Encrypted Content Key Release for Synchronous Presentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication technologies face challenges in synchronizing the presentation of live-streamed content across multiple devices, leading to potential unfair advantages and spoilers due to asynchronous access, especially in scenarios like online betting or streaming of popular content.
Innovation Solution
An Edge server device manages decryption keys for encrypted content segments, distributing them to wireless devices after reception to ensure simultaneous decryption within a brief time frame, typically within seconds, using Edge computing infrastructure for low latency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If content is distributed asynchronously to multiple devices, then devices can receive and process content at their own pace, but some users may gain early access to content creating unfair advantages or spoilers
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by distributing encrypted content segments to all devices before the designated presentation time, while withholding decryption keys until the precise moment when synchronized presentation should begin. This allows content to be pre-positioned on devices without allowing early access, resolving the contradiction between distribution flexibility and presentation synchronization.
Solution Approach 2:
Decryption keys serve as an intermediary mechanism that controls access to pre-distributed content. The keys are distributed simultaneously to all devices at the designated time, enabling synchronized decryption and presentation while maintaining the ability to distribute content flexibly to multiple devices in advance.
2Reliability
If decryption keys are distributed simultaneously to all devices, then content presentation is synchronized, but network latency may prevent all devices from receiving keys at exactly the same moment
Solution Approach 1:
Content segments are encrypted and distributed to all devices in advance before the presentation time. This preliminary distribution allows all devices to have the content ready locally, eliminating network dependency during the actual presentation moment and ensuring simultaneous access regardless of network latency.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the decryption key distribution timing based on network conditions and device readiness. Keys are distributed simultaneously to all devices at the optimal moment, with the understanding that minor time differences (within seconds) are acceptable and do not significantly impact the synchronized presentation experience.
3Reliability
If content is encrypted and decryption keys are withheld, then early access is prevented, but devices cannot decrypt and present content without the keys
Solution Approach 1:
Content segments are encrypted and distributed to all devices in advance, preparing them for future presentation. The encryption prevents early access while ensuring content is ready on devices. Decryption keys are withheld until the designated time, at which point simultaneous key distribution enables immediate decryption and presentation without delay.
Solution Approach 2:
Content is divided into segments, with each segment encrypted using a unique decryption key. This segmentation allows the system to control access to specific content portions independently, distributing encrypted segments in advance while maintaining the ability to release decryption keys on demand for synchronized presentation.
Data Source
AI summary
In embodiments of systems and methods for synchronous content presentation, an Edge server device may receive a decryption key for an encrypted content segment that is or will be delivered to a plurality of wireless devices over the wireless communication network, and may send the decryption key to the plurality of wireless devices after the encrypted content segment has been received by the plurality of wireless devices in a manner that enables the plurality of wireless devices to decrypt the encrypted content segment approximately simultaneously. A wireless device may receive, and optionally temporarily store, the encrypted content segment from the wireless communication network, receive the decryption key from the Edge server device after receiving the encrypted content segment, and decrypt the stored encrypted content segment using the received decryption key.