Association of security parameters for a collection of related streaming protocols

• US 20030221099A1
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Published: 11/27/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Medvinsky, Alexander, Peterka, Petr
• Granted Patent: US 7,356,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/153
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/062 for key distribution, e.g. centrally by trusted party cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for key distribution involving a central third party H04L9/0819
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0807 using tickets, e.g. Kerberos cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication using tickets or tokens H04L9/3213
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/12 Applying verification of the received information cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for data integrity or data verification H04L9/32

Abstract

In a client-server system employing protocols such as RTP (real-time protocol), RTCP (real-time control protocol) and RTSP (real-time streaming protocol) for communicating real-time data stream, a method for using the same security parameters to secure by encryption and/or authentication, communication of the real-time data stream. The method includes establishing two or more security parameters for securing communications during the streaming session; establishing a session identifier associated with the security parameters; transmitting, from client to server, an RTSP message for requesting the real-time data stream, the RTSP message being secured with the security parameters; establishing a streaming session for streaming an RTP message containing the real-time data, the RTP message being secured with the security parameters; transmitting, from client to server, an RTCP protocol message containing statistics relating to the streaming session, the RTCP message being secured with the security parameters, and exchanging any one or more additional RTSP, RTP and RTCP messages in any order, each message being secured with the security parameters which are identifiable with the session identifier.

Claims

1. A method for securely streaming real-time data, the method comprising:

establishing security parameters for securing the real-time data;

establishing a session identifier associated with the security parameters;

securely transferring the real-time data by

exchanging two or more protocol messages for streaming the real-time data, each protocol message being secured by the security parameters; and

the security parameters being identifiable using the session identifier.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of exchanging two or more protocol messages comprises

transmitting an RTSP message from the client to the server, the RTSP message requesting the real-time data stream;

and

responsive to the request, transmitting by the server an RTSP message containing a list of RTP and RTCP ports for streaming the real data time stream.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the protocol messages are selected from the group consisting of RTSP message, RTP message and RTCP messages.

3. A method for securely transferring a real-time data stream, the method comprising:

establishing one or more security parameters for securing the data stream;

establishing a session identifier associated with the security parameters;

transmitting an RTSP (real-time streaming protocol) message from a client to a server, the RTSP message for requesting the real-time data stream,

wherein the RTSP message is secured by the security parameters;

transmitting an RTP (real-time protocol) message containing the real-time data,

the RTP message being secured by the security parameters;

exchanging in any order two or more protocol messages selected from the group comprising;

an RTSP message, an RTP and an RTCP, each message being secured by the security parameters; and

the security parameters being identifiable using the session identifier.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the security parameters comprise

a first encryption key for encrypting outbound messages;

a second key for authenticating outbound messages;

a third encryption key for inbound messages; and

a fourth encryption key authenticating inbound messages.

5. A system for securely transferring real-time data stream, the system comprising:

means for exchanging RTSP (real-time streaming protocol) messages, the RTSP message being authenticated with a MAC (message authentication code) key;

means for transmitting RTP (real-time protocol) messages from server to client for streaming the real-time data, the RTP messages being encrypted with an encryption key, and authenticated with the MAC key;

means for exchanging RTCP (real-time control protocol) messages, the RTCP messages being encrypted with the encryption key and authenticated with the MAC key, such that the real-time data is securely streamed from a client to a server; and

means for performing one or more operations on the RTP, RTCP and RTP messages, the operations being selected from the group consisting of;

encryption, authentication, and both encryption and authentication.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprising

means for establishing a session identifier associated with the MAC key and the encryption key.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprising

means for associating the MAC key and the encryption key with the session identifier prior to exchanging one or more RTSP messages.

8. In a client-server system, a method for securely communicating real-time data, the method comprising:

establishing security parameters for securely transferring the real-time data;

establishing a session identifier associated with the security parameters;

transmitting, from a client to a server, a first protocol message for requesting the real-time data, the first protocol message being secured with the security parameters;

establishing a streaming session for streaming a second protocol message containing the real-time data, the second protocol message being secured with the security parameters; and

exchanging additional protocol messages in any order, each message being secured with the security parameters which are identifiable with the session identifier.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the security parameter further comprises

a first encryption key for encrypting outbound messages;

a second key for authenticating outbound messages;

a third encryption key for inbound messages; and

a fourth encryption key authenticating inbound messages.