Abstract:
A system and method for authenticating the location of content players are provided. One aspect of the system comprises a content processing device, which comprises a descrambler, a GPS receiver and a processor. The content processing device processes scrambled content signals from an Internet connection, a satellite, a cable network, a terrestrial stream or a packaged media. The GPS receiver receives a plurality of GPS signals and determines a location of the GPS receiver. The processor may check a time generated by the GPS receiver with a secure time source to verify the validity of the GPS location. The processor then compares the location determined by the GPS receiver with pre-determined access criteria. If the location determined by the GPS receiver meets the access criteria, the processor allows the descrambler to descramble the content signals.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0002]    The present invention relates to content players, and more particularly, to systems and methods of authenticating the location of content players.  
           [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0004]    Content providers are concerned with unauthorized use of their content, such as movies and televised sporting events. For example, cinematic release dates for various markets, such as theaters, video rental market, and electronic delivery via the Internet, satellite, phone, cable and terrestrial broadcast, are phased throughout the world. For each of these markets, the United States typically receives movie releases first, Europe second, while the rest of the world receives them later.  
           [0005]    One problem relates to movies that are sent outside of their intended viewing area and played ahead of the scheduled release date. Content providers do not want a movie that was intended for a United States movie release to be shown in other parts of the world ahead of its intended schedule.  
           [0006]    Another problem is misappropriation of a program signal intended for a home content player for commercial use. Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) as well as terrestrial and cable receiver/players, e.g., set top boxes, typically receive signals in a large broadcast area. The signals are received by commercial as well as residential customers. A home customer typically pays a lot less than a commercial establishment, such as a restaurant or bar, to receive and view a program, such as a pay-per-view college football game or a boxing event. The commercial establishment typically pays according to the fire occupancy limit of the establishment. Sometimes, commercial establishments are not authorized to receive a particular program or pay-per-view event because there are alternate commercial viewing locations, such as an auditorium, stadium or arena, where the live event or broadcasted program may be viewed.  
           [0007]    If a commercial establishment somehow receives a pay-per-view event that is not authorized for commercial viewing, then the pay-per-view event may place that particular commercial establishment in a more competitive position compared to other commercial establishments. Providing unauthorized pay-per-view events may gain the loyalty of customers and be very lucrative for the commercial establishment, which charges a cover charge for the events and sells food and beverages. Thus, there may be a tremendous financial incentive for a commercial establishment to cheat and use a content player that is authorized for home use in the commercial establishment.  
           [0008]    Movie distributors that have authorized a movie to be shown in a particular type of theater or on a particular theater screen, e.g., IMAX, face another problem. The theater owner can take the movie to a different location and show it on a different theater screen. The quality of the viewing may not be what the distributor wanted. And the movie distributor may not be compensated for the viewing in the unauthorized location, especially if the movie distributor does not learn of the viewing.  
           [0009]    Another problem is enforcing black-outs in a particular area. In broadcast distribution, content players in black-out areas as well as non-black-out areas can receive the same signals. It may not be possible to restrict the transmission of signals in certain geographical locations. A customer will typically tell the service operator the location of the customer&#39;s content player. This is typically the customer&#39;s home and billing address. The service operator must often take it on faith that the content player is actually at that location, and that the content player will not be moved. However, a content player that has been authorized for viewing in a particular location, e.g. the customer&#39;s home, may be taken to a different area where a sporting event is blacked-out. For example, a satellite set top box (STB) may be taken out of its registered area, to either a home or commercial establishment in order to avoid a sports blackout in the different area of the home or commercial establishment. If no other commercial establishments are able to show the program in a particular area, then the establishment with the unauthorized satellite set top box, which is able to show the sporting event, may gain a commercial advantage.  
           [0010]    Another problem is gray market decoders. Canadian and Mexican residents often purchase satellite dishes, set top boxes and content players (decoders) in the United States, which have been authorized for use only in the United States, and then take them to Canada or Mexico. The satellite dishes, set top boxes and content players receive signals from U.S. service providers, such as DirecTV or EchoStar. The Canadian and Mexican residents often cannot receive specific programming from a company that has been licensed in their own country. The U.S. service providers, such as DirecTV or EchoStar, however, may not have copyright licenses to sell programming in Canada and Mexico. In recent years, Canadians have been able to purchase satellite service from Express View. But that service is not as compelling as DirecTV or EchoStar, and therefore Canadian customers often subscribe as U.S. customers in order to get programming from DirecTV or EchoStar. When Canadian and Mexican residents purchase and receive content from service providers outside their licensed areas, the legitimate license holder, e.g., Express View, is at a competitive disadvantage.  
           [0011]    Likewise, packaged media, e.g. video tapes and DVDs, are released in a similar fashion as cinematic releases in theaters. The packaged media are coded with ‘regional coding’ to prevent the packaged media from being played by content players, such as Divix and DVD players, that are made for certain countries. Consumers in countries other than the U.S. have overcome the ‘regional coding’ of DVDs by purchasing a DVD content player purchased in the U.S., along with the necessary power adapters and even NTSC TV, in order to play the movies in their respective countries.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    Each content receiver, content player and packaged media player determines its physical location on its own. After comparing that determined location with access criteria, the device can decide whether or not it is authorized to decode or descramble content that has been received or read from a media at that particular location.  
           [0013]    Systems and methods for authenticating the location of content players are provided in accordance with the present invention. In one embodiment, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver is implemented in a content receiver/player to authenticate the location of the content player. GPS signals are sent from GPS satellites that may be about 11,000 miles in space to the GPS receiver in the content player within a particular time window. If the location of the GPS receiver meets certain predetermined criteria (i.e., matches an authorized location or is not in a black-out location), and the content player is otherwise authorized to play content signals, the content player will descramble the content.  
           [0014]    The location-authenticating systems and methods may facilitate electronic distribution of movies to movie theatres across the world. Instead of sending reels of celluloid tape out to theatres, movies could be sent digitally through various distribution modes, such as DBS, phone, Internet, over-the-air and cable.  
           [0015]    One aspect of the invention relates to a system for using Global Positioning System (GPS) location as access criteria for content. The system comprises a content source unit, an access criteria unit and a processor. The content source unit is configured to produce content signals. The access criteria unit is configured to produce access criteria, which specifies at least one pre-determined GPS location where a content receiver is authorized to descramble content signals. The processor is coupled to the content source and the access criteria unit. The processor is configured to associate access criteria from the access criteria unit with content signals from the content source unit. The processor is configured to scramble the content signals.  
           [0016]    For broadcast or electronic delivery networks, a transmitter is coupled to the processor. The transmitter is configured to transmit the scrambled content signals and the access criteria to at least one content receiver.  
           [0017]    For packaged media, a media writer is coupled to the processor. The media writer is configured to write the scrambled content onto tapes, discs or other suitable media. The media may be sold in stores, rented, played by customers with content players and programmed in a device at a customer&#39;s home after a download.  
           [0018]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a content processing device comprising a descrambler, a means for autonomously determining location and a processor. The descrambler is configured to descramble scrambled content signals. The processor is coupled to the means for autonomously determining location and the descrambler. The processor is configured to compare the location determined by the means for autonomously determining location with predetermined access criteria. If the location determined by the means for autonomously determining location meets the access criteria, then the processor allows the descrambler to descramble content signals. If the location determined by the means for autonomously determining location does not meet the access criteria, then the processor prevents the descrambler from descrambling content signals.  
           [0019]    In one embodiment, the means for autonomously determining location comprises a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver. The GPS receiver is configured to receive a plurality of GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites and determine a location of the GPS receiver based on the GPS signals. In another embodiment, the means for autonomously determining location comprises a cellular receiver.  
           [0020]    In one embodiment, the content processing device further comprises a receiver coupled to the descrambler. The receiver is configured to receive scrambled content from a content provider. In another embodiment, the content processing device further comprises a media reader coupled to the descrambler. The media reader is configured to read scrambled content from a media.  
           [0021]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of authenticating the location of a content player. The method comprises associating access criteria with content signals, where the access criteria comprises at least one predetermined Global Positioning System (GPS) location where a content player is authorized to decode content signals; coding the content signals to prevent unauthorized content players from accessing the content signals; and transmitting the content signals with the access criteria to at least one content player.  
           [0022]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of authenticating the location of a content player. The method comprises receiving a plurality of GPS signals from a plurality of GPS satellites at a content player; determining a location of the content player based on the GPS signals; and comparing the location based on the GPS signals with predetermined access criteria, wherein (a) if the location based on the GPS signals meets the access criteria, then descrambling the content signals, and (b) if the location based on the GPS signals does not meet the access criteria, then preventing the content signals from being descrambled.  
           [0023]    In one embodiment, the method further comprises receiving scrambled content signals from a content provider at a content player. In another embodiment, the method further comprises reading scrambled content from a media.  
           [0024]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a method of discarding GPS location signals that have been falsely simulated (also called ‘spoofing’). The method comprises accessing an independent, secure source of time and comparing the secure time source against a time derived and output by the GPS receiver. If the time output by the GPS receiver is within a predetermined range of the secure time source, then scrambled content may be descrambled. By determining a difference between the time output by the GPS receiver and the secure time source, the content player is more adapted to discriminate between simulated signals from a GPS simulator and actual GPS signals coming from the GPS satellites.  
           [0025]    Another aspect of the invention relates to a conditional access device. The conditional access device comprises a content descrambler configured to descramble scrambled content signals and a means of autonomously determining a location of the descrambler. In one embodiment, the means of autonomously determining a location of the descrambler comprises a GPS receiver that is integrated in or closely coupled to a descrambler. In one embodiment, the device is housed in a portable module, e.g., a PCMCIA module. The PCMCIA module may be plugged into or coupled to a content player. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0026]    [0026]FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a content transmission system.  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a content processing device in the system of FIG. 1.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a content provider system, which sends content signals to the content receiver/player of FIG. 2. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0029]    [0029]FIG. 1 illustrates one embodiment of a content transmission system  100 . The content transmission system  100  comprises a plurality of Global Positioning System (GPS) satellites  102 , an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) transmitter  104 , an ATSC communication path  110 , one or more terrestrial integrated receivers/descramblers (IRDs)  116 , a Direct Broadcast Satellite (DSB) dish  106 , a DBS communication path  112 , one or more consumer IRDs  118 , a quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulator  108 , a cable  114  and one or more digital set-top boxes (STBs)  120 .  
         [0030]    The ATSC transmitter  104  in FIG. 1 transmits content signals, such as Advanced TV (ATV), Digital TV (DTV) or High Definition TV (HDTV) signals, via the ATSC path  110  to one or more terrestrial IRDs  116 . The DBS dish  106  transmits content signals via the DBS path  112  to one or more consumer IRDs  118 . The QAM modulator  108  transmits content signals via the cable  114  to one or more digital set-top boxes  120 . The system  100  in FIG. 1 may have any number of ATSC transmitters  104 , DBS dishes  106 , QAM modulators  108 , terrestrial IRDs  116 , consumer IRDs  118  and digital set-top boxes  120 .  
         [0031]    The IRDs  116 ,  118  and STBs  120  in FIG. 1 are configured to receive and decode encrypted or scrambled signals transmitted by the ATSC transmitter  104 , the DBS dish  106  and the QAM modulator  108 , respectively. The IRDs  116 ,  118  and the STBs  120  may be referred to herein as ‘content receivers,’ ‘content players,’ or ‘content processing devices.’ The content receivers/players  116 - 120  in FIG. 1 may be used in any suitable location, such as a residence, a vehicle or a business, such as a movie theater, a bar or a restaurant. The content receivers/players  116 - 120  in FIG. 1 each contain a GPS receiver, as described below, which may be used to authenticate the locations of the content receivers/players  116 - 120 .  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 2 illustrates one embodiment of a content processing device  200  in the system  100  of FIG. 1. The content processing device  200  may comprise a content receiver, such as a set-top box, a content player, such as a DVD player, or both. Thus, the content processing device  200  may be referred to herein as a ‘content receiver,’ a ‘content player’ or both. The content receiver/player  200  of FIG. 2 may represent the terrestrial IRD  116 , the consumer IRD  118 , the digital set-top box  120  or a combination of the IRDs  116 ,  118  and the set-top box  120  in FIG. 1.  
         [0033]    The content processing device  200  in FIG. 2 may interface with a conditional access (CA) module  236 , a MiniDisc player  240 , a digital VHS (D-VHS) player  242 , an audio/video (A/V) hard disk player  244 , a home control unit  246 , a first display  248 , external media reader  250 B and/or a second display  228 . In one embodiment, the CA module  236  is integrated with the content receiver/player  200 .  
         [0034]    The content receiver/player  200  in FIG. 2 comprises an antenna or port  201 , such as a coaxial cable, a Data Over Cable Systems Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) or CableLabs Certified Cable Modem  202 , a QAM/vestigial sideband (VSB)/quatemary phase shift keying (QPSK) tuner  204 , a QPSK transmitter and receiver out-of-band (OOB) unit  206 , a demodulator  208 , a central processing unit (CPU)  210  (also called a ‘host CPU  210 ’ or ‘main CPU  210 ’), a GPS receiver  212 , a CP de-scrambling unit  216 , a demultiplexer (DEMUX)  214 , a telephone port  218 , a Moving Pictures Experts Group (MPEG) decoder  220 , an IEEE  1394  bus interface  222 , a graphics unit  224 , a Digital Video Interface (DVI) unit  226 , a media reader  250 A and an access criteria receiver  252 .  
         [0035]    In one embodiment, the cryptographic CPU  230  in FIG. 2 is housed in an integrated circuit (IC), such as a smart card IC. In one embodiment, the GPS receiver  212  is part of a GPS module that is separate from the content receiver/player  200  in FIG. 2. The main CPU  210  interacts with the GPS unit, whether a module or embedded in the player/receiver, and passes the GPS location information to the cryptographic CPU  230 .  
         [0036]    Other embodiments of the content receiver/player  200  may not comprise all of the components listed above. For example, one embodiment of the content receiver/player  200  in FIG. 2 comprises either a DOCSIS modem  202 , a QAM/VSB/QPSK tuner  204  or a QPSK transmitter and receiver OOB unit  206 , but not all three components. As another example, one embodiment of the content receiver/player  200  communicates with an external media reader  250 B and does not have an internal media reader  250 A. As another example, one embodiment of the content receiver/player  200  receives access criteria with the content signals and does not have an access criteria receiver  252 . Other embodiments of the content receiver/player  200  may comprise additional components instead of or in addition to the components listed above.  
         [0037]    In FIG. 2, the DOCSIS modem  202 , QAM/VSB/QPSK tuner  204  and QPSK transmitter and receiver OOB unit  206  are configured to receive various content signals (e.g., cable, terrestrial, DBS) via antenna/port  201  transmitted by one or more content providers with the ATSC transmitter  104 , the DBS dish  106  and the QAM modulator  108  of FIG. 1. The content providers, such as a cable TV operator, typically modulate the content signals for transmission. For example, the signals may be formatted according to 8-VSB, which is a standard radio frequency (RF) modulation format used by ATSC for transmitting digital TV (DTV) signals. The content providers may also scramble/encrypt the content signals in an attempt to prevent unauthorized reception.  
         [0038]    The demodulator  208  in FIG. 1 demodulates the content signals received by the DOCSIS modem  202 , QAM/VSB/QPSK tuner  204  and/or QPSK transmitter and receiver OOB unit  206 . The demodulator  208  transfers the demodulated content signals to the descrambler  234  in the CA module  236 .  
         [0039]    In addition to or instead of the signals from the demodulator  208 , the media reader  250 A or  250 B in FIG. 2 may transfer scrambled content signals to the descrambler  234  in the CA module  236 . The media readers  250 A and  250 B are configured to read scrambled content from a media, such as a cassette tape, CD, floppy disk or DVD and transfer the read content to the descrambler  234 .  
         [0040]    The CA module  236  in FIG. 2 may comprise a Point of Deployment (POD) conditional access module, a National Renewable Security System part B (NRSS-B), a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) Common Interface module (e.g., used in Europe) or a portable module such as a Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (PCMCIA) type 2 form factor. The CA module  236  comprises a CPU  230 , a copy protection (CP) scrambling unit  232 , a descrambler  234  and an access criteria receiver  254 . Other embodiments of the CA module  236  may not comprise all of the components shown in FIG. 2. For example, one embodiment of the CA module  236  does not have an access criteria receiver  254 . Other embodiments of the CA module  236  may comprise other components, such as a GPS receiver  260 , in addition to or instead of the components shown in FIG. 2. Thus, in one embodiment, the GPS receiver  260  is physically located in the CA module  236  instead of a GPD receiver  212  in the player/receiver  201 . In another embodiment, the GPS receiver  212  is closely coupled with the CA module  236 .  
         [0041]    In one embodiment, a content provider creates access criteria and transmits the access criteria in-band with content signals to the content receiver/player  200 , as described below with reference to FIG. 3. For example, the access criteria may be ‘meta-data.’ In one embodiment, the demodulator  208  in FIG. 2 transfers the content signals and the access criteria to the CPU  210 , which transfers the content signals and the access criteria to the cryptographic CPU  230 . In another embodiment, the demodulator  208  transfers the access criteria and/or any entitlements associated with the content directly to the CA module  236 .  
         [0042]    The cryptographic CPU  230  processes access criteria in the content signals. In one embodiment, the CPU  230  stores the access criteria. In one embodiment, the CPU  230  derives any content keys, i.e., entitlement control messages (ECM), from the access criteria. In this embodiment, the CPU  230  sends the keys to the descrambler  234  to descramble the content.  
         [0043]    In another embodiment, a content provider transmits the access criteria independently of the content signals to the receiver  254  in FIG. 2, which transfers the access criteria to the CPU  230 . The CPU  230  processes the access criteria. In another embodiment, a content provider transmits access criteria to the receiver  252  in FIG. 2, which transfers the access criteria to the CPU  230 .  
         [0044]    The access criteria may comprise ‘positive,’ ‘negative’ or ‘positive and negative’ access criteria. ‘Positive’ access criteria specify one or more locations or regions where one or more content receivers/players  200  are authorized to descramble content, such as a video-on-demand (VOD) program. In one embodiment, the content is intended for a particular content receiver/player  200  in a particular location or region. ‘Negative’ access criteria specify one or more locations or regions where one or more content receivers/players  200  are not authorized to descramble content. If a receiver/player  200  is not in one or more pre-determined specified locations or regions, then the receiver/player  200  may descramble the received content. ‘Positive and negative’ access criteria specify at least one location where at least one content receiver  200  is authorized to descramble content signals and at least one location where at least one content receiver  200  is not authorized to descramble content signals The access criteria may comprise a relatively long list of authorized and/or unauthorized locations or regions. The access criteria may also comprise a time period when a content receiver  200  is authorized or not authorized to descramble content signals.  
         [0045]    In another embodiment, a content provider sends the access criteria to the content receiver/player  200  and/or the CA module  236  independently of the content signals. In another embodiment, the access criteria are pre-stored in the content receiver/player  200  when the content receiver/player is manufactured.  
         [0046]    The CPU  230  in FIG. 2 may also process entitlement information and enforce the business rules of a service provider, such as a cable operator with monthly subscriptions. For example, the CPU  230  will grant a content receiver/player  200  access to content signals after the CPU  230  receives authorization from the cable operator that the customer has paid a monthly bill.  
         [0047]    The GPS receiver  212  in FIG. 2 receives a GPS signal from a plurality of GPS satellites  102  (FIG. 1) and determines the location of the content receiver/player  200 . The GPS receiver  212  sends the location data to the CPU  210  automatically or upon a request from the CPU  210 . In one embodiment, the GPS receiver  212  receives a GPS signal within a particular time window, estimates a time when the signal was received and sends the estimated time with the location data to the CPU  210 , which sends the estimated time with the location data to the cryptographic CPU  230 . For example, the content receiver/player  200  may change locations from time to time or certain programming may be authorized from time to time. The GPS receiver  212  is not required to send both location and time data to the CPU  210 , but location data used in conjunction with time data may improve the security of the content receiver/player  200 .  
         [0048]    If the CA module  236  has its own GPS receiver  260 , the functions of the GPS receiver  260  are substantially similar to the GPS receiver  212 , except the GPS receiver  260  sends an estimated time with location data directly to the CPU  230 .  
         [0049]    In one embodiment, the GPS receiver  212  or  260  has its own security perimeter. The GPS receiver  212  or  260  sends a cryptographic signature with the location and/or time data to the cryptographic CPU  230  to prevent a user from sending fake location and/or time data to the CPU  230 . The signature comprises a secret or private key, such as a predetermined sequence of bits. In this embodiment, the CPU  230  has a corresponding secret or private key. If the signature from the GPS receiver  212  or  260  matches the key in the CPU  230 , then the CPU  230  uses the location and/or time data to determine whether or not the received content signals should be descrambled. The GPS receiver 212  or  260  is not required to send a cryptographic signature with the location and/or time data to the CPU  230 , but the signature may improve the security of the content receiver/player  200 .  
         [0050]    In one embodiment, the cryptographic CPU  230  securely communicates using secret or public key cryptography to send a query and a nonce to the GPS receiver  212  or  260 . A nonce is a ‘challenge’ or a random value generated fresh for each use and included in inter-processor exchanges to make each exchange unique. The GPS receiver  212  or  260  returns a response along with the location information securely to the cryptographic CPU  230 . The response could be the original nonce value encrypted with the private key of the GPS receiver  212  or  260  (along with the location data). Alternatively, the response could be the nonce value hashed with the location data and then the hash encrypted with a shared secret key. The cryptographic processor  230  will examine the response from the GPS receiver  212  or  260  to see if the response is truly from the GPS receiver  212  or  260 .  
         [0051]    GPS simulators currently exist to test devices with GPS functions. For example, a GPS simulator may be coupled to the GPS receiver  212  or  260  in FIG. 2. The GPS simulator may be configured to simulate signals from satellites corresponding to any location in the world. GPS simulators are not commonly available, but they may be used to defeat the security of a GPS-based content receiver/player  200  system as outlined herein. GPS simulators generally provide highly accurate location signals, but do not provide a simulated, current time signal with the location signal.  
         [0052]    In one embodiment, the GPS receiver  212  or  260  in FIG. 2 is configured to output a time signal that is associated with each derived location signal. The CPU  230  compares an independent, secure time source, preferably a local time source, with a time presumably output by the GPS receiver  212  or  260  to verify the authenticity of the location signal from the GPS receiver  212  or  260 . If the time presumably output by the GPS receiver  212  or  260  is within a predetermined range of the independent time source, then the CPU  230  uses the GPS location signal from the GPS receiver  212  or  260 . If the time presumably output by the GPS receiver  212  or  260  is outside of a predetermined range of the independent time source, then the CPU  230  discards the GPS location signal from the GPS receiver  212  or  260 .  
         [0053]    The cryptographic CPU  230  in FIG. 2 is a secure processor that communicates with the CPU  210  and the GPS receiver  212  or  260 . The cryptographic CPU  230  receives location information from the CPU  210  or the GPS receiver  260  and determines whether the location of the content receiver/player  200  meets the access criteria (either positive or negative). As explained earlier, in one embodiment, the processor  230  uses a real-time clock (either an internal or an external clock) to authenticate the time of the location data from the GPS receiver  212  or  260 . The CPU  230  informs the CPU  210  whether the content receiver/player  200  is authorized to access the received content signals. Determining whether a content receiver/player  200  is authorized to receive and play content may be referred to as an ‘authorization process.’ If access is granted, the cryptographic CPU  230  sends a decryption key (control signal) to the descrambler  234 .  
         [0054]    The descrambler  234  in FIG. 2 is configured to descramble content signals from the demodulator  208  or the media reader  250 A or  250 B. The Copy Protection (CP) scrambling unit  232  in FIG. 2 is configured to scramble content signals for copy protection to keep an eavesdropper from illegally copying the content descrambled by the descrambler  234 , i.e., prevent a user from intercepting the content signals from the descrambler  234  to the content receiver/player  200  and making unauthorized copies of the content signals. The CP scrambling unit  232  sends copy protected content signals to the CP de-scrambling unit  216  in the content receiver  200 . The CP de-scrambling unit  216  in FIG. 2 is configured to descramble the copy protection placed on the content signals by the CP scrambling unit  232 .  
         [0055]    The demultiplexer  214  in FIG. 2 demultiplexes the signals and passes the signals to the MPEG decoder  220  and the 1394 bus interface  222 . The MPEG decoder  220  decompresses/decodes video signals and may access the graphics unit  224 . The Digital Video Interface (DVI) unit  226  delivers decompressed signals to one or more displays  228 . The IEEE 1394 bus interface  222  is configured to send decompressed, decoded content signals to the MiniDisc player  240 , the D-VHS player  242  and/or the A/V hard disk player  244 .  
         [0056]    The MiniDisc player  240 , D-VHS player  242 , and A/V hard disk player  244  in FIG. 2 are configured to store content received by the content receiver  200  and later retrieve the content for playback. In one embodiment, the MiniDisc player  240 , D-VHS player  242 , and A/V hard disk player  244  in FIG. 2 are coupled together using an IEEE 1394 network and comprise a home network system  238 . The displays  228 ,  248  in FIG. 2 are configured to display content, such as motion pictures, received by the content receiver  200 .  
         [0057]    The content signals output by content receiver/player  200  in FIG. 2 may have an assigned state of copy protection, which may be set by the CA module  236 . For example, the content signals may have a ‘Copy Never’ state of copy protection, which prevents any form of copying. A ‘Copy Free’ state allows free copying. ‘Copy Once’ allows a onetime copy to be made. ‘Copy No More’ prevents further copying. There may be other states for certain technologies, e.g., for personal video recorders, one copy protection state may allow temporary storage, e.g., less than 40 minutes.  
         [0058]    The home control unit  246  in FIG. 2 is configured to control household devices, such as lights, heat, air conditioning, an alarm system and devices such as the content receiver  200 .  
         [0059]    In one embodiment, GPS circuitry is embedded in or integrated with a cryptographic IC to perform the functions described above related to the content receiver  200 . For example, a GPS chip, such as NAV-2100 or NAV-2300, made by Analog Devices, Inc. in Norwood, Mass., may be modified to include or operate with a RF front end and a GPS antenna. The NAV-2100 and NAV-2300 include a digital signal processor (DSP), an on-chip SRAM and a plurality of I/O peripherals. The NAV-2300 could be built into a cryptographic IC to perform the functions described above related to the content receiver  200 .  
         [0060]    In one embodiment, the content receiver/player  200  is configured to perform the functions of the CA module  236  described above, and a separate CA module  236  is not used.  
         [0061]    [0061]FIG. 3 illustrates one embodiment of a content provider system  300 , which sends content signals to the content receiver/player  200  of FIG. 2. The content provider system  300  comprises a content source unit  302 , an access criteria unit  304 , a processor  306  and a transmitter  308 . The content source unit  302  comprises a storage device, such as one or more disk drives, disk arrays, computer servers or solid state memory, or a live content receiver, such as a camera at a sports event. Those skilled in the art will understand the functions of the content source unit  302 , the processor  306  and the transmitter  308 , except for the functions described herein.  
         [0062]    The content source unit  302  in FIG. 3 provides content signals to the processor  306 . The access criteria unit  304  in FIG. 3 provides access criteria, such as a predetermined location and/or time data, to the processor  306 . The content provider, such as a cable or satellite company, may create and modify the access criteria.  
         [0063]    The processor  306  in FIG. 3 associates the access criteria from the access criteria unit  304  with the content signals from the content source unit  302  and passes the access criteria and content signals to the transmitter  308 . The processor  306 , the content source unit  302  or the transmitter  308  may modulate the content signals for transmission and scramble/encode/encrypt the content signals to prevent unauthorized access to the content signals.  
         [0064]    The transmitter  308  in FIG. 3 may represent the ATSC transmitter  104 , DBS dish  106  or QAM modulator  108  of FIG. 1. The transmitter  308  transmits the content signals and access criteria to at least one content receiver/player  200  in FIG. 2. As described above, in another embodiment, the processor  306  and the transmitter  308  send access criteria to content processing devices independently of the content signals.  
         [0065]    In another embodiment, the content provider system  300  in FIG. 3 comprises a media writer  310  coupled to the processor  306  instead of or in addition to the transmitter  308 . The media writer  310  is configured to write scrambled content with access criteria from the processor  306  onto media, such as cassette tapes, compact discs (CDs) and digital video discs (DVDs). The media is sold in stores, rented, played by customers with content players or programmed in a device at a customer&#39;s home after a download.  
         [0066]    The above-described embodiments of the present invention are merely meant to be illustrative and not limiting. Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. For example, in one embodiment, cellular phone signals are received by the CA module  236  and used to determine a location of a content processing device  200  instead of GPS signals. The appended claims encompass such changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention.