Content encryption

• US 9,294,446 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2012
• Issued: 03/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Europe Limited (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hill-Jowett, David Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoffman, Brandon
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ambaye, Samuel
• Application Number:
  US14/006,450
• Publication Number:
  US 20140013115A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,488 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 713/193, 713/171
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/00 Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• 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 21/43607 Interfacing a plurality of external cards, e.g. through a DVB Common Interface [DVB-CI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4623 Processing of entitlement messages, e.g. ECM [Entitlement Control Message] or EMM [Entitlement Management Message] arrangements for conditional access to broadcast information or to broadcast-related services H04H60/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/63775 for uploading keys, e.g. for a client to communicate its public key to the server key management H04L9/08; network support of key management H04L63/06

Abstract

An audio/video content delivery system includes a content source linked by an internet data connection to a content receiver, the content receiver configured to receive access-controlled encoded broadcast content from a content source by a separate broadcast data path. The content source includes an encryptor sending encrypted content to the content receiver according to a content encryption key. The content receiver includes: a host module including a decryptor decrypting encrypted content received from the content source; and a removable conditional access module (CAM) including an access control unit decoding the access-controlled encoded broadcast content, the host module and removable CAM configured to provide an encrypted communication link therebetween for decoded access-controlled encoded broadcast content. The content source and the CAM are configured to communicate to establish the key required by the decryptor in the host module to decrypt the encrypted content received from the content source.

Claims

1. An audio/video content delivery system comprising:

a content source linked by an internet data connection to a content receiver, the content receiver comprising circuitry configured to receive content from the content source via the internet data connection and to receive access-controlled encoded broadcast content from the content source or another content source by a separate broadcast data path;

the content source comprising circuitry configured to send encrypted content to the content receiver via the internet data connection according to a content encryption key;

the content receiver comprising;

a host module having circuitry configured to decrypt encrypted content received from the content source via the internet data connection; and

a removable conditional access module (CAM), the CAM including circuitry to decode the access-controlled encoded broadcast content, the circuitry of the host module and the circuitry of the removable CAM configured to provide an encrypted communication link for decoded access-controlled encoded broadcast content between the conditional access module and the host module;

the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the CAM configured to communicate via the internet data connection to establish the content encryption key required by the circuitry of the host module to decrypt the encrypted content received from the content source, wherein the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the CAM are configured to communicate via the internet data connection through two-way communication to transmit the content encryption key between the content source and the CAM over the internet data connection,

wherein the circuitry of the CAM and the circuitry of the host module share encryption key information to allow encrypted communication between the CAM and the host module;

the circuitry of the CAM is configured to transmit at least a part of the shared encryption key information to the content source; and

the circuitry of the content source is configured to use the key information received from the CAM for encrypting content for transmission to the host module.

2. The system according to claim 1, in which:

the circuitry of the content source is configured to communicate key information, for decrypting the encrypted content, to the CAM; and

the circuitry of the CAM is configured to transmit the key information received from the content source to the host module via the encrypted communication link between the CAM and the host module.

3. The system according to claim 1, in which the circuitry of the CAM and the circuitry of the content source are configured to establish a secure low speed communications link via the internet data connection.

4. The system according to claim 1, in which the circuitry of the content source is configured to encrypt content for transmission to the content receiver using a symmetrical encryption algorithm.

5. The system according to claim 4, in which the encrypted communication link between the CAM and the host module operates according to a symmetrical encryption algorithm.

6. The system according to claim 5, in which the encrypted communication link between the CAM and the host module, the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the content receiver, operate according to a same encryption algorithm.

7. The system according to claim 6, in which the encryption algorithm is an AES algorithm.

8. The system according to claim 1, in which the encrypted communication link between the CAM and the host module operates according to key information specific to the CAM and host module pair.

9. The system according to claim 1, in which the content source is configured to send data to the host module as IP television data.

10. The system according to claim 1, in which the CAM is a CAM according to the Common Interface plus standard.

11. The system according to claim 1, in which the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the CAM are configured to communicate via the internet data connection so as to change the key required by the circuitry of the host module to decrypt the encrypted content received from the content source from time to time.

12. An audio/video content receiver configured to receive encrypted content from a content source via an internet data connection and to receive access-controlled encoded broadcast content from the content source or another content source by a separate broadcast data path, the content receiver comprising:

a host module including circuitry configured to decrypt encrypted content received from the content source via the internet data connection;

a removable conditional access module (CAM), the CAM including circuitry configured to decode the access-controlled encoded broadcast content, the circuitry of the host module and the circuitry of the removable CAM configured to provide an encrypted communication link for decoded access-controlled encoded broadcast content between the conditional access module and the host module through the interface; and

an interface comprising circuitry configured to cooperate with the removable CAM;

wherein the circuitry of the CAM is configured to communicate with the content source via the internet data connection to establish a content encryption key required by the circuitry of the host module to decrypt the encrypted content received from the content source, wherein the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the CAM are configured to communicate via the internet data connection through two-way communication to transmit the content encryption key between the content source and the CAM over the internet data connection,

wherein the circuitry of the CAM and the circuitry of the host module share encryption key information to allow encrypted communication between the CAM and the host module;

the circuitry of the CAM is configured to transmit at least a part of the shared encryption key information to the content source; and

the circuitry of the content source is configured to use the key information received from the CAM for encrypting content for transmission to the host module.

13. An audio/video content delivery method in which a content source is linked by an internet data connection to a content receiver, the content receiver comprising circuitry configured to receive content from the content source via the internet data connection and to receive access-controlled encoded broadcast content from the content source or another content source by a separate broadcast data path, and the content receiver including a host module including circuitry configured to decrypt encrypted content received from the content source via the internet data connection and a removable conditional access module (CAM), the CAM including circuitry configured to decode the access-controlled encoded broadcast content, the circuitry of the host module and the circuitry of the removable CAM configured to provide an encrypted communication link for decoded access-controlled encoded broadcast content between the conditional access module and the host module;

the method comprising;

the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the CAM communicating via the internet data connection so as to establish a decryption key required by the circuitry of the host module to decrypt the encrypted content received from the content source; and

the circuitry of the content source encrypting and sending encrypted content to the content receiver via the internet data connection according to a content encryption key appropriate to the decryption key established at the circuitry of the host module,

wherein the circuitry of the content source and the circuitry of the CAM are configured to communicate via the internet data connection through two-way communication to transmit the content encryption key between the content source and the CAM over the internet data connection,

wherein the circuitry of the CAM and the circuitry of the host module sharing encryption key information to allow encrypted communication between the CAM and the host module;

the circuitry of the CAM transmitting at least a part of the shared encryption key information to the content source; and

the circuitry of the content source using the key information received from the CAM for encrypting content for transmission to the host module.