Selective encryption for video on demand

A video on demand (VOD) method, comprising:

• examining unencrypted data representing digital content to identify segments of content for encryption;
• encrypting the identified segments of content using a first encryption method associated with a first conditional access system to produce first encrypted segments;
• encrypting the identified segments of content using a second encryption method associated with a second conditional access system to produce second encrypted segments;
• replacing the identified segments of content with the first encrypted content and the second encrypted content in the digital content, to produce the multiple selectively encrypted VOD content;
• storing the multiple selective encrypted VOD content on a VOD server residing at a cable hub;
• receiving an order for the VOD content specifying delivery to a target decoder;
• determining what CA encryption system is associated with the order;
• stripping all encrypted segments from the multiple selectively encrypted content that are not associated with the order to produce single selectively encrypted VOD content;
• associating a program identifier with the single selectively encrypted VOD content, wherein the same PIDs are used for encrypted and unencrypted segments of content;
• and
• sending the single selectively encrypted VOD content to the target decoder.

A video on demand (VOD) encoder, comprising:

• a programmed processor that examines unencrypted data representing digital content to identify segments of content for encryption;
• a first encrypter that encrypts the identified segments of content using a first encryption method associated with a first conditional access system to produce first encrypted segments;
• a second encrypter that encrypts the identified segments of content using a second encryption method associated with a second conditional access system to produce second encrypted segments;
• wherein the programmed processor further receives the first and second encrypted segments and replacing the identified segments of content with the first encrypted content and the second encrypted content in the digital content, to produce the multiple selectively encrypted VOD content;
• means for storing the multiple selective encrypted VOD content;
• means for receiving an order for the VOD content specifying delivery to a target decoder;
• means for determining what CA encryption system is associated with the order;
• and
• wherein the programmed processor strips all encrypted segments from the multiple selectively encrypted content that are not associated with the order to produce single selectively encrypted VOD content.

A selectively encrypted video on demand (VOD) system, comprising:

• a VOD server storing multiple selective encrypted VOD content;
• program means running on a programmed processor for receiving an order for the VOD content specifying delivery to a target decoder, and for determining a CA encryption system associated with the order;
• wherein, in response to the order, the VOD server strips all encrypted segments from the multiple selectively encrypted content that are not associated with the order to produce single selectively encrypted VOD content;
• a target decoder addressable by the VOD server;
• and
• means for sending the single selectively encrypted VOD content from the VOD server to the target decoder.

An electronic storage medium storing selectively encrypted video on demand (VOD) programming, comprising:

• a file representing multiple selective encrypted VOD content comprising:
• segments of unencrypted VOD content;
• first encrypted segments of VOD content encrypted using a first encryption method associated with a first conditional access system;
• second encrypted segments of VOD content encrypted using a second encryption method associated with a second conditional access system;
• the first and second encrypted segments of VOD content representing the same segment of VOD content when not encrypted;
• a first segment of code that when executed operates to remove one of the first and second encrypted segments of VOD content from the multiple selective encrypted VOD content to produce single selectively encrypted content for transmission to a target decoder.