Media Distribution Synchronization via Timed Key Release
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Solution Overview
Problem
New broadcast technologies introduce significant delays in media transmission, causing issues like synchronized viewing or receiving of live events across different platforms, and existing solutions do not adequately address confidentiality and timing synchronization.
Innovation Solution
A system using low-bandwidth control channels to publish one-time cryptographic keys for decrypting encrypted media streams, ensuring that media is played simultaneously across different channels by introducing an acceptable delay in the control channel transmission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If packet-switched broadcast technologies (Internet, mobile networks) are used instead of traditional real-time transmission technologies, then bandwidth efficiency is improved, but transmission delay increases causing desynchronization of media playback across different platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The system pre-distributes encrypted media content through packet-switched networks before the official playback time, and pre-distributes decryption keys through a controlled channel at the exact moment of official release. This preliminary distribution of content combined with timed key release allows efficient use of packet-switched networks while preventing premature playback, thus resolving the contradiction between bandwidth efficiency and transmission delay.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a controlled channel (such as satellite broadcast or cable TV) as an intermediary for key distribution. This intermediary channel has different delay characteristics compared to packet-switched networks, and by controlling when keys are released on this intermediary channel, the system can synchronize playback across all networks regardless of their individual delay variations, thus resolving the desynchronization problem while maintaining bandwidth efficiency.
2Loss of information
If cryptographic keys are distributed early to enable decryption, then media confidentiality is compromised allowing advance preview, but if keys are distributed late, then synchronization with media content is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary distribution of encrypted media content through efficient packet-switched networks before the official release time. The content is prepared and distributed in advance, but remains unusable without the decryption key. This preliminary action enables bandwidth efficiency while maintaining confidentiality, as the content is available but encrypted until the official release when the key is distributed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically controls key distribution timing based on the official release schedule. Keys are distributed on the controlled channel at precisely the moment when media playback should begin, adapting to the specific timing requirements of different media content. This dynamic timing control ensures that keys are available exactly when needed for synchronization, while preventing premature decryption and maintaining confidentiality until the official release.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and apparatus for distributing time-controlled media. A media chunk is encrypted using cryptographic materials and sending the encrypted media chunk over a media channel. The cryptographic materials are distributed over a time-guaranteed control channel such that the cryptographic materials are received by a remote receiver node after the remote receiver receives the encrypted media chunk. The receiver node receives the encrypted media chunk over the media channel and stores the encrypted media chunk in a memory at the receiver node. The receiver node also receives the cryptographic materials over the time guaranteed channel, and uses the cryptographic materials to decrypt the encrypted media chunk. In this way, the receiver node cannot render the media chunk until it has received the cryptographic materials.