Modular broadcast receiver system and method

Abstract

The construction of a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers is simplified. In a receiving apparatus for receiving a broadcast from a plurality of broadcasting providers, of the function blocks which constitute the receiving apparatus, a block used in common irrespective of the broadcasting provider is formed as a common block, and a block different from one broadcasting provider to another is formed as an independent block. These blocks are connected to each other through an IEEE1394 interface, and the common block is shared among the plurality of blocks which are not used in common, so that a receiving process is performed.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A receiving apparatus comprising:
 a processing device configured to control:
 receiving a scrambled signal corresponding to a first broadcasting provider or a second broadcasting provider; 
 extracting information of a desired program from the scrambled signal to generate an extracted scrambled signal, wherein the extracting extracts the information of the desired program from a transport stream; and 
 demultiplexing a signal received at a first digital interface of the receiving apparatus, in which the received signal is from a second digital interface of a second apparatus, 
   in which the second apparatus includes a first descrambler configured to descramble an extracted scrambled signal corresponding to the first broadcasting provider and a second descrambler configured to descramble an extracted scrambled signal corresponding to the second broadcasting provider, and   in which the signal is a descrambled signal generated by at least one of the first descrambler or second descrambler.   
     
     
         3 . The receiving apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the processing device is configured to receive a plurality of scrambled signals from a plurality of broadcasting providers at the same time. 
     
     
         4 . The receiving apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the second apparatus is configured to perform a descrambling process of the first descrambler and a descrambling process of the second descrambler simultaneously on second and third signals respectively corresponding to the first and second broadcasting providers. 
     
     
         5 . A receiving method comprising:
 receiving a scrambled signal corresponding to a first broadcasting provider or a second broadcasting provider by a receiver;   extracting information of a desired program from the scrambled signal to generate an extracted scrambled signal, the information of the desired program being extracted from a transport stream; and   demultiplexing a signal received at a first digital interface of a first apparatus, in which the received signal is from a second digital interface of a second apparatus,   in which the second apparatus includes a first descrambler configured to descramble an extracted scrambled signal corresponding to the first broadcasting provider and a second descrambler configured to descramble an extracted scrambled signal corresponding to the second broadcasting signal, and   in which the received signal is a descrambled signal generated by at least one of the first descrambler or second descrambler.   
     
     
         6 . The receiving method according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 receiving a plurality of scrambled signals from a plurality of scrambled signals from a plurality of broadcasting providers at the same time. 
 
     
     
         7 . The receiving method according to  claim 5 , wherein the second apparatus is configured to perform a descrambling process of the first descrambler and a descrambling process of the second descrambler simultaneously on second and third signals corresponding respectively to the first and second broadcasting providers.