US 8667304

US Patent 8667304: Methods and Apparatuses for Secondary Conditional Access Server

Title: Methods and apparatuses for secondary conditional access server
Assignee: VIDEOLABS Inc. (Current Assignee), Digital Keystone Inc (Original Assignee)
Inventors: Luc Vantalon, Paolo Siccardo
Filing Date: September 12, 2012
Issue Date: March 4, 2014
Abstract: The patent describes methods and apparatuses for conditional access to media content from primary security systems within a secondary networked environment. A conditional access server provides services to secondary CA clients (e.g., bridges, renderers, storage devices, or combinations thereof) over network connections. This server contains subscriber data, allowing it to retrieve entitlement data and/or decryption keys (like service keys and control words) from a primary security system for protected content. It also enforces conditional access for secondary CA clients based on the primary system's authorization. The system can provide delayed authorization, allowing content to be recorded for later authorized use, and broadcast rights for use on multiple secondary CA clients.

Plain-Language Overview of Independent Claims:

US Patent 8667304 includes multiple independent claims covering various aspects of the secondary conditional access server.

Independent Claim 1 (Method for Secondary CA Server):
This claim describes a method for a secondary Conditional Access (CA) server to distribute protected content. The method involves the secondary CA server:

1. Receiving entitlement management messages (EMMs) from a primary security system (e.g., a digital cable or satellite TV system).
2. Processing these EMMs using a user key that represents a subscriber of the primary system to obtain a service key from the primary system.
3. Receiving an entitlement control message (ECM) from the primary system.
4. Processing this ECM using the obtained service key to get a control word (CW) for the primary system.
5. Transmitting "access controlled data" (which includes the control word) from the secondary CA server to a secondary CA client via a network connection. This data is in an access controlled format (e.g., protected by a Digital Rights Management (DRM) system) and is at least partially derived from the EMMs. The secondary CA client does not have the user key for the primary system.

In simpler terms, Claim 1 focuses on how a "middleman" server (secondary CA server) acts as an authorized client to a main content provider (primary CA system) by decrypting authorization messages and then securely passing on the necessary keys (control words) to other devices (secondary CA clients) on a local network, even though these local devices aren't directly recognized by the main content provider.

Independent Claim 13 (Method to Process Media Content at Secondary CA Client):
This claim describes a method from the perspective of a secondary CA client. It involves the secondary CA client:

1. Receiving "access controlled data" from a secondary CA server through a network connection. This data is in an access controlled format (e.g., protected by a DRM system) and is at least partially derived from entitlement management messages of a primary security system.
2. The key aspect here is that this secondary CA client does not possess the user key that represents a subscriber of the primary security system.

In simpler terms, Claim 13 describes what a local device (secondary CA client) does: it receives protected information from the "middleman" server. Critically, this local device does not have the primary subscription credentials, emphasizing its reliance on the secondary CA server for authorized access.

Independent Claim 22 (Secondary CA Server Apparatus):
This claim describes a secondary Conditional Access (CA) server apparatus that processes entitlement management messages (EMMs) from a primary security system. The apparatus includes:

1. A user key representing a subscriber of the primary security system.
2. A processor configured to:
   • Decrypt an EMM using the user key to obtain a service key of the primary security system.
   • Receive an entitlement control message (ECM) of the primary security system.
   • Process the ECM using the service key to obtain a control word of the primary security system.
3. A network interface for transmitting access controlled data (including the control word) in an access controlled format (e.g., a DRM system format) to a secondary CA client via a network connection. The secondary CA client does not have the user key of the primary security system.

In simpler terms, Claim 22 defines the hardware and software components of the "middleman" server, detailing how it uses its subscriber key to decrypt initial authorization messages, extracts the control word, and then securely sends that control word over a network to local devices that lack direct primary subscription credentials.

Independent Claim 24 (Computer Readable Medium for Secondary CA Server):
This claim covers a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a data processing system, cause the system to perform the method described in independent claim 1.

In simpler terms, Claim 24 protects the software code that allows the "middleman" server to operate as described in Claim 1.

Independent Claim 26 (Computer Readable Medium for Secondary CA Client):
This claim covers a non-transitory computer-readable medium containing instructions that, when executed by a data processing system, cause the system to perform the method described in independent claim 13.

In simpler terms, Claim 26 protects the software code that allows the local device (secondary CA client) to operate as described in Claim 13.

USPTO Database and CAFC 2026 Dockets:

USPTO Database: The information provided in the patent text (title, assignee, inventors, filing date, issue date, abstract) is consistent with typical data found in the USPTO database for issued patents. The Google Patents entry itself aggregates this information, noting the publication number US8667304B2 and the application number US13/612,663. The legal status is listed as "Expired - Fee Related" with an anticipated expiration date of December 7, 2024.

CAFC 2026 Dockets: A direct search of the CAFC 2026 dockets for the specific patent number US8667304B2 does not yield immediate public results from a general web search that would typically show detailed docket entries or scheduled oral arguments. The provided search results from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit indicate where to find general scheduled cases and case information, but do not contain a specific docket entry for US8667304B2. Comprehensive docket information for specific cases would typically require access to services like PACER. Therefore, based on publicly available search results, there is no authoritative information about US8667304B2 appearing in CAFC 2026 dockets at this time.