Systems and methods for controlled transmittance in a telecommunication system

• US 7,240,361 B2
• Filed: 08/01/2003
• Issued: 07/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Qwest Communications International Incorporated (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Phillips, Bruce A., Casey, Steven M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US10/632,602
• Publication Number:
  US 20040153670A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,432 Days
• Field of Search: 726 2- 10, 726 27- 30, 713/168
• US Class Current: 726/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/60 Digital content management, e.g. content distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/02 for separating internal from external traffic, e.g. firewalls
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/80 Responding to QoS
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/005 Interface circuits for subscriber lines current supply H04M19/00 and subgroups; supervisory, monitoring or testing arrangements H04M3/22 and subgroups; in key telephone systems H04M9/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234363 by altering the spatial resolution, e.g. for clients with a lower screen resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4122 additional display device, e.g. video projector digital output for controlling a plurality of local displays G06F3/1423
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43632 involving a wired protocol, e.g. IEEE 1394 high-speed IEEE 1394 serial bus H04L12/40052
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 : Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 : End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 : Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 : Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 : for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 : directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/658 : Transmission by the client directed to the server
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6587 : Control parameters, e.g. trick play commands, viewpoint selection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 : Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/106 : for domestic distribution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/108 : the cable being constituted by a pair of wires
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/141 : between two video terminals, e.g. videophone telephonic communication systems combined with television receiver for reception of entertainment or information matter H04M11/085

Abstract

Systems and methods for authenticating digital assets in relation to a telecommunications network. In various cases, the systems include a network interface device associated with a customer premises. The network interface device includes a local authentication authority operable to authenticate one or more digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises. In some cases, a global authentication authority can authenticate the network interface device, and implicitly authenticate the one or more digital assets. Many other cases and/or embodiments are disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A system for authorizing access to digital assets, the system comprising:

a global authentication authority, wherein the global authentication authority is communicably coupled to a global communication network;

a first network interface device associated with a customer premises, wherein the first network interface device is communicably coupled to the global communication network and to a first local communication network;

a second network interface device associated with a customer premises, wherein the second network interface device is coupled to the global communication network and to a second local communication network,

a first local authentication authority associated with the first network interface device, wherein the first local authentication authority is operable to authenticate a plurality of first digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises, and communicably coupled to the first local communication network, and

a second local authentication authority associated with the second network interface device, wherein the second local authentication authority is operable to authenticate a plurality of second digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises, and communicably coupled to the second local communication network,

wherein the global communication network communicably couples the first local communication network and the second local communication network.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the global authentication authority is operable to authenticate the first and second network interface devices, and to implicitly authenticate at least one of the plurality of first and second digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein implicitly authenticating at least one of the plurality of first and second digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises includes accessing a digital security device associated with at least one of the plurality of first and second digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein authenticating the first network interface device includes registering the at least one first digital security device associated with at least one of the first plurality of digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the global authentication authority, the first local authentication authority, and the second local authentication authority is operable to issue and store at least one digital security device.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the first network interface device is further operable to access the at least one first digital security device from at least one of the plurality of first digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises, and to register the at least one first digital security device in relation to at least one of:

the global authentication authority and the first local authentication authority.

7. The system of claim 3, wherein the first or second digital security device is a digital certificate.

8. The system of claim 3, wherein the first or second digital security device is a digital pass.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the first or second local communication network extends within the customer premises, and wherein the global communication network extends external to the customer premises.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the first or second digital assets are selected from a group consisting of:

content objects and customer premises equipment.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the content objects are selected from a group consisting of:

recorded audio, recorded live audio, live video, email, live chat, live voice, voicemail, and games.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the customer premises equipment is selected from a group consisting of:

video recorder, audio recorder, storage device, personal computer, PDA, mobile telephone, dish antenna, television, refrigerator, and security equipment.

24. The system of claim 3, wherein authenticating the second network interface device includes registering the at least one second digital security device associated with at least one of the plurality of second digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises.

25. The system of claim 3, wherein the second network interface device is further operable to access the at least one second digital security device from at least one of the plurality of second digital assets maintained in relation to the customer premises, and to register the at least one second digital security device in relation to at least one of:

the global authentication authority and the second local authentication authority.

13. A system for authorizing access to digital assets, the system comprising:

a first digital asset source, wherein the first digital asset source is communicably coupled to a plurality of digital assets maintained in relation to a customer premises, and wherein the first digital asset source is communicably coupled to a first communication network;

a first authentication authority associated with the first digital asset source;

a second digital asset source operable to request a digital asset from the first digital asset source, wherein the second digital asset source is communicably coupled to a second communication network;

a second authentication authority associated with the second digital asset source, and

a global communication network that communicably couples the first communication network and the second communication network,

wherein the system further comprises a network interface device associated with the first digital asset source,

wherein the first communication network is a local communication network,

wherein the first network interface device is communicably coupled to the first communication network and to the global communication network,

wherein the first authentication authority is a first local authentication authority associated with the first network interface device,

wherein the first local authentication authority is operable to authenticate a plurality of digital assets maintained in relation to the first digital asset source,

wherein the system further comprises a second network interface device associated with the second digital asset source,

wherein the second communication network is a local communication network,

wherein the second network interface device is communicably coupled to the second communication network and to the global communication network,

wherein the second authentication authority is a second local authentication authority associated with the second network interface device,

wherein the second local authentication authority is operable to authenticate a plurality of digital assets maintained in relation to the second digital asset source.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the customer premises is a first customer premises, and wherein the second digital asset source is maintained in relation to a second customer premises.

15. A method for authorizing access to digital assets, the method comprising:

receiving first access information from a first network interface device coupled to a first local communication network;

based at least in part on the first access information, implicitly authenticating a first digital asset associated with the first network interface devices;

receiving second access information from a second network interface device coupled to a second local communication network;

based at least in part on the second access information, implicitly authenticating a second digital asset associated with the second network interface device; and

communicably coupling the first communication network and the second communication network with a global communication network.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first and second access information includes a security device received from a one of:

a global authentication authority, a first local authentication authority, and a second local authentication authority.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the first network interface device is associated with a first customer premises, and wherein authenticating the first network interface device includes receiving at least one first digital security device associated with a first digital asset maintained in relation to the first customer premises and the second network interface device is associated with a second customer premises, and wherein authenticating the second network interface device includes receiving at least one second digital security device associated with a second digital asset maintained in relation to the second customer premises.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein authenticating the first network interface device further includes registering the at least one first digital security device associated with the first digital asset maintained in relation to the first customer premises and authenticating the second network interface device further includes registering the at least one second digital security device associated with the second digital asset maintained in relation to the second customer premises.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the first or second digital asset is a content object.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the content object is selected from a group consisting of:

a recorded audio, a recorded audio, a live video, a recorded video, an email, a live chat, and a game.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein the first or second digital asset is a customer premises equipment.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the customer premises equipment is selected from a group consisting of:

a video recorder, an audio recorder, a storage device, a personal computer, a PDA, a mobile telephone, a dish antenna, a television, a refrigerator, and a security equipment.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the customer premises equipment includes a gate lock, and a camera.