Device and method for controlling digital bidirectional communication

• US 7,526,089 B2
• Filed: 04/16/2003
• Issued: 04/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Fukuoka, Toshihiko, Wada, Taemi
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARMOUCHE, HADI S
• Application Number:
  US10/511,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20050147251A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,204 Days
• Field of Search: 380/42, 380/239, 380/255, 380259-260, 380269-270, 380/277, 713150-151, 713160-162, 713189-190, 725/105, 725/111, 725/117
• US Class Current: 380/239
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42676 for modulating an analogue carrier signal to encode digital information or demodulating it to decode digital information, e.g. ADSL or cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• 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 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

An interface block (11) converts the format of input downstream data (STRM). A CPU (12) receives the format-converted data (DIF) and realizes the MAC function. A TEK process block (13) receives TEK process data (DTEK) obtained from the data (DIF), analyzes the data structure of the TEK process data, and performs decryption processing based on a result of the analysis.

Claims

1. A device for performing bidirectional control in digital bidirectional communication, comprising:

an interface block for converting a format of input downstream data to generate downward data;

a CPU which receives the downward data and realizes a MAC (Media Access Control) function; and

a TEK process block for receiving TEK (Traffic Encryption Key) process data obtained from the downward data, analyzing a data structure of the TEK process data, and performing decryption processing based on a result of the analysis,

wherein the TEK process block includes;

a structure analysis block for analyzing an MPEG structure included in the received TEK process data and a MAC (Media Access Control) structure buried in the MPEG structure to output MAC state information data that represents a state and meaning of MAC data having the MAC structure;

a decryption block for identifying encrypted part of the TEK process data by referring to the MAC state information data, decrypting the encrypted part using TEK data for cryptanalysis, and integrating a result of the decryption with unencrypted part of the TEK process data,

wherein the structure analysis block includes;

an MPEG header analysis block for analyzing an MPEG header of the MPEG structure included in the TEK process data to output a MAC data position signal which indicates a position of the MAC data and a MAC data head position signal which indicates a position of a leading byte of a MAC frame;

a MAC header analysis block for receiving the MAC data position signal and the MAC data head position signal and determining a state information for fields included in a MAC header of the MAC structure except for an extension header and a MACMM (MAC Management Message) header, wherein the MAC header analysis block outputs extension header position information data which indicates a position of the extension header when the TEK process data includes the extension header, and the MAC header analysis block outputs MACMM header position information data which indicates a position of the MACMM header when the TEK process data includes the MACMM header;

an extension header analysis block for receiving the extension header position information data and checking fields of the extension header to output extension header state information data which represents state information of the extension header; and

a MACMM header analysis block for receiving the MACMM header position information data and checking fields of the MACMM header to output MACMM header state information data which represents state information of the MACMM header,

wherein the MAC header analysis block receives the extension header state information data and the MACMM header state information data and generates the MAC state information data based on state information of the fields included in the MAC header except for the extension header and MACMM header, the state information of the extension header which is represented by the extension header state information data, and the state information of the MACMM header which is represented by the MACMM header state information data.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the MPEG header analysis block checks a field of an MPEG header to detect a position of the MAC data and a position of a leading byte of the MAC frame and output the MAC data position signal and the MAC data head position signal.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the MAC header analysis block performs a HCS check to detect an error in the MAC header.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the MAC header analysis block performs a check on a field which indicates a MAC data length in the MAC header; and

the check is realized by referring to the MAC data head position signal to count a data length of the MAC frame and determine whether or not the MAC frame length is equal to the sum of the value of the field and a predetermined data length.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the MAC header analysis block performs a MAC frame length check and an extension header length check in addition to the HCS check, thereby detecting an error in the MAC header; and

if check results of the MAC frame length check and the extension header length check are no error, the MAC header analysis block invalidates a check result of the HCS check.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the extension header analysis block refers to the extension header position information data to check a field of the extension header and determine the data length and type of the extension header; and

if the value of the field of the extension header is invalid, the extension header analysis block determines that there is an error in the extension header and outputs the determination result as the extension header state information data.

7. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the MACMM header analysis block refers to the MACMM header position information data to check a field of the MACMM header and determine the data length and type of the MACMM header; and

if the value of the field of the MACMM header is invalid, the MACMM header analysis block determines that there is an error in the MACMM header and outputs the determination result as the MACMM header state information data.

8. A method for performing bidirectional control in digital bidirectional communication, comprising:

the step of converting a format of downstream data to generate downward data;

the step of receiving the downward data to realize a MAC (Media Access Control) function by a CPU; and

a TEK process step of receiving TEK (Traffic Encryption Key) process data obtained from the downward data at a TEK process block to analyze a data structure of the TEK process data and performs decryption processing based on a result of the analysis,

wherein the TEK process step includes;

a structure analysis step of analyzing an MPEG structure included in the TEK process data and a MAC (Media Access Control) structure buried in the MPEG structure to generate MAC state information data which represents a state and meaning of MAC data having the MAC structure; and

a decryption step of referring to the MAC state information data to identify encrypted part of the TEK process data, decrypting the encrypted part using TEK data for cryptanalysis, and integrating a result of the decryption with unencrypted part of the TEK process data,

wherein the structure analysis step includes;

an MPEG header analysis step of analyzing an MPEG header of the MPEG structure of the TEK process data to generate a MAC data position signal which indicates a position of the MAC data and a MAC data head position signal which indicates a position of a leading byte of a MAC frame;

a MAC header analysis step of determining a state information for fields included in a MAC header of the MAC structure except for an extension header and a MACMM (MAC Management Message) header using the MAC data position signal and the MAC data head position signal, wherein extension header position information data which indicates a position of the extension header is generated when the TEK process data includes the extension header, and MACMM header position information data which indicates a position of the MACMM header is generated when the TEK process data includes the MACMM header;

an extension header analysis step of receiving the extension header position information data and checking fields of the extension header to output extension header state information data which represents state information of the extension header; and

a MACMM header analysis step of receiving the MACMM header position information data and checking fields of the MACMM header to output MACMM header state information data which represents state information of the MACMM header,

wherein the MAC state information data is generated based on state information of the fields included in the MAC header except for the extension header and the MACMM header, which has been determined at the MAC header analysis step, the state information of the extension header which is represented by the extension header state information data, and the state information of the MACMM header which is represented by the MACMM header state information data.