Method and network for delivering streaming data

• US 20040117500A1
• Filed: 09/24/2003
• Published: 06/17/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Original Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson
• Inventors: Selander, Goran, Lindholm, Fredrik, Naslund, Mats, Norrman, Karl, Blom, Rolf
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,946 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/109 by using specially-adapted hardware at the client
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0442 wherein the sending and receiving network entities apply asymmetric encryption, i.e. different keys for encryption and decryption cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for public-key encryption H04L9/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/65 Network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/70 Media network packetisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/14 Session management for real-time applications in data packet communications networks H04L65/1066

Abstract

In a procedure for delivering streaming media, a Client (1) first requests the media from an Order Server (3). The Order Server authenticates the Client and sends a ticket to the Client. Then, the Client sends the ticket to a Streaming Server (5). The Streaming Server checks the ticket for validity and if found valid encrypts the streaming data using a standardized real-time protocol such as the SRTP and transmits the encrypted data to the Client. The Client receives the data and decrypts them. Copyrighted material adapted to streaming can be securely delivered to the Client. The robust protocol used is very well suited for in particular wireless clients and similar devices having a low capacity such as cellular telephones and PDAs.

Claims

1. A method of secure downloading of streaming data to a client having an identity, characterized by the sequential steps of:

the client ordering from an order server the delivery of streaming data,

the order server receiving the order, and in response to the order, authenticating the client and transmitting a digital ticket to the client,

the client transmitting at least part of the digital ticket client to a streaming server, the part comprising a request to download the streaming data to the client,

the streaming server encrypting the streaming data using a robust and secure transport protocol and transmitting the encrypted streaming data, and

the client receiving the encrypted streaming data and decrypting them.

2. A method according to claim 1, characterized by transmitting, in the step of transmitting the digital ticket, in the digital ticket cryptographic information to be used by the streaming server in the step of encrypting the streaming data and by the client in the step of decrypting the streaming data.

3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that said cryptographic information is transmitted in way making it impossible for the client to access the cryptographic information, in particular transmitting the cryptographic information in an encrypted form.

4. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the additional step of transferring, in the step of transmitting the order, charging information from the client to the order server.

5. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the robust and secure transport protocol includes a standardized real-time protocol.

6. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the additional step of selecting the robust and secure transport protocol to be insensitive to occasional errors during transmission, in particular to be capable of correcting occasional errors and/or so that occasional errors have little effect on the transmitted data, in particular errors including delay or distortion.

7. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport protocol includes the Secure Real Time Protocol.

8. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport protocol includes the Robust Header Compression protocol.

9. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the additional step of storing the identity of the client in a tamper resistant identity module.

10. A method according to claim 7, characterized by the additional step of storing also the usage rights of the user in the tamper resistant identity module.

11. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that in the transmitting, the transmitting is made wirelessly.

12. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the additional step of associating the identity with a user.

13. A method according to claim 1, characterized by the additional step of associating the identity with an IP address of a user.

14. A client device for communication with an order server and a streaming server for secure downloading of streaming data from the streaming server to the client device, which has an identity, characterized by:

ordering means for preparing and transmitting an order to the order server for delivery of an object of streaming data,

ticket receiving means for receiving a digital ticket from the order server,

ticket forwarding means for forwarding at least part of the digital ticket client to the streaming server, the part comprising a request to download the object of streaming data to the client, and

streaming data receiving means for receiving streaming data of the object.

15. A client device according to claim 14, characterized in the streaming data receiving means comprise or are connected to means for decrypting the received streaming data.

16. A client device according to claim 15, characterized in that the ticket receiving means are arranged to extract from the digital ticket cryptographic information to be used for decrypting streaming data received by streaming data receiving means.

17. A client device according to claim 15, characterized in that the ticket forwarding means are arranged to forward in said at least part of the digital ticket cryptographic information to be used by the streaming server for encrypting streaming data to be transmitted to the client device.

23. A network for secure downloading of streaming data, characterized by a client device according to claim 14, an order server means device according to claim 18 and a streaming server according to claim 21.

18. An order server for communication with a client device for secure downloading of streaming data from a streaming server to the client device, which has an identity, characterized by:

order receiving means for receiving from the client device an order of an object of streaming data,

ticket means for preparing a digital ticket and transmitting the digital ticket to the client device, the ticket containing information on the ordered object of streaming to be forwarded by the client device to the streaming server.

19. An order server according to claim 18, characterized in that the ticket means are arranged to prepare the ticket to contain cryptographic information to be used by the client device and/or the streaming server in the secure downloading of the streaming data of the ordered object.

20. An order server according to claim 18, characterized by charging means connected to the order receiving means for charging the client device or a user associated therewith for the order object of streaming data.

21. A streaming server for communication with a client device for secure downloading of streaming data from the streaming server to the client device, which has an identity, characterized by:

storage means for storing a plurality of objects of streaming data,

ticket receiving means for receiving a ticket from the client device, the ticket containing information at least partly derived from a ticket transmitted from an order server to the client device,

extracting means connected to the ticket receiving means for extracting information from the ticket, the extracted information comprising an indication of an object of streaming data stored in the streaming server, and

session download means connected to the extracting means for downloading the indicated object of streaming data to the client device.

22. A streaming server according to claim 21, characterized in that the extracting means are arranged to extract information of a key and that the session download means are arranged to encrypt the streaming data in the downloading operation.