Patent ID: 8904424

Claim:
A method for authenticating and authorizing a specific portion of broadcast content within a broadcast network configured for security-protected content distribution, the method comprising: receiving the specific portion of broadcast content with a receiver that is one of a plurality of receivers adapted to receive content via the broadcast network, wherein the specific portion of broadcast content is broadcast to and received by each receiver within the plurality of receivers, further wherein the specific portion includes a first portion including an object intended for the receiver and a second portion comprising an authorization message data portion, the authorization message data portion including a metadata related to the object; authenticating the specific portion of broadcast content wherein the authenticating comprises: calculating a digital signature code both from object data comprising the object and from authentication data comprising a first portion of the authorization message data portion, wherein the first portion of the authorization message data portion includes the metadata; comparing the digital signature code to a predetermined digital signature code received in the specific portion of the broadcast content, wherein the predetermined digital signature code is not included in the first portion of the authorization message data portion, and wherein a second portion of the authorization message data portion comprises the predetermined digital signature code; and determining, based on the comparing of the digital signature code to the predetermined digital signature code, whether the specific portion of the broadcast content is from a trusted source; based on the authenticating, authorizing the specific portion of broadcast content for use by the receiver; running a process that checks authorization for the receiver to use the received specific portion of broadcast content; and wherein the broadcast content comprises content having authorization rights associated with a purchase by a user of the receiver.