Private broadcast communication system and method for private broadcast communication over a wired or wireless network

• US 6,073,235 A
• Filed: 06/24/1997
• Issued: 06/06/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goldman, Shelley B., Foladare, Mark Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, Tod R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COMBS, JENNIFER
• Application Number:
  US08/881,298
• Time in Patent Office: 1,078 Days
• Field of Search: 380/1-59, 380/240, 380/241, 380/242, 370/320, 345/327
• US Class Current: 713/163
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/601 Broadcast encryption
• 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: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

A private broadcasting system includes communication terminals which are coupled to both a broadcasting network and point-to-point network. A private broadcasting device included in the broadcasting system is coupled to a database that contains a pool of encryption keys and a pool of channel numbers. The encryption keys and channel numbers are assigned to a private broadcast request when the communicating partners of the private broadcast request are available for communication. The encryption key and channel number is issued to each of the participating terminals. Each of the participating terminals encrypts and de-encrypts the information transmitted on and received from the broadcasting channel at the assigned channel number. In this way, the terminals communicate with each other privately excluding all other terminals that are not part of the private broadcast communication.

Claims

1. A private broadcast communication system, comprising:

a broadcast network;

a point-to-point network;

a plurality of terminals coupled to the broadcast network and the point-to-point network; and

a private broadcasting device coupled to the broadcast network, the point-to-point network and the terminals, wherein the private broadcasting device assigns an encryption key and a channel number through the point-to-point network to a portion of the terminals, the portion of the terminals capable of private broadcast communication over the broadcast network using the encryption key and the channel number.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the terminals comprises:

an user interface;

a first broadcast network interface;

a first point-to-point network interface; and

a first controller coupled to the user interface, the broadcast network interface and the first point-to-point network interface, the first controller receiving inputs from the user interface and communicates with the private broadcasting device through either the first broadcast or the first point-to-point network interfaces based on the inputs.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first controller transmits a private broadcast request to the private broadcasting device through either the point-to-point network or the broadcast network.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the private broadcast request includes an identification of at least one communicating partner.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the identification of the at least one communicating partner is a group name identifying a list of communicating partners.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the private broadcast request includes at least one of a requested bandwidth and an estimated time interval.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the first controller receives the encryption key from the private broadcasting device after transmitting the private broadcast request.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the first controller releases the encryption key after the private broadcast communication is completed.

9. The system of claim 2, wherein the first broadcast network interface includes:

an encryptor; and

a de-encryptor, the first broadcast network interface transmits to the broadcast network information encrypted with the encryption key and de-encrypts information received from the broadcast network using the encryption key.

10. The system of claim 2, wherein the first controller receives a channel number from the private broadcasting device after transmitting either a private broadcast request or an accept message.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the first controller transmits encrypted information and receives encrypted information using a channel corresponding to the channel number.

12. The system of claim 2, wherein the first controller receives a contact from the private broadcasting device, the first controller determining whether a user is available to participate in the private broadcast communication, if the user is available, the first controller returning an accept message to the private broadcasting device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first controller receives an encryption key after returning the accept message, the first broadcast network interface encrypting information using the encryption key for transmission to the broadcast network and de-encrypting information received from the broadcast network.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the private broadcast device comprises:

a second point-to-point network interface;

a second broadcast network interface; and

a second controller coupled to the second point-to-point network interface and the second broadcast network interface, the second controller controlling a pool of encryption keys.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the second controller receives a private broadcast request from a requesting terminal through either the point-to-point network interface or the broadcast network interface, the second controller selecting an encryption key from the pool of encryption keys based on the private broadcast request.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the second controller contacts at least one communicating partner based on the private broadcast request, if a communicating partner of the at least one communicating partner is available, the second controller issuing the selected encryption key to the requesting terminal and the available communicating partner.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the private broadcast request includes an identification of a group, the private broadcasting device retrieving identification of communicating partners of the identified group and contacting the communicating partners for the private broadcast communication.

18. The system of claim 16, wherein the second controller monitors the private broadcast communication and determines whether the private broadcast communication is completed, if the private broadcast communication is completed, the second controller returning the selected encryption key to the pool of encryption keys.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein if the private broadcast communication is completed, the second controller issues an invalidate command to terminals participating in the private broadcast communication, the terminal participating in the private broadcast communicating deleting the encryption key.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the private broadcast communication is completed if either a release message is received or no activity is detected for a predetermined amount of time on a channel used for the private broadcast communication.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the private broadcasting device selects a channel from a pool of channels based on the private broadcast request, when at least one communicating partner is available, the private broadcasting device assigning the channel to terminals participating in the private broadcast communication, the private broadcasting device returning the channel to the pool of channels after the private broadcast communication is completed.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the broadcast and the point-to-point networks are individually either a wired or a wireless network.

23. A method for operating a private broadcasting system, comprising:

assigning an encryption key and a channel number to a portion of a plurality of terminals through a point-to-point network; and

broadcasting using the encryption key and the channel number through a broadcasting network for a private broadcast communication between the portion of the plurality of terminals.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving inputs from an user interface of one of the terminals; and

communicating with a private broadcasting device through either a broadcast network interface or a point-to-point network interface of the one of the terminals based on the received inputs.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the communicating step includes transmitting a private broadcast request to the private broadcasting device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the private broadcast request includes an identification of at least one communicating partner.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the private broadcast request includes at least one of a requested bandwidth and an estimated time interval.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the identification of the at least one communicating partner is a group name identifying a list of communicating partners.

29. The method of claim 25, further comprising receiving the encryption key from the private broadcasting device after transmitting the private broadcast request.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving information from the user interface;

encrypting the information using the encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted information on the broadcast network.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

receiving encrypted information from the broadcast network; and

de-encrypting the encrypted information using the encryption key.

32. The method of claim 29, further comprising releasing the encryption key after the private broadcast communication is completed.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising receiving a channel number from the private broadcasting device after transmitting the private broadcast request and transmitting and receiving information using a channel corresponding to the channel number.

34. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a contact from a private broadcasting device; and

transmitting an accept message to the private broadcasting device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising receiving the encryption key from the private broadcasting device after transmitting the accept message.

36. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving information from the user interface;

encrypting the information using the encryption key; and

transmitting the encrypted information on the broadcast network.

37. The method of claim 35, further comprising:

receiving encrypted information from the broadcast network; and

de-encrypt the encrypted information using the encryption key.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising receiving a channel number from the private broadcasting device after transmitting the accept message and at least one of transmitting and receiving information using a channel corresponding to the channel number.

39. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

receiving a private broadcast request from a requesting terminal; and

contacting at least one communicating partner identified by the private broadcast request.

40. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

selecting an encryption key from a pool of encryption keys; and

sending the encryption key to the requesting terminal and at least one communicating partner.

41. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

monitoring the private broadcast communication; and

returning the encryption key to the pool of encryption keys after the private broadcast communication is completed.

42. The method of claim 41, further comprising:

sending an invalidate command to the requesting terminal and the at least one communicating partner after the private broadcast communication is completed; and

removing the encryption key from the requesting terminal and the at least one communicating partner.

43. The method of claim 41, wherein the private broadcast communication is completed when a release message is received or when no activity is detected for the private broadcast communication.

44. The method of claim 39, further comprising:

selecting a channel number from a pool of channel numbers; and

sending the channel number to the requesting terminal and the at least one communicating partner.

45. The method of claim 23, wherein the broadcast and the point-to-point networks are individually either a wired or a wireless network.