Customer-Specific Encryption Key for Set-Top Box Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current satellite television systems restrict the portability of recorded programs on external hard drives, as they are typically encrypted uniquely for each set-top box, preventing sharing among multiple devices associated with the same account while also preventing access to unauthorized users.
Innovation Solution
Generating a customer-specific encryption key based on a customer identification number, allowing multiple set-top boxes associated with the same account to encrypt and decrypt recorded programs, enabling sharing among compatible devices while maintaining security against unauthorized access.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a unique encryption key is used for each set-top box, then security against unauthorized access is improved, but portability and sharing of recorded programs among multiple devices associated with the same account deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption key is segmented into two parts: a customer-specific portion and a device-specific portion. The customer-specific key component is derived from account information and remains consistent across devices, while the device-specific component varies by set-top box. This segmentation allows the same recorded program to be decrypted by multiple devices belonging to the same customer, enabling portability while maintaining security through the device-specific portion.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a common encryption key is used for all set-top boxes, then portability and sharing of recorded programs is improved, but security against unauthorized access deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The encryption key exhibits local quality by having different characteristics for different contexts. The customer-specific portion provides commonality across devices for the same account, enabling portability. The device-specific portion provides local uniqueness for each set-top box, ensuring security. This local quality differentiation resolves the contradiction between common access and secure access.
3Reliability
If external hard drives are dedicated to one set-top box, then security is improved, but ease of operation and user convenience deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The external hard drive is designed with multi-functionality to work with multiple set-top boxes associated with the same customer account. By implementing the customer-specific encryption key mechanism, the hard drive can be universally used across different devices without sacrificing security. Users can conveniently move their recorded programs between devices while the system maintains secure access control through the hybrid encryption approach.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment takes the form of a method and apparatus for creating a customer-specific encryption key for encrypting digital information. The encryption key may be based on a customer number and may be associated with several devices such that the devices may encrypt and decrypt the digital information. Because each device may have the same encryption key, the encrypted data may be encrypted by a first device, transferred from the first device to a second device and decrypted and read by the second device. Thus, encrypted digital information may be shared between devices that generate a customer-specific encryption key from a common customer number. In one embodiment, the customer-specific encryption key may be utilized by a set-top box of a television system to encrypt and decrypt a digitally recorded television program.