Decoding and decryption of partially encrypted information

• US 20020196939A1
• Filed: 01/02/2002
• Published: 12/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant L., Unger, Robert Allan
• Granted Patent: US 7,127,619 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/216
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23608 Remultiplexing multiplex streams, e.g. involving modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23897 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting only the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42615 involving specific demultiplexing arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4344 Remultiplexing of multiplex streams, e.g. by modifying time stamps or remapping the packet identifiers
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43607 Interfacing a plurality of external cards, e.g. through a DVB Common Interface [DVB-CI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43853 involving multiplex stream decryption arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43856 by partial decryption, e.g. decrypting a multiplex stream that has been partially encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44055 by partially decrypting, e.g. decrypting a video stream that has been partially encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 : Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 : Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 : Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 : Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible
• 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

Abstract

An encryption arrangement for multiple encryption of television programs. A system according to embodiments of the present invention multiple encrypts only a portion of the data required for full presentation of a television program to permit coexistence of multiple conditional access encryption systems associated with multiple manufacturer'"'"'s set-top boxes within a single system. By only encrypting a portion of the program, dramatically less bandwidth is consumed than the alternative of multiple encryption of all program data, thus permitting a larger number of programs to be carried over the same bandwidth while permitting coexistence of multiple conditional access systems in a single cable television system.

Claims

1. A method of decoding partially encrypted content, comprising:

receiving partially encrypted content comprising unencrypted content, first content encrypted under a first encryption system and second content encrypted under a second encryption system;

decrypting the second encrypted content; and

decoding the clear first content and the decrypted second content to decode the partially encrypted content.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving decrypting and decoding are carried out in a television device.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein the television device comprises a television set-top box.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving, decrypting and decoding are carried out in an integrated circuit.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the receiving, decrypting and decoding are carried out in one of an application specific integrated circuit and a field programmable gate array.

6. A method of decoding a partially encrypted television signal, comprising:

receiving a message identifying a primary packet identifier (PID) for a program and a secondary PID for the program;

decrypting packets having the secondary PID; and

combining the decrypted packets with packets having the primary PID to form a data stream representing the program.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising decoding the decrypted packets and the packets having the primary PID.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising mapping the decrypted packets to the primary PID.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the mapping is carried out in an integrated circuit device.

10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the mapping is carried out in one of an application specific integrated circuit device and a field programmable gate array.

11. The method according to claim 6, wherein packets having the primary PID comprise unencrypted packets and encrypted packets and further comprising:

receiving encrypted packets having the primary PID; and

discarding the encrypted packets having the primary PID.

12. The method according to claim 6, carried out in a television device.

13. The method according to claim 6, carried out in a television set-top box.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising decoding the decrypted packets having the secondary packet identifier along with packets having the primary packet identifier to decode the partially encrypted television program.

16. The method according to claim 14 further comprising discarding encrypted packets having the primary packet identifier.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein certain of the packets associated with the primary packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption method, and wherein the packets having a secondary packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption method.

18. The method according to claim 14, wherein the encrypted packets comprise transport stream packets carrying an MPEG packetized elementary stream (PES) header as a portion of a payload thereof.

19. The method according to claim 14, wherein the encrypted packets comprise audio packets.

20. The method according to claim 14, wherein the encrypted packets comprise time sliced samples of the television program.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein the encrypted packets comprise packets critical to decoding the television program.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein the television program is compressed and wherein the encrypted packets comprise packets critical to decompression of the television program.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the encrypted packets comprise N packets out of every M packets where N is less than M.

24. The method according to claim 14, further comprising remapping packets having the secondary packet identifier to have the primary packet identifier.

25. An electronic storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on a programmed processor, carry out the method of decoding a television program according to claim 14.

26. An electronic transmission medium carrying a sequence of instructions for carrying out a method of decoding a television program by the method according to claim 14.

28. The apparatus according to claim 27, further comprising means for discarding encrypted packets having the primary packet identifier.

29. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein certain of the packets associated with the primary packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption method, and wherein the packets having a secondary packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption method.

30. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the encrypted packets comprise transport stream packets carrying an MPEG packetized elementary stream (PES) header as a portion of a payload thereof.

31. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the encrypted packets comprise audio packets.

32. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the encrypted packets comprise video packets.

33. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the encrypted packets comprise time sliced samples of the television program.

34. The apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the television device comprises a television set-top box.

36. The apparatus according to claim 35, further comprising means for discarding encrypted packets having the primary packet identifier.

37. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein certain of the packets associated with the primary packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption method, and wherein the packets having a secondary packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption method.

38. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the encrypted packets comprise transport stream packets carrying an MPEG packetized elementary stream (PES) header as a portion of a payload thereof.

39. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the encrypted packets comprise audio packets.

40. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the encrypted packets comprise video packets.

41. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the encrypted packets comprise time sliced samples of the television program.

42. The apparatus according to claim 35, wherein content player comprises one of a television device a PDA, a music player and a personal computer.

14. A method of decoding partially encrypted television program, comprising:

identifying a television program by packets associated with a primary packet identifier and a secondary packet identifier;

decrypting packets having the secondary packet identifier.

27. A television device, comprising:

means for receiving a partially encrypted television program, the television program being identified by packets associated with either a primary packet identifier or a secondary packet identifier;

a decrypter that decrypts packets having the secondary packet identifier; and

a decoder that decodes the decrypted packets having the secondary packet identifier along with packets having the primary packet identifier to decode the partially encrypted television program.

35. A content player, comprising:

means for receiving partially encrypted audio visual content, the content being identified by packets associated with either a primary packet identifier or a secondary packet identifier;

a decrypter that decrypts packets having the secondary packet identifier; and

a decoder that decodes the decrypted packets having the secondary packet identifier along with packets having the primary packet identifier to decode the partially encrypted audio visual content.

43. A television set-top box, comprising:

a receiver that receives;

a plurality of unencrypted elementary stream packets; and

a plurality of encrypted packets, wherein both the unencrypted are required to decode a television program;

a decrypter that decrypts the encrypted packets; and

a decoder that decodes the packets to produce a television signal.

44. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the encrypted packets comprise encrypted elementary stream packets.

45. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the unencrypted packets and encrypted packets comprise transport stream packets.

46. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the encrypted packets comprise system information packets.

47. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein the encrypted and unencrypted packets are identified by a packet identifier.

48. The apparatus according to claim 47, wherein the unencrypted packets are identified by a primary packet identifier, and wherein the encrypted packets are identified by a secondary packet identifier.

50. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption technique;

and wherein the encrypted packets having the second packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption technique.

51. The apparatus according to claim 49, further comprising an MPEG decoder receiving the output stream of packets.

52. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the circuit is embodied in an integrated circuit.

53. The apparatus according to claim 49, wherein the circuit is embodied in one of a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic device and an application specific integrated circuit.

54. The apparatus according to claim 49, further comprising a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the output stream of packets based upon the packet identifiers.

49. A circuit, comprising:

an input that receives an input stream of packets, the input stream of packets comprising;

unencrypted packets having a first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having the first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having a second packet identifier,

a packet identifier reader that reads the packet identifiers of the packets in the input stream of packets, and that discards the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier;

a packet identifier re-mapping circuit that re-maps the second packet identifier to the first packet identifier to produce re-mapped packets; and

a multiplexer that multiplexes the re-mapped packets with the unencrypted packets having the first packet identifier to produce an output stream of packets.

55. A circuit, comprising:

input means for receiving an input stream of packets, the input stream of packets comprising;

unencrypted packets having a first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having the first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having a second packet identifier,

packet identifier reading means for reading the packet identifiers of the packets in the input stream of packets, and for discarding the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier;

packet identifier re-mapping means for re-mapping the second packet identifier to the first packet identifier to produce re-mapped packets; and

multiplexer means for multiplexing the re-mapped packets with the unencrypted packets having the first packet identifier to produce an output stream of packets.

56. The apparatus according to claim 55, wherein the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption technique;

and wherein the encrypted packets having the second packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption technique.

57. The apparatus according to claim 55, further comprising an MPEG decoder receiving the output stream of packets.

58. The apparatus according to claim 55, wherein the circuit is embodied in an integrated circuit.

59. The apparatus according to claim 55, wherein the circuit is embodied in one of a field programmable gate array, an application specific integrated circuit and an application specific integrated circuit.

60. The apparatus according to claim 55, further comprising a demultiplexer that demultiplexes the output stream of packets based upon the packet identifiers.

61. A method of processing packets, comprising:

receiving an input stream of packets, the input stream of packets comprising;

unencrypted packets having a first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having the first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having a second packet identifier,

reading the packet identifiers of the packets in the input stream of packets;

discarding the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier;

re-mapping the second packet identifier to the first packet identifier to produce re-mapped packets; and

multiplexing the re-mapped packets with the unencrypted packets having the first packet identifier to produce an output stream of packets.

62. The method according to claim 61, wherein the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption technique;

and wherein the encrypted packets having the second packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption technique.

63. The method according to claim 61, carried out in an integrated circuit.

64. The method according to claim 61, carried out in one of a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic device and an application specific integrated circuit.

65. The method according to claim 61, carried out in a main central processor of a television set-top box.

66. The method according to claim 61, carried out in a decoder circuit of a television set-top box.

67. The method according to claim 61, further comprising demultiplexing the output stream of packets based upon the packet identifiers.

69. The method according to claim 68, further comprising multiplexing the packets that have not been discarded with each other to produce an output stream of packets.

70. The method according to claim 68, wherein the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption technique;

and wherein the encrypted packets having the second packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption technique.

71. The method according to claim 68, carried out in an integrated circuit.

72. The method according to claim 68, carried out in one of a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic device and an application specific integrated circuit.

73. The method according to claim 68, carried out in a main central processor of a television set-top box.

74. The method according to claim 68, carried out in a decoder circuit of a television set-top box.

75. The method according to claim 68, further comprising demultiplexing the output stream of packets based upon the packet identifiers.

68. A method of processing packets, comprising:

receiving an input stream of packets, the input stream of packets comprising;

unencrypted packets having a first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having the first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having a second packet identifier,

reading the packet identifiers of the packets in the input stream of packets;

discarding the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier; and

re-mapping packets that have not been discarded so that they have the same packet identifier.

76. A circuit, comprising:

an input that receives an input stream of packets, the input stream of packets comprising;

unencrypted packets having a first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having the first packet identifier,

encrypted packets having a second packet identifier,

a packet identifier reader that reads the packet identifiers of the packets in the input stream of packets, and that discards the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier; and

a packet identifier re-mapping circuit that re-maps at least one of the second packet identifier and the first packet identifier so that the packets that have not been discarded have the same packet identifier.

77. The apparatus according to claim 76, further comprising a multiplexer that multiplexes the re-mapped packets with the unencrypted packets having the first packet identifier to produce an output stream of packets.

78. The apparatus according to claim 76, wherein the encrypted packets having the first packet identifier are encrypted according to a first encryption technique;

and wherein the encrypted packets having the second packet identifier are encrypted according to a second encryption technique.

79. The apparatus according to claim 76, further comprising an MPEG decoder receiving the output stream of packets.

80. The apparatus according to claim 76, wherein the circuit is embodied in an integrated circuit.

81. The apparatus according to claim 76, wherein the circuit is embodied in one of a field programmable gate array, a programmable logic device and an application specific integrated circuit.