Authentification of data in a digital transmission system

• US 7,760,986 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2004
• Issued: 07/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Beuque, Jean-Bernard G. M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Atala; Jamie J
• Application Number:
  US10/953,823
• Publication Number:
  US 20050041955A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,120 Days
• Field of Search: 386/45, 386/46, 386/125, 386/126, 386/95, 386/96, 386/82, 380/23, 380/30, 380/49, 380/25
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/601 Broadcast encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3236 using cryptographic hash functions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3247 involving digital signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/50 using hash chains, e.g. blockchains or hash trees
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2351 involving encryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23614 Multiplexing of additional data and video streams arrangements for simultaneous broadcast of plural pieces of information H04H20/28
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26606 for generating or managing entitlement messages, e.g. Entitlement Control Message [ECM] or Entitlement Management Message [EMM] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26613 for generating or managing keys in general key distribution for secret or secure communication involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP] H04L9/083; network support of key management H04L63/06; key management for network security in communication control or processing H04W12/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only
• 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

Abstract

A method of authentification of data sent in a digital transmission characterized by the organization and authentification of the data prior to transmission into a hierarchy of at least one root directory unit (75), subdirectory unit (76) and file unit (77), data in a file (77) being acted upon by an authentification algorithm and an associated file authentification value (82) stored in the referring subdirectory unit (77), this file authentification value (82) being in turn acted upon by an authentification algorithm and an associated subdirectory authentification value (79) stored in the referring root directory. Other aspects of the invention relate to the authentification of a second root directory (78) by generation of a second authentification value (83) and the authentification of data before encapsulation in tables or sections of a transport stream.

Claims

1. A method of authentication of data to be sent in a digital transmission system, wherein the data is organized in a hierarchical structure comprising a series of data units, comprising:

generating a first authentication value for at least one first unit, wherein the at least one first unit comprises an identifier of a first key and a first signature value generated using the first key;

storing said first authentication value in a second unit, wherein the second unit is a subdirectory hierarchically above the at least one first unit;

generating a second authentication value for said second unit, wherein the second authentication value is a hash value, and wherein the second authentication value authenticates the first authentication value stored in the second unit;

generating a second signature value for at least the second authentication value using a second key; and

transmitting the hierarchical structure comprising said at least one first unit and the second unit, the first and second authentication values, an identifier for the second key, and the second signature value as digital data in a digital transmission system.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

encapsulating the first and second files in a series of tables; and

encapsulating the tables in data packets in a transport packet stream.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the transport packet stream conforms to the MPEG standard.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the data files are formatted according to the DSMCC standard.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second authentication value is generated by being applied to at least the first authentication value stored in the second data file.

22. The method of claim 1, wherein the transmitting step further comprises transmitting the second authentication value.

23. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one first unit further comprises a third authentication value, wherein the first authentication value is generated using only the third authentication value.

6. An apparatus for authentication of data to be sent in a digital transmission system, wherein the data is organized in a hierarchical structure comprising a series of data files, comprising:

means for generating a first authentication value for at least one first unit, wherein the at least one first unit comprises an identifier of a first key and a first signature value generated using the first key;

means for storing said first authentication value in a second unit, wherein the second unit is a subdirectory hierarchically above the at least one first unit;

means for generating a second authentication value for said second unit, wherein the second authentication value is a hash value, and wherein the second authentication value authenticates the first authentication value stored in the second unit;

means for generating a second signature value for at least the second authentication value using a second key; and

means for transmitting the hierarchical structure comprising said at least one first unit and the second unit, the first and second authentication values, an identifier for the second key, and the second signature value as digital data in a digital transmission system.

7. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, further comprising:

means for encapsulating the first and second files in a series of tables; and

means for encapsulating the tables in data packets in a transport packet stream.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the transport packet stream conforms to the MPEG standard.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the digital transmission system is a digital television system.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the data files are formatted according to the DSMCC standard.

11. The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the second authentication value is generated by being applied to at least the first authentication value stored in the second data file.

12. A method of verification of encapsulated and formatted data received in a digital transmission system, comprising:

reassembling data from encapsulated and formatted data transmitted by the digital transmission system, wherein the transmitted encapsulated and formatted data is organized in a hierarchical structure comprising a first unit and a second unit, wherein the first unit comprises an identifier of a first key and a first signature value generated using the first key,

wherein the second unit comprises an authentication value for the first unit and is a subdirectory hierarchically above the first unit, and wherein the encapsulated and formatted data further comprises a second authentication value for the second unit, wherein the second authentication value is a hash value, and wherein a second signature value for at least the second authentication value is generated using a second key, and wherein the second authentication value authenticates the first authentication value stored in the second unit; and

verifying the reassembled data using at least said second authentication value.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the step of verifying is performed using said first authentication value.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the data files are formatted according to the DSMCC standard.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12, wherein the encapsulated and formatted data conforms to the MPEG standard.

16. An apparatus for verification of encapsulated and formatted data received in a digital transmission system, comprising:

means for reassembling data from encapsulated and formatted data transmitted by the digital transmission system, wherein the transmitted encapsulated and formatted data is organized in a hierarchical structure comprising a first unit and a second unit, wherein the first unit comprises an identifier of a first key and a first signature value generated using the first key,

wherein the second unit comprises an authentication value for the first unit and is a subdirectory hierarchically above the first unit, and wherein the encapsulated and formatted data further comprises a second authentication value for the second unit, wherein the second authentication value is a hash value, and wherein a second signature value for at least the second authentication value is generated using a second key, and wherein the second authentication value authenticates the first authentication value stored in the second unit; and

means for verifying the reassembled data using at least said second authentication value.

17. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the verifying means use said first authentication value to verify the reassembled data.

18. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the reassembling means and the verifying means are embodied in a processor.

19. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the digital transmission system is a digital television system.

20. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the data files are formatted according to the DSMCC standard.

21. The apparatus as claimed in claim 16, wherein the encapsulated and formatted data conforms to the MPEG standard.