Determination of scrambling mode of a television signal

A method for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising the steps of:

• delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period;
• providing scrambling mode data in at least first and second different formats, wherein said scrambling mode data is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period;
• and
• communicating the scrambling mode data and the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period to a decoder population having at least a first decoder that is compatible with the first scrambling mode data format to allow recovery of the scrambling mode data thereat, and a second decoder that is compatible with the second scrambling mode data format to allow recovery of the scrambling mode data thereat.

A method for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising the steps of:

• digitizing the scrambled analog television signal to provide digitized data;
• storing the digitized data during a delay period;
• processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period;
• providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• recovering the scrambled analog television signal from the digitized data;
• and
• associating the scrambling mode data with the recovered scrambled analog television signal.

A method for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising the steps of:

• delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period by sampling at least a first value of the scrambled analog television signal, and comparing said first value to a pre-stored value;
• providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

A method for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising the steps of:

• delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period by:
• (a) sampling at least a first value of the scrambled analog television signal;
• (b) sampling at least a first value of a clear analog television signal from which the scrambled analog television signal was derived;
• and
• (c) comparing said first values to each other;
• providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

A method for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising the steps of:

• delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period on one of:
• (a) a frame-by-frame basis, and (b) a field-by-field basis;
• providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

A method for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising the steps of:

• delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period by descrambling the scrambled analog television signal to obtain a clear analog television signal;
• providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

An apparatus for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising:

• means for digitizing the scrambled analog television signal to provide digitized data;
• a memory for storing the digitized data during a delay period;
• means for processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period;
• means for providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• means for recovering the scrambled analog television signal from the digitized data;
• and
• means for associating the scrambling mode data with the recovered scrambled analog television signal.

An apparatus for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising:

• means for delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• means for processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period by sampling at least a first value of the scrambled analog television signal, and comparing said first value to a pre-stored value;
• means for providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• means for associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

An apparatus for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising:

• means for delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• means for processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period by:
• (a) sampling at least a first value of the scrambled analog television signal;
• (b) sampling at least a first value of a clear analog television signal from which the scrambled analog television signal was derived;
• and
• (c) comparing said first values to each other;
• means for providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• means for associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

An apparatus for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising:

• means for delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• means for processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period on one of:
• (a) a frame-by-frame basis, and (b) a field-by-field basis;
• means for providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• means for associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.

An apparatus for providing scrambling mode data for a scrambled analog television signal, comprising:

• means for delaying the scrambled analog television signal for a delay period;
• means for processing the scrambled analog television signal to detect a scrambling mode thereof during the delay period by descrambling the scrambled analog television signal to obtain a clear analog television signal;
• means for providing scrambling mode data which is indicative of the detected scrambling mode;
• and
• means for associating the scrambling mode data with the scrambled analog television signal after the delay period.