Television delivery system

摘要

A system, device, and method for receiver access control in an interne television system uses a push mechanism to distribute access control information from a distribution device to an access device. The access device uses the access control information to make receiver access control decisions for a subsequently received request from a host to join a television channel multicast group.

主权项

1. A television delivery system for delivering a video signal to a host device for display, the system comprising:
a distribution network comprising an IP network that carries at least some television channels in multicast groups; a distribution device communicatively coupled to the distribution network, the distribution device having a predetermined push mechanism to distribute access control information on the distribution network before the access control information is needed to control access by the host device to at least one television channel; and at least one access device for coupling the host device to the distribution network with the at least one access device located closer to the host device than the distribution device within the distribution network, the at least one access device being communicatively coupled to the distribution network to receive the distributed access control information before the access control information is needed to control access by the host device to at least one television channel whereby the access control information is moved closer to the host device before the access control information is needed by the host device to control access by the host device to the at least one television channel, thereby reducing channel change delay, wherein the access control information is multicast group access control information for controlling access to multicast groups carrying television channels.