Systems and methods for transcoding and place shifting media content

• US 9,160,974 B2
• Filed: 08/26/2009
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sling Media LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sling Media Incorporated (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Shah, Bhupendra Natwerlan, Rao, Padmanabha R., Asnis, Ilya
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr, Jean D
• Application Number:
  US12/548,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20110055864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,239 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/30 Compression, e.g. Merkle-Damgard construction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/34 Encoding or coding, e.g. Huffman coding or error correction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/065 Encryption by serially and continuously modifying data stream elements, e.g. stream cipher systems, RC4, SEAL or A5/3
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440218 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 conversion of standards in analogue television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4408 involving video stream encryption, e.g. re-encrypting a decrypted video stream for redistribution in a home network
• 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 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 set-top box (STB), digital video recorder (DVR), video player or other host device receives and interacts with a transcode module to provide enhanced transcoding capabilities that may be useful in placeshifting or other applications. The transcode module includes a host interface that couples to and communicates with the host device. The transcode module also includes a processor that receives an encrypted media stream from the host device via the bus interface, decrypts the encrypted media stream, transcodes the encrypted media stream to a different format, re-encrypts the transcoded stream, and provides the re-encrypted media stream to the host device via the host interface. The transcoded media content may be placeshifted to a remote player, stored at the host, or used for any other purpose.

Claims

1. A removable transcoding device configured to be inserted into a television receiver that is operated by a television viewer, the removable transcoding device comprising:

a host interface configured to be directly inserted into the host device to thereby physically and electrically couple the removable transcoding device to the television receiver and to facilitate electronic communication between the removable transcoding device and the television receiver; and

a processor disposed within the removable transcoding device, wherein the processor is configured to receive a first encrypted stream from the television receiver that is physically coupled to the removable transcoding device via the host interface, wherein the first encrypted stream comprises a media stream in a first format, and wherein the processor is further configured to decrypt the first encrypted stream, to transcode the media stream from the first format to a second format different from the first format that is routable on a communications network, to encrypt the transcoded media stream in the second format to generate a second encrypted stream, and to provide the second encrypted stream to the television receiver via the host interface to thereby allow the television receiver to securely forward the second encrypted stream over the communication network to a remote device, wherein the remote device is operated by the same television viewer that operates the television receiver, and wherein the second encrypted stream is transmitted to the remote device via the communication network without the television receiver decrypting the second encrypted stream, and wherein the processor is further configured to receive an instruction from the remote device via the host interface, and to direct the television receiver to adapt the first encrypted stream in response to the instruction received from the remote device;

wherein the processor establishes a first secure session with the television receiver and a second secure session with the remote device, and wherein the first secure session transports the first encrypted media stream from the television receiver to the removable transcoding device and control instructions from the removable transcoding device to the television receiver via the host interface, and wherein the second secure session transports the instruction from the remote device to the removable transcoding device and the second encrypted stream from the removable transcoding device to the remote device, and wherein the processor is further configured to establish a first key with the television receiver for the first secure session and to establish a second key with the remote device for the second secure session.

2. The removable transcoding device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to establish a placeshifting session with the remote device, and wherein the second encrypted stream is transmitted to the remote device over the communication network via the host interface of the transcode module.

3. The removable transcoding device of claim 1 further comprising a power management module configured to receive electrical power from the host interface and to provide at least a portion of the electrical power to the processor.

4. The removable transcoding device of claim 1 wherein all of the electrical power for the transcoded module is received from the television receiver via the host interface.

5. The removable transcoding device of claim 1 wherein the removable transcoding device is a stick-sized device, and wherein the host interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface.

6. The removable transcoding device of claim 1 wherein the processor is further configured to decrypt the encrypted stream and to encrypt the transcoded media stream using a common session key.

7. A method executable by a digital processor of a removable transcode device that physically and electrically interfaces with a consumer-operated television receiver via a host interface, the method comprising:

establishing a first secure session with the television receiver using a first session key;

establishing a second secure session distinct from the first secure session with a remote device using a second session key;

receiving a first encrypted media stream from the consumer-operated television receiver that is directly physically and electrically connected to the removable transcode device via the host interface, wherein the first encrypted media stream comprises a media stream in a first format;

decrypting the first encrypted media stream by the removable transcode device to extract the media stream in the first format;

transcoding the extracted media stream from the first format to a second format different from the first format by the removable transcode device;

encrypting the transcoded media stream in the second format to generate a second encrypted media stream by the removable transcode device; and

providing the second encrypted media stream from the removable transcode device to the consumer-operated television receiver that is physically and electrically connected to the removable transcode device via the host interface to thereby allow the consumer-operated television receiver to securely relay the second encrypted media stream to a remotely-located consumer-operated remote device that is operated by the same consumer that operates the television receiver that electrically interfaces with the removable transcode device without the consumer-operated television receiver decrypting the second encrypted media stream;

receiving an instruction from the remotely-located consumer-operated remote device to adapt the first encrypted media stream; and

controlling the consumer-operated television receiver to thereby adapt the first encrypted media stream provided to the removable transcode device in response to the instruction;

wherein the first secure session transports the first encrypted media stream from the television receiver to the removable transcoding device and control instructions from the removable transcoding device to the television receiver via the host interface, and wherein the second secure session transports the instruction from the remote device to the removable transcoding device and the second encrypted stream from the removable transcoding device to the remote device.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising establishing a placeshifting session with the remote device from the removable transcode device, and wherein the providing comprises facilitating transmission of the second encrypted media stream from the removable transcode device to the remote device over the communications network via the consumer-operated television receiver.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving a request for a placeshifting session from a remote device via the host interface, wherein the remote device is in communication with the consumer-operated television receiver via a communication network.

10. The method of claim 7:

wherein the decrypting comprises decrypting the first encrypted media stream using the first session key, and wherein the encrypting comprises encrypting the second encrypted media stream using the second session key.

11. A method executable by a television receiver that is operated by a viewer, the method comprising:

receiving a media stream that is selected by the viewer at the television receiver;

in a normal operating mode, providing television programming contained within the received media stream to a display for presentation to the viewer; and

in response to a viewer instruction received from the viewer to switch from the normal operating mode to a placeshifting mode in which the television programming is provided to a remote player via a communications network instead of the display;

encrypting the media stream by the television receiver to create an encrypted media stream in a first format;

providing the encrypted media stream from the television receiver to a removable transcode device that is directly physically and electrically connected to the host device;

allowing the removable transcode device to establish a secure session with a remote player via a communication network using a network interface of the television receiver, wherein the secure session between the removable transcode device and the remote player transmits a transcoded media stream

that comprises the media stream in a second format different from the first format that is routable on the communication network, wherein the transcoded media stream is encrypted by the removable transcode device using a key that is uniquely shared with the remote player, and wherein the secure session also transmits an instruction from the remote player to the removable transcode device that instructs the removable transcode device to adapt the media stream; and

receiving a command signal from the removable transcode device in response to the instruction; and

responding to the command signal by adapting the media stream provided from the television receiver to the removable transcode device;

wherein the removable transcode device establishes a first secure session with the television receiver and a second secure session with the remote device, and wherein the first secure session transports the first encrypted media stream from the television receiver to the removable transcoding device and control instructions from the removable transcoding device to the television receiver via the bus interface, and wherein the second secure session transports the instruction from the remote device to the removable transcoding device and the second encrypted stream from the removable transcoding device to the remote device, and wherein the processor is further configured to establish a first key with the television receiver for the first secure session and to establish a second key with the remote device for the second secure session.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the responding comprises selecting different television programming for the media stream in response to the instruction received from the removable transcode device.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising receiving a television programming stream from a television system operator at the television receiver, and demodulating the television programming stream by the television receiver to create the media stream in the first format.

14. A set top box configured to be located at a viewer'"'"'s premises for operation by the viewer to receive a television programming stream for presentation to the viewer via a display, the set top box comprising:

a receiver interface configured to receive the television programming stream;

a display interface configured to provide television programming signals to the display;

a network interface configured to be coupled to a digital communications network;

a bus interface configured to couple with a removable transcode device, wherein the removable transcode device is a physical device that is separate from the set top box but that directly physically and electrically connects to the set top box via the bus interface; and

a controller configured to direct the reception of the television programming stream via the receiver interface, to receive a request for a placeshifting session from a remote player operated by the same viewer that operates the set top box, wherein the request is received via the network interface, and wherein the controller is configured to establish an encryption key with the removable transcode device, to encrypt the received television programming stream using the encryption key, to provide the encrypted television programming stream from the set top box to the removable transcode device that is directly physically coupled to the set top box, to receive a transcoded media stream from the removable transcode device via the bus interface that is encrypted to the remote player operated by the viewer, to transmit the transcoded media stream to the remote player via the network interface without the set top box decrypting the transcoded media stream, to receive a command signal from the removable transcode device that is sent in response to an instruction received from the remote device by the removable transcode device, and to adapt the media stream provided to the removable transcode device in response to the command signal;

wherein the removable transcode device establishes a first secure session with the set top box and a second secure session with the remote device, and wherein the first secure session transports the first encrypted media stream from the set top box to the removable transcoding device and control instructions from the removable transcoding device to the set top box via the bus interface, and wherein the second secure session transports the instruction from the remote device to the removable transcoding device and the second encrypted stream from the removable transcoding device to the remote device, and wherein the processor is further configured to establish the encryption key with the set top box for the first secure session and to establish a second key with the remote device for the second secure session.

15. The set top box of claim 14 wherein the controller is further configured to direct a demodulation of the television programming stream to create a media stream in a first format, and wherein the controller is further configured to provide the media stream in the first format to either the display interface for presentation on the display or to the removable transcode device for transcoding of the media stream from the first format to a second format different from the first format that is transmittable on the digital communications network to thereby allow placeshifting of the television programming stream to the remote player over the communications network.

16. The set top box of claim 14 wherein the bus interface is a universal serial bus (USB) interface, and wherein the removable transcode device is a USB-compatible device that is physically connected to the set top box using the USB interface, and wherein the bus interface provides all of the electrical power used by the transcode module.