Secure Integrated Media Center

• US 20100205648A1
• Filed: 04/21/2010
• Published: 08/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Abbas Sasan Saadat, Lorne M. Trottier
• Original Assignee: Abbas Sasan Saadat, Lorne M. Trottier
• Inventors: Saadat, Abbas Sasan, Trottier, Lorne M.
• Application Number:
  US12/764,438
• Publication Number:
  US 20100205648A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/153
• 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]

Abstract

A set-top media system is disclosed which can be combined with an open architecture personal computer (PC) to provide a feature-rich secure integrated media center while meeting security rules of most major conditional access and content protection industry rules such as Cable Labs DFAST and PHILA agreements; and DTLA agreements for 5C-DTCP for IEEE1394, USB, and IP. The set-top media center and PC share common resources such as high definition display, remote control, hard disk drive, and other external unsecure storage devices. All media content is available seamlessly using a PC user interface, including controlled-content media such as high definition TV, within a PC desktop window. All controlled-content media is manipulated and managed within the set-top media system in a seamless manner. A mechanism is disclosed to allow controlled-content media to be stored on unsecure devices in encrypted form while overcoming the disk cloning attack problem for move operations. One embodiment utilizes a “grey list” of available programs to keep track of controlled-content media which is allowed to be played, while another embodiment utilizes a “black list” of programs no longer available to keep track of controlled-content media which is forbidden from being played.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method for processing a controlled-content media file on a secure system, said file having copy status information, the method comprising steps of:

receiving said controlled-content media file;

checking said copy status information to ensure permission to copy;

storing a local record comprising said copy status information, in said secure system;

encrypting said controlled-content media file and said copy status information; and

storing the encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information on an unsecure storage device.

26. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising steps of:

receiving said encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information from said unsecure storage device;

decrypting the encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information from said unsecure storage device;

comparing copy status information from said unsecure storage device with copy status information from said local record; and

displaying said controlled-content media on a display device if said copy status information from said unsecure storage device matches said copy status information from said local record.

27. A method as claims in claim 26,

wherein said step of storing a local record is preceded by a step of encrypting said local record;

and

wherein said step of retrieving said local record further comprises step of decrypting said local record.

28. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said encrypting steps and decrypting steps use an encryption key unique to said secure system.

29. A method as claimed in claim 27 wherein said steps of encrypting and decrypting said controlled-content media file use an encryption key unique to said media file;

and

wherein said local record further comprises said encryption key unique to said media file; and

wherein the steps of encrypting and decrypting said local record use an encryption key unique to said secure system.

30. A method as claims in claim 29 wherein said local record further comprises a first record digest calculated using contents of said local record;

and

wherein said step of decrypting said local record further comprises steps of;

calculating a second record digest using contents of the retrieved local record; and

comparing said first record digest with said second record digest to ensure integrity of said local record.

31. A method as claimed in claim 29, further comprising steps of generating a unique record ID for said controlled-content media file;

and

Identifying said local record and the stored encrypted controlled-content media file, using said record ID.

32. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said steps of encrypting use a recognized encryption algorithm selected from the group consisting of:

DES;

3DES;

AES.

33. A method as claimed in claim 29 wherein said controlled-content media file comprises high definition video.

34. A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein said unsecure storage device is indirectly connected to said secure system.

35. A method as claimed in claim 34 wherein said unsecure storage device is part of a PC storage system.

36. A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein said unsecure storage device comprises a hard disk drive.

37. A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein said unsecure storage device is connected directly to said secure system.

38. A method as claimed in claim 33 wherein said unsecure storage device is connected directly to said secure system.

39. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising steps of:

receiving said encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information from said unsecure storage device;

checking to ensure a second unsecure storage device is authorized for a move operation;

retrieving the local record corresponding to said controlled-content media file, and if no local record exists, then aborting operation;

decrypting the encrypted controlled-content media file from said unsecure storage device and said copy status information from said local record;

checking the decrypted copy status information from said local record to ensure a move operation is permitted;

updating copy status information of said controlled-content media;

generating a new encryption key unique to said controlled-content media file;

storing a new local record comprising the update copy status information and said new encryption key, in said secure system;

newly encrypting said controlled-content media file and said updated copy status information;

storing the newly encrypted controlled-content media file and said updated copy status information on said second unsecure storage device;

deleting the first mentioned local record from said secure system; and

deleting the first mentioned encrypted controlled-content media file from the first mentioned unsecure storage device.

47. A method as claimed in claim 25 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information from said unsecure device;

checking to ensure a second secure storage device is authorized for a move operation;

retrieving the local record corresponding to said controlled-content media file, and if no local record exists, then aborting operation;

decrypting the encrypted controlled-content media file from said unsecure storage device and said copy status information from said local record;

checking the decrypted copy status information from said local record to ensure a move operation is permitted;

updating copy status information of said controlled-content media;

moving of said controlled-content media and said updated copy status information on said second secure storage device;

deleting the first mentioned local record from said secure system; and

deleting the first mentioned encrypted controlled-content media file from the first mentioned unsecure storage device.

40. A set-top media system for combining with a personal computer (PC) to provide an integrated media center, said set-top media system comprising;

a receiver for receiving controlled-content media from a media content provider;

an output port for transmitting a video signal to a video display; and

a bidirectional digital connection to said PC;

wherein said set-top media system is adapted to;

receive a video signal of a PC graphical user interface (GUI) from said PC, said GUI including a window appearing to display said controlled-content media;

receive a message from said PC defining the size and location of said window within said GUI;

overlay over said GUI, a scaled video window of said controlled-content media having the defined size and location;

transmit the resulting video signal to said output port for display on said video display.

41. A set-top media system as claimed in claim 40 wherein said video signal from said PC is received via said bidirectional digital connection.

42. A set-top media system as claimed in claim 40 wherein said bidirectional digital connection of a type selected from the group consisting of:

network interface;

USB;

IEEE 1394.

43. A set-top media system as claimed in claim 40 wherein said video signal from said PC is received via a video input port.

44. A set-top media system as claims in claim 40, further adapted to connect to an unsecure storage device for storing c controlled-content media.

45. A set-top media system as claimed in claim 44, wherein said unsecure storage device can be connected remotely through said PC.

46. A set-op media system is claimed in claim 44, wherein said unsecure storage device can be connected directly, through a connection of a type selected from the group consisting of:

network interface;

USB, IEEE 1394.

48. A system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a controlled-content media file from a media provider, wherein said controlled-content media file includes a copy control information date field having at least copy status information designating copy rights associated with said controlled-content media file;

an unsecure storage device configured to be connected with said receiver; and

wherein said receiver includes an application configured and operable to;

check said copy status information to determine if said receiver has permission to copy said controlled-content media file to an unsecure storage device connected with said receiver;

generate a unique record identification for a local record to be stored on said receiver that is associated with said controlled-content media file;

store said copy status information in said local record;

generate a record encryption key that is stored in said local record;

generate a record digest using said copy status information, said record encryption key and a record pad;

append said record digest to said local record;

encrypt said local record using a unique box key associated with said receiver;

store said local record in a non-volatile memory of said receiver;

encrypt said controlled-content media file using said record encryption key to form an encrypted controlled-content media file; and

transmit said encrypted controlled-content media file to said unsecure storage device.

49. The system of claim 48, wherein said application is further configured and operable to:

retrieve said encrypted controlled-content media file from said unsecure storage device;

retrieve said local record from said non-volatile memory of said receiver;

decrypt said local record using said unique box key associated with said receiver;

generate a new record digest;

compare said new record digest with said original record digest; and

delete said local record and said encrypted controlled-content media file on said unsecure storage device if said new record digest does not match said original record digest.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein said application is further configured and operable to:

retrieve said record encryption key from said local record;

decrypt said encrypted controlled-content media file using said record encryption key;

obtain said copy status information from said encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information from said local record;

compare said copy status information from said encrypted controlled-content media file and said copy status information from said local record; and

generate a media transmission operable to display said controlled-content media file if said copy status information obtained from said encrypted controlled-content media file matches said copy status information obtained from said local record

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said application is further configured and operable to alert a user if said copy status information obtained from said encrypted controlled-content media file does not match said copy status information obtained from said local record.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein said application is further configured and operable to abort retrieving said encrypted controlled-content media file if said copy status information obtained from said encrypted controlled-content media file does not match said copy status information obtained from said local record.