Patent ID: 7127733
Filing Date: 2006-10-24
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method of controlling access to a plurality of video channels that are distributed over a communications conduit, each of said video channels being associated with a video channel number, wherein there is provided a plurality of remote unitary modules for controlling access to said plurality of video channels, wherein the communications conduit has a head-end and at least one remote-end, wherein is provided an NTSC standard video signal transmitted over said communications conduit, said standard video signal containing at least one overscan scan line wherein at least a portion of said changeable list of permitted video channels has been embedded therein, said remote unitary module, comprising: (a) a first tuner in electronic communication with said communications conduit, said first tuner receiving a particular video channel as input and providing a baseband video signal as output, said particular video channel being associated with a particular video channel number; (b) means for changing said first tuner to receive a different video channel, said different video channel having a different video channel number; (c) a CPU in electronic communications with said fist tuner, said CPU programmed to at least perform the steps of, (d) computer RAM in electronic communication with said CPU, said RAM containing, (e) a video switch having at least a first video input, a second video input, and a video output, wherein said method comprises the steps of: (a) assigning an individual security key code to each of said plurality of remote unitary modules; (b) identifying at least one of said plurality of remote unitary module that is to receive a changed list of permitted video channel numbers and identifying an individual security key code assigned to each of said identified remote unitary modules; (c) obtaining a standard video image from a digital or an analog source, said video image having a plurality of scan lines contained therein; (d) obtaining a first and a second predetermined scan line of said video image, wherein said first and second predetermined scan lines are within an overscan portion of said video image; (e) for each of said identified remote unitary modules, (f) forming a binary representation of said changed list of permitted video channel numbers and impressing said binary representation of said changed list of permitted video channel numbers into said second predetermined scan line, thereby creating a further modified video image, (g) broadcasting said further modified video image over said communications conduit; (h) receiving said broadcast video image within at least one of said at least one remote unitary modules; (i) within at least one of said at least one remote unitary modules wherein said broadcast video image is received, (j) monitoring said first tuner to detect whether the user has selected a different video channel number; (k) determining whether said selected different video channel number is among said changed list of permitted video channel numbers; (l) if said different video channel number is not among said changed list of permitted video channel numbers, displaying to the user an alternative video image for said different video channel; and, (m) if said different channel number is among said changed list of permitted video channel numbers, displaying to the user said different video channel; (n) if said different video channel number is not among said changed list of permitted video channel numbers, displaying to the user an alternative video image for said different video channel; and, (o) if said different channel number is among said changed list of permitted video channel numbers, displaying to the user said different video channel.