Digital Content Access Control via Local Identifier Retrieval
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing multimedia content transmission networks face inefficiencies in managing access control, particularly in broadcasting digital content where access criteria need to be personalized for each terminal while minimizing bandwidth occupancy, especially in scenarios like pay-per-view television where frequent updates of encryption keys are required.
Innovation Solution
A method where only an identifier is transmitted with the data stream, allowing each terminal to retrieve and verify access criteria stored locally, optimizing bandwidth usage and enabling personalized access control without transmitting extensive access criteria, which can be updated frequently for security and user convenience.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If access criteria are transmitted in every ECM message to enable personalized access control, then access control personalization is improved, but transmission bandwidth occupancy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The access control system segments information into two parts: access criteria are stored locally in each terminal (separated from the transmission stream), while only identifiers are transmitted in ECM messages. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by enabling personalization through local storage while minimizing transmission bandwidth usage.
Solution Approach 2:
Access criteria are preliminarily loaded into terminals during initialization or setup phases, before actual content transmission begins. This preliminary action allows terminals to have personalized access control capabilities without requiring continuous transmission of access criteria, thereby reducing bandwidth occupancy during content delivery.
2Measurement precision
If complete access criteria are transmitted in ECM messages, then access control accuracy is improved, but message size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts only the essential identifier from the complete access criteria and transmits it in ECM messages, while the full access criteria are retrieved from local terminal storage. This extraction principle maintains access control accuracy by preserving the identifier needed for verification while dramatically reducing message size.
Solution Approach 2:
Terminals maintain local copies of access criteria in their memory or storage, eliminating the need to transmit complete criteria with each ECM message. The local copy enables accurate access control verification using only compact identifiers in transmission messages.
3Reliability
If access criteria are updated frequently for security, then security is improved, but transmission frequency and bandwidth consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic updates of access criteria in local terminal storage at predetermined intervals or trigger events, rather than continuous transmission. This periodic action maintains security through regular updates while avoiding excessive bandwidth consumption associated with continuous or frequent transmissions.
Solution Approach 2:
Terminals automatically manage their own access criteria in local storage, performing self-updates based on identifiers received in ECM messages without requiring constant server intervention or repeated transmission of complete criteria. This self-service approach enhances security through timely updates while maintaining bandwidth efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
Control of access to at least one digital content is managed as a function of at least one access criterion. The digital content is transmitted to at least one terminal in the form a data stream. The access criterion is stored in the terminal as a function of an identifier. The terminal receives the data stream in association with a control message indicating the identifier. It then retrieves the stored access criterion as a function of the identifier received in the control message. Finally, it verifies whether the stored access criterion is satisfied in order, where appropriate, to authorize access to the content.