Configurable cableCARD
AssigneesSony Corporation, Sony Electronics Inc.
InventorsBrant L. Candelore, Henry Derovanessian
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to one embodiment of the invention, a configurable CableCARD adaptable for use by multiple conditional access (CA) providers. CableCARD comprises core logic configured to descramble incoming scrambled content, a first CA logic block and a second CA logic block. Connected to the core logic, the first CA logic block uses a first CA function associated with a first CA provider. The second CA logic block is also connected to the core logic. The second CA logic block uses a second CA function associated with a second CA provider. Where the incoming content is scrambled according to the second CA function, the connection between the first CA logic block and the core logic is disabled.
Claims20
An apparatus adapted to a digital device, comprising:
- core logic;
- a first conditional access (CA) logic block connected to the core logic, the first CA logic block using a first CA function associated with a first CA provider;
- and
- a second CA logic block connected to the core logic, the second CA logic block using a second CA function associated with a second CA provider,
- wherein each of the first CA logic block and the second CA logic block further comprises a descrambler to descramble the incoming data;
- and wherein, when a connection between the core logic and the first CA logic block is disabled, descrambling of the incoming scrambled content is to be conducted according to the second CA function.
An apparatus adapted to a digital device, comprising:
- core logic;
- a plurality of conditional access logic blocks coupled to the core logic and including a first conditional access logic block and a second conditional access logic block, the first conditional access logic block using a first conditional access (CA) function associated with a first CA provider and the second conditional access logic block using a second CA function associated with a second CA provider,
- wherein each of the plurality of conditional access logic blocks further comprises a descrambler to descramble the incoming data;
- and the first conditional access logic block of the plurality of conditional access logic blocks is enabled if the incoming scrambled content is scrambled according to the first CA function.
An apparatus adapted for coupling to internal circuitry of a digital device and for descrambling incoming scrambled content, comprising:
- core logic;
- and
- a programmable logic device including a plurality of programmable gates programmed to operate in accordance with a conditional access (CA) function associated with a first CA provider to descramble the incoming scrambled content, the programmable gates of the programmable logic device are one-time programmable and battery-backed so that disruption of power will cause the programmable logic device to become inoperative;
- and wherein each of the plurality of conditional access logic blocks further comprises a descrambler to descramble the incoming data;
- and the first conditional access logic block of the plurality of conditional access logic blocks is enabled if the incoming scrambled content is scrambled according to the first CA function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.