IPTV Receiver Pre-caching Decryption Key for Seamless Content Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current IPTV systems lack an adequate mechanism for inserting personalized content in encrypted network environments, where the secondary content requires a different decryption key than the primary content, often resulting in interruptions during playback due to delayed decryption key retrieval.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for pre-caching the secondary content's decryption key at the receiver before the scheduled playback time, allowing seamless insertion of encrypted secondary content into a time slot of primary content within a managed content delivery network, using a content delivery server to detect the insertion metadata and provide the necessary decryption key.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the secondary content's decryption key is retrieved at the scheduled playback time, then the content protection is maintained, but playback interruptions occur due to delayed key retrieval
Solution Approach 1:
The decryption key for secondary content is retrieved and cached at the receiver before the scheduled playback time. The content delivery server detects insertion metadata indicating an upcoming time slot for secondary content, triggers early decryption key retrieval, and caches the key in the receiver's memory. This preliminary action ensures the key is ready before playback begins, eliminating interruptions while maintaining security through controlled key distribution.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the secondary content uses a different decryption key than the primary content, then personalized content delivery is enabled, but the system complexity increases due to multiple key management requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The content delivery server performs multiple functions: it detects insertion metadata for secondary content, retrieves decryption keys from a key server, caches keys in the receiver, and delivers both primary and secondary content. The receiver's memory serves both as buffer for content and as cache for decryption keys. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity despite supporting multiple decryption keys for personalized content delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The content delivery server acts as an intermediary between the key server and the receiver. It retrieves decryption keys from the key server on behalf of the receiver, caches them locally, and makes them available when needed. This intermediary role simplifies key management at the receiver end while enabling personalized content delivery with multiple decryption keys.
3Productivity
If the decryption key is cached in advance at the receiver, then playback smoothness is improved, but the security risk increases due to key storage at the edge device
Solution Approach 1:
The decryption key is cached in the receiver's memory in advance of playback, ensuring smooth playback without interruptions. The key remains in memory only temporarily until needed, then is used for decryption and subsequently can be cleared or overwritten. This preliminary caching balances security and performance by minimizing the time the key exists in an vulnerable state while ensuring availability when needed.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention is concerned with insertion of secondary content in a time slot of primary content. The primary content and the secondary content are provided to a receiver via a managed content delivery network configured for IPTV delivery. The secondary content may be personalized content, such as an ad. Both the primary content and the secondary content may be encrypted, and decryptable with different decryption keys. Measures are described for pre-caching the decryption key for the secondary content at the receiver ahead of a scheduled play-out time of the secondary content. By pre-caching the decryption key, an interruption in play-out may be avoided or reduced compared to a basic scenario in which the receiver requests the decryption key at or immediately before the scheduled play-out time.