Netflix Inc.

Mitch Zollinger

Mark Watson

Anthony Neal Park

Filip Paun

Chung-Ping Wu

Scott Gregory Kelly

Techniques are disclosed for improving user experience of multimedia streaming over computer networks. More specifically, techniques presented herein reduce (or eliminate) latency in playback start time for streaming digital media content resulting from digital rights management (DRM) authorizations. A streaming media client (e.g., a browser, set-top box, mobile telephone or tablet 'app') may request a “fast-expiring” license for titles the streaming media client predicts a user is likely to begin streaming. A fast-expiring license is a DRM license (and associated decryption key) which is valid for only a very limited time after being used for playback. During the validity period of such a license, the client device requests a “normal” or “regular” license to continue accessing the title after the fast-expiring license expires.

Fast-expiring licenses used to speculatively authorize access to streaming media content

Techniques are disclosed for improving user experience of multimedia streaming over computer networks. More specifically, techniques presented herein reduce (or eliminate) latency in playback start time for streaming digital media content resulting from digital rights management (DRM) authorizations. A streaming media client (e.g., a browser, set-top box, mobile telephone or tablet 'app') may request a 'fast-expiring' license for titles the streaming media client predicts a user is likely to begin streaming. A fast-expiring license is a DRM license (and associated decryption key) which is valid for only a very limited time after being used for playback. During the validity period of such a license, the client device requests a &#x201c;normal&#x201d; or &#x201c;regular&#x201d; license to continue accessing the title after the fast-expiring license expires.

A computer-implemented technique for determining whether a first computing device has the correct version of a software program may be used to provide a secure approach to verifying that a client computing device has a secure and approved version of content player software implemented for consuming downloaded copyright media content. With this technique, copyright media content providers are able to ensure that only secure and approved content players are implemented to access the content.

System and method for obfuscation initiation values of a cryptography protocol

One embodiment of the invention sets forth a mechanism for verifying the authenticity of a device before transmitting digital content to the device. In operation, the device stores a device key that is generated at manufacture-time using a pre-determined cryptographic key and the device identifier. In operation, the device generates a proof of possession from the application data and the stored device key. When verifying the device authenticity, a device key is derived from the master key and the device identifier then a proof of possession is derived from the derived device key and the application data obtained from the device. If the derived proof of possession matches the received proof of possession, then the authenticity of the device can be verified.

Verifying authenticity of playback device

Techniques are described herein for using cryptographic elements of the Advanced Access Content System (AACS) in a client-server environment to cryptographically authenticate client applications that are executing on non-revoked AACS-compliant playback devices. The techniques described herein may be used to protect a server application from providing information to client applications executing in non-AACS-compliant or revoked environments. In one embodiment, the techniques are used to authenticate a Blu-ray Disc Java Application executing on a non-revoked AACS-compliant Blu-ray Disc Player.

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Mitch Zollinger