System and method for secure purchase and delivery of video content programs

An interactive entertainment network system comprising:

• a video content provider;
• a video storage medium located at the video content provider to store video content programs;
• multiple user interface units located at subscribers to the interactive entertainment network system, each user interface unit being operable in a video-on-demand mode to enable a user to select a video content program from the video content provider;
• an interactive distribution network interconnecting the video content provider and the user interface units;
• a video server located at the video content provider to supply the video content programs to the user interface units over the interactive distribution network in individual video data packets containing digital video data;
• multiple integrated circuit cards assigned to associated subscribers, each integrated circuit card being compatibly couplable to, and interactive with, one of the user interface units to form a video decryption device each of which has unique video decryption capabilities so that when the user selects a video content program, the video content provider transmits a cryptographic program key associated with the video content program selected by the user over the interactive distribution network to the video decryption device;
• the video server at the video content provider being configured to encrypt the video data packets for the video content program selected by the user using the cryptographic program key;
• and
• the video decryption device being configured to decrypt the video data packets using the cryptographic program key.

A system for purchasing video content programs comprising:

• a merchant computing unit at a video merchant;
• a portable purchaser integrated circuit (IC) card which compatibly interfaces with the merchant computing unit;
• and
• the merchant computing unit being configured to send decryption capabilities unique to both a selected video content program and to the purchaser IC card for use in decrypting the selected video content program.

An electronic entertainment system for purchasing video content programs comprising:

• a merchant computing unit at a video merchant;
• a purchaser computing unit located remotely from the video merchant;
• a distribution network interconnecting the merchant computing unit and the purchaser computing unit;
• a purchaser integrated circuit (IC) card compatibly couplable to, and interactive with, the purchaser computing unit, the purchaser IC card having a memory to store a credential containing a cryptographic exchange key;
• a video purchasing application executing on the purchaser computing unit to permit the purchaser to order a video content program from the video merchant, whereupon ordering a selected video content program, the purchaser IC card digitally signs an order to purchase the selected video content program to the video merchant along with the credential;
• the merchant computing unit being configured to authenticate the digitally signed order from the purchaser IC card to verify the purchaser IC card and to send a cryptographic program key unique to the selected video content program to the purchaser IC card for use in decrypting the selected video content program which will be transmitted over the distribution network in an encrypted format, the merchant computing unit further being configured to encrypt the cryptographic program key using the cryptographic exchange key of the purchaser.

An integrated circuit card for use in decryption of video content programs, the video content programs being supplied in encrypted format to a computing unit for display, the integrated circuit card being compatibly couplable to the computing unit, the integrated circuit card comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory to store an encrypted cryptographic program key;
• and
• a video decryption program executing on the processor to decrypt the encrypted cryptographic program key using decryption capabilities that are unique to the integrated circuit card, and to at least partly decrypt a video content program using the cryptographic program key when the integrated circuit card is coupled to the computing unit.

A method for delivering video content programs, the method comprising the following steps:

• encrypting a cryptographic program key;
• storing the encrypted cryptographic program key on a portable integrated circuit card that is associated with a viewer;
• coupling the integrated circuit card to a computing unit;
• forming a video data stream of the video content program;
• encrypting the video data stream using the cryptographic program key to yield an encrypted video data stream;
• distributing the encrypted video data stream via a distribution medium to the computing unit;
• decrypting the encrypted cryptographic program key with decryption capabilities that are unique to the integrated circuit card;
• and
• decrypting the encrypted video data stream using the decrypted cryptographic program key stored on the integrated circuit card.

A method for decrypting a video data stream that is transmitted in encrypted format, the video data stream being formatted in individual packets of digital data where each packet is encrypted based upon a function of a cryptographic program key that is associated with the video data stream and a cryptographic packet key that is associated with each respective packet, the method comprising the following steps:

• storing the cryptographic program key on an integrated circuit card;
• compatibly coupling the integrated circuit card to a computing unit;
• and
• decrypting each packet at the computing unit using a function of the program key and the packet key to reproduce the video data stream.

A method for purchasing video content programs from a video merchant, the method comprising the following steps:

• storing a pair of public and private cryptographic exchange keys and a pair of public and private cryptographic signing keys that are unique to the purchaser on an integrated circuit card;
• generating an order to purchase a video content program from the video merchant;
• digitally signing the order to purchase the video content program using the private signing key;
• sending the order and a credential of the purchaser to the video merchant, the credential including the public exchange key and the public signing key;
• authenticating the digitally signed order at the video merchant using the public signing key of the purchaser to verify the purchaser;
• encrypting a cryptographic program key unique to the video content program ordered by the purchaser using the public exchange key of the purchaser;
• sending the encrypted program key to the integrated circuit card;
• decrypting the program key at the integrated circuit card using the private exchange key;
• and
• storing the program key on the integrated circuit card.

A method for secure purchase and delivery of video content programs, the method comprising the following steps:

• storing a cryptographic program key for a video content program at a first location;
• generating an order from a purchaser to purchase the video content program;
• sending the order to a video merchant;
• transferring the cryptographic program key to the purchaser;
• storing the cryptographic program key at a second location;
• encrypting the video data stream using the cryptographic program key to yield an encrypted video data stream;
• distributing the encrypted video data stream via a distribution medium to the purchaser;
• and
• decrypting the encrypted video data stream at the purchaser using first and second expansion cryptographic functions, the first of which includes, and is a function of the cryptographic program key and at least one other key which is unique to the video data stream being decrypted.

A method for secure delivery of video content programs comprising:

• decrypting a first amount of an encrypted video data stream using a first cryptographic expansion function to yield an expanded first amount of data;
• decrypting a second amount of the encrypted video data stream using a second cryptographic expansion function to yield a second amount of data;
• and
• combining the second amount of data with remaining encrypted data of the encrypted video data stream to produce a decrypted video data stream.

A method of delivering video content programs comprising:

• segmenting a video data stream into individual segments of digital video data;
• generating a cryptographic packet key for each segment;
• expanding each packet key according to a first cryptography function involving the packet key and a cryptographic program key to form an expanded key;
• producing an encrypted data set from each segment of digital video data using the associated expanded key according to a second cryptographic function;
• framing each encrypted data set within a packet;
• distributing both the packets and associated packet keys via a distribution medium to a computing unit;
• expanding each packet key according to the first cryptographic function involving the associated packet keys and the program key to reproduce the expanded key;
• and
• decrypting each encrypted data set in each packet using the associated expanded key according to the second cryptographic function to reproduce the digital video data.

A video content delivery system comprising:

• a video content provider;
• a viewer computing unit located remotely from the video content provider;
• a distribution medium;
• a video encryption device at the video content provider to supply a video data stream in encrypted format on the distribution medium, the video encryption device encrypting the video data stream using a cryptographic program key;
• an integrated circuit card compatibly couplable to, and interactive with, the viewer computing unit, the integrated circuit card having a memory to store the cryptographic program key, the integrated circuit card being configured to at least partly decrypt the video data stream on the distribution medium using the cryptographic program key;
• and
• wherein the video encryption device configures the video data stream in individual packets of digital video data and encrypts each packet according to a function of a cryptographic packet key associated with each packet and the cryptographic program key.

An interactive entertainment network system comprising:

• a video content provider;
• a video storage medium located at the video content provider to store video content programs;
• multiple user interface units located at subscribers to the interactive entertainment network system, each user interface unit being operable in a video-on-demand mode to enable a user to select a video content program from the video content provider;
• an interactive distribution network interconnecting the video content provider and the user interface units;
• a video server located at the video content provider to supply the video content programs to the user interface units over the interactive distribution network in individual video data packets containing digital video data, wherein the video server generates a cryptographic packet key for each video data packet and encrypts the video data packet according to a function of the packet key and the program key;
• multiple integrated circuit cards assigned to associated subscribers, each integrated circuit card being compatibly couplable to, and interactive with, one of the user interface units to form a video decryption device so that when the user selects a video content program, the video content provider transmits a cryptographic program key associated with the video content program selected by the user over the interactive distribution network to the video decryption device;
• the video server at the video content provider being configured to encrypt the video data packets for the video content program selected by the user using the cryptographic program key;
• and
• the video decryption device being configured to decrypt the video data packets using the cryptographic program key.

An interactive entertainment network system comprising:

• a video content provider;
• a video storage medium located at the video content provider to store video content programs;
• multiple user interface units located at subscribers to the interactive entertainment network system, each user interface unit being operable in a video-on-demand mode to enable a user to select a video content program from the video content provider;
• an interactive distribution network interconnecting the video content provider and the user interface units;
• a video server located at the video content provider to supply the video content programs to the user interface units over the interactive distribution network in individual video data packets containing digital video data, wherein the video server generates a cryptographic packet key for each video data packet, expands the packet key according to a first cryptography function involving the packet key and the program key to form an expanded key, and computes an encrypted data set from the digital video data using the expanded key according to a second cryptography function, the video data packet containing the encrypted data set;
• multiple integrated circuit cards assigned to associated subscribers, each integrated circuit card being compatibly couplable to, and interactive with, one of the user interface units to form a video decryption device so that when the user selects a video content program, the video content provider transmits a cryptographic program key associated with the video content program selected by the user over the interactive distribution network to the video decryption device;
• the video server at the video content provider being configured to encrypt the video data packets for the video content program selected by the user using the cryptographic program key;
• and
• the video decryption device being configured to decrypt the video data packets using the cryptographic program key.

An integrated circuit card for use in decryption of video content programs, the video content programs being supplied in encrypted format to a computing unit for display, the integrated circuit card being compatibly couplable to the computing unit, the integrated circuit card comprising:

• a processor;
• a memory to store a cryptographic program key;
• and
• a video decryption program executing on the processor to at least partly decrypt a video content program using the cryptographic program key when the integrated circuit card is coupled to the computing unit, wherein the video content programs are supplied in individual packets of digital video data, each packet being encrypted using a packet key that is unique for each packet and the cryptographic program key, the video decryption program directing the processor to decrypt each packet using the cryptographic program key stored in the memory and the packet key supplied along with the packet.

A video decryption device comprising:

• a computing unit configured to receive an encrypted video data stream and to output the video data stream in a decrypted format for display on a visual display;
• and
• an integrated circuit card compatibly couplable to the computing unit, the integrated circuit card comprising a memory to store a cryptographic program key and a processor programmed to at least partly decrypt the video data stream using the cryptographic program key when the integrated circuit card is coupled to the computing unit, wherein:
• the video data stream comprises individual packets of digital video data, each packet being encrypted using an associated packet key that is unique for that packet and the cryptographic program key;
• the processor of the integrated circuit card being programmed to generate a decryption tool from each associated packet key and the cryptographic program key stored in the memory;
• and
• the computing unit being configured to decrypt each packet using the decryption tool.

A method for delivering video content programs, the method comprising the following steps:

• supplying a cryptographic program key to a viewer;
• storing the cryptographic program key on a portable integrated circuit card that is associated with a viewer;
• coupling the integrated circuit card to a computing unit;
• forming a video data stream of the video content program into individual packets of digital video data;
• encrypting the video data stream using the cryptographic program key to yield an encrypted video data stream, the encrypting comprising encrypting each packet according to a function of both an associated cryptographic packet key and the cryptographic program key;
• distributing the encrypted video data stream via a distribution medium to the computing unit;
• and
• decrypting the encrypted video data stream using the cryptographic program key stored on the integrated circuit card.

A method for delivering video content programs, the method comprising the following steps:

• supplying a cryptographic program key to a viewer;
• storing the cryptographic program key on a portable integrated circuit card that is associated with a viewer;
• coupling the integrated circuit card to a computing unit;
• forming a video data stream of the video content program;
• encrypting the video data stream using the cryptographic program key to yield an encrypted video data stream;
• distributing the encrypted video data stream via a distribution medium to the computing unit;
• and
• decrypting the encrypted video data stream using the cryptographic program key stored on the integrated circuit card,
• wherein the supplying step comprises the following steps:
• segmenting the video data stream into individual segments of digital video data;
• said encrypting step comprises for each said segment the following steps:
• generating a cryptographic packet key;
• expanding the packet key according to a first cryptography function involving the packet key and the program key to form an expanded key;
• producing an encrypted data set from the segment of digital video data using the expanded key according to a second cryptography function;
• and
• framing the encrypted data set within a packet.