Secure remote control for audio/video receiver/decoder

• US 20120051545A1
• Filed: 07/25/2011
• Published: 03/01/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Nagravision SA (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Kudelski, André, Nicolas, Christophe
• Granted Patent: US 8,837,731 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 380/270
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/1011 to devices
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2153 Using hardware token as a secondary aspect
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 17/02 using a radio link
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/20 Binding and programming of remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/61 Password, biometric
• 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 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication

Abstract

In order to limit the use of generic remote control devices, the invention relates to a system comprising a remote control device and a security device, both sharing a common key, algorithms or protocol specific to a pair formed by the remote control device and the security device. The remote control device comprises means to send wirelessly data to a receiver comprising the security device. The remote control device being paired with the security device is characterized in that data sent by the remote control device towards the receiver is specific to the pair formed by the remote control device and the security device, said remote control device comprising encryption means and a memory to store a specific key, said data being encrypted by the encryption means with the specific key, the security device comprising decryption means and a key corresponding to the specific key to decrypt the received data.

Claims

1. A system comprising a remote control device and a security device, both sharing a common key, algorithms or protocol specific to a pair formed by the remote control device and the security device, the remote control device comprising means to send wirelessly data to a receiver comprising the security device, the remote control device being paired with the security device sends data towards the receiver, said data being specific to the pair formed by the remote control device and the security device, wherein said remote control device comprises encryption means and a memory to store a specific key, said data being encrypted by the encryption means with the specific key, the security device comprising decryption means and a key corresponding to the specific key to decrypt the received data.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device is made up of a dedicated portable unit provided with user command means configured for activating an infrared transmitter/receiver exchanging encrypted data between the remote control device and the security device.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device is made up of a portable computer unit provided with at least one user command application configured for activating a radio frequency transmitter/receiver exchanging encrypted data between the portable computer unit and the security device.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the portable computer unit consists either of a portable computer, a portable tablet computer or a smart phone.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the user command application of the remote control device is further configured for downloading pairing data including at least a key, algorithm or protocol from a managing center upon user request, said pairing data being retransmitted to the security device by the remote control device.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein the remote control device further comprises means for transmitting a pairing data download request to the security device, said security device having means to forward the request to a managing center, the pairing data being transmitted by the managing center to the remote control device via the security device.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the specific key is generated, during a device initialization phase, on the basis of at least an identifier of the remote control device or an identifier of the security device or both the identifier of the remote control device and the identifier of the security device.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein the remote control device comprises a message builder parameterized according to a specific or algorithm protocol, said message builder encapsulating command user command data into a message configured according to a specific protocol or algorithm, the security device, comprising a message interpreter which is parameterized by the specific protocol or algorithm so that the user command data is retrieved.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein the security device is integrated in the receiver.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein the security device is made up of a security module removably, connected to the receiver, configured for storing at least keys, algorithms and protocol information required for pairing said security module with the remote control device, said receiver comprising means to forward data received from the remote control device to the security module and means to retrieve from the security module said received data in clear form to be processed by the receiver.

13. The system according to claim 4, wherein the remote control device further comprises means for transmitting a pairing data download request to the security device, said security device having means to forward the request to a managing center, the pairing data being transmitted by the managing center to the remote control device via the security device.

11. A portable computer unit comprising an application configured for sharing a common key, algorithms or protocol specific to a pair formed by the portable computer unit and a security device distant from the portable computer unit having means to send wirelessly data to the security device, wherein data sent by the portable computer unit towards the security device is specific to the pair formed by the portable computer unit and the security device, the portable computer unit comprising encryption means and a memory to store a specific key, said data being encrypted by the encryption means with the specific key before sending to the security device.

12. The portable computer unit according to claim 11 consisting either of a portable computer, a portable tablet computer or a smart phone.