Secure Media Streaming via Segmented Encryption and Playlist Key Distribution

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional HTTP media streaming lacks user authentication and digital rights management (DRM) security, making it difficult to securely provide streaming content across networks.

Innovation Solution

Media content is segmented into multiple segments, encrypted with a cryptographic key, and the key is included in a playlist, allowing secure transmission using HTTP protocols, with optional user authentication through centralized or local systems.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional HTTP protocols are used for media streaming, then ease of routing and network access is improved, but security and digital rights management protection deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of routingVSAvoidsecurity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The media content is divided into multiple encrypted segments, each protected by cryptographic keys. The playlist contains references to these segments and keys, enabling secure HTTP streaming without requiring proprietary protocols while maintaining DRM protection

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

A playlist file serves as an intermediary between the media server and client, coordinating the delivery of encrypted media segments and cryptographic keys through standard HTTP protocols, thereby bridging the gap between simple HTTP routing and secure content delivery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If media content is encrypted and segmented with cryptographic keys, then security and DRM protection are improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovesecurityVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The media client automatically retrieves cryptographic keys from the playlist and performs decryption of media segments without requiring complex key management infrastructure or authentication protocols, simplifying the overall system while maintaining security

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Cryptographic keys are prepared and included in the playlist file in advance, allowing the client to decrypt media segments on-demand without requiring real-time key generation or complex authentication handshakes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10389689B2Systems and methods for securely streaming media content

Publication Date: 2019.08.20 DISH TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Systems and methods securely provide media content from a media server to a media client via a network. The media content is segmented to create multiple media segments that are each identified in a playlist, and at least one of the media segments is encrypted using a cryptographic key. The cryptographic key is also identified in the playlist, and the playlist is provided from the media server to the media client via the network. The various media segments and cryptographic keys may then be requested from and provided by the media server using hypertext transport protocol (HTTP) or similar constructs to allow the media client to receive and decrypt the various segments of the media content.