Patent ID: 6996129

Claim:
A video multiplexer system comprising: a session manager for establishing digital video sessions with client devices, for identifying digital video content to be provided to said client devices, and for identifying how said digital video content is to be encrypted; a video server, responsive to said session manager, for providing said digital video content, said video content being further characterized by a plurality of video segments; a multiplexer for selecting and combining video segments into one or more multi-channel multiplexes; at least one modulator for encoding and transmitting multiple-program transport streams (MPTSs) to the client devices; means for encrypting digital video content; means for establishing authorization tiers for encrypting digital video content; wherein: the multiplexer inserts identifiers into MPTSs transmitted to the client devices; the client devices echo the received identifiers back to the multiplexer; and the multiplexer establishes correspondence between correspondence modulators, service groups, and client devices by comparing the identifiers echoed by the client devices with the identifiers inserted by the multiplexer.