Secure distribution of video on-demand

• US 20010017920A1
• Filed: 05/07/2001
• Published: 08/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TVGateway, LLC
• Inventors: Goode, Christopher, Son, Yong Ho
• Granted Patent: US 6,681,326 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/212
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23473 by pre-encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

In accordance with a first aspect, a remote server receives video programming in a first encrypted form and stores the video programming. After the remote server receives a request from a subscriber station for transmission of the video programming, the remote server decrypts the video programming, re-encrypts the video programming into a second encrypted form, and then transmits the video programming to the subscriber station. In accordance with a second aspect, a remote server receives video programming in a first encrypted form, decrypts the video programming, re-encrypts the video programming into a second encrypted form, and then stores the video programming. After the remote server receives a request from a subscriber station, the remote server simply transmits the video programming. In accordance with a third aspect, a remote server receives video programming in a first encrypted form and stores the video programming. After the remote server receives a request from a subscriber station, the remote server passes through the video content by transmitting the video programming. In accordance with a fourth aspect, a remote server receives pre-encrypted video programming and stores it. After the remote server receives a request from a subscriber station, the remote server completes encryption of the video programming and then transmits the video programming.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

storing at least one partially encrypted video program received from a programming source;

processing a partially encrypted video program corresponding to a subscriber requested video program to produce a fully encrypted video program; and

causing transmission of the fully encrypted video program to the requesting subscriber.

2. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising:

causing the transmission of a decryption key to said requesting subscriber, said decryption key being necessary to decrypt said fully encrypted video program.

3. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said fully encrypted video program is encrypted according to a public key associated with said requesting subscriber, said public key having associated with it a private key necessary to decrypt said fully encrypted video program.

4. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said fully encrypted video program is encrypted according to a private key associated with said requesting subscriber, said private key having associated with it a public key necessary to decrypt said fully encrypted video program.

5. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said fully encrypted video program is encrypted according to a public key, said public key having associated with it a private key necessary to decrypt said fully encrypted video program, said method further comprising:

causing the transmission of said private key to said requesting subscriber.

6. The method of

claim 5

, wherein said public key is encrypted prior to transmission to said requesting subscriber.

7. The method of

claim 2

, wherein said fully encrypted video program is transmitted to said requesting subscriber via a first communications channel and said decryption key is transmitted to said requesting subscriber via a second communications channel.

8. The method of

claim 1

, wherein said fully encrypted video program is encrypted according to a Data Encryption Standard.

9. The method of

claim 1

, further comprising:

multiplexing said fully encrypted video program and other signals to create a multiplexed signal for transmission to said requesting subscriber.