Acquisition Point Live Content Protection Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital media systems face challenges in distinguishing between live and recorded content, particularly when trick modes are used or multiple recording devices are involved, leading to potential circumvention of proximity control measures.
Innovation Solution
The system includes an Acquisition Point that broadcasts protected content with a content license indicating restrictions, and a processor that sends different responses based on whether the content is live or recorded, performing proximity tests and managing permissions to ensure accurate access control, including limiting concurrent viewings and handling requests from consuming devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a rendering device determines content origin by checking whether content comes from storage device or Acquisition Point, then content source distinction is simplified, but trick mode circumvention becomes possible
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the Acquisition Point actively monitors whether it is currently receiving content and sends responses to consuming devices based on this state. The consuming device receives both the content license and the Acquisition Point's current reception status, creating a feedback loop that prevents trick mode circumvention while maintaining simple content source distinction.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary action by having the Acquisition Point send information about its current reception state to consuming devices before content access is granted. This preliminary notification allows the consuming device to understand whether the content should be treated as live or recorded, preventing trick mode usage before it can occur.
2Device complexity
If content license includes only basic access rights, then device complexity is reduced, but concurrent usage control becomes insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The content license is segmented into multiple components: basic access rights, Acquisition Point identifier, content type indicator (live/recording), and concurrent usage information. This segmentation allows the license to maintain manageable complexity while providing sufficient control mechanisms for concurrent usage management through separate fields rather than a monolithic structure.
3Reliability
If the system checks content live status by querying Acquisition Point, then content protection is improved, but response time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The Acquisition Point performs preliminary action by proactively sending information about its current reception state to consuming devices before content access requests are processed. This eliminates the need for real-time queries during content access, reducing response time while maintaining protection reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements self-service by having the Acquisition Point automatically provide its reception state information to consuming devices as part of the normal content distribution process. This eliminates the need for separate status query operations, reducing time loss while maintaining accurate content protection.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for protecting live content in a multimedia system. An Acquisition Point (120) that receives content (CNT) distributes it in a network (100) comprising a recording device (130) and a rendering device (110). The content is associated with a license (CL) comprising a content identifier and the identity (APID) of the sending Acquisition Point. If the content is live, the license indicates that the content is "live protected". A rendering device that receives the content and its license asks 208 the Acquisition Point indicated in the license if it may render the content. If the content is not live, e.g. if it is replayed later, the permission is given. The Acquisition Point also stores a counter that indicates the number simultaneous viewings. If this number equals a maximum number of viewings when a request is received, the Acquisition Point asks all devices if they access the content to check if its count is correct and, if not, permits access to the requesting device.