Signal processing apparatus and methods

A method for controlling the decryption of programming at a subscriber station, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving programming, said programming having a first encrypted digital control signal portion and an encrypted digital information portion;
• detecting said first encrypted digital control signal portion of said programming;
• passing said first encrypted digital control signal portion of said programming to a first decryptor at said subscriber station;
• decrypting said first encrypted digital control signal portion of said programming using said first decryptor at said subscriber station;
• passing said encrypted digital information portion of said programming and the decrypted control signal portion to a second decryptor at said subscriber station;
• decrypting said encrypted digital information portion of said programming using said second decryptor at said subscriber station based on the decrypted control signal portion;
• and
• presenting said programming.

A method of controlling a remote transmitter station to communicate program material to a subscriber station and controlling said subscriber station to process or output a unit of programming, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a control signal which operates at the remote transmitter station to control the communication of a unit of programming and one or more first instruct signals and communicating said control signal to said remote transmitter station;
• receiving a code or datum identifying a unit of programming to be transmitted by the remote transmitter station, said remote transmitter station transferring said unit of programming to a transmitter;
• receiving at said remote transmitter station one or more second instruct signals which operate at the subscriber station to identify and decrypt said unit of programming or said one or more first instruct signals, said remote transmitter station transferring said one or more second instruct signals to said transmitter;
• and
• transmitting from said remote transmitter station an information transmission comprising said unit of programming, said one or more first instruct signals, and said one or more second instruct signals, said one or more first instruct signals being transmitted in accordance with said control signal.

A method of controlling at least one of a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving downloadable code which is effective at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations to implement a new technique of decrypting and delivering the downloadable code to at least one transmitter;
• receiving at least one control signal which at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations directly operates to execute the downloadable code;
• and
• causing said at least one control signal to be communicated to said at least one transmitter at a specific time,
• thereby to transmit at least one information transmission, wherein each information transmission includes the downloadable code and said at least one control signal.

A method of communicating digital television program material to one or more receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a digital television program at a transmitter station and delivering said digital television program to a transmitter;
• receiving and storing one or more instruct signals at said transmitter station, said one or more instruct signals at said one or more receiver stations operative to implement a new technique of decrypting;
• transferring in accordance with a predetermined schedule said one or more instruct signals to said transmitter;
• and
• transmitting said digital television program and said one or more instruct signals from said transmitter station to said one or more receiver stations.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one information transmission;
• detecting a plurality of signals in said at least one information transmission;
• changing a decryption technique in response to at least a first of said plurality of signals;
• decrypting a second of said plurality of signals on the basis of said changed decryption technique, wherein said decrypted second of said plurality of signals is embedded with executable instructions;
• passing said decrypted second of said plurality of signals to a controllable device;
• and
• controlling said controllable device on the basis of said embedded executable instructions of said passed decrypted second of said plurality of signals.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one encrypted digital information transmission, wherein the at least one encrypted digital information transmission is unaccompanied by any non-digital information transmission;
• locating code;
• passing said code to a processor;
• controlling a decryptor that decrypts encrypted digital data to decrypt in a specific fashion on the basis of said code;
• decrypting a portion of said at least one information transmission in said specific fashion;
• and
• passing said decrypted portion of said at least one encrypted digital information transmission to one of said processor and an output device.

A method of controlling a receiver station to detect digital data and control a decryptor that decrypts encrypted digital data based on a varying pattern of timing or location, said method of controlling comprising the steps of:

• receiving programming and delivering said programming to a transmitter;
• receiving digital data comprising at least an instruct signal and communicating said digital data to a signal embedder, said instruct signal operative at said receiver station to control said decryptor;
• controlling said signal embedder to embed said digital data in an encrypted digital information transmission in a varying pattern of timing or location;
• communicating said encrypted digital information transmission to said transmitter;
• transmitting said programming;
• and
• transmitting said encrypted digital information transmission including said digital data separately from said transmitted programming.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one encrypted digital information transmission, wherein the at least one encrypted digital information transmission is unaccompanied by any non-digital information transmission;
• detecting a plurality of signals on said at least one encrypted digital information transmission;
• decrypting at least one of said plurality of signals, said at least one decrypted signal embedded with at least one instruct signal which is effective to instruct;
• passing the at least one decrypted instruct signal to a controllable device;
• and
• controlling said controllable device on the basis of decrypted information included in said at least one decrypted instruct signal.

A method for decryptor activation in a network comprising:

• receiving a transmission comprising encrypted materials;
• decrypting under first processor control a first portion of said encrypted materials in said transmission;
• inputting said first portion of said encrypted materials to a decryptor;
• decrypting under second processor control a second portion of said encrypted materials based on said step of decrypting said first portion of said encrypted materials.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station comprising the steps of:

• receiving one or more encrypted digital information transmissions at said receiver station, wherein said one or more encrypted digital information transmissions are unaccompanied by any non-digital information transmission;
• detecting a plurality of signals on said one or more encrypted digital information transmissions, at least a first of one of said plurality of signals including a control signal;
• controlling a decryptor that decrypts encrypted digital data in response to said control signal;
• decrypting or enabling communication of at least a second of said plurality of signals on the basis of said step of controlling said decryptor;
• passing said decrypted or enabled at least said second of said plurality of signals to a controllable device;
• and
• controlling said controllable device by processing instructions embedded in said passed decrypted or enabled at least said second of said plurality of signals.

A method of processing signals at a receiver station comprising the steps of:

• receiving at least one encrypted digital information transmission, wherein the at least one encrypted digital information transmission is unaccompanied by any non-digital information transmission;
• identifying a plurality of signals in said at least one encrypted digital information transmission;
• selecting, by processing selection criteria, a first signal of said plurality of signals including downloadable code;
• passing said downloadable code to a processor;
• controlling a decryptor that decrypts encrypted digital data to decrypt in a specific fashion on the basis of said downloadable code;
• decrypting at least one second signal of said plurality of signals in said specific fashion;
• and
• passing said at least one second signal to one of said processor and an output device.