Conditional access personal video recorder

• US 20040177369A1
• Filed: 03/06/2003
• Published: 09/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/06/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Inventors: Akins, Glendon L. III
• Application Number:
  US10/383,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20040177369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2005/91364 the video signal being scrambled
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• 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 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/913 for scrambling ; for copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• 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 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A Personal Video Recorder (PVR) in a subscriber television network receives service instances from a headend of the subscriber television network. The PVR is adapted to provide conditional access to recorded service instances.

Claims

1. A method of providing through a settop a digital service to a subscriber in a digital subscriber system having a headend, the method comprising the steps of:

retrieving a given decryptor and a set of packets from a storage device, the set of packets carrying a portion of a digital service, wherein the storage device has multiple sets of packets and multiple decryptors stored therein, each decryptor associated with a particular set of packets, and the multiple sets of packets make up the digital service; and

determining whether the settop is entitled to access the set of packets by at least processing at least a portion of the given decryptor;

responsive to determining the settop is entitled to access the set of packets, further including the steps of;

processing at least a portion of the given decryptor with a first key to generate a decryption-key therefrom; and

decrypting content included in the set of packets with the decryption-key.

2. The method of claim 1, prior to the step of retrieving, further including the steps of:

receiving packets carrying the digital service and a plurality of entitlement control messages; and

storing the packets carrying the digital service and multiple decryptors.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the digital service and the entitlement control messages are received through a communication link extending between a headend of the digital subscriber system and the settop disposed at a remote location.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein each entitlement control message includes a shared-secret identifier and decryption-key-material, and prior to the step of storing, further including the steps of:

retrieving a shared-secret using the shared-secret identifier, wherein the shared-secret is a second key shared by both the headend and the settop;

determining whether the settop is entitled to access the digital service by processing at least a portion of a given entitlement control message of the plurality of received entitlement control messages; and

responsive to determining the settop is entitled to access the digital service, further including the steps of;

generating the decryption-key by processing the decryption-key-material of the given entitlement control message with the retrieved shared-secret; and

encrypting the decryption-key with the first key to generate an encrypted decryption-key, wherein the encrypted decryption-key is included in the decryptor.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of processing at least a portion of the decryptor with the first key includes the step of:

decrypting the encrypted decryption-key with the first key thereby generating the decryption-key.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the act of processing the decryption-key-material with the shared-secret includes the act of encrypting the decryption-key-material.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein the act of processing the decryption-key-material with the shared-secret includes the act of decrypting the decryption-key-material.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled to access the digital service further includes the step of:

authenticating the given entitlement control message using at least a portion of the shared-secret and at least a portion of the entitlement control message.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of authentication further includes the steps of:

generating a first authentication token by processing at least a portion of the content of the given entitlement control message with the shared-secret, wherein the content of the given entitlement control message includes a second authentication token; and

determining whether the first authentication token and the second authentication token are the same, wherein responsive to the first and second authentication token being the same, the given entitlement control message is authentic.

10. The method of claim 4, and wherein the given entitlement control message further includes a service-identifier associated with the digital service, and further including the steps of:

receiving at the settop a management message having an entitlement setting of the settop for the digital service included therein, wherein the entitlement setting indicates whether the settop is entitled to access or is not entitled to access the digital service; and

storing the entitlement setting of the settop for the digital service in a memory; and

wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled to access the digital service further includes the step of;

using the service-identifier of the given entitlement control message to check the entitlement setting.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the given decryptor further includes a first key-identifier for identifying the first key, an authentication token, a service-identifier, and temporal information associated with the digital service.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the given decryptor is an entitlement control message, which was received from the headend and stored in the storage device.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the given decryptor was generated at the settop and stored in the storage device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the temporal information includes a broadcast time specifier associated with when the digital service was broadcast from the headend.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the temporal information defines a time-span over which the digital service can be accessed.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled further includes the steps of:

receiving from the headend a time-message having a time specifier, a shared-secret identifier for identifying a shared-secret and a authentication token included therein; and

authenticating the time-message using at least the shared-secret and at least a portion of the time-message.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of authenticating the time-message further includes the steps of:

generating a second authentication token by processing at least a portion of the content of the time-message with the shared-secret; and

determining whether the first authentication token and the second authentication token are the same, wherein responsive to the first and second authentication token being the same, the time-message is authentic.

18. The method of claim 17, further including the step of:

determining whether a time indicator included in the time-message is within an entitled time-span defined by temporal information included in the decryptor; and

determining whether an entitlement setting associated with the decryptor is set to entitled, wherein the settop is entitled to access the digital service responsive to both the time-message being authentic, the time being within the defined time-span and the entitlement setting being set to entitled.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled further includes the step of:

authenticating the given decryptor using at least the first key and at least a portion of the given decryptor.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of authenticating the given decryptor further includes the steps of:

generating a second authentication token by processing at least a portion of the content of the given decryptor with the first key; and

determining whether the first authentication token and the second authentication token are the same, wherein responsive to the first and second authentication token being the same, the given decryptor is authentic.

21. The method of claim 20, further including the step of:

determining whether an entitlement setting associated with the given decryptor is set to entitled, wherein the settop is entitled to access the digital service responsive to both the given decryptor being authentic and the entitlement setting being set to entitled.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the given decryptor is an entitlement control message that was received from the headend and stored in the storage device.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the first key is a shared secret key that is shared by both the headend and the settop.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the given decryptor is generated at the settop.

25. The method of claim 1, further including the steps of:

retrieving a PVR-Rights ECM from the storage device, wherein the PVR-Rights ECM includes a service-right identifier; and

authenticating the PVR-Rights ECM, wherein responsive to the PVR-Rights ECM not being authentic, at least one selected function of the settop cannot be performed.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein responsive to the PVR-Rights ECM being authentic, further including the steps of:

determining a service-right setting identified by the service-right identifier is set to entitled or not entitled, wherein the service-right setting is associated with a given function of the settop, and responsive to the service-right setting being set to not entitled, the settop cannot perform the given function.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the given function is a digital service duplication function, and responsive to the setting being set to entitled, the settop duplicates the digital service.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the duplicate digital service is stored in an external device, and the external device is adapted to provide the digital service independent of the settop.

29. The method of claim 26, further including the steps of:

responsive to determining the service-right setting identified by the service-right identifier is set to not entitled;

transmitting a first message to the headend;

receiving a second message from the headend;

authenticating the second message, wherein responsive to the second message being authentic, the settop can perform the given function.

30. The method of claim 25, further including the steps of:

receiving a PVR-rights management message having at least one PVR service right setting included therein;

determining whether the PVR-rights management message is authentic; and

responsive to the PVR-rights management message being authentic, storing the PVR service rights in a memory.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the PVR-Rights management message includes a public-key identifier, a first authentication token, and encrypted content, and the step of determining whether the PVR-Rights management message is authentic further includes the steps of:

decrypting the encrypted content of the PVR-Rights management message with a private key of a private key-public key pair belonging to the settop;

decoding the first authentication token with a public key associated with the public-key identifier;

generating a second authentication token at least a portion of the decrypted content of the PVR-Rights management message; and

comparing the decoded first authentication token with the second authentication token, wherein the PVR-Rights management message is authentic if the decoded first authentication token and the second authentication token are the same.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled further includes the steps of:

transmitting a message to the headend, the message including a challenge;

receiving a message from the headend, the message including the challenge, a time indicator, and an authentication token; and

authenticating the message, wherein the settop is entitled to access the digital service only if the message is authentic.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the step of authenticating the message further includes the steps of:

generating a second authentication token by processing at least a portion of the content of the message with a shared-secret; and

determining whether the first authentication token and the second authentication token are the same, wherein responsive to the first and second authentication token being the same, the message is authentic.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled further includes the steps of:

receiving from the headend a time-message having a second time indicator, a shared-secret identifier for identifying a shared-secret and a authentication token included therein; and

authenticating the time-message using at least the shared-secret and at least a portion of the time-message; and

comparing the first time indicator to the second time indicator, wherein the settop is only entitled if both the first message and the time-message are authentic and if the second time indicator is not earlier than the first time indicator.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the storage device has a plurality of decryptors stored therein, each decryptor is associated with a set of packets of the multiple packets carrying the digital service and includes decryption-key-material for generating a decryption-key to decrypt content included in the associated set of packets, the decryption-key-material of a first decryptor of the plurality of decryptors is different from the decryption-key-material of a second decryptor of the plurality of decryptors, and the decryption-key generated from the first decryptor is different from the decryption-key of the second decryptor.

36. A Personal Service Recorder (PSR) for providing a user with a recorded digital service, the PSR comprising:

a storage device adapted to store a digital service carried in a plurality of packets and a plurality of decryptors, each decryptor associated with a set of packets of the plurality of packets, wherein each set of packets make up a portion of the digital service;

an entitlement-verifier module in communication with the storage device adapted to receive from the storage device a given decryptor of the plurality of decryptors and determine whether the PSR is entitled to access a given set of packets by at least processing at least a portion of the given decryptor; and

a key-generation module in communication with the entitlement-verifier, the key-generation adapted to generate a decryption-key using a first key and at least a portion of the given decryptor, wherein the key-generation module only generates the decryption-key responsive to entitlement-verifier determining the PSR is entitled to access the given set of packets.

37. The PSR of claim 36, wherein the decryption-key generated by the key-generator using at least a portion of the given decryptor is different from a second decryption-key generated by the key-generator using at least a portion of a second given decryptor.

38. The PSR of claim 36, further including:

a decryption module in communication with the key-generation module and the storage device, the decryption module adapted to receive the decryption-key and the given set of packets, each packet of the set of packets carrying encrypted content, and decrypt the encrypted content included in the given set of packets using the decryption key.

39. The PSR of claim 36, further including:

a memory in communication with the key-generation module and the entitlement-verifier module, the memory having the first key included therein and entitlement setting included therein, wherein the entitlement-verifier module uses at least a portion of the entitlement settings to determine whether the PSR is entitled to access the given set of packets.

40. The PSR of claim 39, further including:

an authenticator module in communication with the storage device and the entitlement-verifier, the authenticator module adapted to receive the given decryptor and determine whether the decryptor is authenticate using at least a portion of the decryptor and the first key.

41. The PSR of claim 40, wherein responsive to the authenticator module determining that the decryptor is not authentic, the entitlement-verifier determines that the PSR is not entitled to access the given set of packets.

42. The PSR of claim 40, wherein the decryptor includes a first authentication token, and the authenticator module is adapted to generate a second authentication token from at least a portion of the decryptor and at least a portion of the first key and compare the first and second authentication tokens, wherein responsive to the first and second authentication tokens being the same, the authenticator module determines the decryptor is authentic.

43. The PSR of claim 40, wherein the memory includes a private key of a private key-public key pair belonging to the PSR, and the entitlement-verifier module, the key-generator module, the authenticator module, and the memory are included in a secure element, and the private key is not accessible to modules outside of the secure element.

44. The PSR of claim 40, wherein the PSR is in communication with a headend of a subscriber television system that provides digital services to the PSR, and the PSR receives a time-message from the headend, the time-message including a time indicator, a shared secret identifier, and a first authentication token, wherein the memory includes a shared secret associated with the shared secret identifier, the authenticator retrieves the shared secret from the memory using the shared secret identifier and determines whether the time-message is authentic using at least a portion of the time-message and at least a portion of the shared secret, and responsive to the time-message not being authentic, the entitlement-verifier determines that the PSR is not entitled to access the given set of packets.

45. The PSR of claim 44, wherein responsive to the authenticator determining the time-message is authentic, the entitlement-verifier uses at least the time indicator to determine whether the PSR is entitled to access the given set of packets.

46. The PSR of claim 45, wherein the decryptor includes temporal information that defines a time span over which the PSR is entitled to access the set of packets, and the PSR is entitled to access the set of packets responsive to the time indicator being within the defined time span.

47. The PSR of claim 45, wherein the memory includes temporal information that defines a time span over which the PSR is entitled to access the set of packets stored therein, and the PSR is entitled to access the set of packets responsive to the time indicator being within the defined time span.

48. The PSR of claim 40, further including:

a decryptor-generator module in communication with the memory adapted to receive an particular Entitlement Control Message having a service identifier, a shared-secret identifier, key-decryption-material, and an authentication token include therein and generate therefrom a particular decryptor using at least the Entitlement Control Message and the first key.

49. The PSR of claim 48, wherein the authenticator is adapted to receive the Entitlement Control Message and determine whether the Entitlement Control Message is authentic, and the decryptor-generator module is adapted to generate a decryptor only if the authenticator module has determined the Entitlement Control Message is authentic.

50. The PSR of claim 49, wherein the memory includes a shared secret that is shared by PSR and the headend, wherein the authenticator generates a second authentication token using at least a portion of the Entitlement Control Message and the shared secret and compares the second authentication token with the authentication token of the Entitlement Control Message and determines the Entitlement Control Message is authentic responsive to the two authentication tokens being the same.

51. The PSR of claim 49, wherein the memory includes a shared secret that is shared by PSR and the headend, wherein the decryptor-generator module is adapted to process the key-decryption-material of the Entitlement Control Message with the shared secret to generate a particular decryption-key, wherein the decryptor-generator module encrypts the particular decryption-key with the first key and includes the encrypted decryption-key in a particular decryptor.

52. The PSR of claim 51, wherein decryptor-generator module is adapted to include temporal information and an authentication token in the particular decryptor.

53. The PSR of claim 51, wherein responsive to the authenticator module determining that the Entitlement Control Message is authentic, the entitlement-verifier module determines whether the PSR is entitled to access packets of the digital service, and responsive to the entitlement-verifier determining the PSR is entitled to access packets of the digital service, the decryptor-generator module generates the decryption-key by encrypting the decryption-key-material with the shared secret.

54. The PSR of claim 36, further including:

a challenge module in communication with the key-generation module, the challenge module adapted to generate a challenge and include the challenge in a message.

55. The PSR of claim 54, wherein the challenge module is further adapted to receive a reply challenge message and authenticate the reply challenge message using the generated challenge.

56. In a subscriber television system having a headend in communication with a settop, a method of providing a recorded digital service to a subscriber of the digital subscriber system, the method implemented in the settop and comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving a message from the headend, the message specifying a time;

(b) retrieving from a storage device a given decryptor, the storage device having a plurality of decryptors and a digital service that is carried in a plurality of packets stored therein the storage device, wherein each decryptor is associated with a set of packets of the plurality of packets, and each decryptor includes decryption-key-material for generating a decryption-key to decrypt the set of packets associated with the decryptor;

(c) processing the decryption-key-material included in the given decryptor with a first key to generate a decryption-key therefrom;

(d) determining whether the settop is entitled to access the recorded digital service by using at least a portion of the given decryptor and at least the specified time; and

;

responsive to determining the settop is entitled to access the digital service, further including the steps of;

(e) decrypting the set of packets associated with the decryptor using the decryption-key;

(f) determining whether the entire recorded digital service has been accessed; and

(g) responsive to determining that the entire digital service has not been accessed, repeating steps (a) through (f).

57. The method of claim 56, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled to access the recorded service further includes the steps of:

(h) authenticating the message from the headend;

(i) authenticating the decryptor, wherein the settop is only entitled if the both the message and decryptor are authentic; and

(j) responsive to the decryptor being authentic, further including the steps of;

(k) determining an entitlement specifier from the decryptor, the entitlement specifier specifying an entitlement setting for the recorded digital service; and

(l) checking the entitlement setting for the recorded digital service using the entitlement specifier, wherein the settop is only entitled if the entitlement setting is set to a predetermined value.

58. The method of claim 57, wherein the step of authenticating the decryptor further includes the steps of:

(m) generating a first hash digest using at least secret information related to the decryptor as an input into a first hash function;

(n) comparing the first hash digest with a first authentication token included in the decryptor, wherein the decryptor is authentic only if the first authentication token and the first hash digest are the same;

and wherein the step of authenticating the message further includes the steps of;

(o) inputting at least a portion of the message and secret information related to the message into a second hash function to generate a second hash digest;

(p) comparing the second hash digest with a second authentication token included in the message, wherein the message is authentic only if the second authentication token and the second hash digest are the same.

59. The method of claim 58, wherein at least a portion of the decryption-key is also included as input into the first hash function.

60. The method of claim 58, wherein at least a portion of the decryption-key-material is also included as input into the first hash function.

61. The method of claim 56, prior to step (a), further including the steps of:

(h) receiving from the headend a stream of packets, the stream of packets including packets carrying a portion of the digital service and an entitlement control message, wherein the entitlement control message is associated with a specific set of packets of the stream of packets; and

(i) recording the stream of packets carrying the digital service in the storage device.

62. The method of claim 61, prior to step (i), further including the steps of:

(j) determining whether the settop is entitled to access the specific set of packets;

responsive to determining the settop is entitled to access the specific set of packets, further including the steps of;

(k) generating the decryption-key from the entitlement control message and a second key;

(1) providing at least a portion of the decryption-key and secret information to a hash function to generate an authentication token;

(m) generating the decryption-key-material by encrypting the decryption-key with the first key;

(n) including the decryption-key-material and the authentication token in a decryptor;

(o) providing the decryptor and the specific set of packets to the storage device; and

(p) repeating steps (i) through (o) until the service is completed.

63. The method of claim 62, wherein step (n) further includes the step of including temporal information in the decryptor, wherein the temporal information defines an entitled time span over which the settop is entitled to access the recorded service.

64. The method of claim 61, wherein step (i) further includes recording the entitlement control message with the digital service in the storage device, wherein the stored entitlement control message is a decryptor of the plurality of decryptors.

65. The method of claim 56, wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

decrypting the decryption-key-material with the first key.

66. The method of claim 56, wherein step (c) further includes the step of:

encrypting the decryption-key-material with the first key.

67. The method of claim 56, wherein the step of determining whether the settop is entitled to access the recorded service further includes the steps of:

(h) generating a challenge;

(i) providing the challenge to both a memory of the settop and a challenge message, wherein the challenge is stored in the memory and included in the challenge message;

(j) transmitting the challenge message to the headend;

(k) receiving a reply challenge message from the headend, the reply challenge message having a reply challenge included therein;

(l) comparing the reply challenge with the stored challenge, wherein the settop is entitled only if the reply challenge and the stored challenge are the same.

68. The method of claim 67, further including the step of:

(m) authenticating the reply challenge message, wherein the settop is entitled only if the reply challenge message is authentic.

69. The method of claim 67, further including the step of:

(m) comparing a reference time with the specified time, wherein the reply challenge message includes the reference time, and the settop is only entitled if the specified time is later than or equal to the reference time.

70. The method of claim 67, wherein the challenge is a random number.

71. The method of claim 56, wherein responsive to determining the settop is not entitled to access the specific set of packets, further including the steps of:

(h) generating a challenge;

(i) providing the challenge to both a memory of the settop and a challenge message, wherein the challenge is stored in the memory and included in the challenge message;

(j) transmitting the challenge message to headend, wherein the challenge message further includes a first set of rights of the settop to the recorded service;

(k) receiving a reply challenge message, the reply challenge message having a second set of rights of the settop to the recorded service included therein;

(l) authenticating the reply challenge message;

responsive to the reply challenge message being authentic, further including the steps of;

(m) further determining whether the settop is now entitled to access the specific set of packets using the second set of rights;

(n) responsive to the settop being entitled, implementing steps (e), (f) and (g).

72. The method of claim 71, wherein step (l) further includes the steps of:

(o) decrypting at least a portion of the content of the reply challenge message with a second key;

(p) providing at least a portion of the content of the reply challenge message and a secret to a hash function to generate a hash digest;

(q) coding an authentication token included in the reply challenge message with a public key of a public key-private key pair, the public key belonging to the headend; and

(r) comparing the hash digest with the coded authentication token, wherein the reply challenge message is authentic only if the hash digest and the coded authentication token are the same.

73. The method of claim 56, wherein step (d) further includes the step of:

(h) determining whether the specified time is within an entitled time span, wherein the settop is only entitled if the specified time is within the entitled time span.

74. A Personal Service Recorder (PSR) in a subscriber television system that transmits digital services from a headend to the PSR, the PSR for providing a user with a recorded digital service, the PSR comprising:

a storage device having a digital service carried in a plurality of packets and a plurality of decryptors stored therein, each decryptor associated with a set of packets of the plurality of packets, wherein each set of packets make up a portion of the digital service;

a cryptographic device in communication with the storage device adapted to decrypt a given set of packets with a given control word;

a memory having entitlements to digital services stored therein;

a processor in communication with the decryptor and the memory, the processor adapted to receive a user input and responsive thereto determine whether the PSR is entitled to access the given set of packets, wherein responsive to the PSR being entitled to access the given set of packets, the processor processes a given decryptor of the plurality of decryptors with a first key to generate the control word and provides the control word to the cryptographic device.

75. The PSR of claim 74, wherein the memory and the processor are packaged in tamper resistant packaging.

76. The PSR of claim 74, wherein the memory is accessible only to the processor, and a private key of a public key-private key pair belonging to the PSR is stored in the memory.

77. The PSR of claim 74, wherein the given decryptor includes an authentication token, and the processor determines whether the decryptor is authentic using the authentication token, and the control word is provided to the decryptor only if the decryptor is authentic.

78. The PSR of claim 77, wherein the decryptor includes key-decryption-material and a key identifier, and responsive to the decryptor being authentic, the processor retrieves the first key from the memory using the key identifier included in the decryptor and processes the key-decryption-material with the first key to generate the control word.

79. The PSR of claim 78, wherein the control word is generated by decrypting the key-decryption-material with the first key.

80. The PSR of claim 78, wherein the control word is generated by encrypting the key-decryption-material with the first key.

81. The PSR of claim 74, wherein the processor is further adapted to receive a time-message having a specific time included therein and determine whether the specific time is within a given time span, wherein the control word is provided to cryptographic device only if the specific time is within the time span.

82. The PSR of claim 74, further including:

an input port in communication with the headend and the storage device, the input port receiving a stream of packets carrying a given digital service and entitlement control messages associated with the given digital service, and wherein the processor is further adapted to determine whether the PSR is entitled to record the given digital service, and responsive to the PSR being entitled to access the given digital service, the processor generates the control word using a second key, encrypts the control word with the first key, thereby converting the control word into key-decryption-material, and includes the key-decryption-material in a decryptor.

83. The PSR of claim 74, wherein the processor is further adapted to generate a challenge and an authentication token, the processor includes the challenge and the authentication token in a secure message, wherein the secure message is transmitted to the headend.

84. The PSR of claim 83, wherein the authentication token is a digitally signed hash digest, which was signed by the processor using a private key of a public key-private key pair belonging to the PSR, the hash digest is an output of a hash function having at least a portion of the challenge as an input.

85. The PSR of claim 83, wherein processor is further adapted to authenticate a reply message, wherein control word is only provided to the cryptographic device responsive to the reply message being authentic.

86. The PSR of claim 83, wherein the reply message includes a reference time, and the processor is further adapted to receive a time-message having a specific time included therein and determine whether the specific time is earlier than the reference time, and the control word is provided to cryptographic device only if the specific time is equal to or later than the reference time.

87. The PSR of claim 86, wherein the given decryptor includes temporal information that defines a time span, and the processor is adapted to determine whether the specific time is within the given time span, wherein the control word is provided to cryptographic device only if the specific time is within the time span.

88. The PSR of claim 83, wherein the secure message is transmitted to the headend responsive to the PSR not being entitled to access the given set of packets.

89. A method of providing a recorded digital service to a subscriber in a subscriber television system, the method implemented in a settop in communication with a headend of the subscriber television system, the method comprising the steps of:

recording in a storage device a plurality of decryptors and a digital service transmitted from the headend to the settop, wherein the digital service is carried in a plurality of packets, each decryptor of the plurality of decryptors is associated with a set of packets of the plurality of packets, and each decryptor includes decryption-key-material to decrypt the set of packets associated with the decryptor;

receiving user input for accessing the recorded digital service;

receiving from the headend a time-message that specifies a time;

retrieving from the storage device a given decryptor of the plurality of decryptors;

processing the decryption-key-material included in the given decryptor with a first key to generate a control word therefrom;

inputting at least a portion of the time-message into a first hash function to generate a first digest;

processing a first authentication token included in the time-message with a public key of a public key-private key pair;

comparing the first digest with the processed first authentication token, wherein responsive to the first digest and the processed first authentication token being the same, the time-message is authentic;

inputting at least a portion of the decryptor into a second hash function to generate a second digest;

comparing the second digest with a second authentication token included in the decryptor, wherein responsive to the second digest and the second authentication token being the same, the decryptor is authentic; and

responsive to both the decryptor and the time-message being authentic, further including the steps of;

determining whether the specified time is within a given entitled time span;

determining whether the settop is entitled to access the recorded digital service by using at least a portion of the given decryptor;

responsive to both determining the settop is entitled to access the digital service and determining the settop is entitled to access the recorded digital service, further including the steps of;

decrypting the set of packets associated with the decryptor using the control word; and

determining whether the entire recorded digital service has been accessed.

90. A Personal Service Recorder (PSR) for providing a recorded digital service to a subscriber in a subscriber television system that transmits digital services from a headend to the PSR, the PSR comprising:

an input port receiving a stream of packets, the stream of packets including packets carrying a digital service and packets carrying time-messages, each time-message having a specific time and an authentication token included therein;

a storage device in communication with the input port, the storage device adapted to store the packets carrying the digital service and a plurality of decryptors therein, each decryptor associated with a set of packets carrying the digital service, each decryptor having decryption-key-material and an authentication token, the decryption-key-material for generating a control word for decrypting a particular set of packets carrying the digital service;

a cryptographic device in communication with the storage device adapted to decrypt a given set of packets with a given control word;

a memory having entitlements to digital services, a first key, and a public key of a public key-private key pair stored therein;

a processor in communication with the input port, the cryptographic device and the memory, the processor adapted to input at least a portion of a given time-message into a first hash function to generate a first hash, process the authentication token of the time-message with the public key, compare the first hash digest with the processed authentication token, wherein the given time-message is authentic only if the first hash digest and the processed first authentication token are the same, the processor further adapted to input at least a portion of a given decryptor of the plurality of decryptors into a second hash function to generate a second hash, compare the second hash digest with a second authentication token included in the given decryptor, wherein the given decryptor is authentic only if the second hash digest and the second authentication token are the same, the processor further adapted to determine whether the specific time included in the time-message is within an entitled time span and determine whether the PSR is entitled to access the given set of packets using the entitlements stored in the memory, the processor further adapted to generate the given control word using the first key and the decryption-key-material included in the given decryptor and provide the given control word to the cryptographic device, wherein the processor provides the given control word to the cryptographic device only if the time-message and the decryptor are authentic and the specific time is within the entitled time span and the PSR is entitled to access the given set of packets.