Secure Remote Control Pairing Protocol for IRD

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current remote control systems for Integrated Receiver Devices (IRDs) lack secure communication protocols, allowing unauthorized remote controls to transmit commands to IRDs, which can lead to unauthorized access and interference, particularly in scenarios like user surveys or advertisement watching rewards.

Innovation Solution

A secure pairing protocol between the remote control device and the IRD using a shared common key and specific algorithms or protocols, ensuring that only authorized remote controls can transmit encrypted commands to the IRD, with a pairing process that can be one-to-one or class-based, and involving a learning process with a 'master' remote control device and security devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a standardized protocol with a common key is used for remote control communication, then compatibility and ease of operation are improved, but security is worsened because any remote control can communicate with any IRD

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveremote control compatibilityVSAvoidcommunication security
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the common key into multiple individual keys, each stored in a secure memory of both the IRD and its paired remote control. This segmentation allows the system to maintain compatibility through standardized protocols while enhancing security by requiring specific key pairs for authentication, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and communication security.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Reliability

If encryption with specific key pairs is implemented for secure communication, then security is improved, but device complexity is worsened due to key management requirements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecommunication securityVSAvoidkey management system
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by pre-storing individual keys in the secure memory of both the IRD and remote control devices during manufacturing or initial pairing. This preliminary key distribution eliminates the need for complex real-time key generation and management, reducing device complexity while maintaining strong security through encrypted communication channels.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2599322B1Secure remote control for audio/video receiver/decoder
Publication Date: 2016.07.13 NAGRAVISION SA
  • EP2599322B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2599322B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2599322B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

In order to limit the use of generic remote control devices, the invention relates to a system comprising a remote control device and a security device, both sharing a common key, algorithms or protocol specific to a pair formed by the remote control device and the security device. The remote control device comprises means to send wirelessly data to a receiver comprising the security device. The remote control device being paired with the security device is characterized in that data sent by the remote control device towards the receiver is specific to the pair formed by the remote control device and the security device, said remote control device comprising encryption means and a memory to store a specific key, said data being encrypted by the encryption means with the specific key, the security device comprising decryption means and a key corresponding to the specific key to decrypt the received data.