Patent · US Active

Security integrated circuit

US8223967B2 · kind B2 · utility

2Cited by
4References
29Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateOct 16, 2003
Grant dateJul 17, 2012
Priority date
Expiry dateJun 5, 2026

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N21/6334
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A semiconductor integrated circuit for the processing of conditional access television signals that includes an input interface for receiving encrypted television signals and an output interface for output of decrypted television signals. The semiconductor integrated circuit is provided with some functionality restricted in some way by preventing one or more hardware circuit elements from operating, such as an MPEG decoder, display engine, IO ports or main CPU. To enable the functionality, a subscriber must pay for a service and then receives an encrypted message broadcast to the semiconductor integrated circuit that is decrypted and instructs functionality to be turned on or off.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.