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Methods and apparatus for secure distribution of program content

  • US 7,469,345 B2
  • Filed: 12/11/2002
  • Issued: 12/23/2008
  • Est. Priority Date: 12/13/2001
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An apparatus operable to receive an encryoted program, said apparatus comprising:

  • a network interface operable to provide communication with a network such that (i) identification information related to the apparatus is transmitted over the network to an administrator, the identification information including a machine ID unique to the apparatus, (ii) an encrypted decryption key is received over the network from the administrator in response to the identifcation information, the encrypted decryption key being based on the machine ID, and (iii) an encrypted virtual ID is received over the network from the administrator, the virtual ID being associated with the machine ID;

    a decryption device operable to decrypt the encrypted virtual ID using the machine ID, to decrypt the encrypted decryption key using the virtual ID, to decrypt the encrypted program using the decryption key, and to reencrypt the program using the virtual ID;

    a first storage device operable to store the identification information and the re-encrypted program and to store the machine ID and the encrypted virtual ID;

    a second storage device containing a machine ID; and

    a processor operable to compare the machine ID stored in the first storage device with the machine ID contained in the second storage device, and to proscribe use of the machine ID contained in either of the storage devices to decrypt the encrypted virtual ID when the machine IDs do not match;

    the network interface being further operable, when the machine ID contained in the second storage device does not match the machine ID stored in the first storage device, to facilitate;

    the transmission of the machine ID contained in the second storage device over the network to the administrator, andthe reception of a new encrypted virtual ID over the network from the administrator if the administrator determines that the machine ID contained in the second storage device is also stored in a personalizing database, the new encrypted virtual ID having a new virtual ID associated with the machine ID contained in the second storage device.

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