Shared HDCP Engine Pre-Authentication for Port Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing systems for content protection, particularly those using High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), face inefficiencies due to the time-consuming authentication process required each time a connection is changed, leading to delays and resource wastage, especially when multiple ports need to be authenticated.
Innovation Solution
A method and system employing a single decipher processing engine associated with multiple ports, utilizing a pre-authentication and keep-authentication process that pre-authorizes ports, allowing for efficient authentication and synchronization without the need for multiple processing engines, thereby reducing system complexity and resource usage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a decipher processing engine is assigned to each port for HDCP authentication, then authentication reliability is improved, but device complexity and area increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple decipher processing engines into a single shared engine that services multiple ports. The authentication manager coordinates access to this shared engine, allowing multiple ports to authenticate sequentially rather than requiring dedicated engines for each port, thus reducing overall system complexity while maintaining authentication capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The decipher processing engine is designed as a universal resource that can service multiple different ports and authentication scenarios. Rather than having specialized engines for each port, a single multi-functional engine handles authentication requests from any port, reducing the total number of components needed in the system.
2Reliability
If authentication is performed each time a connection changes, then content protection security is improved, but loss of time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary authentication actions by pre-authorizing ports before actual content transmission begins. The authentication manager initiates authentication sequences in advance, and the system caches authentication results or maintains authentication states, so that when content needs to be transmitted, the decryption can begin more quickly without waiting for complete re-authentication.
3Reliability
If multiple decipher processing engines are used for multiple ports, then authentication capability is improved, but loss of energy increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple decipher processing engines into a single shared resource that serves multiple ports. By consolidating these functions into one engine that is time-multiplexed across different ports, the system reduces the total number of active processing units, thereby lowering overall energy consumption while still providing authentication capability for all ports.
4Productivity
If ports are pre-authenticated to reduce authentication time, then productivity is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements pre-authentication by having the authentication manager initiate and manage authentication sequences before content transmission is required. Ports are pre-approved or pre-configured with authentication credentials, allowing the decipher engine to begin processing more quickly when content needs to be decoded, thus improving productivity without requiring fundamental changes to the authentication protocol.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, apparatus and system for providing pre-authentication and keep- authentication of content protected ports system employing a ratio of one decipher processing engine (e.g., HDCP engine) associated with multiple ports is disclosed is disclosed. In one embodiment, a receiving device is pre-authenticated by a transmitting device, wherein the receiving device to receive a data stream from the transmitting device via a first data path. Further, a first High-Definition Content Protection (HDCP) engine is associated with a first port in the first data path, the first HDCP engine coupled with a second HDCP engine. The second HDCP engine is associated with a plurality of ports in a second data path, each of the plurality of ports associated with a memory pipe having state information relating to each of the plurality of ports, the state information being used to pre-authenticate the receiving device.