PC Secure Video Path
AssigneeComcast Cable Communications, LLC
InventorJames William Fahrny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method are disclosed for creating a secure video content path, or a protected media content bus, within an unsecure personal computer. A portable security module, or electronic key safe, may be inserted into a personal computer that has different internal components for processing secure and unsecured content. The security module may establish a secure encrypted link with a secure video processor of the personal computer, and may use the personal computer's network interface to request authority to receive secured content. The security module may provide content keys to the secure video processor to access secured content received over an external network.
Claims19
A secure media content delivery method, comprising:
- using an electronic key safe to create a protected media bus within a computer, wherein the protected media bus is parallel to an unsecured media content path in the computer;
- receiving secured and unsecured content at the computer from an external network;
- routing the secured content to the protected media bus;
- and
- routing the unsecured content to the unsecured media content path.
A computer, comprising:
- an electronic key safe interface, configured to connect to an external electronic key safe;
- a secure media processor, configured to process secured media content for display;
- a processor, configured to receive a content key from the external key safe via the key safe interface, and supply the content key to the secure media processor, wherein the secure media processor is configured to decrypt secure media content received from an external network using the content key.
An electronic key safe, comprising:
- an interface configured to attach to a computer interface;
- a processor, configured to:
- identify a secure video processor of a computer after the portable key safe is attached to a computer;
- determine a content key needed by the secure video processor to decrypt secure content;
- and
- transmit the content key to the secure video processor in response to a request to access the secure content.
One or more computer readable media, storing computer-executable instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the following to occur:
- detecting insertion of a portable electronic key safe on a computer coupled to an external network;
- using the portable key safe to create a protected media bus within the computer;
- receiving secured and unsecured content at the computer from the external network;
- routing the secured content to the protected media bus;
- and
- routing the unsecured content to a media content path in the computer different from the protected media bus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.