Method and apparatus for multicast delivery of program information

• US 20060050701A1
• Filed: 08/11/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Medvinsky, Alexander, Peterka, Petr
• Granted Patent: US 7,865,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/390
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/18 for broadcast or conference , e.g. multicast

Abstract

Method and apparatus providing program information to client devices for at least one multicast stream of digital content is described. In one embodiment, session description messages for the at least one multicast stream of digital content are generated. Each of the session description messages includes at least one content access parameter. The at least one content access parameter may include digital rights management (DRM) data, channel key identification data associated with the at least one channel of the at least one multicast stream of digital content, and/or data indicative of whether each session description message is associated with a channel, a program, or a program segment. Each of the session description messages is signed using a cryptographic key. The session description messages are then multicasted to the client devices using a predefined multicast address.

Claims

1. A method of providing program information to client devices for at least one multicast stream of digital content, comprising:

generating session description messages for the at least one multicast stream of digital content, each of the session description messages having at least one content access parameter;

signing each of the session description messages using a cryptographic key; and

multicasting the session description messages to the client devices using a predefined multicast address.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one content access parameter includes digital rights management (DRM) data.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the DRM data includes at least one of copy control data, content rating data, and blackout data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one content access parameter includes channel key identification data associated with at least one channel of the at least one multicast stream of digital content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein, for each session description message of the session description messages, the at least one content access parameter includes data indicative of whether the session description message is associated with a channel, a program, or a program segment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of signing further comprises, for each session description message of the session description messages:

generating authentication data for the session description message using the cryptographic key; and

appending the authentication data to the session description message.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the authentication data comprises a message authentication code (MAC).

8. Apparatus for providing program information to client devices for at least one multicast stream of digital content, comprising:

means for generating session description messages for the at least one multicast stream of digital content, each of the session description messages having at least one content access parameter;

means for signing each of the session description messages using a cryptographic key; and

means for multicasting the session description messages to the client devices using a predefined multicast address.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one content access parameter includes digital rights management (DRM) data.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the DRM data includes at least one of copy control data, content rating data, and blackout data.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the at least one content access parameter includes channel key identification data associated with at least one channel of the at least one multicast stream of digital content.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein, for each session description message of the session description messages, the at least one content access parameter includes data indicative of whether the session description message is associated with a channel, a program, or a program segment.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the means for signing further comprises, for each session description message of the session description messages:

means for generating authentication data for the session description message using the cryptographic key; and

means for appending the authentication data to the session description message.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the authentication data comprises a message authentication code (MAC).

15. A computer readable medium having stored thereon instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method of providing program information to client devices for at least one multicast stream of digital content, comprising:

generating session description messages for the at least one multicast stream of digital content, each of the session description messages having at least one content access parameter;

signing each of the session description messages using a cryptographic key; and

multicasting the session description messages to the client devices using a predefined multicast address.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one content access parameter includes digital rights management (DRM) data.

17. The computer readable medium of claim 16, wherein the DRM data includes at least one of copy control data, content rating data, and blackout data.

18. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the at least one content access parameter includes channel key identification data associated with at least one channel of the at least one multicast stream of digital content.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein, for each session description message of the session description messages, the at least one content access parameter includes data indicative of whether the session description message is associated with a channel, a program, or a program segment.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 15, wherein the step of signing further comprises, for each session description message of the session description messages:

generating authentication data for the session description message using the cryptographic key; and

appending the authentication data to the session description message.