Secure distribution process and system for the distribution of audiovisual streams

• US 20060184686A1
• Filed: 03/23/2006
• Published: 08/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OL Security LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Querell Data LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Lamtouni, Mohammed, Lecomte, Daniel, Hosny, Reda
• Granted Patent: US 7,633,941 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/231
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/30 Compression, e.g. Merkle-Damgard construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0891 Revocation or update of secret information, e.g. encryption key update or rekeying
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3221 interactive zero-knowledge proofs
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• 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 process for secure distribution of digital audio streams according to a standard, normalized or proprietary format, on which streams a separation of the stream into two parts is made prior to transmission to equipment of an addressee to generate a modified main stream having a format of an original stream and complementary information including digital information suitable for permitting reconstruction of the original stream including: transmitting, by separate paths during a distribution phase, the modified main stream from a distribution server and the complementary information to the equipment of the addressee from a secure central server passing via at least one intermediate server connecting the equipment of the addressee to the central server, wherein the complementary information is defined according to a nominal structured format containing processing units which comprise logical entities with a modulatable size and wherein each of the processing units is prefixed by a heading containing information relative to the processing unit and a useful load containing data and references about the modified main stream, and packetizing the units prior to the transmission.

Claims

1. A process for secure distribution of digital audio streams according to a standard, normalized or proprietary format, on which streams a separation of the stream into two parts is made prior to transmission to equipment of an addressee to generate a modified main stream having a format of an original stream and complementary information comprising digital information suitable for permitting reconstruction of the original stream comprising:

transmitting, by separate paths during a distribution phase, the modified main stream from a distribution server and the complementary information to the equipment of the addressee from a secure central server passing via at least one intermediate server connecting the equipment of the addressee to the central server, wherein the complementary information is defined according to a nominal structured format containing processing units which comprise logical entities with a modulatable size and wherein each of the processing units is prefixed by a heading containing information relative to the processing unit and a useful load containing data and references about the modified main stream, and packetizing the units prior to the transmission.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein information present in the heading and relative to the processing unit contains time references and position references for the modified main stream.

3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the packetized units are encrypted prior to transmission.

4. The process according to claim 1, wherein the processing units are compressed prior to being encrypted.

5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the central server decides about a dynamic and regular regeneration of the session key during communication.

6. The process according to claim 1, wherein the central server decides adaptation of a degree of encryption of the complementary information as a function of load on the transmission network.

7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate server decides adaptation of a degree of encryption of the complementary information as a function of bandwidth allocated to the user.

8. The process according to claim 1, wherein encryption of the processing units is personalized for each user.

9. The process according to claim 1, wherein the client equipment sends an event report at regular intervals to the server of the complementary information.

10. A system that securely distributes audiovisual streams according to claim 1, comprising a device for separating the original video stream into a modified main stream and into complementary information;

at least one multimedia server containing protected audiovisual streams;

at least one secure central server comprising a device for securing and personalizing the complementary information from which the complementary information is distributed;

at least one intermediate server;

at least one module for managing correspondence between the modified main stream and the complementary information associated with it;

at least one module for managing subscribers;

at least one module for managing and generating session keys;

at least one device in the addressee'"'"'s equipment comprising a smart card for decrypting the session key and at least one module for reconstructing the original audiovisual stream as a function of the modified main stream and the complementary information.