Security device managed access to information

Abstract

In an information delivery system, a security device (SD) manages an access to information (INF). The security device (SD) is capable of providing a pointer (PO) which indicates a location (LO) from which additional data (ADA) may be obtained. The additional data (ADA) may be a description of the information (INF) which is offered. For example, in a pay TV system, the information (INF) may be a particular movie of which the description is “James Bond, Dr. No, action category, 12 year and older, broadcast April 19, at 20H30.” In that case, the pointer (PO) may be used to inform a subscriber that his security device (SD) allows him to watch this particular movie. However, the additional data (ADA) contained in the location (LO) indicated by the pointer (PO), may also be software for various purposes such as, for example, playing games or configuring a receiver (REC) which co-operates with the security device (SD).

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       8 . A receiver (REC) arranged for co-operating with a security device (SD) for managing an access to information (INF) dependent on an entitlement data object (DO, EDO), comprising a circuit (CON) for retrieving additional data (ADA) related to the entitlement data object, wherein a pointer (PO) indicating a location (LO) from which the additional data (ADA) may be obtained is stored in the security device, 
 in that the security device is arranged to transmit the pointer to the receiver, and    in that the receiver is arranged to receive the pointer from the security device and to retrieve the additional data as indicated by the pointer.    
   
   
       9 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the pointer is associated with the entitlement data object.  
   
   
       10 . The receiver of claim  2 , in which the pointer forms part of the entitlement data object.  
   
   
       11 . The receiver of claim  3 , in which the entitlement data object comprises the pointer and a check code allowing verification of the origin of the entitlement data object.  
   
   
       12 . The receiver of claim  4 , the check code having been generated on the basis of the pointer in combination with a secret key in the possession of a service provider which provides the entitlement data object.  
   
   
       13 . The receiver of claim  5 , the security device being arranged to check if the check code comprised in the the entitlement data object is correct, and to store the entitlement data object if so and to reject the entitlement data object if not.  
   
   
       14 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the pointer contains a data element indicating a data stream (DS) which contains the additional data, the receiver being arranged to automatically tune to the data stream.  
   
   
       15 . The receiver of claim  1 , being arranged to create an overview of the information items a user of the receiver is entitled to watch using the additional data.  
   
   
       16 . The receiver of  claim 8 , in which the additional data comprises service information data (SID) pertaining to information for which the entitlement data object is available.  
   
   
       17 . The receiver of  claim 8  or  9 , comprising means (MEM, EPG) for providing a visual overview of the additional data.  
   
   
       18 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the additional data comprises software having a certain relationship with the information to which the access is controlled  
   
   
       19 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the additional data comprises software for configuring an interface between the security device and the receiver.  
   
   
       20 . The receiver of claim  1 , being configured to access the information via the Internet.  
   
   
       21 . The receiver of claim  1 , being configured to retrieve the additional data from the Internet.  
   
   
       22 . The receiver of claim  1 , comprising the security device as an integral part of the receiver.  
   
   
       23 . The receiver of claim  1 , comprising a terminal operable to be connected to a telephone network via which data can be transmitted to the receiver.  
   
   
       24 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the information comprises music, video, software or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       25 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the additional data comprises music, video, software or a combination thereof.  
   
   
       26 . The receiver of claim  1 , in which the security device (SD) is arranged for managing the access by enabling or disabling descrambling of the scrambled information (INF) dependent on the entitlement data object (DO, EDO),  
   
   
       27 . A computer program product for causing a processor to operate as the receiver of claim  1 .