decrypted indicating signal indicates reception of non-programme material;
• H) Testing stored data representing an amount of credit, and if said amount exceeds a pre-determined value:
• i) Disabling display of the programme whenever said decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material, and
• ii) Reducing a value of the stored data representing an amount of credit in response to said disabling step.

A television programme distribution system comprising:

• a broadcasting station including
• A) Means for broadcasting a programme signal which represent television programmes interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Means for encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• and
• C) Means for transmitting said encrypted indicating signal;
• and
• a receiving station including
• A) Means for receiving said programme signal and said encrypted indicating signal;
• B) Means for selectively displaying a programme responsive to said received programme signal;
• C) Means for decrypting said received indicating signal;
• D) Means for storing data indicating whether said receiving station is authorised to remove non-programme material;
• and
• E) Control means for disabling the selective display of the programme, while said decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material is received, if the stored data indicates that the user is authorised, and for causing the selective display of the programme if the stored data indicates that the user is not authorised.

A television programme distribution system comprising:

• a broadcasting station including
• A) Means for broadcasting a programme signal of a television programme interrupted by non-programme material;
• B) Means for encrypting a signal indicating broadcast of said non-programme material;
• and
• C) Means for transmitting said encrypted indicating signal;
• and
• a receiving station including
• A) Means for receiving said programme signal and said encrypted indicating signal;
• B) Means for displaying a programme responsive to said received programme signal;
• C) Means for decrypting said received indicating signal;
• D) means for storing data representing an amount of credit;
• E) Control means for disabling display of the programme, while said decrypted indicating signal indicates non-programme material is received, if said stored data amount of credit exceeds a predetermined amount;
• and
• F) Means for reducing a value of the stored data representing an amount of credit in response to said disabling operation initiated by said control means.

A television programme display control system for controlling the display for a received television programme signal on a display, said system comprising:

• A) A receiver for receiving an encrypted indicating signal;
• B) A signal decryptor for decrypting said encrypted indicating signal;
• C) Credit memory means for indicating an amount of credit;
• and
• D) A controller for disabling the display of the received signal while the decrypted indicating signal indicates reception of non-programme material and the data stored in said credit memory means indicates that the user is authorised to disable said display.

A television programme display control for controlling the display of received television programme signals, said control comprising:

• A) A receiver for receiving an encrypted indicating signal;
• B) A signal decryptor for decrypting said encrypted indicating signal;
• C) Means for storing data representing an amount of credit;
• D) Control means for generating a display disabling signal for disabling display of said received signals, while said indicating signal indicates non-programme material in said received programme signals, if said stored data representing an amount of credit exceeds a predetermined amount;
• and
• E) Means for reducing a value of the stored data representing an amount of credit in response to the disabling operation initiated by said control means.