Unified Token Content Delivery Network Chunk Security
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current content delivery methods face challenges in providing chunks of content quickly and securely, leading to processing overhead and delays in smooth video rendering, as well as vulnerabilities to unauthorized access and theft due to separate security tokens and management for each chunk.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that involves communicating a manifest request to a content delivery network, receiving a content delivery network token, and generating requests for content chunks using the token and respective chunk addresses, allowing for efficient and secure delivery of content chunks to a client device for immediate playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If content is broken into chunks for faster playback, then playback start time is improved, but processing overhead and security management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The content is divided into multiple chunks that can be delivered and played back sequentially. This segmentation allows the client device to begin playback after receiving only the first chunk, significantly reducing the waiting time compared to receiving the entire content file first. The segmentation principle directly resolves the contradiction by enabling faster playback start while managing complexity through standardized chunk handling procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
A single security token is generated that serves multiple functions: it authenticates the client device, authorizes access to all content chunks, and enables seamless retrieval of subsequent chunks during playback. This universal token eliminates the need for separate security credentials for each chunk, reducing security management complexity while maintaining the benefits of chunked delivery for fast playback initiation.
2Reliability
If separate security tokens are used for each content chunk, then security control is improved, but processing overhead and delivery delay increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple security functions that would traditionally require separate tokens are merged into a single comprehensive security token. This token provides authentication, authorization, and access control for all content chunks simultaneously. The merging eliminates the processing overhead of generating and managing multiple tokens while maintaining robust security control through the unified token's embedded security policies and expiration mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If traditional content delivery methods are used, then security management is simplified, but playback delay increases due to requiring entire file creation
Solution Approach 1:
The security token is generated in advance and provided to the client device before content delivery begins. This preliminary action enables the client to immediately start receiving and playing back content chunks without waiting for security arrangements to be made during playback. The pre-generated token facilitates instant playback initiation while maintaining security, resolving the contradiction between simplified security management and reduced playback delay.
Data Source
AI summary
A user receiving device and method includes a content delivery network manager interaction module communicating a request for a content delivery network address for a content to a content delivery network manager and receiving the content delivery network address for a content delivery network and a content delivery network token from the content delivery network manager. The user receiving device also includes a manifest interaction module communicating a manifest request to the content delivery network address of the content delivery network and receiving a manifest from the content delivery network comprising a plurality of chunk addresses. The user receiving device also includes a content delivery network interaction module generating requests for chunks of the content from the content delivery network using the content delivery network token and a respective chunk address and receiving the chunks from the content delivery network.