Physical Digital Media Delivery with Player-Specific Encryption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for physical delivery of digital media lack effective security measures to prevent content from being played on unauthorized devices, especially for mass market production, and fail to update existing content with new encryption schemes, leaving cracked content vulnerable.
Innovation Solution
A system that delivers uniquely customized physical digital media, such as CDs or hard drives, with encryption keys specific to a particular player, allowing only that player to access the content, and enables updating of encryption schemes to secure both new and existing content, while also providing tamper-resistant security measures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If mass market production encryption schemes are used with distributed keys, then content can be widely distributed, but security is compromised because multiple manufacturers have keys that can unlock the same content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the key management system by assigning unique encryption keys to each individual player device. Instead of distributing the same key to multiple manufacturers, each player receives a distinct key that only it can use, thereby segmenting the security model from a shared-key approach to an individualized-key approach that maintains both distribution capability and security.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by making each player device unique with its own specific encryption key. The security property is localized to each individual player rather than being a global shared property. This allows content to be distributed widely while each player maintains its own security boundary with a key that is specific to that local device.
2Reliability
If physical delivery methods are used for digital media, then content can be securely transported, but existing cracked content cannot be updated with new encryption schemes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by enabling encryption schemes to be updated and changed over time for physically delivered content. The system allows re-encryption of existing content with new keys and schemes, making the security model dynamic rather than static. This enables cracked content to be updated with new encryption while maintaining the benefits of physical delivery for initial secure distribution.
3Ease of manufacture
If content is encrypted with distributed keys for multiple manufacturers, then production costs are reduced, but the content can be played on unauthorized devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-configuring each player device with its own unique encryption key during manufacturing or initialization. This preliminary setup ensures that from the outset, each player is securely bound to its specific key, preventing unauthorized playback before content is even delivered. The security measure is built in advance rather than added later, maintaining both manufacturing efficiency and security.
Data Source
AI summary
The inventions relate to the delivery, transfer of content, and return of uniquely customized physical digital media. Digital content is specifically encrypted for use on a target player associated with a specific customer account. After use, the media is returned to a receiving location where use information is read from the media. Attention is given to cost of delivery, security of content, user experience in selecting, choosing, paying for, viewing or utilizing the content, and usage information created as a result of the content being utilized, rented, purchased, loaded or deleted.