Common interface/conditional access module and method of transmitting data between common interface card and integrated circuit chip thereof

• Main Authors: FENGI WEI, TSAN-HWI CHEN, YUUNG WANG, HSIANGI HSIEH
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.04.2015
• Subjects: BROADCAST COMMUNICATION; ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE; ELECTRICITY; PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION

A common interface (CI) /conditional access (CA) module 100 is used to transmit a conditional access data/ command and a transport stream in an interleaving manner between a common interface card 110 and an integrated circuit chip 120 having a conditional access module 140. With the aid of the CI/CA module, a same port can be shared for transmitting the conditional access data/command and the transport stream, instead of using two different and separated ports. The (CI/CA) module comprises: a common interface card, comprising an address or data bus and a transport stream bus; and an integrated circuit chip. The integrated circuit chip comprises: an input/output bus module, having a bus coupled to both the address/data bus and transport stream bus; a bridge 150 configured to receive a transport stream and to set first and second grant signals; a conditional access module configured to enable the bridge, provide a grant period signal to the bridge, and receive the second grant signal; first and second multiplexers, coupled to the input/output module, conditional access module and bridge. A corresponding method of operation for the CI/CA module is also disclosed.