Control Word Caching for Bandwidth Optimization
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
The frequent retrieval of control words and associated entitlement control messages (ECMs) in existing systems leads to inefficient bandwidth usage and impedes the scaling of consolidated systems to support thousands of services, due to the need for frequent communication between network elements and generators, resulting in latency and increased network load.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a computing device that caches and schedules control words and ECMs in batches, allowing for concurrent encryption and decryption across multiple cryptographic periods, reducing the frequency of requests to generators and optimizing bandwidth usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If control words and ECMs are retrieved on a per cryptographic period basis, then security is maintained, but bandwidth usage becomes inefficient and network load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having network elements cache multiple control words and ECMs in advance before they are needed. Instead of retrieving one control word per cryptographic period, the system pre-loads batches of control words (e.g., 10-100 periods worth) into local memory, reducing frequent network communications and optimizing bandwidth usage while maintaining security through controlled access to cached materials.
2Productivity
If cryptographic period is set to a longer timeframe, then network communication frequency is reduced, but latency in retrieving control words increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system resolves this contradiction by performing preliminary actions of caching control words and ECMs in batch quantities that span multiple cryptographic periods. This allows the network element to operate with longer effective cycles between generator communications, reducing communication frequency while maintaining low latency through local cache access. The cache is refilled proactively before depletion occurs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamics by making the cryptographic period duration adaptive rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the effective retrieval cycle based on cache status, service demands, and latency requirements. When cache levels are sufficient, longer periods are used; when cache needs refilling, the system proactively requests more control words, creating a flexible timing mechanism that balances communication efficiency and latency.
3Reliability
If frequent retrieval of control words and ECMs is performed, then up-to-date encryption keys are available, but scaling of consolidated systems to support thousands of services is impeded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this scalability contradiction by implementing preliminary caching of control words and ECMs at network elements serving thousands of services. Instead of each service requiring frequent independent retrievals from generators, the system pre-loads batched control word sets that can serve multiple services simultaneously. This reduces the total number of generator communications needed to support large service consolidations, enabling scalable deployment while maintaining current encryption key availability.
4Ease of operation
If multiple network elements communicate frequently with generators, then control words are available when needed, but bandwidth usage across the network becomes inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by consolidating control word retrieval operations across multiple network elements. Instead of each element independently requesting control words frequently, the system combines retrieval operations into fewer, larger batch requests. Multiple elements can share cached control word sets, and the generators process consolidated requests, reducing total network bandwidth consumption while ensuring control words remain available when needed by any individual element.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, computer-readable media, and apparatuses for providing control word and associated entitlement control message (ECM) functionalities are presented. In some embodiments, a computing device may cache concurrently a first set of control words and a first set of entitlement control messages (ECMs) associated with the first set of control words. The computing device may encrypt a transport stream with a particular control word of the first set of control words. The computing device may insert a particular ECM, of the first set of ECMs, corresponding to the particular control word into the transport stream sent to a device downstream from the computing device. In some embodiments, a computing device may reuse control words and associated ECMs.