Set-Top Box Gateway for Secure Digital Content Transcoding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing access to and protecting digital video content across various devices while maintaining rights control is challenging due to differences in resolution and bitrate capabilities, and existing systems struggle to enforce domain rules and digital rights management after content enters the home network.
Innovation Solution
A system that uses a set-top box gateway to decrypt, transcode, and re-encrypt digital video content, with a video content authority system managing encryption keys and domain membership to control access and distribution across multiple devices, employing HTTP live streaming or MPEG-DASH formats, and utilizing DLNA for content discovery and device capability signaling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If content is stored on DVR in high-definition format with high bitrate, then content quality is improved, but compatibility with mobile devices is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the parameters of the content (resolution, bitrate, format) through transcoding to adapt it for different devices. The DVR transcodes high-definition content to lower definition formats suitable for mobile devices while maintaining quality within device capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The content is segmented into multiple versions with different quality levels. The system creates and maintains multiple copies of the same content in different formats (HD, SD, mobile-optimized) to serve different device requirements simultaneously.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple devices are allowed to access content, then device versatility is improved, but rights control is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The DVR acts as an intermediary between the content source and multiple client devices. It maintains rights control by acting as the sole authorized source for content distribution, transcoding and distributing to multiple devices while enforcing access policies and preventing unauthorized sharing.
Solution Approach 2:
The DVR performs multiple functions: content storage, format transcoding, rights management, and multi-device distribution. This universal system handles both the need for versatile device support and the requirement for maintained rights control through integrated functionality.
3Adaptability or versatility
If content is transcoded to lower definition for mobile devices, then device compatibility is improved, but content quality is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system optimizes content parameters (resolution, bitrate, codec) based on the target device capabilities. Transcoding adjusts these parameters to match mobile device requirements, achieving the best possible quality within the constraints of the target device rather than simply reducing from HD.
4Reliability
If domain management and rights management are performed by head end, then rights control is improved, but system complexity is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts and centralizes the complex rights management and domain management functions in the head end, removing this complexity from individual client devices. The DVR and client devices can remain relatively simple while the head end handles all authorization, key management, and policy enforcement.
Data Source
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AI summary
Managing access to digital content within a particular domain, including: receiving the digital content at a first client device; decrypting the received digital content at the first client device using a first key; transcoding the digital content to another format; re-encrypting the transcoded content using a second key, wherein the second key is obtained by one of: (1) directly from a server; or (2) indirectly by deriving it locally based on information received from the server; and transmitting the re-encrypted content to a second client device, wherein the second client device obtains the second key and decrypts the re-encrypted content at the second client device.