System and method for enforcing network cluster proximity requirements using a proxy

• US 7,519,181 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2004
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McGuire, Tommy, Shaheen, Amal Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Barron, Jr.; Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): ARMOUCHE, HADI S
• Application Number:
  US11/014,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20060233372A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,580 Days
• Field of Search: 380/255, 380/281, 380/258, 713/165, 713/181, 705/51
• US Class Current: 380/258
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/101 applying security measures for digital rights management data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for commerce, e.g. marketing, shopping, billing, auctions or e-commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0492 by using a location-limited connection, e.g. near-field communication or limited proximity of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/08 for authentication of entities cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for entity authentication H04L9/32
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources

Abstract

A system, method and computer program for enforcing network cluster proximity requirements using a proxy is useful in preventing unauthorized devices from receiving encrypted broadcast content intended for only authorized users within a network cluster. The current art allows users to remotely establish trust via a cryptographic handshake. This results in encrypted broadcast content being delivered to unauthorized devices. The present invention assures that encrypted broadcast content is delivered to only authorized devices, allowing authorized remote devices to receive encrypted broadcast content while preventing unauthorized remote devices from doing so. The present invention enforces network proximity requirements to authorized devices within a defined area by timing the cryptographic handshaking, and by authorizing device proxies within a geographic area for retransmitting to authorized remote devices outside said geographic area.

Claims

1. A communication network system for delivering encrypted broadcast content to authorized devices comprising:

a device authorization unit for authorizing devices within a geographic area via cryptographic handshaking;

a timer for timing the cryptographic handshaking process;

a content delivery unit for delivering encrypted broadcast content only to authorized devices within said geographic area; and

one or more device proxies, wherein said device proxies are authorized devices within the geographic area and are enabled to send encrypted broadcast content to authorized devices outside of said geographic area;

wherein the timer identifies authorized devices by length of time transmission;

wherein the device proxies comprise hardware facilities;

wherein the hardware facilities use location information to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein the hardware facilities use information from the authorized devices to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein the device proxies comprise a home network system which communicates with other network compliant devices to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein one or more devices are added to the network cluster;

wherein mean and standard deviation of round-trip times for each new device are measured;

wherein a new, potential maximum round-trip time is calculated as the mean plus two times the standard deviation;

wherein the potential maximum round-trip time is less than a current maximum round-trip time;

wherein the potential maximum round-trip time is adopted as a new current maximum round-trip time.

2. The communication network system of claim 1, wherein a network compliant device is a cellular telephone.

3. A method for delivering encrypted broadcast content to authorized devices including steps of:

initiating cryptographic handshaking with a device;

designating said device as an authorized device if said cryptographic handshaking is successful;

timing said cryptographic handshaking;

limiting the delivery of said encrypted broadcast content to only said authorized devices within a geographic area based on said timing;

authorizing one or more device proxies within said geographic area for retransmitting encrypted broadcast content to authorized remote devices outside of said geographic area;

wherein the timer identifies authorized devices by length of time transmission;

wherein the device proxies comprise hardware facilities;

wherein the hardware facilities use location information to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein the hardware facilities use information from the authorized devices to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein the device proxies comprise a home network system which communicates with other network compliant devices to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

adding one or more devices to the network cluster;

measuring mean and standard deviation of round-trip times for each new device;

calculating a new, potential maximum round-trip time as the mean plus two times the standard devistion;

wherein the potential maximum round-trip time is less than a current maximum round-trip time; and

adopting the potential maximum round-trip time as a new current maximum round-trip time.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein a network compliant device is a cellular telephone.

5. A computer program product having code recorded on a computer readable medium for fast communication with a symbol linked object based system in a communication network for delivering encrypted broadcast content to authorized devices, said computer program product comprising code for:

enforcing network cluster proximity requirements to authorized devices within a defined geographic area via cryptographic handshaking;

timing said cryptographic handshaking to limit the delivery of said encrypted broadcast content to only said authorized devices within said geographic area;

authorizing device proxies within said geographic area for retransmitting to authorized remote devices outside of said geographic area, the encrypted broadcast content delivered to said device proxies;

wherein the timer identifies authorized devices by length of time transmission;

wherein the device proxies comprise hardware facilities;

wherein the hadrware facilities use location information to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein the hardware facilities use information from the authorized devices to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

wherein the device proxies comprise a home network system which communicates with other network compliant devices to enforce network cluster proximity requirements;

adding one or more devices to the network cluster;

measuring mean and standard deviation of round-trip times for each new device;

calculating a new, potential maximum round-trip time as the mean plus two times the standard deviation;

wherein the potential maximum round-trip time is less than a current maximum round-trip time; and

adopting the potential maximum round-trip time as a new current maximum round-trip time.