Method for reducing time to first frame/seek frame of protected digital content streams

• US 10,212,460 B1
• Filed: 06/29/2012
• Issued: 02/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Dorwin, David Kimbal, Finnan, Hugh
• Primary Examiner(s): Bates, Kevin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Huang, Chen-Liang
• Application Number:
  US13/538,948
• Time in Patent Office: 2,426 Days
• Field of Search: 709231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3003 Monitoring arrangements specially adapted to the computing system or computing system component being monitored
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/105 Arrangements for software license management or administration, e.g. for managing licenses at corporate level
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1062 Editing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1073 Conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/50 Monitoring users, programs or devices to maintain the integrity of platforms, e.g. of processors, firmware or operating systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/60 Protecting data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/602 Providing cryptographic facilities or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/62 Protecting access to data via a platform, e.g. using keys or access control rules
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6209 to a single file or object, e.g. in a secure envelope, encrypted and accessed using a key, or with access control rules appended to the object itself
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 11/00 2D [Two Dimensional] image generation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/603 Digital right managament [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/801 Real time traffic
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 47/805 QOS or priority aware
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/00 Network architectures or network communication protocols for network security cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00; network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00; security arrangements for protecting computers or computer systems against unauthorised activity G06F21/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/06 for supporting key management in a packet data network cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key management H04L9/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0876 : based on the identity of the terminal or configuration, e.g. MAC address, hardware or software configuration or device fingerprint
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 : Entity profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 : Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1108 : Web based protocols, e.g. webRTC
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/613 : for the control of the source by the destination control signals issued by the client directed to the server or network components specially adapted for selective content distribution H04N21/637
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/762 : at the source reformatting of additional data in video distribution servers H04N21/2355
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 : Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0631 : Substitution permutation network [SPN], i.e. cipher composed of a number of stages or rounds each involving linear and nonlinear transformations, e.g. AES algorithms
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0861 : Generation of secret information including derivation or calculation of cryptographic keys or passwords
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/32 : including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system or for message authentication, e.g. authorization, entity authentication, data integrity or data verification, non-repudiation, key authentication or verification of credentials
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 : involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 : Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25825 : involving client display capabilities, e.g. screen resolution of a mobile phone optimising the visualisation of content during browsing in the Internet G06F16/9577; processing of terminal status or physical abilities in wireless networks H04W8/22; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 : involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 : embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 : involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 : involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards managing play of at least one stream of digital content to reduce a time to a first frame or seek frame within the content by playing unencrypted portions of the digital content received at a client device at least until key negotiations and decryption actions are completed for corresponding encrypted digital content, at which point play is switched to the decrypted content in a seamless manner. In one embodiment, the unencrypted content is at a lower quality, resolution, or bit rate than the encrypted content. In one embodiment, the at least one stream is a stream of content that includes at least a first portion that is unencrypted, and a second portion that is encrypted. In another embodiment, the at least one stream includes a first stream that is unencrypted and played until a second, encrypted, stream is readied for play.

Claims

1. A client device, comprising:

a network interface to receive content over a network; and

one or more processors that perform steps, comprising;

receiving at least one stream of digital content including an encrypted portion and an unencrypted portion;

playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content while performing a license negotiation operation with another device to produce a content decryption key;

performing a decryption operation on the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content using the content decryption key to generate decrypted digital content;

determining a location within the decrypted digital content having a video frame aligning with a video frame at a location in the unencrypted portion of the digital content; and

seamlessly switching play of the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content to play of the decrypted digital content at the determined location within the decrypted digital content.

2. The client device of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request to seek to relocate and play the at least one stream of digital content at a location other than at a beginning of the at least one stream of digital content;

responsive to receiving the request to seek, switching play of the decrypted digital content to play of a location within the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location;

playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location while performing a license negotiation operation with another device to produce a content decryption key;

performing a decryption operation on the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location using the content decryption key to produce decrypted digital content until the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location is decrypted and ready for play; and

seamlessly switching play of the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream digital content corresponding to the requested location to play of the decrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location when the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location is ready to play.

3. The client device of claim 2, wherein the location other than at a beginning comprises defined seek locations including at least one of a chapter start, chapter end, bookmarked location, or scene change location.

4. The client device of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a key rotation occurring during playing of a location in the decrypted digital content;

responsive to detecting the key rotation, switching to playing at a location within the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the location in the decrypted digital content at which the key rotation occurred; and

responsive to completion of the key rotation, seamlessly switching to playing the decrypted digital content.

12. The client device of claim 1, further comprising:

checking integrity of the client device while playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content; and

terminating the decryption operation responsive to the integrity check indicating that the client device is compromised.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving at least one stream of digital content including an encrypted portion and an unencrypted portion;

playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content while performing a license negotiation operation with another device to produce a content decryption key;

performing a decryption operation on the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content using the content decryption key to generate decrypted digital content;

determining a location within the decrypted digital content having a video frame aligning with a video frame at a location in the unencrypted portion of the digital content; and

seamlessly switching play of the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content to play of the decrypted digital content at the determined location within the decrypted digital content.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

detecting a key rotation occurring during playing of a location in the decrypted digital content;

responsive to detecting the key rotation, switching to playing at a location within the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the location in the decrypted digital content at which the key rotation occurred; and

responsive to completion of the key rotation, seamlessly switching to playing the decrypted digital content.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a request to seek to relocate and play the at least one stream of digital content at a location other than at a beginning of the at least one stream of digital content;

responsive to receiving the request to seek, switching play of the decrypted digital content to play of a location within the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location;

playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location while performing a license negotiation operation with another device to produce a content decryption key;

performing a decryption operation on the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location using the content decryption key to produce decrypted digital content until the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location is decrypted and ready for play; and

seamlessly switching play of the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream digital content corresponding to the requested location to play of the decrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location when the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location is ready to play.

8. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, having computer-executable instructions stored thereon, comprising computer program instructions for:

receiving at least one stream of digital content including an encrypted portion and an unencrypted portion;

playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content while performing a license negotiation operation with another device to produce a content decryption key;

performing a decryption operation on the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content using the content decryption key to generate decrypted digital content;

determining a location within the decrypted digital content having a video frame aligning with a video frame at a location in the unencrypted portion of the digital content; and

seamlessly switching play of the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content to play of the decrypted digital content at the determined location within the decrypted digital content.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising computer program instructions for:

receiving a request to seek to relocate and play the at least one stream of digital content at a location other than at a beginning of the at least one stream of digital content;

responsive to receiving the request to seek, switching play of the decrypted digital content to play of a location within the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location;

playing the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location while performing a license negotiation operation with antoher device to produce a content decryption key;

performing a decryption operation on the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location using the content decryption key to produce decrypted digital content until the encrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location is decrypted and ready for play; and

seamlessly switching play of the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream digital content corresponding to the requested location to play of the decrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location when the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the requested location is ready to play.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the location other than at a beginning comprises defined seek locations including at least one of a chapter start, chapter end, bookmarked location, or scene change location.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising computer program instructions for:

detecting a key rotation occurring during playing of a location in the decrypted digital content;

responsive to detecting the key rotation, switching to playing at a location within the unencrypted portion of the at least one stream of digital content corresponding to the location in the decrypted digital content at which the key rotation occurred; and

responsive to completion of the key rotation, seamlessly switching to playing the decrypted digital content.