Secure anonymity in a media exchange network

• US 9,015,475 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2013
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Karaoguz, Jeyhan, Bennett, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Parthasarathy, Pramila
• Application Number:
  US13/914,239
• Publication Number:
  US 20130275749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 713/156
• US Class Current: 713/156
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0421 Anonymous communication, i.e. the party's identifiers are hidden from the other party or parties, e.g. using an anonymizer
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0853 using an additional device, e.g. smartcard, SIM or a different communication terminal cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication involving additional secure or trusted devices H04L9/3234
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/18 using different networks or channels, e.g. using out of band channels cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving distinctive intermediate devices or communication paths H04L9/0827; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for authentication using a plurality of channels H04L9/3215
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/3263 involving certificates, e.g. public key certificate [PKC] or attribute certificate [AC]; Public key infrastructure [PKI] arrangements network architectures or network communication protocols for supporting authentication of entities using certificates in a packet data network H04L63/0823

Abstract

Secure communication of information in a communication network may comprise acquiring a security code from a second communication device by a first communication device and receiving media containing the security code such as a pin code from the first communication device. The security code may be translated into an IP address corresponding to the second communication device. The received media may be routed to the second communication device based on the IP address of the second communication device. In this regard, the IP address of the second communication device remains anonymous or unknown to the first communication device. A duration for which the security code is valid may be limited to a specific time period and/or for a particular number of uses. Notwithstanding, the security code may be acquired out-of-band.

Claims

1. A media exchange server comprising:

a communication interface for data communication with a data source device and a data destination device on a media exchange network;

a media exchange software platform configured to receive a security code from the data destination device,

in response to the received security code, transfer security information of the data destination device to the data source device,

subsequently, receive from the data source device data defining media for delivery to the data destination device and at least a portion of the security information of the data destination device;

validate the at least a portion of the security information received from the data source, and

if the at least a portion of the security information received from the data source is valid, transfer the received data defining media to the data destination device; and

a media storage device in data communication media exchange software platform and operative to store the received data defining media until the at least a portion of the security information received from the data source is validated.

2. The media exchange server of claim 1 wherein the media exchange software platform is further configured to receive from the data destination device a limited lifetime pin code as the security information from the data destination device.

3. The media exchange server of claim 1 wherein the media exchange software platform is configured to receive from the data destination device a limited lifetime pin code that has been obtained at the data destination device from a web site available on the media exchange network for subsequent forwarding by the data destination device to other devices on the media exchange network including the data source device.

4. The media exchange server of claim 3 wherein the media exchange software platform is configured to communicate the limited lifetime pin code to the data source device as the transferred security information of the data destination device and to receive the limited lifetime pin code as the at least a portion of the security information.

5. The media exchange server of claim 4 wherein the media exchange software platform is further configured to translate the received limited lifetime pin code from the data destination device to network access information of the data destination device to maintain anonymity of the data destination device from the data source device and to subsequently transfer the stored, received data defining media to the data destination device using the network access information of the data destination device.

6. The media exchange server of claim 5 wherein the media exchange software platform is further configured to translate the received limited lifetime pin code to an internet protocol address of the data destination device on the media exchange network.

7. The media exchange server of claim 1 wherein the media exchange software platform is further configured to receive from the data destination device a pin code as the security information from the data destination device, the pin code being limited to use by only the data source device for anonymously communicating the data defining media from the data source device to the data destination device.

8. A personal media exchange method comprising:

at a media exchange server in data communication with a personal media source and a personal media destination on a media exchange network,

receiving security information from the personal media source;

verifying that the received security information is based on security information of the personal media destination;

after verifying the received security information, communicating to the personal media source a security certificate associated with the personal media destination;

subsequently, receiving from the personal media source the certificate and data defining a personal media channel constructed by a user at the personal media source;

using the certificate to determine location information on the media exchange network of the personal media destination; and

routing the data defining the personal media channel to a user at the personal media destination.

9. The personal media exchange method of claim 8 wherein receiving from the personal media source data defining a personal media channel comprises receiving data defining digital images, digital video or digital music.

10. The personal media exchange method of claim 8 further comprising:

storing at a media storage device the data defining the personal media channel; and

delivering the data defining the personal media channel from the media storage device to the user at the personal media destination.

11. The personal media exchange method of claim 10 further comprising:

communicating data defining a media guide user interface to the personal media destination, the media guide user interface organizing a plurality of media channels including the personal media channel.

12. The personal media exchange method of claim 11 further comprising:

receiving data defining digital images, digital video or digital music as the data defining the personal media channel; and

communicating data about the digital images, digital video or digital music with the data defining the media guide user interface.

13. The personal media exchange method of claim 8 wherein using the certificate to determine location information comprises determining a network address of the personal media destination using the certificate.

14. The personal media exchange method of claim 13 wherein receiving security information from the personal media source comprises receiving a pin code from the personal media source, the pin code matching a pin code received from the personal media destination with a request for access to the personal media channel, and wherein determining a network address of the personal media destination using the certificate comprises translating the certificate received from the personal media source to determine an internet protocol address of the personal media destination on the media exchange network.

15. A method comprising:

at a media exchange server, receiving over a media exchange network a third party media request from a requesting device which accesses the media exchange network, including receiving security information of a media destination device and receiving information identifying a third-party media channel for anonymous delivery to a media destination device over the media exchange network;

at the media exchange server, translating the security information of the media destination device into a network address of the media destination device; and

initiating delivery of the third-party media channel over the media exchange network from a third-party media channel content source to the network address of the media destination device to maintain anonymity of the media destination device from the third-party media channel content source.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

at the media exchange server, processing a request from the media destination device to access third-party media channel content from the third-party media channel content source.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving the third party media request from a requesting device comprises receiving a code keyed in by a user of the media destination device to access the third-party media channel.

18. The method of claim 15 further comprising:

at the media exchange server, receiving over the media exchange network a subsequent third party media request from a second requesting device which accesses the media exchange network, including receiving a limited lifetime pin code from the second requesting device;

at the media exchange server, in response to receipt of the limited lifetime pin code, communicating a one-time certificate to the second requesting device;

at the media exchange server, receiving over the media exchange network from the second requesting device the one-time certificate and information identifying a second third-party media channel for anonymous delivery to a second media destination device over the media exchange network; and

at the media exchange server, verifying the one-time certificate received from the second requesting device and, upon verification, initiating delivery of the second third-party media channel over the media exchange network from a second third-party media channel content source to the a network address of the second media destination device.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein communicating a one-time certificate to the second requesting device comprises communicating a certificate having either a limited time duration of validity or a limited number of uses.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein receiving security information of a media destination device comprises receiving at least one of a device identifier, a public key, a code and a device number.