Configurable encryption/decryption for multiple services support

• US 8,166,292 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Qiu, Xin, Sprunk, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pich, Ponnoreay
• Application Number:
  US12/500,791
• Publication Number:
  US 20090274295A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 725/31
• US Class Current: 713/150
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/088 Usage controlling of secret information, e.g. techniques for restricting cryptographic keys to pre-authorized uses, different access levels, validity of crypto-period, different key- or password length, or different strong and weak cryptographic algorithms network architectures or network communication protocols for using time-dependent keys in a packet data network H04L63/068
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2365 Multiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4347 Demultiplexing of several video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• 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 7/52 Systems for transmission of a pulse code modulated video signal with one or more other pulse code modulated signals, e.g. an audio signal or a synchronizing signal assembling of a multiplex stream by combining a video stream with other content or additional data, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, insertion of stuffing bits into the multiplex stream, assembling of a packetised elementary stream at server side H04N21/236; disassembling of a multiplex stream, remultiplexing of multiplex streams, extraction or processing of Service Information, disassembling of packetised elementary stream at client side H04N21/434

Abstract

A system to transmit a set of programs from a transmitter to a receiver is used to accommodate different levels of security used for each program. When a high level of security is necessary for transmitting or receiving a program the transmitter and/or receiver is operable to accommodate that level of security. Thus, both transmitters and receivers are operable to be reconfigured to encrypt or decrypt, respectively, at different levels. Accordingly, differing amounts of programs can be transmitted or received based on the resource requirements needed at any level of security. Consequently, a high level of encryption/decryption requires more resources and allows the processing of fewer services, while a lower level of encryption/decryption allows more services to be transmitted/received.

Claims

1. A method of allocating resources comprising:

allocating a memory with a first set of decryption data corresponding to a first-level-of-encryption;

receiving from an originating source a first data stream having the first-level-of-encryption and first type of services of at least two different service types, wherein a number of the first type of services is dependent on the first-level-of-encryption;

re-allocating the memory with a second set of decryption data corresponding to a second-level-of-encryption, the second-level-of-encryption being different from the first-level-of-encryption of the first data stream;

receiving from the originating source a second data stream having the second-level-of-encryption and second type of services of at least two different service types that is different from the first number of services, wherein a number of the second type of services is dependent on the second-level-of-encryption; and

storing in the memory said first set of decryption data corresponding to a first level of encryption and second set of decryption data corresponding to said second level of encryption.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising detecting that the second-level-of-encryption of the second data stream is different from the first-level-of-encryption of the first data stream.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the allocating a memory with a first set of decryption data corresponding to the first-level-of-encryption comprises storing decryption key data.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the re-allocating the memory with a second set of decryption data corresponding to said second-level-of-encryption comprises storing decryption key data.

5. A method of processing received data comprising:

storing a first set of decryption data associated with a first data stream wherein the first data stream includes first type of services;

receiving the first data stream wherein the first data stream has a first-level-of-encryption, wherein a number of the first type of services is dependent on the first-level-of-encryption;

decrypting the first data stream using the first set of decryption data;

storing a second set of decryption data associated with a second data stream wherein the second data stream includes second type of services;

receiving the second data stream wherein the second data stream has a second-level-of-encryption, wherein a number of the second type of services is dependent on the second-level-of-encryption;

decrypting the second data stream using the second set of decryption data; and

utilizing a common memory to decrypt the first data stream and the second data stream.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first set of decryption data comprises at least one decryption key.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the second set of decryption data comprises at least one decryption key.