Patent ID: 7379548

Claim:
A system for secure transmission of protected content, the system comprising: a head-end operative to send entitlement information controlling access to the protected content; a security server; a plurality of recipient modules comprising: a first plurality of security-element recipient modules; and a second plurality of non-security-element recipient modules, said first plurality of security-element recipient modules differing from said second plurality of non-security-element recipient modules in that each of said first plurality of security-element recipient modules includes a smart card operative to process the entitlement information received from the head-end and to produce therefrom a key for accessing the protected content; and a secure communication channel for supporting communication between said security server and at least one of said plurality of recipient modules, wherein the head-end sends the entitlement information both to the security server and to at least some of the plurality of recipient modules, and in a first mode of operation, at least one of the second plurality of non-security-element recipient modules receives a first key in a multiple key hierarchy via said secure communication channel, and in a second mode of operation, said at least one of the non-security-element recipient modules receives the protected content and an encrypted key, said encrypted key being a second key in said multiple key hierarchy, said at least one of the non-security-element recipient modules being operative to utilize the first key to decrypt the encrypted key to form a decrypted key, said at least one of the non-security-element recipient modules only being capable of accessing the protected content with said decrypted key, and said first key and said second key are prepared by said security server based, at least in part, on the entitlement information sent by the head-end.