Method and apparatus for processing video signals having associated access restriction data

A video graphics circuit comprises:

• a processing module having a first processor that is capable of receiving video usage instructions from a second processor;
• and
• memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to (a) capture a vertical blanking interval of a field of television data;
• (b) prepare a digital signature of data contained within the vertical blanking interval;
• (c) receive video usage instructions from a second processor and determine whether the digital signature corresponds to one of the plurality of access restrictions;
• and (d) when the digital signature corresponds to the one of the plurality of access restrictions, restrict usage of video data of the field of the television data as requested by video usage instructions from said second processor in accordance with at the one of the plurality of access restrictions.

A video graphics circuit comprising:

• a video decoder for receiving and digitizing a video signal;
• a processing module, operably coupled to the video decoder and to a bus, said bus capable of being coupled to a second processor, the processing module operable to recognize access restriction data within the video signal, to receive usage instructions from a second processor for the video data over the bus, and to restrict usage of the video data as requested by the usage instructions when the requested usage is prohibited by the access restriction data;
• and
• a video encoder operably coupled to the processing module and video decoder, the video encoder operable to reinsert the access restriction data into the video signal before sending the video signal to a video signal input.

A method for processing video signals having associated access restriction data embedded in said signals, the method comprises the steps of:

• a) receiving at a first processor, video usage instructions that are sent to said first processor from a second processor;
• b) detecting by said first processor, the presence of associated access restriction data in said video signals that are received by said first processor, as the video signals are being
• c) interpreting by said first processor, the video usage instructions received by the first processor from the second processor regarding usage of the video signal and
• d) said first processor restricting usage of the video signals as requested by the usage instructions from the second processor, when prohibited by the associated access restriction data.

A method for processing video signals having associated access restriction data embedded in said video signals, the method comprises the steps of:

• a) receiving at a first processor, video usage instructions that are sent to said first processor from a second processor;
• b) detecting by said first processor, the presence of the associated access restriction data in said video signals as said video signals are received by said first processor;
• c) said first processor interpreting usage instructions sent to said first processor from said second processor regarding the video signals;
• and
• d) said first processor restricting usage of the video signals as requested by the usage instructions from the second processor when prohibited by the associated access restriction data, wherein the requested usage is making a copy and a restriction is preventing the making of a copy by scrambling the video signals.

A method for processing video signals having associated access restriction data embedded in said video signals, the method comprising the steps of

• a) receiving at a first processor, video usage instructions that are sent to said first processor from a second processor;
• b) capturing a vertical blanking interval of a field of television data;
• c) preparing a digital signature of data contained within the video blanking interval;
• d) determining, by said first processor, whether the digital signature corresponds to one of a plurality of access restrictions;
• e) determining, by said first processor, if the one of the plurality of access restrictions restricts copying of the television data if said video usage instructions request copying of the television data;
• and
• f) directing the scrambling of the television data by the first processor when the access restriction restricts copying of the television signal.