Digital content distribution

A server for distributing digital data encoding content and arranged into messages to one or more client terminals through a network, each message being decodable by a decoder application on a client terminal, said server including:

• a network interface for transmitting a plurality of data packets from the server through a network, each packet including at least one header and a payload, each payload including at least part of a message, the server further including a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, each service interface configured to add at least one packet header to the packet encoding information enabling the client to process the remainder of the packet, the server being configured to transmit packets including at least one header including information enabling a service interface on the client to assemble each message for the decoder application from the payload of the packets, wherein the server is configured to distribute packets having a packet payload including a first section and at least one further section, each further section including a resynchronisation marker separating a message section from an adjacent message section and including an explicit synchronisation sequence, at least one of the message sections being encrypted in such a way as to be decryptable independently of the other message sections.

A client terminal for receiving and processing digital data encoding content and arranged into messages, each message being decodable by a decoder application, comprising:

• an interface for receiving a plurality of data packets, each packet including at least one header and a payload, the terminal further including a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, each service interface configured to remove at least one packet header from the packet and process the remainder of the packet using information encoded in the removed packet header, including a service interface configured to assemble the messages for the decoder application from the payload of at least one packet, using information included in at least one header of the packet, wherein the terminal is configured to receive packet payloads including a first section and at least one further section, each further section including a resynchronisation marker separating a message section from an adjacent message section and including an explicit synchronisation sequence, to extract each section by locating the resynchronisation markers, to decrypt each encrypted message section independently of the other message sections, and to insert each decrypted message section in the place of the section from which it was extracted.

A method for receiving and processing in a client terminal digital data encoding content and arranged into messages, each message being decodable by a decoder application, comprising:

• receiving a plurality of data packets by means of an interface of the client terminal, each packet including at least one header and a payload;
• providing each packet to a first of a series of at least one service interface between two layers in a protocol stack, each service interface configured to remove at least one packet header from the packet and process the remainder of the packet using information encoded in the removed packet header, including a service interface configured to assemble the messages for the decoder application from the payload of at least one packet, using information included in at least one header of the packet, wherein packet payloads are received comprising a first section and at least one further section, each further section including a resynchronisation marker separating a message section from an adjacent message section and including an explicit synchronisation sequence, wherein each section is extracted by locating the resynchronisation markers, and wherein each encrypted message section is decrypted independently of the other message sections, and each decrypted message section is inserted in the place of the section from which it was extracted.