System, method, and apparatus for securely providing content viewable on a secure device

• US 20060143481A1
• Filed: 02/24/2006
• Published: 06/29/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Widevine Technologies Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Morten, Glenn A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,143 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/193
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/0021 involving encryption or decryption of contents recorded on or reproduced from a record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00246 wherein the key is obtained from a local device, e.g. device key initially stored by the player or by the recorder
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00492 wherein content or user data is encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00862 wherein the remote server can grant the permission to use a content
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00884 involving a watermark, i.e. a barely perceptible transformation of the original data which can nevertheless be recognised by an algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2541 Blu-ray discs; Blue laser DVR discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2579 HD-DVDs [high definition DVDs]; AODs [advanced optical discs]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23473 by pre-encrypting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23476 by partially encrypting, e.g. encrypting the ending portion of a movie
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44055 by partially decrypting, e.g. decrypting a video stream that has been partially encrypted
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• 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

A system, apparatus, and method are directed to providing and securely viewing secure content. In one embodiment, a secure player provides secure screening/previewing of secure content, such as a motion picture, by a member of an awards organization. A content key is employed to selectively encrypt at least a portion of a content stream. The content key is encrypted with a screener key. The encrypted content key is embedded into the secure content. The screener key is encrypted using public/private key pair that is bound to the secure player. The secure content may be distributed on a medium, such as a DVD, high definition DVD, or over a network, or the like. The secure player is configured to receive the medium, screener key, and a screener identity. The screener identity and screener key are employed by the secure player to decrypt and enable secure viewing of the content.

Claims

1. A media content player for use in playing a secure content stream, the media content player comprising:

a tamper agent that is configured to monitor for tampering of the media content player or the content stream; and

a decryption engine in communication with the tamper agent, and is operative to perform actions, including;

receiving a selectively encrypted content stream that is encrypted using a content key that in turn is subsequently encrypted using a screener key, the screener key in turn being subsequently encrypted using a public key, the public key being associated with a private key, wherein the private key is bound to the media content player such that the public key and the private key are unique to the media content player;

receiving the encrypted screener key;

decrypting the screener key using the private key; and

decrypting the selectively encrypted content stream using the content key.

2. The media content player of claim 1, wherein receiving the selectively encrypted content stream further comprises receiving the selectively encrypted content stream over a network.

3. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the encrypted screener key is further configured for delivery over a network.

4. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the encrypted screener key is received via a virtual smart card.

5. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the selectively encrypted content stream further includes at least one watermark.

6. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the actions of decryption engine further comprises:

selectively watermarking at least a portion of the content stream.

7. The media content player of claim 6, wherein selectively watermarking further comprises including at least one of a user identity, a fingerprint uniquely associated with the media content player, a time of decryption of at least a portion of the content stream, or a date of decryption of at least a portion of the content stream.

8. The media content player of claim 6, wherein selectively watermarking further comprises digitally signing the selective watermark using the private key.

9. The media content player of claim 1, further comprising:

an authentication module that is configured to receive an identity module, the identity module being configured to include at least one identifier useable to enable access to the encrypted screener key.

10. The media content player of claim 9, wherein the identity module further includes a fingerprint uniquely associated with the media content player.

11. The media content player of claim 9, wherein the identity module is configured to be received by the media content player over a network.

12. The media content player of claim 1, wherein the tamper agent is operative to perform actions, including:

if tampering of the media content player or the content steam is detected, performing at least one action to inhibit access to the content stream.

13. The media content player of claim 12, wherein the at least one action, further comprises at least one of directing an erasure of at least a portion of the content stream, locking the media content player from an operation, erasing the media content player'"'"'s public or private key, erasing the screener key, erasing the content key, or reporting the detected tampering.

14. The media content player of claim 1, further comprising:

a media player subsystem that is in communication with the decryption engine and tamper agent, and is operative to perform actions, including;

inhibiting access to the selectively encrypted content stream based on at least one of a predetermined number of viewings, or an unauthorized activity.

15. The media content player of claim 1, further comprising:

a key store that is configured to receive and to store at least one of the screener key, the public key, or the private key.

16. The media content player of claim 15, wherein the key store is implemented in non-volatile memory.

17. A computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions useable in playing content, the computer-readable instructions being arranged to perform actions, including:

receiving the content over a network;

receiving a key package, the key package comprising at least one content key for decrypting at least one content unit associated with content, the at least one content key being encrypted using a screener key, the screener key being subsequently encrypted using a public key bound to a targeted player such that public key and an associated private key are unique to the targeted player, the at least one content unit being selectively encrypted and selectively watermarked;

decrypting the screener key using the private key, the private key being bound to the targeted player; and

employing the screener key to decrypt the content key, the content key enabling decryption of the at least one content unit.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the computer-readable instructions are arranged to perform actions, further comprising:

selectively watermarking at least one decrypted content unit.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein receiving the key package further comprises receiving the key package with the content.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the computer-readable instructions being arranged to perform actions, further comprising:

determining a tampering of the targeted player or the content; and

if tampering is detected, inhibiting access to the content.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the computer-readable instructions being arranged to perform actions, further comprising:

receiving an identity module over the network, the identity module being configured to include at least one identifier useable to enable access to the encrypted screener key.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the computer-readable instructions being arranged to perform actions, further comprising:

receiving the encrypted screener key using a virtual smart card.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the computer-readable instructions being arranged to perform actions, further comprising:

receiving a fingerprint uniquely associated with the targeted player, the fingerprint enabling authentication for access to the content.

24. An apparatus for providing content for use in a player, the apparatus comprising:

means for generating a key package, the key package comprising at least one content key for decrypting at least one content unit associated with content, the at least one content key being encrypted using a screener key, the screener key being subsequently encrypted using a public key bound to the player such that public key and an associated private key are unique to the player, the at least one content unit being selectively encrypted; and

means for embedding the key package into a content stream, the content stream comprising the at least one selectively encrypted content unit.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the at least one content unit is further selectively watermarked.