Method and apparatus for performing session based conditional access

In a video-on-demand conditional access information distribution system comprising provider equipment for providing video-on-demand programs to subscribers via an in-band communications channel, a method comprising the steps of:

• establishing a session with a set top terminal including defining the in-band communications channel for transporting content to said set top terminal;
• communicating to said set top terminal, via said defined in-band communications channel, an authorization message and descrambling message suitable for determining a descrambling key for descrambling said program stream;
• scrambling said program stream provided to a set top terminal via said defined in-band communications channel;
• sending, prior to said set top terminal receiving said descrambling message and said scrambled program stream, said authorization message;
• and
• including, within said program stream being scrambled, video-on-demand content requested by said set top terminal.

In a video-on-demand conditional access information distribution system comprising provider equipment for providing video-on-demand programs to subscribers via an in-band communications channel, provider apparatus comprising:

• a conditional access system, for scrambling a program stream to produce a scrambled program stream;
• a session manager, for establishing a session with a set top terminal including defining an in-band communications channel for transporting said scrambled program stream to said set top terminal, said session manager including within said scrambled program stream content requested by said set top terminal;
• said session manager communicating to said set top terminal, via said defined in-band communications channel, an authorization message and descrambling message suitable for determining a descrambling key for descrambling said program stream;
• and
• said conditional access system providing said authorization message and said descrambling message to said session manager, wherein said authorization message is sent prior to said set top terminal receiving said descrambling message and said scrambled program stream.

A method for providing session-based conditional access to video-on-demand content, comprising the steps of:

• establishing a session with a set top terminal including defining an in-band communications channel for transporting content to said set top terminal
• scrambling a program stream provided to said set top terminal via said defined in-band communications channel;
• communicating to said set top terminal, via said defined in-band communications channel, an authorization message and descrambling message suitable for determining a descrambling key for descrambling said program stream, wherein said authorization message is sent prior to said set top terminal receiving said descrambling message and said scrambled program stream;
• and
• including, within said program stream being scrambled, video-on-demand content requested by said set top terminal.