Method and apparatus for accessing content protected media streams

A content access device for searching for remote content and retrieving a media stream protected by a digital rights management (DRM) system, the content access device comprising:

• a network interface configured to receive the protected media stream from a remote content provider via a network;
• a plurality of distinct DRM components corresponding to a plurality of DRM systems supported by the content access device;
• and
• a content extraction unit operable to select a DRM component of the plurality of DRM components and execute the selected DRM component to recover the content signal from the protected media stream,
• where the content extraction unit is operable to select a DRM component of the plurality of DRM components dependent upon information carried in the protected media stream;
• wherein the content access device is configured to:
• provide a list of supported DRM systems to a search engine,
• receive, from the search engine, a plurality of content references that match the query and are compatible with the supported DRM systems,
• wherein the content access device is operable to filter results returned from the search engine to remove results relating to content protected by a DRM system that is not supported by the content access device;
• present plurality of content references, and
• in response to selection of a content reference of the plurality of content references, request content associated with the selected content reference from the remote content provider.

A method for a content access device that supports a plurality of DRM systems to access protected content in a media stream, the method comprising:

• receiving user input via a user interface;
• querying a search engine dependent upon the user input to discover available content;
• presenting a list of references to available content to the user, dependent upon whether the content is protected by a DRM system supported by the content access device;
• wherein selecting the DRM component dependent upon information carried in the protected media stream;
• providing a catalog of supported DRM systems to the search engine to enable the search engine to determine if content is protected by a DRM system supported by the content access device;
• filtering the list of references of available content to remove references to content that is protected by a DRM system that is not supported by the content access device;
• and
• formatting the list of references to available content presented to the user so as to distinguish between content that is protected by a DRM system that is supported by the content access device and content that is protected by a DRM system that is not supported by the content access device.

non-transitory computer readable medium containing program instructions that, when executed on a programmable electronic device, provide a user with access to protected content in a data stream by enabling the device to:

• support a plurality of DRM systems;
• receive user input;
• query a search engine dependent upon the user input to discover available content;
• present a list of references to available content to the user, dependent upon whether the content is protected by a supported DRM system;
• wherein select the DRM component dependent upon information carried in the protected media stream;
• provide a catalog of supported DRM systems to the search engine to enable the search engine to determine if content is protected by a DRM system supported by the content access device;
• filter the list of references of available content to remove references to content that is protected by a DRM system that is not supported by the content access device;
• and
• format the list of references to available content presented to the user so as to distinguish between content that is protected by a DRM system that is supported by the content access device and content that is protected by a DRM system that is not supported by the content access device.