Process and streaming server for encrypting a data stream

• US 6,449,719 B1
• Filed: 11/09/1999
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Widevine Technologies Incorporated (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Baker, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): SMITHERS, MATTHEW
• Application Number:
  US09/436,916
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 380/200, 380/201, 380/203, 713/150, 713/168, 713/201, 713/156, 705/51, 705/57
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/56 Financial cryptography, e.g. electronic payment or e-cash
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/605 Copy protection
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0823 using certificates cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving certificates H04L9/3263
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/0838 Key agreement, i.e. key establishment technique in which a shared key is derived by parties as a function of information contributed by, or associated with, each of these network architectures or network communication protocols for key exchange in a packet data network H04L63/061
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3234 involving additional secure or trusted devices, e.g. TPM, smartcard, USB or software token network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using an additional device in a packet data network H04L63/0853
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23406 involving management of server-side video buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2387 Stream processing in response to a playback request from an end-user, e.g. for trick-play
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2401 Monitoring of the client buffer
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63345 by transmitting keys key distribution for secret or secure communication H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 : Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• 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 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends

Abstract

There is disclosed a process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream for single viewing and to protect copyrights of the data stream. Specifically, there is disclosed a process for protecting streaming multimedia, entertainment and communications in an Internet type transmission. There is further disclosed a streaming server component operably connected with a streaming server that interacts with a client system to effect the inventive process.

Claims

1. A streaming server for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream to enable only single viewing, comprising:

(a) a streaming server component, wherein the streaming server component comprises a client data connection module to send data packets to a client, and encryption module to use encryption keys negotiated with the client to encrypt the data stream and operably connected to the client data connection module, and a flow control module for controlling the rate of data stream flow to maintain a full client buffer; and

(b) a transaction server component, wherein the transaction server component comprises a client interaction module for connecting a user to the transaction server component, a user verification module having a user database wherein the user verification module is operably linked to the client interaction module and checking for a valid user, and a URI and token creation module operably linked to the user verification module for creating new URIs and tokens in response to user requests.

2. The streaming server of claim 1, wherein the streaming server further comprises a client server component comprising a data stream control protocol module to create an initial connection to the streaming server component, a decryption module to decrypt the incoming data stream, an input buffer module to buffer incoming data streams, and a display control module to control the display of streaming data.

3. The streaming server of claim 2, wherein the client server component further comprises a display module to display audio and video data.

4. The server of claim 1 wherein the client data connection is to send data packets to a client depending upon the token created by the transaction server component.

5. The server of claim 1 wherein the controlling the rate of data stream flow depends upon a signal received from the client.

6. The server of claim 5 wherein the signal represents one of at least a pause, a stop, and a restart.

7. The server of claim 1 wherein the token is characterized by a temporal validity.

8. A process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream to enable only single viewing, comprising:

(a) providing a client selection for a streaming data transmission;

(b) opening a connection to a streaming server and sending URI, token and user information to the streaming server;

wherein the streaming server comprises at least one of;

a client data connection module to send data packets to a client, an encryption module to use encryption keys negotiated with the client to encrypt the data stream, and a flow control module to control the rate of data stream flow to maintain a full client buffer;

(c) approving or disapproving a valid or invalid, respectively, URI and token combination on a transaction server; and

(d) providing a continuously encrypted data stream to the client if a valid URI and token combination was found.

9. A client computer that comprises a module to control the flow of data from the server by sending to the server at least one of a pause, a stop, and a restart data command and at least one of:

an activation module to activate the client computer to create a distinct key to decrypt a data stream for each of at least one data streams;

a control protocol module to create an initial connection for receiving the data stream with the server by passing a URI and a token to the server;

a decryption module to decrypt the data stream that depends upon the distinct key; and

an input buffer module to buffer incoming data streams.