Independent external security module for a digitally upgradeable television signal decoder

• US 5,237,610 A
• Filed: 03/29/1991
• Issued: 08/17/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Woo, Arthur, Sheldrick, Wayne, Yoneda, Robert K., Gammie, Keith
• Primary Examiner(s): CAIN, DAVID C
• Application Number:
  US07/677,460
• Time in Patent Office: 872 Days
• Field of Search: 380/10, 380/16, 380/21, 380/43, 380/23, 380/45
• US Class Current: 380/228
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• 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 5/46 for receiving on more than one standard at will deflecting circuits of multi-standard receivers H04N3/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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 7/20 Adaptations for transmission via a GHz frequency band, e.g. via satellite

Abstract

A decoder for descrambling encoded satellite transmissions comprises an internal security module and a resplaceable security module. The program signal is scrambled with a key and then the key itself is twice-encrypted and multiplexed with the scrambled program signal. The key is first encrypted with a first secret serial number (SSN₁) which is assigned to a given replaceable security module. The key is then encrypted with a second secret serial number (SSN₂) which is assigned to a given decoder. The decoder performs a first key decryption using the second secret serial number (SSN₂) stored within the decoder. The partially decrypted key is then further decrypted by the replaceable security module using the first secret serial number (SSN₁) stored within the replaceable security module. The decoder then descrambles the program using the twice-decrypted key. The replaceable security module can be replaced, allowing the security system to be upgraded or changed following a system breach. Either security module may become the active security module to finally decrypt the seed, selectable by a signal transmitted from the encoder.

Also disclosed is a method for transmitting the encrypted keys and secret serial numbers to a plurality of broadcasters who may in turn multiplex this signal with their own program signals so that any given channel received by a subscriber contains the key and secret serial numbers. Additionally, the decoder may be upgradeable to accept both analog and digital video signals without significant redundant circuitry.

Claims

1. A security system for transmission of a signal comprising:

encoder means for encoding said signal, said encoder means comprising;

signal scrambling means for scrambling said signal and outputting a scrambled signal and key for descrambling said scrambled signal,

first key encryptor means coupled to said signal scrambling means, for selectively performing a first encryption on said key using a first confidential serial number and outputting an encrypted key,

second key encryptor means coupled to said scrambling means for selectively performing a second encryption on said key using a second confidential serial number and outputting an encrypted key, and

decoder means coupled to said transmission means for receiving and descrambling said scrambled signal, said decoder means comprising;

first key decryptor means coupled to said transmission means, for performing a first key decryption on said encrypted key using said first confidential serial number if said key was encrypted with said first confidential serial number,

a replaceable security module, removably attached to said decoder means and containing a second key decryptor means coupled to said transmission means, for performing a second key decryption on said encrypted key using a second confidential serial number if said encrypted key was encrypted with said second confidential serial number, and

signal descrambling means coupled to said first and second key decryptor means, and said transmission means for descrambling said scrambled signal using said decrypted key.

2. The security system of claim 1, wherein said encoder means further comprises:

key memory means coupled tosaid signal scrambling means and said key encryptor means for storing said key.

3. The security system of claim 1, wherein said encoder means further comprises:

a first confidential serial number database coupled to said key encryptor means, containing a list of first confidential serial numbers, and

a second confidential serial number database coupled to said key encryptor means, containing a list of second confidential serial numbers.

4. The security system of claim 1, wherein said decoder means further comprises:

first confidential serial number memory means coupled to said first key decryptor means, for storing a first confidential serial number.

5. The security system of claim 4, wherein said decoder means further comprises:

second confidential serial number memory means coupled to said second key decryptor means for storing a second confidential serial number.

6. The security system of claim 5, wherein said second confidential serial number is assigned tosaid replaceable security module.

7. The security system of claim 1, wherein said decoder means further comprises:

telephone interface means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a pay television provider.

8. The security system of claim 7, wherein a confidential serial number is received by said replaceable security module via said telephone interface means.

9. The security system of claim 7, wherein subscriber input data is transmitted by the replaceable security module via said telephone interface means.

10. The security system of claim 1, wherein said signal is a television signal.

11. The security system of claim 10, wherein said television signal is a B-MAC type television signal.

12. A decoder for receiving and descrambling a signal which has been scrambled using a key which has been selectively encrypted, said decoder comprising:

first key decryptor means coupled to said decoder, for performing a first keydecryption on said encrypted key using a first confidential serial number and outputting a decrypted key if said key was encrypted using said first confidential serial number,

a replaceable security module, removably attached to said decoder and containing a second key decryptor means, for performing a second key decryption on said key using a second confidential serial number and outputting a decrypted key if said key was encrypted using said second confidential serial number,

signal descrambling means coupled tosaid second key decryptor means for descrambling said scrambled signal using said decrypted key.

13. The decoder of claim 12, further comprising:

first and second key memory means coupled to said first and second key decryptor means respectively, for storing said decrypted key.

14. The decoder of claim 12, further comprising:

first and second confidential serial number memory means coupled to said first and second key decryptor means respectively, for storing first and second confidential serial numbers respectively.

15. The decoder of claim 12, wherein said signal is a television signal.

16. The decoder of claim 12 further comprising:

telephone interface means for transmitting and receiving data to and from a pay television provider, said data encrypted with a confidential telephone number.

17. The decoder of claim 16, wherein a confidential serial number is received by replaceable security module via said telephone interface means.

18. The decoder of claim 15, wherein said television signal is a B-MAC type television signal.

19. The relaceable security module of claim 13, wherein said first and second memory means further comprises:

security means for allowing the contents of said first and second memory means to be read only by said first and second key decryption means respectively.

20. The decoder of claim 12, further comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of compressed digital signals with a plurality of address, each address corresponding to a particular digital signal;

means for selecting a particular digital signal by identifying the particular address;

means coupled to the means for selecting, for correcting error in the selected digital signal;

means, coupled to the means for correcting, for decompressing the corrected digital signal; and

means for removably coupling connected between the means for receiving and the means for selecting.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the coupling means comprises at most four connections.

22. A method of decoding a signal comprising the steps of:

receiving a scrambled signal and an encrypted key in a decoder,

performing a first decryption of said encrypted key using a first confidential serial number to produce a decrypted key signal, if said key was encrypted with said first confidential serial number,

performing a second decryption on said encrypted key in a replaceable security module removably attached to said decoder using a second confidential serial number to produce a decrypted key, if said key was encrypted with said second confidential serial number, and

descrambling said scrambled signal using said decrypted key to produce a descrambled signal.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein said first confidential serial number is assigned to said decoder.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein said second confidential serial number is assigned to said replaceable security module.

25. The method of claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

providing subscriber information including said encrypted key and said first and second confidential serial numbers at a first source;

providing a plurality of program signals at a plurality of second sources;

transmitting the subscriber information to the second sources;

combining the subscriber information with the program signals to produce a combined signal; and

,

transmitting the combined signal to said decoder.

26. An apparatus for converting an analog reception system to accept both analog and digital signals comprising:

means for receiving a plurality of compressed digital signals with a plurality of address, each address corresponding to a particular digital signal;

means for selecting a particular digital signal by identifying the particular address;

means, coupled to the means for selecting, for correcting error in the selected digital signal;

means, coupled to the means for correcting, for decompressing the corrected digital signal;

means coupled to said means for decompressing and said signal descrambling means, for descrambling said decompressed television signal; and

,

means for removably coupling connected between the means for receiving and the means for selecting.

27. The apparatus of claim 26 further comprising means for decrypting said television signal coupled to said means for decompressing.

28. A method of communicating subscriber information to a broadcasters of program signals in a program environment comprises the steps of:

providing the subscriber information at a first source;

providing the plurality of program signals at a plurality of second sources;

transmitting the subscriber information to the second sources;

combining the subscriber information with the program signals to produce a combined signal; and

,

broadcasting the combined signal to at least one subscriber.