Digital Content Authentication Using Static Licensed Constants
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital content protection methods, such as the High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) System, face challenges in securely transmitting protected digital video data across various devices, including repeaters, while ensuring authenticity and proximity of downstream devices to the source transmitter.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves a method for authenticating devices and exchanging keys using a central licensing authority, with devices possessing static 64-bit and 128-bit global licensed constants, and employing RSA encryption and HMAC-SHA256 for integrity checks, along with locality verification to ensure proximity, enabling secure transmission of protected content.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If HDCP authentication and key exchange methods are used to protect digital content transmission, then content security is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple authentication steps and key management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-distributing static licensed constants (64-bit and 128-bit keys) to devices during manufacturing through a central licensing authority. This pre-configured authentication data eliminates the need for complex runtime key exchange protocols, simplifying the authentication process while maintaining security. The devices already possess the necessary cryptographic materials before content transmission begins.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the key management complexity from the transmission process by using static licensed constants that are established beforehand. Instead of managing dynamic key exchange during content transmission, the system separates authentication setup (done preliminarily during device provisioning) from content delivery, reducing the complexity of the transmission system while maintaining strong security through pre-established cryptographic relationships.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If locality verification is implemented to ensure device proximity, then unauthorized access is prevented, but processing time increases due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring devices with static licensed constants during manufacturing, eliminating the need for complex runtime key exchange and reducing authentication processing time. The authentication data is prepared in advance, allowing rapid verification during content transmission without adding significant time overhead.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple encrypted key formats are supported for different connection types, then system adaptability is improved, but device complexity increases due to multiple encryption subsystems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a single authentication framework that handles multiple connection types (high-bandwidth and low-bandwidth) through a unified key management system. The same static licensed constants and authentication protocols are used across different connection types, eliminating the need for separate encryption subsystems for each connection type while maintaining full adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies parameter changes by adjusting authentication and encryption parameters based on connection type rather than using fundamentally different cryptographic systems. The system modifies operational parameters (such as bandwidth allocation and transmission rates) within a unified framework, reducing device complexity while maintaining adaptability to different connection capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
An embodiment of the invention includes a processing system to provide protected digital content, the processing system comprising a processor and control logic which, when used by the processor, results in the processing system performing operations comprising determining first and second receivers, which are coupled to the processing system, are within a predetermined acceptable proximity to the processing system. The processing system is upstream to the first receiver and the first receiver is upstream to the second receiver. Other embodiments are provided herein.