Daryl Glen Messenger

US Patent:

8484671, Jul 9, 2013

Filed:

Oct 7, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/680862

Inventors:

Raynold M. Kahn - Los Angeles CA, US
Philip I. Siegel - Fountain Valley CA, US
Daryl G. Messenger - Inglewood CA, US
Dennis R. Flaharty - Irvine CA, US

Assignee:

The DIRECTV Group, Inc. - El Segundo CA

International Classification:

H04N 7/16

US Classification:

725 25, 725 27, 725 28, 725 29, 725 30, 725 31

Abstract:

A device and method for multiple access cards to interface to at least one integrated receiver/decoder (IRD) and methods for using the device. The interface device of the present invention contains multiple access card readers and houses multiple access cards. The device can switch between access cards based on pre-configured software that rotates the cards according to various conditions. In another embodiment, the device can simultaneously operate all the cards. The device can select one card for the IRD based on responses acquired for the various conditions. In addition, the present invention allows monitoring access card authorizations and blackout states in multiple IRDs. A single access card can be applied to more than one IRD simultaneously, and the IRDs can be different versions. In addition, the present invention provides a satellite broadcast center with the capability of testing multiple access cards in real time either sequentially, or in parallel, through multiple IRDs.