Security system and method of in-flight entertainment device rentals having self-contained audiovisual presentations

A security method for in-flight entertainment device (IFED) rentals having self-contained audiovisual presentations is disclosed. A self-contained IFED has internal storage configured to contain current releases of movies and other audiovisual presentations. The method provides layers of security including a unique bit stream encoding format, watermarking, camera artifacts, file encryption, hard drive encryption, input-output encryption, physically unique connectors, and a tamper-resistant casing for the self-contained IFEDs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention is directed generally to security measures for electronic devices and, more particularly, to security measures for entertainment devices having self-contained audiovisual presentations for rent to passengers of conveyances such as commercial airline flights.

2. Description of the Related Art

Rental of entertainment devices having self-contained audiovisual presentations to be used by passengers during a commercial airline flight can provide individually tailored current entertainment and other services to the passengers during the commercial flight. Unfortunately, conventional security measures for electronic devices generally afford an insufficient degree of protection from theft of the valuable audiovisual (AV) properties that would be stored on the self-contained in-flight entertainment device. Without a level of security greater than conventional approaches, adoption of self-contained in-flight entertainment devices having current movies and other audiovisual presentations could suffer due to risks involved with allowing members of the general public to rent such devices. Consequently, prior support for their implementation has not been available.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention resides in a security system and method of in-flight entertainment device rentals having self-contained audiovisual presentations. Aspects include receiving an audiovisual master file from a movie recording studio or other organization containing an audiovisual presentation such as a to-be-released or recently released movie, the audiovisual master file being in a first encoded and compressed format. Aspects further include adding watermark characters to the encoded audiovisual master file, adding camera artifacts to the encoded audiovisual master file, encrypting the encoded audiovisual master file to create an encrypted encoded audiovisual master file, generating keys associated with the encrypted encoded audiovisual master file for use in decoding the encrypted encoded audiovisual master file, and transmitting the encrypted encoded audiovisual master file and the associated keys to a distribution point host computer. Aspects further include loading the transmitted encrypted encoded audiovisual master file on the distribution point host computer, linking the distribution point host computer with a self-contained entertainment device and establishing bi-directional authentication between the distribution point host computer and the self-contained entertainment device through use, in part, of an input-output of the self-contained entertainment device, and, after bi-directional authentication occurs, using the distribution point host computer to delete at least some of the previously loaded encrypted encoded audiovisual master files from the self-contained entertainment device. Aspects further include using the distribution point host computer to transfer the newly loaded encrypted encoded audiovisual master file and keys associated with the newly loaded encrypted encoded audiovisual master file to the self-contained entertainment device to which the distribution point host computer is linked without decryption of the newly loaded encrypted encoded audiovisual master file being transferred to the self-contained entertainment device; and storing the newly loaded encrypted encoded audiovisual master file and the keys associated with the newly loaded encrypted encoded audiovisual master file on an encrypted hard drive of the self-contained entertainment device to which the distribution point host computer is linked.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A security method and system of in-flight entertainment device (IFED) rentals having self-contained audiovisual presentations is disclosed herein. A self-contained IFED has internal storage configured to contain current releases of movies and other audiovisual presentations. According to implementations of the present system and method, the self-contained IFED can be rented by passengers of commercial airline flights for viewing of such movies and other audiovisual presentations during the flight. Use of the self-contained IFED provides a selection of audiovisual presentations from which the passengers renting the self-contained IFED can choose. This individualizes the selection opportunity provided to each passenger by the self-contained IFED and increases the potential for enjoyment by the passengers compared with conventional systems that display one audiovisual presentation to a large group of passengers with the passengers having no input on the particular audiovisual property being presented.

As shown inFIG. 1, a passenger10, while seated in aircraft seat12, can view a movie being presented by a self-contained IFED14resting on a seat back table16that is connected to a forwardly adjacent aircraft seat18. As is conventional practice, earphones20are plugged into a sound output21on the self-contained IFED14to allow the passenger10to listen to the audio portion of the presentation without disturbing fellow passengers. The self-contained IFED14, further depicted inFIG. 2, includes a display22for viewing presentations and controls24for selection of presentations and adjustment of the self-contained IFED14.

The self-contained IFED14contains a processor25, as shown inFIG. 3, for interaction and control of various other components of the self-contained IFED14. An encrypted hard drive26is included for storing one or more files containing current movies or other audiovisual presentations. The encrypted hard drive26is accessible through a hard drive decryptor28so that both encrypted files30containing current movies and other proprietary property and unencrypted files (not shown) are protected by the encryption mechanisms associated directly with the encrypted hard drive26. The encrypted files30are further protected by their own encryption mechanisms and are only accessible through a file decryptor32containing one or more decryption keys for reading of the encrypted files30.

An input-output34of unique physical configuration is used to delete out-dated audiovisual presentations from the encrypted hard drive26and to transfer current movie releases and other audiovisual presentations to the encrypted hard drive26. The input-output34is formed such that a specially formed connector of a unique shape complementary to the input-output34is used to connect a workstation to the self-contained IFED14for file deletion and loading activities. An input-output authenticator36is used to verify that the workstation connected to the self-contained IFED14through the input-output34has authorized access privileges. Although the input-output34has a unique physical configuration, it can still use standard protocols such as USB 2.0 or IEEE 1394, which can be utilized for the authorization process. Even when access privileges are granted, in some implementations, no read access to obtain files from the encrypted hard drive26is allowed.

Anti-tamper fasteners38are used to physically secure the case of the self-contained IFED14together, thereby requiring a unique tool for physically accessing internal components of the self-contained IFED14. An evidentiary seal40is used to seal an internal portion of the self-contained IFED14in such a way that if physical access is achieved to the internal components of the self-contained IFED14, then the evidentiary seal40is broken and easily visible upon inspection.

The various layers of security42associated with the self-contained IFED14are summarized inFIG. 4as including one or more encoded files of one or more original master recordings received from a movie recording studio or other organization. Typically, each original master recording will be processed to generate a separate encoded file in a compressed format, such as MPEG-4 Advanced Simple Profile with DVD playback quality of approximately 1 Mbps. Other implementations have other modes of compression and display quality. The encoded files are encoded with a unique bit stream encoding format (layer44) such that the processor25(FIG. 3) of the IFED14is specially configured to render the encoded file for display. Consequently, in the event other security layers discussed herein are breached, the special configuration of the processor25will still be needed for viewing, which will help to prevent piracy. During encoding, a digital process is used to add additional characters to the encoded file as a watermark (layer46) to identify details such as time and place of the encoding to assist in forensic tracking if needed through watermark detection software.

Some implementations further include the addition of camera artifacts to the encoded files (layer48) during the encoding process. Camera artifacts are used to hinder illegal video recording taken of movies being displayed on the self-contained IFED14. The camera artifacts are displayed on the display22of the self-contained IFED14when the encoded file is played on the self-contained IFED14, but are not visible to the passenger10. Instead, if video recordings are taken of the display22during play of the encoded file, the camera artifacts are visible when these video recordings are viewed. Thus, attempts at recording video content from the self-contained IFED14for later viewing on equipment other than the self-contained IFED14can be hindered.

After the encoding process is completed, the encoded files are encrypted, thereby producing encrypted encoded audiovisual files (layer50). During encryption, a unique key for decryption is generated for each individual file, which is required for subsequent playing of the file and is handled by the file decryptor32of the self-contained IFED14. The encrypted encoded audiovisual files are stored on the encrypted hard drive26(layer52) such that the hard drive decryptor28, having decryption methods separate from those used to decrypt the individual encrypted files30, is necessary for accessing the encrypted files30.

In some implementations only the input-output34is available for external access to the encrypted hard drive26. As explained above the input-output34has a unique physical configuration. Also, the input-output34uses protocols that require authorization through the input-output authenticator36to occur within a limited window of time, otherwise physical reconnection to the input-output34is necessary for further access attempts (layer54). In some implementations, the operation of the encrypted hard drive26together with the input-output34only allows for write and delete functions without allowing read functions, which can also add to the security provided under layer54. As discussed, the self-contained IFED14also has anti-tamper fasteners38and an evidentiary seal40(layer56) for an additional layer of security.

A flow-chart of a method60associated with security elements of the self-contained IFED14is shown inFIG. 5. The method60begins with receiving an audiovisual master from a movie recording studio or other organization containing an audiovisual presentation such as a to-be-released or recently released movie (step62). The audiovisual master is encoded with the special format discussed above and watermark characters are added to the encoded audiovisual file (step64). In some implementations, camera artifacts are also added during the encoding process (step66). The encoded audiovisual file is next encrypted (step68) and then sent (as well as associated keys) to a distribution point host computer (step70). The encrypted encoded audiovisual files are loaded on to the distribution host computer. The distribution host computer then links with one of the pluralities of the self-contained IFED14in which bi-directional authentication occurs between the distribution host computer and the self-contained IFED14through use in part of the input-output34of the self-contained IFED14(step72).

Once the bi-directional authentication occurs, the distribution host computer can be used to delete out-of-date audiovisual files from the self-contained IFED14(step74). The distribution host computer can then transfer the encrypted encoded files along with the associated keys to the self-contained IFED14without need of decryption of the files occurring (step76). Consequently, the encrypted audiovisual files are stored on the encrypted hard drive26of the self-contained IFED14(step78). Also, the keys associated with the encrypted audiovisual files are stored on the self-contained IFED14to be used for subsequent decryption of the encrypted audiovisual files for display of the associated audiovisual presentations (e.g. current release movies), such as during an airline flight (step80) to an airline passenger who rented the self-contained IFED14.