Patent ID: 8011012

Claim:
A method, comprising: distributing a first plurality of keys and a number of blackout IDs to a plurality of clients, the first plurality of keys providing access to media content on a channel, the first plurality of keys being periodically rotated such that each of the plurality of clients receives keys that are currently in use and multiple sets of keys that are to be used at a later time, and the number of blackout IDs corresponding to substitutions of the media content being limited to a predetermined number for every key rotation period; if a number of the substitutions exceeds a threshold during a particular one of the key rotation periods, decreasing a time period of the key rotation period; if a number of the substitutions exceeds a threshold during a particular one of the key rotation periods, decreasing a time period of the key rotation period; identifying a group of clients from the plurality of clients that are to receive substituted media content on the channel during a predetermined time period, the group of clients being identified based on a client type; generating modified keys that identify the substituted media content and the predetermined time period on the channel; distributing the modified keys to the clients in the identified group prior to the predetermined time period, the modified keys causing the clients to receive the substituted media content during the predetermined time period on the channel, and the modified keys causing a particular one of the clients to receive alternate media content different from the media content and the substituted media content if the client is not provisioned to render the media content and the substituted media content; generating a second plurality of keys prior to a conclusion of the predetermined time period; and distributing the second plurality of keys to the clients in the identified group prior to the conclusion of the predetermined time period, the second set of keys causing the clients in the identified group to receive non-substituted media content on the channel.