Centralized Gateway for Secure Multi-Dwelling Content Distribution
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Providing satellite television to multiple users in a building is cost-ineffective and aesthetically unpleasing when individual antennas and digital video recorders are required for each unit, and existing systems lack secure content distribution methods.
Innovation Solution
A content delivery system using a central gateway for content redistribution, where content signals are encrypted and stored in a shared memory device, allowing user devices to request and decrypt content securely, reducing the need for individual memory devices and enhancing security through various encryption methods.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If individual antennas and digital video recorders are provided for each unit, then content access is secure and reliable, but system cost and complexity increase substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple individual digital video recorders into a single shared memory device that serves multiple users. The gateway consolidates content storage and distribution functions, eliminating the need for each user to have separate recording hardware while maintaining individual access control through encryption and authorization mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared memory device performs multiple functions: storing content for multiple users, providing digital video recording capabilities to all users, and enabling content distribution. The gateway serves as a universal platform that handles content reception, storage, security management, and distribution to various user devices within the building.
2Reliability
If individual digital video recorders are provided for each unit, then content recording and storage is reliable, but system cost increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual digital video recorders into a single shared memory device that serves multiple users. The gateway consolidates content storage and distribution functions, eliminating the need for each user to have separate recording hardware while maintaining individual access control through encryption and authorization mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates logical copies of content for different users through encryption rather than physical duplication of hardware. Each user receives encrypted content streams tailored to their authorization level, allowing multiple users to have access to content without requiring separate physical storage devices for each user.
3Reliability
If individual antennas are installed in each unit, then content reception is secure, but building space consumption increases and aesthetics are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple individual antenna systems into a single gateway unit that receives and distributes content to multiple users. This centralization eliminates the need for separate antennas in each unit, reducing building space requirements and improving aesthetics while maintaining secure content distribution through encryption and authorization protocols.
4Ease of manufacture
If a central memory device is used for shared content storage, then system cost is reduced, but content security and access control must be enhanced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the security parameter from physical hardware isolation to cryptographic protection. By implementing encryption algorithms and authorization protocols, the system maintains content security despite using shared storage infrastructure. Access control is managed through digital credentials and permission levels rather than physical hardware boundaries.
Data Source
AI summary
A communication system 10 includes a head end 12. The head end communicates with a system gateway 26. A plurality of user devices 28 is coupled to the gateway 26 that includes a memory device 94 for storing content therein. The gateway 26 receives the plurality of first encrypted signals and stores the signals in the memory device 94. The storing in the memory device 94 may be performed after further encryption. One of the user devices 28 generates a request for content and communicates the request to the gateway 26. The gateway 26 communicates content corresponding to the request to the user device 28.