Method and apparatus for supporting broadcast efficiency and security enhancements

• US 7,970,138 B2
• Filed: 05/26/2006
• Issued: 06/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/26/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rambus Inc.
• Original Assignee: Syphermedia International, Inc. (Verimatrix SA)
• Inventors: McKee-Clabaugh, Frances C., Cocchi, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hosuk
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUY, CHI D
• Application Number:
  US11/441,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20070286422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,859 Days
• Field of Search: 380/212, 380/228, 380/239, 380/43, 725/25, 725/27, 725/28, 725/31, 725/125, 713/172
• US Class Current: 380/200
• 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 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 and apparatus for providing conditional access to media programs is described. An exemplary method comprising the steps of transmitting media information encrypted according to a control word (CW) to a receiver station, transmitting entitlement management information (EMI) to the receiver station, the EMI comprising a service bitmap, and transmitting entitlement control information (ECI) to the receiver station, the entitlement control information including the control word (CW) encrypted according to a key (K) and an index to an element of the service bitmap, wherein the control word (CW) is decrypted by the receiver stations according to a value of the indexed element of the service bitmap.

Claims

1. A method for providing conditional access to a media program of a plurality of media programs, comprising the steps of:

transmitting media information encrypted according to a control word (CW) from a headend to a receiver station;

transmitting an entitlement management message (EMM) comprising entitlement management information (EMI) from the headend to the receiver station, the EMI comprising a service bitmap indicating entitlements to a plurality of programs;

generating a processed second key (K2′

) from a second key (K2), the service bitmap, and a key (K);

transmitting the processed second key (K2′

) to the receiver station; and

transmitting an entitlement control message (ECM) comprising entitlement control information (ECI) to the receiver station, the entitlement control information including the control word (CW) encrypted according to the key (K) and a service identifier having an index to an element of the service bitmap;

wherein the receiver station regenerates the key (K) and the second key (K2) from the processed second key (K2′

) and the service bitmap, and regenerates the control word (CW) from the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the media information, the EMI and the ECI are transmitted in a single time division multiple access (TDMA) data stream.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the service bitmap comprises an array of elements, each element of the array of elements associated with at least one media service and comprising a bit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the service bitmap comprises an array of elements, each element of the array of elements associated with at least one media program and comprising a bit.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the EMI further comprises an expiration and the EMI is signed according to a signature transmitted with the EMI.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the ECM further comprises access control information and the access control information and the control word (CW) are together encrypted according to the key (K).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver station regenerates the key (K) using the service bitmap transmitted with the EMI.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by performing steps comprising:

regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2);

combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to produce the control word (CW).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the control word (CW) is encrypted according to an intermediate key (KI) generated from the key (K) and the second key (K2);

and wherein the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by performing steps comprising;

combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to regenerate the intermediate key (KI); and

decrypting the encrypted control word (CW) using the regenerated intermediate key (KI).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the key (K) and the second key (K2) by performing steps comprising;

regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2);

combining the key (K) and the second key (K2) to produce a first control value (CV1); and

combining the first control value (CV1) and a second control value (CV2) to generate the control word (CW);

wherein the second control value (CV2) is generated as a combination of the control word (CW) and a combination of the key (K) and the second key (K2) before transmission to the receiver station.

11. An apparatus for providing conditional access to a media program of a plurality of media programs, comprising:

a hardware apparatus;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting media information encrypted according to a control word (CW) from a headend to a receiver station;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting entitlement management information (EMI) from the headend to the receiver station, the EMI comprising a service bitmap indicating entitlements to a plurality of programs;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for generating a processed second key (K2′

) from a second key (K2), the service bitmap, and a key (K);

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting the processed second key (K2′

) to the receiver station; and

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting entitlement control information (ECI) to the receiver station, the entitlement control information including the control word (CW) encrypted according to the key (K) and a service identifier having an index to an element of the service bitmap;

wherein the receiver station regenerates the key (K) and the second key (K2) from the processed second key (K2′

) and the service bitmap, and regenerates the control word (CW) from the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2).

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the media information, the EMI and the ECI are transmitted in a single time division multiple access (TDMA) data stream.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the service bitmap comprises an array of elements, each element of the array of elements associated with at least one media service and comprising a bit.

14. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the service bitmap comprises an array of elements, each element of the array of elements associated with at least one media program and comprising a bit.

15. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the EMI further comprises an expiration and the EMI is signed according to a signature transmitted with the EMI.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the entitlement management information (EMI) is transmitted in an entitlement management message (EMM); and

the entitlement control information (ECI) is transmitted in an entitlement control message (ECM).

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the ECM further comprises access control information and the access control information and the control word (CW) are together encrypted according to the key (K).

18. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the receiver station regenerates the key (K) using the service bitmap transmitted with the EMI.

19. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2) and combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to produce the regenerated control word (CW).

20. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the control word (CW) is encrypted by an intermediate key (KI); and

the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2), combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to regenerate the intermediate key (KI), and decrypting the encrypted control word using the regenerated intermediate key (KI).

21. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein:

the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the second key (K2) by regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2), combining the key (K) and the second key (K2) to produce a first control value (CV1), and combining the first control value (CV1) and a second control value (CV2) to generate the control word (CW); and

wherein the second control value (CV2) is generated as a combination of the control word (CW) and a combination of the key (K) and the second key (K2) before transmission to the receiver station.

22. An apparatus for providing conditional access to a media program of a plurality of media programs, comprising:

a first encryptor for encrypting media information according to a control word (CW);

a second encryptor for encrypting the control word according to a key (K);

a processor for generating entitlement management information (EMI), including a service bitmap indicating entitlements to a plurality of programs, and for generating entitlement control information (ECI) including the encrypted control word (CW) and a service identifier having an index to an element of the service bitmap;

a key generator for generating a processed second key (K2′

) from a second key (K2), the service bitmap, and the key (K);

a transmitter for transmitting the service bitmap and the processed second key (K2′

) to the receiver station; and

a transmitter for transmitting the entitlement management information (EMI) in a first message and for transmitting the entitlement control information (ECI) in a second message from a headend to a receiver station;

wherein the receiver station regenerates the key (K) and the second key (K2) from the processed second key (K2′

) and the service bitmap, and regenerates the control word (CW) from the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2).

23. The apparatus of claim 22, the EMI and the ECI are transmitted in a single time division multiple access (TDMA) data stream.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the service bitmap comprises an array of elements, each element of the array of elements associated with at least one media service and comprising a bit.

25. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the service bitmap comprises an array of elements, each element of the array of elements associated with at least one media program and comprising a bit.

26. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the EMI further comprises an expiration and the EMI is signed according to a signature transmitted with the EMI.

27. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the entitlement management information (EMI) is transmitted in an entitlement management message (EMM); and

the entitlement control information (ECI) is transmitted in an entitlement control message (ECM).

28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the ECM further comprises access control information and the access control information and the control word (CW) are together encrypted according to the key (K).

29. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the receiver station regenerates the key (K) using the service bitmap transmitted with the EMI.

30. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2) and combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to produce the control word (CW).

31. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the control word (CW) is encrypted by an intermediate key (KI); and

the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2), combining the regenerated key (K) and the second key (K2) to regenerate the intermediate key (KI), and decrypting the encrypted control word using the regenerated intermediate key (KI).

32. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein:

the receiver station regenerates the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) by regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2), combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to produce a first control value (CV1), and combining the first control value (CV1) and a second control value (CV2) to generate the control word (CW); and

wherein the second control value (CV2) is generated as a combination of the control word (CW) and a combination of the key (K) and the second key (K2) before transmission to the receiver station.

33. A method for providing conditional access to a media program of a plurality of media programs, comprising the steps of:

transmitting media information encrypted according to a control word (CW) from a headend to a receiver station;

transmitting entitlement management information (EMI) from the headend to the receiver station, the EMI comprising a service bitmap indicating entitlements to a plurality of programs;

transmitting entitlement control information (ECI) to the receiver station, the entitlement control information including a service identifier having an index to an element of the service bitmap;

generating a processed second key (K2′

) from a second key (K2), the service bitmap, and a key (K) and transmitting the processed second key to the receiver station;

regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2) from the processed second key (K2′

) and the service bitmap; and

regenerating the control word (CW) from the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2).

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of regenerating the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) comprises the steps of:

combining the regenerated key (K) and the second key (K2) to produce the control word (CW).

35. The method of claim 33, wherein the control word (CW) is encrypted according to an intermediate key (KI) generated from the key (K) and the second key (K2);

and wherein the step of regenerating the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) comprises the steps of;

combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to produce the regenerated intermediate key (KI); and

decrypting the encrypted control word (CW) using the regenerated intermediate key (KI).

36. The method of claim 33, wherein:

the step of regenerating the control word (CW) using the key (K) and the second key (K2) comprises the steps of;

regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2);

combining the key (K) and the second key (K2) to produce a first control value (CV1); and

combining the first control value (CV1) and a second control value (CV2) to generate the control word (CW);

wherein the second control value (CV2) is generated as a combination of the control word (CW) and a combination of the key (K) and the second key (K2) before transmission to the receiver station.

37. An apparatus for providing conditional access to a media program of a plurality of media programs, comprising:

a hardware apparatus;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting media information encrypted according to a control word (CW) from a headend to a receiver station;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting entitlement management information (EMI) from the headend to the receiver station, the EMI comprising a service bitmap indicating entitlements to a plurality of programs; and

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for transmitting entitlement control information (ECI) to the receiver station, the entitlement control information including a service identifier having an index to an element of the service bitmap;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for generating a processed second key (K2′

) from a second key (K2), the service bitmap, and a key (K) and transmitting the processed second key to the receiver station;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2) from the processed second key (K2′

) and the service bitmap; and

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for regenerating the control word (CW) from the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2).

38. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein the means for regenerating the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) comprises:

means for combining the key (K) and the second key (K2) to produce the control word (CW).

39. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein:

the control word (CW) is encrypted according to an intermediate key (KI) generated from the key (K) and the second key (K2); and

wherein the means for regenerating the control word (CW) using the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) comprises;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for combining the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2) to produce the regenerated intermediate key (KI); and

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for decrypting the encrypted control word (CW) using the regenerated intermediate key (KI).

40. The apparatus of claim 37, wherein:

the means for regenerating the control word (CW) using the key (K) and the second key (K2) comprises;

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2);

means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for combining the key (K) and the second key (K2) to produce a first control value (CV1) means, performed by the hardware apparatus, for combining the first control value (CV1) and a second control value (CV2) to generate the control word (CW); and

wherein the second control value (CV2) is generated as a combination of the control word (CW) and a combination of the key (K) and the second key (K2) before transmission to the receiver station.

41. An apparatus for providing conditional access to a media program of a plurality of media programs, comprising:

a first encryptor for encrypting media information according to a control word (CW);

a first processor for generating entitlement management information (EMI), including a service bitmap indicating entitlements to a plurality of programs and for generating entitlement control information (ECI) including a service identifier having an index to an element of the service bitmap, and for generating a processed second key (K2′

) from a second key (K2), the service bitmap, and a key (K) and transmitting the processed second key to the receiver station; and

a transmitter for transmitting the entitlement management information (EMI) and the processed second key (K2′

) in a first message and for transmitting the entitlement control information (ECI) in a second message from a headend to a receiver station;

a second processor for regenerating the key (K) and the second key (K2) from the processed second key (K2′

) and the service bitmap and for regenerating the control word (CW) from the regenerated key (K) and the regenerated second key (K2).