Question

text-based protocols will be insecure, briefly discuss what data in which interactions should be encrypted and why. After authentication, if the client and server use connection-oriented communication (i.e. streams) the process of preventing unauthorized access is simpler than if they use connectionless communication (or simple request-response protocols where the connections are dropped after a single communication exchange). Explain why this is so and suggest how authorized access can still be ensured.

Answer 1

There is disclosed a process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream for single viewing and to protect copyrights of the data stream. Specifically, there is disclosed a process for protecting streaming multimedia, entertainment and communications in an Internet-type transmission. There is further disclosed a streaming server component operably connected with a streaming server that interacts with a client system to affect the inventive process.

The Internet has provided another means for communication whereby data can be streamed from a server to a client. The client is responsible for displaying the streamed data, preferably streamed media, to a user. The server is responsible for delivering the data stream to the client. The Real Networks and Microsoft solutions send the data stream via a UDP (a connectionless Internet protocol) along with another connection between the client and the server that controls the transmission of the streamed data. The control connection element functions to stop buffer overruns and can adjust the transmission of the stream to compensate for bandwidth latencies. One problem with this arrangement, however, is that the data that are streamed to the client from the server are unprotected and available to anyone on the network. Therefore, there is a need in the art to better protect from interception across a wide area network, such as the Internet. Specifically, the need relates to providing an ability to protect the improper interception and ability to copy streaming data across the Internet. At present, there is no protection mechanism in place to protect copyrighted data.

Once the data has been released by the server and either received by the user or intercepted before being received by the user, there is no way to restrict the re-transmission of such data once it has been released over a network. Even if the data stream has been copyrighted, there is no means to protect or enforce copyright protection of streamed data. The entity owning the copyright and streaming such content realize that there is no control over what is done with such content after it is released. Therefore, there is a need in the art to provide a means for protecting copyrights in content once streamed over a network. The present invention was designed to address both needs.

Currently, no streaming media solution actually encrypts the data that is being sent from the server to the client. One solution can accomplish this with existing technology, such as by merging SSL secure HTTP sockets with a streaming software package, such as Quicktime. Unfortunately, Quicktime does not have a full screen view option. Therefore, there is a need in the art to develop a better method for streaming video data.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a process for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream to enable only single viewing, comprising:

(a) providing a client selection for a streaming data transmission

(b) opening a connection to a streaming server and sending URI, token and user information to the streaming server, wherein the streaming server comprises a client data connection module to send data packets to a client, an encryption module to use encryption keys negotiated with the client to encrypt the data stream and operably connected to the client data connection module, and a flow control module for controlling the rate of data stream flow to maintain a full client buffer;

(c) approving or disapproving a valid or invalid, respectively, URI and token combination on a transaction server, wherein the transaction server comprises a client interaction module for connecting a user to the transaction server component, a user verification module having a user database wherein the user verification module is operably linked to the client interaction module and checking for a valid user, and a URI and token creation module operably linked to the user verification module for creating new URIs and tokens in response to user requests; and

(d) providing a continuously encrypted data stream to the client if a valid URI and token combination was found.

Preferably, the streaming server component further comprises a read buffer module operable connected with the flow control module for reading in data from a source footage on storage medium. Preferably, the streaming server component further comprises a user interface module operably connected to the file system module or flow control module for setting server options. Preferably, the streaming server further comprises client server component comprising a data stream control protocol module to create an initial connection to the streaming server component, a decryption module to decrypt the incoming data stream, an input buffer module to buffer incoming data streams, and a display control module to control the display of streaming data. Most preferably, the client server component further comprises a display module to display audio and video data.

Preferably, the providing the continuously encrypted data stream step (d) further comprises a user interface module in the streaming server to allow for pausing, stopping, playing or restarting the data stream. Preferably, the transaction server is implemented with ASP scripts for encryption.

The present invention further comprises a streaming server for encrypting a data stream to secure the data stream to enable only single viewing, comprising:

(a) a streaming server component, wherein the streaming server component comprises a client data connection module to send data packets to a client; and encryption module to use encryption keys negotiated with the client to encrypt the data stream and operably connected to the client data connection module, and a flow control module for controlling the rate of data stream flow to maintain a full client buffer; and

(b) a transaction server component, wherein the transaction server component comprises a client interaction module for connecting a user to the transaction server component, a user verification module having a user database wherein the user verification module is operably linked to the client interaction module and checking for a valid user, and a URI and token creation module operably linked to the user verification module for creating new URIs and tokens in response to user requests.

Preferably, the streaming server component further comprises a read buffer module operable connected with the flow control module for reading in data from a source footage on storage medium. Preferably, the streaming server component further comprises a user interface module operably connected to the file system module or flow control module for setting server options. Preferably, the streaming server further comprises a client server component comprising a data stream control protocol module to create an initial connection to the streaming server component, a decryption module to decrypt the incoming data stream, an input buffer module to buffer incoming data streams, and a display control module to control the display of streaming data. Most preferably, the client server component further comprises a display module to display audio and video data.