Method and apparatus for providing in a media player a copy protection signal that negates a circumvention device and or provides improved playability

Abstract

A media player provides a new copy protection signal which causes resistance to certain circumvention devices and includes improved playability. The new copy protection signal causes the certain circumvention devices to pass substantially the copy protection effects to a video recorder, or causes content control effectiveness on a compliant device. That is, the new copy protection signal from the media player causes the circumvention device to add or enhance copy protection effectiveness, which is contrary to the circumvention device's original intent of removing or reducing copy protection effectiveness. The new copy protection signal is provided by inserting or adding one or more pseudo sync pulses or one or more pseudo sync/AGC pulse pairs immediately after, one line after, or less than two and a half lines after, a vertical sync signal in at least one television line. Thus, the media player utilizes the new copy protection signal to thwart various intended functions of the circumvention device.

1 . A media player for providing a video copy protection signal for a video signal to form a copy protected video signal which causes a circumvention device to pass substantially the copy protected video signal at the output of the circumvention device, the media player comprising:
 a circuit for inserting or adding in at least one TV line one or more pseudo sync pulses or one or more pseudo sync pulse/AGC pulse pair signals immediately after or less than two lines after a vertical sync signal or post equalizing pulse to form the copy protected video signal; and   wherein when the copy protected video signal from the media player is coupled to an input of the circumvention device, the output of the circumvention device supplies a signal that is substantially effective in terms of copy protection or content control for a video recorder or for a content control system.   
   
   
       2 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the at least one TV line includes up to  18  TV lines. 
   
   
       3 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the copy protected video signal is a PAL or NTSC or SECAM copy protected video signal. 
   
   
       4 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the circumvention device adds or enhances copy protection effectiveness after processing the copy protected video signal. 
   
   
       5 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the circumvention device further blanks or distorts a portion of the active video field. 
   
   
       6 . The method media player of  claim 1  wherein the circumvention device further blanks out color burst signals in one or more TV lines in the active TV field. 
   
   
       7 . The media player of  claim 6  wherein one or more TV lines in the active TV field exhibit color distortion. 
   
   
       8 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the copy protected video signal provides improved playability when compared to a copy protected video signal which starts inserting pseudo sync pulses two or more lines after the vertical sync signal. 
   
   
       9 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the copy protection video signal enhances copy protection by causing the circumvention device to attenuate and or level shift at least one TV line of the active field. 
   
   
       10 . The media player of  claim 1  wherein the copy protection video signal provides reduced geometric distortion in a display of the copy protected video signal. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the pseudo sync pulses have a different number of pseudo sync pulses from one line to another or a different pseudo sync pulse width from one line to another line. 
   
   
       12 . A method of providing a copy protected video signal from a media player while providing improved playability of the copy protected video signal, wherein the copy protected video signal includes pseudo sync pulses, comprising:
 providing a different number of pseudo sync pulses from one video line to another video line and or different pseudo sync pulse widths from one video line to another;   generating at least two lines consecutively with substantially the same number of pseudo sync pulses and or substantially the same pseudo sync pulse width; and   wherein when the copy protected video signal is supplied to a TV set via an analog output of the media player, it causes improved playability via reduced hooking on a top portion of the TV.   
   
   
       13 . A method of providing a copy protection signal from a media player having pseudo sync and automatic gain control (AGC) pulses defining a pulse pair signal, wherein a location of the pseudo sync pulses provides resistance to a circumvention device and wherein the circumvention device passes at least one pulse pair signal, comprising:
 starting the pseudo sync pulses immediately after or less than 2 lines after a vertical sync signal or post equalizing pulse to provide the copy protection signal at an analog output of the media player; and   the method including one or more of the following; a color burst modification of whole or segmented portions of one or more color burst envelope which includes one or more cycle of incorrect color burst, level shifting of a portion of the video signal including lowering or raising one or more portions of the video signal, modifying sync location, amplitude, and or pulse width in selected video lines, providing back porch pulses of different video levels from one video line to another, providing pseudo sync and or AGC pulses of different pulse widths from one video line to another, providing pseudo sync and or AGC pulses of different numbers from one video line to another.   
   
   
       14 . A method of providing a copy protection signal in a video signal via a media player, wherein the copy protection signal causes a circumvention device to modify the video signal to increase copy protection effectiveness, the method comprising:
 starting the copy protection signals immediately after a vertical sync signal or less than two lines after a vertical sync signal or after a post equalizing pulse to provide the copy protection signal; and   wherein when the copy protection signal is supplied via an analog output of the media player to an input of the circumvention device, the output of the circumvention device passes at least part of the copy protection signal sufficiently for a copy protection or content control effect, and/or the output of the circumvention device provides a signal to further distort or blank a portion of an active TV field.   
   
   
       15 . A method of providing increased color copy protection effects in a copy protection signal provided by a media player to a circumvention device, wherein the copy protection signal includes color burst modification in selected video lines, and wherein the color burst modification causes a recorder to produce color distortion, comprising:
 combining pseudo sync and or pseudo sync and automatic gain control (AGC) pulses immediately after a vertical sync signal or less than two video lines after a vertical sync signal or post equalizing pulse, with the color burst modification, which combination is generated at an analog output of the media player;   wherein the color burst modification includes cycles of incorrect phase or frequency in selected video lines; and   wherein the analog output of the media player is coupled to an input of the circumvention device; and   wherein outputting via the circumvention device a copy protection signal produces color distortions in the modified color burst of the copy protection signal and extra color distortion due to blanking or modifying of color burst envelopes in an active video field caused by the circumvention device.   
   
   
       16 . A method of providing a video copy protection signal from a media player utilizing pseudo sync or pseudo sync and AGC pulses, comprising:
 providing pseudo sync pulses and automatic gain control (AGC) pulses to form pulse pair signals in a portion of the vertical blanking interval, wherein the number of pseudo sync and AGC pulses alternates from one video line to a next video line, and wherein there is at least two adjacent lines that have a different number of pseudo sync and AGC pulses, wherein at least the last two video lines are provided with the same number of pseudo sync and AGC pulses;   wherein the step of providing provides the video copy protection signal which is supplied via an analog output of the media player; and   wherein the video copy protection signal is improved in playability on a TV monitor when compared with a copy protection signal that has alternating numbers of pseudo sync pulses from one video line to another.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the video copy protection signal occupies at least three video lines, including two adjacent video lines with a different number of pseudo sync pulses per line, and including two consecutive video lines with the same number of pseudo sync pulses per line. 
   
   
       18 . A media player for providing a video copy protection signal with improved playability, wherein a number of pseudo sync pulses, or pseudo sync and automatic gain control (AGC) pulses, alternate from one video line to another video line, and wherein there is at least two adjacent video lines that have a different number of pseudo sync or pseudo sync and AGC pulses, the media player comprising:
 a circuit for providing at least the last two video lines of the video copy protection signal with the same number of pseudo sync or pseudo sync and AGC pulses to provide the video copy protection signal of improved playability; and   wherein the playability of the latter copy protected signal on a television monitor is improved when compared to a copy protection signal that has an alternating number of pseudo sync or pseudo sync and AGC pulses from one video line to another.   
   
   
       19 . A method of providing a video copy protection signal from a media player, wherein the number of pseudo sync and automatic gain control (AGC) pulses alternates from one video line to a next line, and wherein there is at least two video lines adjacent that have a different number of pseudo sync and AGC pulses, comprising:
 providing pseudo sync pulses and AGC pulses to form pulse pair signals in a portion of the vertical blanking interval, wherein at least the last two lines are provided the same number of pseudo sync and AGC pulses to improve playability on a TV monitor, wherein the video copy protection signal is improved in playability when compared with a copy protection signal that has alternating numbers of pseudo sync pulses from one video line to another.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the video copy protection signal occupies at least three TV lines including two adjacent lines with different number of pseudo sync pulses per line and including two consecutive lines with the same number of pseudo sync pulses per line. 
   
   
       21 . A media player for playing back a digital recording and for providing an analog copy protection signal which causes a circumvention device to pass substantially the analog video copy protection signal at the output of the circumvention device, comprising:
 a signal detector or encoder for detecting or encoding copy protection information present in the digital recording;   a digital to analog converter (DAC) receiving the digital recording for outputting an analog signal; and   a signal generator for generating a copy protection signal in response to the signal detector or encoder and for modifying the analog signal output from the DAC with the generated copy protection signal, to provide the analog copy protection signal at the output of the circumvention device.