Multimedia Content Distribution System and Method for Multiple Dwelling Unit

• US 20090320058A1
• Filed: 12/06/2005
• Published: 12/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Lockridge, Terry Wayne, Derrenberger, Mike Arthur, Wehmeyer, Keith Reynolds
• Application Number:
  US11/887,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20090320058A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2143 located in a single building, e.g. hotel, hospital or museum arrangements specially adapted for plural spots in a confined site in broadcast systems H04H20/63; adaptations for transmission by electric cable for domestic distribution in television systems H04N7/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2221 being a cable television head-end CATV in broadcast systems H04H20/78
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23895 involving multiplex stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2393 involving handling client requests scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/60
• 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 21/25816 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 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

A method for distributing video programs in a multiple dwelling unit from a receiver device associated with the unit to a plurality of client devices located in the multiple dwelling unit, including: receiving a plurality of video programs associated with a plurality of television channels from a signal source; receiving a request for a particular video program associated with a particular television channel from a selected one of the plurality of client devices; confirming that an account associated with the selected client device is authorized to receive the particular video program on the particular television channel; descrambling the particular video program using account data associated with the selected client device in response to the confirmation; scrambling the descrambled particular video program using a local key associated with the selected client device and transmitting the re-scrambled video program to the selected client device; and maintaining account data associated with each of the client devices in the receiver and transmitting updated account data to the signal source.

Claims

1. A method for distributing video programs in a multiple dwelling unit from a receiver device to a plurality of client devices located in the multiple dwelling unit, comprising:

receiving a plurality of video programs associated with a plurality of television channels from a signal source;

receiving a request for a particular video program associated with a particular television channel from a selected one of the plurality of client devices;

confirming that an account associated with the selected client device is authorized to receive the particular video program on the particular television channel;

descrambling the particular video program using account data associated with the selected client device upon confirmation;

re-scrambling the descrambled particular video program using a local key associated with the selected client device and transmitting the re-scrambled video program to the selected client device; and

maintaining account data associated with each of the client devices in the receiver and transmitting updated account data to the signal source.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiving a plurality of video programs comprises tuning to a plurality of transponders.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said confirming comprises authenticating the selected client device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said confirming further comprises correlating the account data to said selected client device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said confirming is further dependent upon the correlated account data.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said maintaining comprises updating the correlated account data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said descrambling comprises decrypting at least one scrambling key.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said re-scrambling comprises using at least one key distinct from said scrambling key.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting data indicative of said at least one key distinct from said scrambling key to said selected client device.

10. An apparatus for distributing programming source subscription account based programming to a plurality of client devices located in multiple dwelling units, respectively, the apparatus comprising:

a controller communicatively coupled to said plurality of client devices and operative to receive programming requests from said client devices;

a plurality of tuners for receiving a plurality of programming channels responsively to said controller;

a conditional access module for selectively providing access to said programming channels responsively to said controller; and

a memory storing billing information associated with said client devices and a plurality of programming source subscription accounts.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising controller executable code stored in the memory, said code, when executed by the controller, operative to confirm that the account corresponding to a programming requesting client device is authorized to receive the requested programming.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the code, when executed by the controller, is operative to cause the conditional access module to descramble the requested programming.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the code, when executed by the controller, is operative to re-scramble the requested programming.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the code, when executed by the controller, is operative to transmit the re-scrambled video program to the requesting client device.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the code, when executed by the controller, is operative to maintaining the corresponding account data.

16. A method for distributing programming source subscription account based programming to a plurality of associated multiple dwelling units at a common location, comprising:

providing at least one client device in each dwelling unit;

receiving subscription based programming at a head-end at said common location;

receiving a request for a particular portion of the programming from a selected one of the client devices at the head-end;

confirming that an account associated with the selected client device is authorized to receive the particular programming at the head-end;

descrambling the particular programming using account data associated with the selected client device in response to the confirmation at the head-end;

re-scrambling the descrambled particular programming using a local key associated with the selected client device and transmitting the re-scrambled particular programming to the selected client device; and

maintaining account data associated with each of the client devices in the receiver at the head-end and transmitting updated account data to the signal source from the head-end.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein said confirming comprises authenticating the selected client device.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein said receiving said programming comprises tuning to a plurality of transponders.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising transmitting data associated with the re-scrambling to the selected client device.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein said maintaining comprises updating the correlated account data.