EP1234449A1

EP1234449A1 - Method for releasing customer-specific authorisations using security modules in conditional-access systems for chargeable services

Info

Publication number: EP1234449A1
Application number: EP00960512A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Rolf Lakomy; Jörg Schwenk
Original assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
Current assignee: Deutsche Telekom AG
Priority date: 1999-09-01
Filing date: 2000-08-24
Publication date: 2002-08-28
Also published as: WO2001017249A1; AU2808401A; DE19941550A1; AU765278B2

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for releasing customer-specific access authorisations in conditional-access systems for receiving chargeable media services, using security modules, such as smart cards, in which security algorithms and/or customer-specific authorisations are stored in the form of software programmes. At the request of a service provider, for example, a telecom shop or another institution which is authorised to sell security modules, a service centre which is responsible for controlling authorisations sends an entitlement management message (EMM) release signal to the service provider which is allocated uniquely to the security module by indirect release, either using a telephone or remote data transmission system. Once received, the EMM release signal for the relevant media service is stored in a control device of the service provider, issued to the security module and said security module is then activated by this EMM release signal, using the control device. In the direct release procedure, the service centre uses an additional data transmission service in a digital radio broadcasting network, such as the DAB synchronised network, to send the uniquely allocated EMM release signal to the security module of the customer concerned and the centre then activates said module.

Description

Procedure for the activation of customer-relevant authorizations on security modules in conditional access systems for pay services

Technical field:

The invention relates to a method for the activation of customer-relevant access authorizations in conditional access systems for the reception of chargeable services, such as pay-TV, digital radio data services in DAB, DVB, Swift, video-on-demand and any digital services that are broadcast via radio systems. using security modules, such as smart cards, on which security algorithms and / or customer-specific authorizations in the form of software programs and data are stored, according to the preamble of claim 1.

State of the art:

Security modules in the form of smart cards are already used in many areas in which it is necessary to grant people or machines authorization-dependent or conditional access [Conditional Access (CA systems)] to data or programs or other machines, if the set conditions or permissions are met (e.g. Pay TV). Other typical areas of application for smart cards are electronic means of payment, GSM telephony or digital radio data services in DAB, DVB, Swift and video-on-demand in the future.

Access control in modern conditional access systems takes place almost exclusively on the basis of smart cards in chip card technology. These smart cards contain a stored security algorithm and customer-specific authorizations for receiving paid data services. The problem for conditional access systems is that a provider of services, a content provider, certainly wants to reach more than one customer, but again not all of them. Only authorized customers should be able to receive a service. These are those customers who meet certain defined conditions by purchasing entitlements, for example that they have paid the monthly subscription fee. Radio systems are used to transmit such authorizations. The problem thus arises that access to certain information distributed via broadcasting systems should be controlled, but which in principle can be received by anyone.

Securing access to such information, e.g. Pay-TV, by means of conditional access systems, is done by scrambling, which is encryption of the program content, by storing

Receive authorizations in the security module of the end device, and by adding reception conditions to the program. Terminal devices for receiving a pay TV program are usually the so-called set-top boxes or decoders. However, other end devices are also possible, for example mobile receiving devices, PC cards or PCMCIA modules, or the end device can be integrated into the television. In many cases, however, the activation of smart cards in broadcasting systems, particularly when used in devices for mobile reception of services without point-to-point connection, such as with the telephone, is problematic because of the lack of reception guarantee. Only the activation enables a customer to use the service they want immediately after purchasing a card. However, the sender of an activation usually has no information as to whether the activation has actually reached the customer. Activation does not take place if radio reception is impossible for the device used, e.g. due to building shielding in underground garages or e.g. in cases where a radio network required to send authorizations has not yet been expanded to such an extent that reception of authorizations by a So-called EMM message (Entitlement Management Messages) is not possible nationwide. In contrast, a controlled initial activation with feedback is very safe and also enables instant collection for the activated service at the time of its acquisition. Program contents are scrambled by the data being encrypted by an encryption algorithm under the control of a so-called control word CW. The algorithm used in digital television based on the MPEG-2 standard in Europe is mainly the DVB Common Scrambling Algorithm. However, other algorithms are also possible, such as, for example, DES or Triple DES (cf. Bruce Schneier, Angewandte Kryptographie, Wiley, 1996).

In so-called Entitlement Controll Messages (ECM), a decoder or other receiving module contains not only new control words (CW) but also

Conditions communicated under which a program can be received. Since both the CW and the reception conditions depend on the respective service, ECM are assigned to each service. After receiving an ECM, it is forwarded directly to the security module. The control word CW must be transmitted confidentially. Cryptographic methods are used to protect the ECM. Since the ECM is sent to all customers, all authorized customers must have the same key to decrypt the control word cryptogram. This is called the service key, SK. The control word CW should be replaced at relatively short intervals to make it impossible to recognize scrambling patterns.

Entitlement Management Messages (EMM) are used to set and change receive authorizations that are stored in the decoder or in the security module. EMM messages must be sent to the customer's individual address (or the decoder or the security module). Customer address and EMM messages must be protected against change; it must be ensured that only the program provider can generate EMM messages. Individual addresses always appear unencrypted in the EMM messages; Duplication protection can only be achieved by means of supplementary information that is stored so that it cannot be read by the customer. This is the personal key (PK) that is linked to the customer address. EMM messages are about the same Broadcasting system as the user data sent. EMM messages are not permanently linked to the program content, but to the logical address of the customer's end device or that of the security module, so that EMM can be addressed to individual customers or to groups of customers. For the use of certain services such as mobile services or pay-per-view, a return channel can also be available, either manually (call a service center) or automatically (e.g. connection from the decoder to the transmission center via TCP / IP) becomes.

Permissions can change if e.g. the cost accounts of customers are not settled, which can result in the blocking of a reception authorization, for example. However, EMMs can also be used to activate services on smart cards for the first time or to reactivate them. In these cases, the authorizations in the security module, such as a smart card, must be reset. Today, chip cards are mostly used as security modules, which are not permanently connected to the end device, but can also be removed from it and exchanged.

The state of the art is referred to the publication in Bernd Seiler (ed.): Taschenbuch der telekom praxis 1996, Schiele & Schön Berlin 1996, Jörg Schwenk: "Conditional Access" or "How can you control access to radio broadcasts?" directed.

In addition, with the introduction of new transmission media such as DAB and DVB-T, pay services are also increasingly being used for mobile customers, e.g. carry an appropriate device in your vehicle, interesting. However, the following problems arise here:

• The data capacity of the services is limited (e.g. DAB, Swift etc.), • The reception situation is difficult (e.g. due to not yet fully developed radio networks or vehicles in an underground car park)) or

• There is usually no return channel. Technical task:

The invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a method by means of which a chip card of an authorized customer can be made individually addressable for modification for pay services, the pay services also being intended to be used for mobile customers.

Disclosure of the invention and its advantages:

The solution to the problem is that at the request of a service provider, i.e. an institution authorized to issue or sell security modules, such as a T-point to a service center responsible for authorization control, e.g. Data service center in the DAB, the service center for indirect activation either by telephone or data transmission system sends an EMM activation signal specifically assigned to this security module to the service provider and there this EMM activation signal for the relevant service in a control device of the service provider feeds in and is given to the security module and the security module is activated with this EMM activation signal via the control device or, in the case of direct activation, the service center with the aid of a data transmission service in a digital radio service such as the DAB single-frequency network transmits the specifically assigned EMM activation signal to the security module of the sends inquiring customers and unlocks them. The invention is based on the advantage that the activation of a service on a security module such as a smart card by means of the respective

Transmission systems, such as by using commercially available DAB or DVB receivers themselves, with direct activation, or with the aid of a service other than the sending service is possible with indirect activation. The service center grants the authorization after payment of the corresponding data service fee by means of the above-mentioned direct or indirect activation via the smart card-specific EMM. A control device installed at the service provider confirms the activation of the security module, such as a smart card, for the service in question. In the case of direct and indirect activation, an allocation of an electronically stored, service-specific credit, token, in monetary units can advantageously be given to the security module.

With indirect activation of the security module of the requesting customer, the data transmission service can advantageously via a landline-bound modem, via a GSM modem or via GSM SMS services.

Advantageously, when the customer's security module is directly activated, it can be approximately localized with the help of the mobile radio network used by him, for example the GSM network, and the specific EMM activation signal can only be routed into the DAB single-frequency network to activate the customer in which the customer is at the time of the call and ordering the EMM activation signal.

This solves the problems mentioned above by realizing a return channel using GSM. The procedure for this is described using the example of DAB:

1. The customer reports e.g. by GSM from his vehicle at the data service center in the DAB, for an activation, for example for a single data service or for a subscription or if an activation is not received or an allocation of electronic, service-specific credit, tokens, on the smart card to demand.

2. In the data service center at DAB, e.g. with a GSM operator (e.g. T-Mobil) determines the GSM cell (or, in this way, the larger DAB single-frequency network in terms of area) in which the caller is currently staying.

3. The corresponding EMM with the activation is routed to the DAB single-frequency network in which the subscriber is located. The advantages of the method according to the invention can thus be seen in particular in that EMMs no longer have to be broadcast nationwide, but only locally in the DAB coverage areas in which the subscriber is also located. This significantly reduces the data rate required for EMMs. When a call is made, it is ensured that the caller can also receive the EMM, since the fact that a GSM connection has been established can be used to infer the possibility of DAB reception. Another important advantage is that there is a return channel for new services.

The EMMs are e.g. not sent over a GSM channel, as this would require a data connection between the cell phone and the DAB receiver, which is, however, theoretically conceivable.

Industrial applicability:

The method according to the invention can be used commercially in particular for the release of customer-relevant access authorizations in conditional access systems for the reception of fee-based media services.

Claims

claims

1. Procedure for the activation of customer-relevant access authorizations in conditional access systems for the reception of chargeable services, such as pay-TV, digital data broadcast via radio in DAB, DVB, Swift and video-on-demand, using security modules such as smart cards, on which security algorithms and / or customer-specific authorizations are stored in the form of software programs and data, characterized in that, at the request of a service provider, i.e. an institution authorized to sell security modules, to a service center responsible for authorization control, the service Center with indirect activation either by telephone or data transmission system sends an EMM activation signal specifically assigned to this security module to the service provider and there feeds this EMM activation signal for the media service concerned into a control device of the service provider and to the security The module is abandoned and the security module is activated with this EMM activation signal via the control device, or if the activation is carried out directly, the service center sends the specifically assigned EMM activation signal to the security module of the requesting customer with the help of another data transmission service in a digital broadcasting service and then enables the customer.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that in direct and indirect activation, an assignment of an electronically stored, service-specific credit (token) is given in monetary units to the security module.

3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that with indirect activation of the security module of the requesting customer

Data transmission service is carried out either via a landline modem, a GSM modem, or via GSM SMS services.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that with direct activation of the security module of the requesting customer, this is approximately localized with the aid of a digital mobile radio network and the specific EMM activation signal for activation of the customer is only routed into the digital radio network in which the customer is at the time of the call and order of the EMM activation signal.