Abstract:
An apparatus for outputting standard definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) analog signals as high-definition (HD) video according to copy protection is disclosed. The apparatus includes: a determination block, for receiving a specific signal and determining whether the received specific signal has copy protection; and a scaling block, coupled to the determination block, for selectively scaling the received specific signal according to at least a copy protection determination result generated by the determination block.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    This invention relates to high-definition video processing, and more particularly to outputting a received signal as a high-definition signal according to copy protection. 
         [0002]    Recent developments in technology have given rise to high-definition (HD) video, and HD displays. HD video comprises more scan lines and pixels than traditional standard definition (SD) video, providing sharper displays and improved visuals. A current HD display includes a digital and an analog input that receives a multimedia signal for outputting. A user can determine to output the received signal as an SD signal or as an HD signal, wherein the received signal may have to be upscaled to fit the required definition format. 
         [0003]    If the multimedia signal is copy protected, when the signal is output to the HD display some encryption will need to be provided, to ensure the output data is protected. At present, although digital HD data can be encrypted to fit with desired specifications, no such scheme exists for analog HD data. Current HD displays will simply output the HD data without first encrypting it. Furthermore, the displays will upscale copy protected SD data and output it as HD data without first encrypting it. As user can therefore record the output data, thereby infringing the data provider&#39;s legal rights. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method for selectively outputting SD and HD signals as HD video according to copy protection. 
         [0005]    An apparatus for outputting standard definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) analog signals as high-definition (HD) video according to copy protection is disclosed. The apparatus comprises: a determination block, for receiving a specific signal and determining whether the received specific signal has copy protection; and a scaling block, coupled to the determination block, for selectively scaling the received specific signal according to at least a copy protection determination result generated by the determination block. 
         [0006]    A method is further disclosed. The method comprises: receiving a signal; determining if the received signal is an HD or an SD signal; determining whether the received signal has copyright protection; selectively scaling the received signal according to the detection result; and outputting the signal; wherein if it is determined that the received signal has copyright protection, the signal will not be output as an HD signal. 
         [0007]    These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a diagram of an analog rendering device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the available signal processing paths of the analog rendering device in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a diagram of an analog rendering device according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a diagram showing the available signal processing paths of the analog rendering device in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0012]    A first objective of the present invention is to provide a system that prevents copy protected data from being output without an appropriate encryption scheme. 
         [0013]    Please refer to  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 1  is a diagram of an analog rendering device  100  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The analog rendering device  100  comprises a detector (i.e. a determination block)  120 , a controller  130 , a scaler (i.e. a scaling block)  140 , an encrypter (i.e. a copyright encoding block)  150 , a warning message generator (i.e. a generating block)  160 , a multiplexer (MUX)  170 , and a D/A rendering device  180 . Please note that the scaler  140  in the analog rendering device  100  can either upscale or downscale a received signal, according to a determination result from the detector  120 . The encrypter  150  is designed to add MacroVision or VBID copyright protection encryption. In this embodiment, the analog rendering device  100  is coupled between a decoder and an analog terminal of an analog apparatus. For instance, the analog rendering device  100  is disposed in an optical storage player (e.g. a DVD player) and used for rendering a video output to a display device (e.g. a television system) according to incoming video data generated from the decoder decoding read-back signals read from an optical storage medium (e.g. a DVD). However, this is not meant to be a limitation of the present invention. Additionally, only the components pertinent to the present invention are shown. 
         [0014]    When a signal is received by the analog rendering device  100 , the signal is sent to the detector  120 , which first determines whether the signal is an SD or an HD signal. The detector  120  further determines whether the received signal is copy protected. The controller  130  then determines the path the signal will take. If the signal is not copy protected, then the operation can proceed as in the prior art. An HD signal that is not copy protected will be directly output to the MUX  170  of the analog rendering device  100 ; an SD signal that is not copy protected will first be sent to the scaler  140  for being upscaled to an HD format, and then output to the MUX  170 , then the D/A rendering device  180  for digital-to-analog conversion. In other words, according to the detection result given by the detector  120 , the controller  130  controls the MUX  170  to allow the desired signal to be output. 
         [0015]    When an SD signal is received by the analog rendering device  100  and the detector  120  determines that the signal is copy protected, the signal will not be output to the scaler  140 . The controller  130  either determines to directly send the signal to the encrypter  150 , for adding SD copyright protection to the received signal; or the controller  130  will send a signal to the warning message generator  160 . The warning message generator  160  is for generating and displaying a message to the user, informing the user of the copy protection status of the received signal. If the optical storage player also includes a digital rendering device, the generated message could be for instructing the user to connect the digital input of a television system to the optical storage player for receiving digital video output. If the optical storage player only includes the analog rendering device  100 , the generated message could be for informing the user to select to output the received signal in an SD format. In another embodiment, the controller  130  can determine to automatically output the received signal as an SD signal. In such a case the analog rendering device  100  will not include the aforementioned warning message generator  160 . In other words, the warning message generator  160  would be optional for some embodiments of the present invention. 
         [0016]    When an HD signal is received by the analog rendering device  100  and the detector  120  determines that the signal is copy protected, the analog rendering device  100  will not output the signal as an HD signal. In an embodiment wherein the analog rendering device  100  includes the warning message generator  160 , the detector  120  can inform the controller  130  to control the warning message generator  160  to generate a message on receipt of an HD signal that is copy protected. If the optical storage player includes a digital rendering device, the message generated by the warning message generator  160  is for instructing a user to connect the digital input of the television system to the optical storage player for receiving digital video output. If the optical storage player does not include a digital rendering device, the generated message is for informing a user that, although the received signal is in an HD format, the signal cannot be displayed in an HD format. In such a case, the controller  130  will send the received HD signal to the scaler  140 , where it will be downscaled to an SD format. Once the signal is downscaled, SD copyright protection encoding can be added by the encrypter  150 . The downscaled signal will then be sent to the MUX  170 , then the D/A rendering device  180  for digital-to-analog conversion. 
         [0017]    In order to comprehend the operation of the analog rendering device  100  more clearly please refer to  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 2  is a diagram showing the available signal processing paths of the analog rendering device  100  in  FIG. 1 . As can be seen from the diagram, there are four possible options:
   1) The analog rendering device  100  receives an SD signal with copy protection.   2) The analog rendering device  100  receives an HD signal with copy protection.   3) The analog rendering device  100  receives an SD signal without copy protection.   4) The analog rendering device  100  receives an HD signal without copy protection.   
 
         [0022]    In all four cases the signal will be sent to the detector  120  for determining the format of the signal, and the copy protection status. In case 4) the signal will be directly sent to the MUX  170 , then the D/A rendering device  180 . In case 3) the signal will first be sent to the scaler  140  for being upscaled to an HD format, then sent to the MUX  170 , then the D/A rendering device  180 . Please note that these cases are the same as in the related art. 
         [0023]    In case 1) the analog rendering device  100  can automatically send the received signal to the encrypter  140 , for adding SD copyright protection encryption. Alternatively, the analog rendering device  100  can send a signal to the warning message generator  160 , for generating a warning message to the user. If the user chooses to view the signal in an SD format the signal will then be sent to the encrypter  140 . 
         [0024]    In case 2) the analog rendering device  100  will either send a signal to the warning message generator  160 , for generating a warning message to the user as above, or send the received signal to the scaler  140 . The signal will then be downscaled to an SD format, sent to the encrypter  150 , for adding SD copyright protection encryption, then sent to the MUX  170 . Please note that, on reception of the warning message, the user can similarly choose to view the signal in an SD format. 
         [0025]    Please refer to  FIG. 3 .  FIG. 3  is a diagram of an analog rendering device  300  according to another embodiment of the present invention. Please note that some blocks have the same function as in  FIG. 1  and have thus been given the same numeral for simplicity. The analog rendering device  300  comprises a detector (i.e. a determination block)  120 , a scaler (i.e. a scaling block)  340 , a controller  330 , a D/A rendering device  180 , an analog encrypter (i.e. a copyright encoding block)  350 , and a multiplexer (MUX)  370 . Please note the scaler  340  only needs to have upscaling functionality as this embodiment enables all signals to be output in an HD format. Similarly, the encrypter  350  only requires HD encryption functionality. Furthermore, this embodiment does not require the warning message generator  160 . 
         [0026]    In order to comprehend the operation of the analog rendering device  300  more clearly please refer to  FIG. 4 .  FIG. 4  is a diagram showing the available signal processing paths of the analog rendering device  300  in  FIG. 3 . The operation of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3  will now be described with reference to the previously mentioned four cases:
   1) The analog rendering device  300  receives an SD signal with copy protection.   2) The analog rendering device  300  receives an HD signal with copy protection.   3) The analog rendering device  300  receives an SD signal without copy protection.   4) The analog rendering device  300  receives an HD signal without copy protection.   
 
         [0031]    In case 1) the signal will first be sent to the scaler  340  for upscaling to an HD format, then sent to the D/A rendering device  180 , and finally sent to the encrypter  350  for being encrypted with HD copyright protection encryption. 
         [0032]    In case 2) the signal will directly be sent to the D/A rendering device  180  and then sent to the encrypter  350  for being encrypted with HD copyright protection encryption. 
         [0033]    In case 3) the signal will be sent to the scaler  340  for upscaling to an HD format, then sent to the D/A rendering device  180 , and then outputted directly to the MUX  370 . 
         [0034]    In case 4) the signal will be sent directly to the D/A rendering device  180  and then outputted to the MUX  370 . 
         [0035]    The disclosed analog rendering devices  100 ,  300  can prevent signals that require copy protection from being output illegally, by determining the copy protection status of a signal and performing appropriate operations on the signal. 
         [0036]    Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.