Patent ID: 7630499

Claim:
A method for retrieval and transfer of encrypted content from a first set-top box, said method comprising the following steps: at said first set-top box, encrypting content to be stored on a first storage device of the first set-top box with a content instance key, said content comprising a program instance; at said first set-top box, encrypting said content instance key with a public key of the first set-top box; at said first set-top box, encrypting a duplicate of said content instance key with one or more public keys of other than the first set-top box; encrypting access rights elements to said content with said one or more public keys of other than first set-top-box, said access rights elements configured to be reviewed to determine a user's access to said content; recording said content encrypted with said content instance key and said encrypted content instance key to said first storage device; decrypting said duplicate content instance key that was encrypted at said first set-top box by using a private key corresponding with said one or more public keys of other than said first set-top box; and decrypting said content with said decrypted duplicate content instance key.