Method and apparatus for securing control words

• US 20040151314A1
• Filed: 01/22/2004
• Published: 08/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brant L. Candelore
• Original Assignee: Brant L. Candelore
• Inventors: Candelore, Brant L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,302,058 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4367 Establishing a secure communication between the client and a peripheral device or smart card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

In accordance with one embodiment, a method for securing control words is provided. The method includes receiving scrambled digital content in a descrambler integrated circuit. The method further includes receiving an encrypted control word in the descrambler integrated circuit, decrypting the encrypted control word using a key stored in a register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit, and descrambling the scrambled digital content in the descrambler integrated circuit using the decrypted control word.

Claims

1. A method of descrambling digital content comprising:

receiving scrambled digital content in a descrambler integrated circuit

receiving an encrypted control word in the descrambler integrated circuit;

decrypting the encrypted control word using a key stored in the descrambler integrated circuit; and

descrambling the scrambled digital content in the descrambler integrated circuit using the decrypted control word.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is content contained in a television transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital content is content downloaded from the Internet.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the control word is decrypted using Triple DES.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a smart card.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising encrypting the control word in the smart card using a key stored in a register circuit of the smart card, wherein the key stored in the register circuit of the smart card is associated with the key stored in the register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a controlling entity connected to the descrambler integrated circuit by a network.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the controlling entity is selected from the group comprising a headend server, an uplink, or a broadcast station.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the control word is encrypted by the controlling entity using a key associated with the key stored in the register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a module.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the module is selected from the group comprising an NRSS-A module, an NRSS-B module, a POD module, and other CA element.

20. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the control word is encrypted by the controlling entity using a key associated with the key stored in the register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a module.

12. An apparatus of descrambling digital content comprising:

means for receiving scrambled digital content in a descrambler integrated circuit;

means for receiving an encrypted control word in the descrambler integrated circuit;

means for decrypting the encrypted control word using a key stored in the descrambler integrated circuit; and

means for descrambling the scrambled digital content in the descrambler integrated circuit using the decrypted control word.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the digital content is content contained in a television transmission.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the digital content is content downloaded from the Internet.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the control word is decrypted using Triple DES.

16. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a smart card.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising encrypting the control word in the smart card using a key stored in a register circuit of the smart card, wherein the key stored in the register circuit of the smart card is associated with the key stored in the register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit.

18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a controlling entity connected to the descrambler integrated circuit by a network.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the controlling entity is selected from the group comprising a headend server, an uplink, or a broadcast station.

22. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the module is selected from the group comprising an NRSS-A module, an NRSS-B module, a POD module, and other CA element.

23. An apparatus of descrambling digital content comprising:

a descrambler integrated circuit;

a receiver scrambled digital content in a descrambler integrated circuit, and to receive an encrypted control word in the descrambler integrated circuit;

a decrypter the encrypted control word using a key stored in the descrambler integrated circuit; and

a descrambler the scrambled digital content in the descrambler integrated circuit using the decrypted control word.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the digital content is content contained in a television transmission.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the digital content is content downloaded from the Internet.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the control word is decrypted using Triple DES.

27. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a smart card.

28. The apparatus of claim 27 further comprising encrypting the control word in the smart card using a key stored in a register circuit of the smart card, wherein the key stored in the register circuit of the smart card is associated with the key stored in the register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit.

29. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a controlling entity connected to the descrambler integrated circuit by a network;

30. The apparatus of claim 29 wherein the control word is encrypted by the controlling entity using a key associated with the key stored in the register circuit of the descrambler integrated circuit.

31. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the encrypted control word is received from a module.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the module is selected from the group comprising an NRSS-A module, an NRSS-B module, a POD module, and other CA element.

33. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the controlling entity is selected from the group comprising a headend sever, an uplink, or a broadcast station.