Customized advertisement splicing in encrypted entertainment sources

• US 7,912,217 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2007
• Issued: 03/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Oran, David R., Baugher, Mark J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CERVETTI, DAVID GARCIA
• Application Number:
  US11/688,609
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 713/168, 725/32, 380/255, 380/228, 380/200, 380/259, 380/277
• US Class Current: 380/200
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4405 involving video stream decryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6437 Real-time Transport Protocol [RTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• 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

In one embodiment, a method includes receiving gap information from an entertainment content source configured to provide an entertainment stream associated with a contributing source information providing a source of the entertainment stream and a chronological order to render the entertainment stream, the entertainment stream being encrypted and having an associated first decryption key multiplexed into a key distribution system, the gap information identifying a gap in the entertainment stream where an ad may be one of inserted or substituted, synchronizing a target ad from an advertisement stream to a time base corresponding to the gap, decrypting the entertainment stream using the first decryption key selected from the key distribution system based on the contributing source information, and rendering the entertainment stream and the target ad as a composite stream based on the chronological order, the target ad being rendered during the gap in the entertainment stream.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing at least one processor and using the at least one processor for;

receiving gap information from an entertainment content source configured to provide an entertainment stream associated with a first contributing source of information and a first key indicator providing a source of the entertainment stream and a chronological order to render the entertainment stream,

the entertainment stream being encrypted and having an associated first decryption key multiplexed into a key distribution system,

the gap information identifying a gap in the entertainment stream within which an ad may be one of inserted or substituted;

synchronizing a target ad from an advertisement stream to a time base corresponding to the gap;

generating a second generating a second decryption key for the synchronized target ad, the target ad being associated with a second contributing source of information and a second key indicator;

multiplexing the second key into the key distribution system;

encrypting the synchronized target ad so that the target ad may be decrypted using the second key;

rendering the entertainment stream and the target ad as a composite stream based on the chronological order, the target ad being rendered during the gap in the entertainment stream;

decrypting the entertainment stream using the first decryption key selected from the key distribution system based on the first contributing source of information and the first key indicator; and

,

decrypting the target ad using the second decryption key selected from the key distribution system based on the second contributing source information and the second key indicator.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the entertainment content includes a sequence of media samples that are transmitted according to a real time protocol, the media samples including at least one of a video sample or an audio sample.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein

the real time protocol conforms to one of a real time protocol (RTP) IETF-RFC 3550 or a secure real time protocol (SRTP) IETF-RFC 3711, and

the time base conforms to Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineer (SMPTE) time codes associated with the RTP or the SRTP.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the entertainment stream is encrypted above the real time protocol layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the entertainment stream and the advertisement stream comprises at least one of a sequence of packets or a sequence of media samples.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the key distribution system supports Group Domain of Interpretation (GDOI).

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the key distribution system supports GDOI and is used to bind a decryption key to a source identifier of an associated stream and key indicator.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the operation of synchronizing the target ad from an advertisement stream to the time base corresponding to the gap information to render the target ad during the gap is repeated for a plurality of entertainment stream gaps.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the target ad is selected from the advertisement stream based on at least one of demographics or preferences of a target audience for rendering the composite stream.

10. An apparatus, comprising:

a cryptographic key source, including at least one processor and means for storing data, configured to receive, store and supply one or more keys including a first key and a second key; and

,

a synchronization unit, including at least one processor, configured to receive gap information from an entertainment content source configured to provide an entertainment stream associated with a contributing source of information and a first key indicator providing a source of the entertainment stream and a chronological order for rendering the entertainment stream,

the entertainment stream being encrypted and configured for decryption using the first key,

the gap information identifying a gap in the entertainment stream where an ad may be one of inserted or substituted,

the synchronization unit being configured to receive ad information from an advertisement content source identifying at least the duration of a target ad,

the advertisement content source including a target ad having ad information that is compatible with the gap information,

the target ad being associated with the advertisement content source and a second key indicator and configured for decryption using the second key,

the synchronization unit being configured to provide ad sync information for modifying the chronological order of the target ad to coincide with the gap,

the first key being selected from the cryptographic key source and used to decrypt the entertainment stream based on the source of the entertainment stream and the first key indicator,

the second key being selected from the cryptographic key source and used to decrypt the target ad based on the advertisement content source and the second key indicator,

wherein a composite stream of the decrypted entertainment stream and the target ad is rendered based on the chronological order, the target ad being rendered during the gap in the entertainment stream.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising:

a session stream generator configured to receive separate entertainment and advertisement streams and render a composite stream wherein the target ad from the advertisement stream is spliced into the entertainment stream gap.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the apparatus comprises a settop box.

13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the entertainment content includes a sequence of media samples that are transmitted according to a real time protocol, the real time protocol supporting at least one of a real time protocol (RTP) IETF-RFC 3550 or a secure real time protocol (SRTP) IETF-RFC 3711.

14. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the cryptographic key source comprises a key distribution system that supports Group Domain of Interpretation (GDOI).

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the key distribution system supports GDOI and is used to bind a decryption key to a source identifier of an associated stream.

16. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the target ad is selected from an advertisement stream based on at least one of demographics or preferences of a target audience for rendering the composite stream.

17. An apparatus, comprising:

a key distribution means for providing one or more cryptographic keys including a first key and a second key, the key distribution means supporting Group Domain of Interpretation (GDOI); and

,

a synchronization means for receiving gap information from an entertainment content source configured to provide an entertainment stream associated with a contributing source of information and a key indicator providing a source of the entertainment stream and a chronological order for rendering the entertainment stream,

the entertainment stream being encrypted and configured for decryption using the first key,

the gap information identifying a gap in the entertainment stream where an ad may be one of inserted or substituted,

the synchronization means receiving ad information from an advertisement content source identifying at least the duration of a target ad,

the advertisement content source including a target ad having ad information that is compatible with the gap information,

the target ad being encrypted and associated with the advertisement content source and a second key indicator and configured for decryption using the second key,

the synchronization means providing ad sync information for modifying the chronological order of the target ad to coincide with the gap,

the first key being selected from a cryptographic key source and used to decrypt the entertainment stream based on the source of the entertainment stream and the first key indicator,

the second key being selected from a cryptographic key source and used to decrypt the target ad based on the advertisement content source and the second key indicator,

the GDOI being used to bind a decryption key to a source identifier of an associated stream,

wherein a composite stream of the decrypted entertainment stream and the target ad is rendered based on the chronological order, the target ad being rendered during the gap in the entertainment stream.