Smartcard encryption cycling

• US 9,521,440 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2014
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Kummer, David, Schaefer, Germar
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton, Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr, Jean D
• Application Number:
  US14/340,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20140341377A1
• Time in Patent Office: 873 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23895 involving multiplex stream encryption
• 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 21/4353 involving decryption of additional data arrangements using cryptography for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/23
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6143 involving transmission via a satellite
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/631 Multimode Transmission, e.g. transmitting basic layers and enhancement layers of the content over different transmission paths or transmitting with different error corrections, different keys or with different transmission protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6334 for authorisation, e.g. by transmitting a key wireless communications network key management H04W12/04; wireless communications network access security H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64715 Protecting content from unauthorized alteration within the network verifying the information received for network security in communication control or processing H04L63/12; integrity in wireless network security H04W12/10
• 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

Various arrangements for encrypting multiple television channels are presented. A first television channel of a plurality of television channels to be protected via a first entitlement control message (ECM) using a first encryption scheme may be designated. The plurality of television channels may be transmitted using a single transponder stream. A second television channel of the plurality of television channels to be protected via a second ECM encrypted using a second encryption scheme while the first television channel of the plurality of television channels is protected using the first encryption scheme may be designated. The first and second ECMs may be transmitted to a plurality of television receivers. Data from the first ECM may be used for descrambling of the first television channel by the plurality of television receivers. Data from the second ECM may be used for descrambling of the second television channel by the plurality of television receivers.

Claims

1. A system for encrypting multiple television channels, the system comprising:

one or more processors; and

a memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to;

designate a first television channel of a plurality of television channels to be protected via a first entitlement control message (ECM) using a first encryption scheme, wherein

the plurality of television channels are transmitted using a single transponder stream;

designate a second television channel of the plurality of television channels to be protected via a second ECM encrypted using a second encryption scheme while the first ECM of the first television channel of the plurality of television channels is protected using the first encryption scheme, wherein

the first ECM encrypted using the first encryption scheme requires more processing to decrypt than the second ECM encrypted using the second encryption scheme;

cause the first ECM encrypted using the first encryption scheme and a second ECM encrypted using the second encryption scheme to be transmitted to a plurality of television receivers, wherein;

data from the first ECM is used for descrambling of the first television channel by the plurality of television receivers, and

data from the second ECM is used for descrambling of the second television channel by the plurality of television receivers; and

periodically rotate selection of a television channel from the plurality of television channels of the single transponder stream for encryption of the selected television channel'"'"'s ECM using the first encryption scheme, wherein;

ECMs for each television channel of the plurality of television channels are periodically encrypted with the first encryption scheme and, at other times, encrypted using the second encryption scheme; and

at a given time, an ECM for only one channel of the plurality of television channels transmitted using the single transponder stream is encrypted using the first encryption scheme and ECMs for each other television channel of the plurality of television channels of the single transponder scheme are encrypted using the second encryption scheme.

2. The system for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 1, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

cause the plurality of channels to be transmitted concurrently to a plurality of television receivers using the single transponder stream, wherein;

data from the first entitlement control message is required to descramble the first television channel; and

data from the second entitlement control message is required to concurrently descramble the second television channel during a time period the first television channel is being descrambled.

3. The system for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 1, wherein:

at a given time, only one television channel of the plurality of television channels transmitted concurrently using the single transponder stream is protected using the first encryption scheme.

4. The system for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 1, further comprising:

a television receiver comprising a smartcard, the television receiver configured to;

decrypt, using the smartcard, the first entitlement control message from the first encryption scheme, wherein the television receiver is of the plurality of television receivers; and

decrypt, using the smartcard, the second entitlement control message from the second encryption scheme.

5. The system for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 4, wherein:

the smartcard decrypting the first entitlement control message takes a longer period of time than the smartcard decrypting the second entitlement control message.

6. A method for encrypting multiple television channels, the method comprising:

designating, by the television service provider system, a first television channel of a plurality of television channels to be protected via a first entitlement control message (ECM) using a first encryption scheme, wherein

the plurality of television channels are transmitted using a single transponder stream;

designating, by the television service provider system, a second television channel of the plurality of television channels to be protected via a second ECM encrypted using a second encryption scheme while the first ECM of the first television channel of the plurality of television channels is protected using the first encryption scheme;

transmitting, by the television service provider system, the first entitlement control message encrypted using the first encryption scheme and a second entitlement control message encrypted using the second encryption scheme to a plurality of television receivers, wherein;

data from the first entitlement control message is used for descrambling of the first television channel by the plurality of television receivers, and

data from the second entitlement control message is used for descrambling of the second television channel by the plurality of television receivers; and

rotating, by the television service provider system, selection of a television channel from the plurality of television channels of the single transponder stream for encryption of the selected television channel'"'"'s ECM using the first encryption scheme, wherein;

ECMs for each television channel of the plurality of television channels are periodically encrypted with the first encryption scheme and, at other times, encrypted using the second encryption scheme; and

at a given time, an ECM for only one channel of the plurality of television channels transmitted using the single transponder stream is encrypted using the first encryption scheme and ECMs for each other television channel of the plurality of television channels of the single transponder scheme are encrypted using the second encryption scheme.

7. The method for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 6, further comprising:

transmitting, by the television service provider system, the plurality of channels concurrently to a plurality of television receivers using the single transponder stream, wherein;

data from the first entitlement control message is required to descramble the first television channel; and

data from the second entitlement control message is required to concurrently descramble the second television channel during a time period the first television channel is being descrambled.

8. The method for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 6, further comprising:

decrypting, by a smartcard of a television receiver, the first entitlement control message from the first encryption scheme, wherein the television receiver is of the plurality of television receivers; and

decrypting, by the smartcard of the television receiver, the second entitlement control message from the second encryption scheme.

9. The method for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 8, wherein:

decrypting, by the smartcard of the television receiver, the first entitlement control message takes a longer period of time than decrypting the second entitlement control message.

10. A non-transitory processor-readable medium for encrypting multiple television channels, comprising processor-readable instructions configured to cause one or more processors to:

designate a first television channel of a plurality of television channels to be protected via a first entitlement control message (ECM) using a first encryption scheme, wherein

the plurality of television channels are transmitted using a single transponder stream;

designate a second television channel of the plurality of television channels to be protected via a second (ECM) encrypted using a second encryption scheme while the first television channel of the plurality of television channels is protected using the first encryption scheme, wherein the first (ECM) encrypted using the first encryption scheme requires more processing to decrypt than the second (ECM) encrypted using the second encryption scheme;

cause the first (ECM) encrypted using the first encryption scheme and a second (ECM) encrypted using the second encryption scheme to be transmitted to a plurality of television receivers, wherein;

data from the first (ECM) is used for descrambling of the first television channel by the plurality of television receivers, and

data from the second (ECM) is used for descrambling of the second television channel by the plurality of television receivers; and

periodically rotate selection of a television channel from the plurality of television channels of the single transponder stream for encryption of the selected television channel'"'"'s ECM using the first encryption scheme, wherein;

ECMs for each television channel of the plurality of television channels are periodically encrypted with the first encryption scheme and, at other times, encrypted using the second encryption scheme; and

at a given time, an ECM for only one channel of the plurality of television channels transmitted using the single transponder stream is encrypted using the first encryption scheme and ECMs for each other television channel of the plurality of television channels of the single transponder scheme are encrypted using the second encryption scheme.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium for encrypting multiple television channels using multiple encryption schemes of claim 10, wherein the processor-readable instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to:

cause the plurality of channels to be transmitted concurrently to a plurality of television receivers using the single transponder stream, wherein;

data from the first entitlement control message is required to descramble the first television channel; and

data from the second entitlement control message is required to concurrently descramble the second television channel during a time period the first television channel is being descrambled.