Patent ID: 7305555
Filing Date: 2007-12-04
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A system for securely providing the same authentication key to components of a communication network, the system comprising: a) an authentication key; b) a first key for encrypting the authentication key; c) a set-top box for deriving the authentication key using the first key; d) a second key for encrypting the authentication key and for encrypting the first key; e) a smartcard for deriving the authentication key using the second key; f) a third key for encrypting the first key, the first key being encrypted by the smartcard, and being forwarded to the set-top box; and g) the set-top box receiving the encrypted first key and extracting said first key using the third key, wherein the third key is held by the set-top box and is used for deriving the authentication key wherein the authentication key uniquely mates the smartcard to the set-top box.