Multimedia Content Authorization Server for Secure Sharing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for protecting recorded multimedia content do not effectively prevent unrestricted sharing through sharing networks, allowing unauthorized users to access and redistribute scrambled content.
Innovation Solution
A method involving an authorization server that verifies the access rights of readers before allowing them to descramble and view multimedia content, using a shared key system to ensure only authorized users can decrypt and view the content, with a network head broadcasting scrambled content and ECM messages containing channel identifiers to validate user permissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If scrambled multimedia content is recorded without read protection, then the content can be freely shared and accessed by multiple users, but unauthorized users can redistribute the content without access rights
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the access control mechanism by separating the scrambling key (known to recorder) from the descrambling authorization (managed by authorization server). This allows the recorded content to be shared freely while maintaining security through centralized authorization verification that checks both the content identifier and user permissions before allowing descrambling.
Solution Approach 2:
The authorization server acts as an intermediary between the recorder and reader. It receives the content identifier from the recorder, verifies the reader's access rights, and only then provides the descrambling authorization. This intermediary layer enables sharing while preventing unauthorized access.
2Reliability
If local key encryption is used to protect recorded content, then only the original reader can play the content in clear, but sharing with other authorized users becomes restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The authorization server mediates the key distribution process. Instead of relying on local key encryption that restricts access to a single device, the system uses an intermediary server that can dynamically authorize multiple readers based on their permissions and the content identifier, enabling flexible sharing while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The authorization server provides universal access control functionality for all readers in the system. Rather than each reader having device-specific key protection, the centralized server handles authorization for any authorized reader, making the system universally applicable to multiple users while maintaining security.
3Reliability
If an authorization server is introduced to verify access rights before descrambling, then unauthorized sharing is prevented, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The authorization server is introduced as a necessary intermediary to handle the complex authorization logic. Instead of embedding complex authorization mechanisms in each reader device, the system centralizes this complexity in a dedicated server that simply verifies content identifiers and user permissions, making the overall system more manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex authorization verification logic is extracted from the reader devices and placed in a dedicated authorization server. This separation allows readers to remain simple clients while the server handles the complex tasks of verifying content identifiers, checking user permissions, and managing descrambling authorization.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for protecting recorded multimedia content and enabling the recorded multimedia content to be shared between recorders and readers of multimedia content connected to one another via a wide area information transmission network.