Secure Media Format Conversion for Low-Latency DRM Streaming

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing DRM solutions for real-time media streaming introduce latency issues due to end-user authentication, encryption/decryption processes, and transmission of encrypted data, which are problematic for maintaining real-time constraints in streaming services.

Innovation Solution

The approach reuses the original encoded real-time stream as a carrier for encrypted data by packetizing it in ISO-BMFF and embedding encrypted ISO-BMFF payloads within the original stream, effectively supporting DRM without introducing lag.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If DRM encryption/decryption processes are implemented for secure media streaming, then security is improved, but latency increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidlatency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by performing encryption on media segments before they are transmitted through the streaming pipeline. The encrypted segments are prepared in advance and embedded into the streaming format, so that decryption can occur parallel to playback rather than sequentially before it, minimizing latency while maintaining security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism by embedding encrypted media segments within the streaming protocol structure itself. The encryption is integrated into the media segment format, allowing the decryption process to be seamlessly interwoven with the natural playback timing, thus avoiding additional latency buffers while preserving security.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If encrypted data transmission is used for DRM protection, then security is improved, but processing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the encryption process with the existing media encoding and packaging workflows. By integrating DRM encryption into the standard media segment creation process, the system avoids adding separate, complex encryption layers while still achieving secure transmission. The encryption is combined with the multiplexing and packaging operations already present in streaming systems.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Reliability

If DRM authentication processes are implemented, then security is improved, but real-time streaming performance deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidstreaming performance

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements self-service by enabling the client device to perform decryption locally using pre-distributed or rapidly acquired decryption keys. The authentication process is designed so that once a user is authorized, the actual decryption operations are handled automatically by the client's media player without requiring continuous server intervention, thus maintaining security while preserving real-time streaming performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS20250287051A1Increasing security of streaming media by converting a secure media format into a streaming media format without introducing lag

Publication Date: 2025.09.11 STATS LLC

AI summary

The following detailed description presents a method for supporting Digital Rights Management (DRM) in real-time streaming. The proposed method attains real-time constraints by reusing the original encoded real-time stream as the carrier of the encrypted data. A system is also specified for implementing the described method on a real-time streaming architecture.