Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]
  • H04L12/2803—Home automation networks
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING OR CALCULATING; COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F16/00—Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L12/00—Data switching networks
  • H04L12/28—Data switching networks characterised by path configuration, e.g. LAN [Local Area Networks] or WAN [Wide Area Networks]

Definitions

• the present invention generally relates, in a first aspect, to a method for access control for UPnP content, and more particularly to a method enhancing UPnP A/V standard by providing to the end user the tools to provide specific multimedia content protection.
• a second aspect of the invention relates to a system arranged to implement the method of the first aspect.
• UPnP protocol doesn't implement the 'user' concept, nor any mechanism to restrict the access to specific content stored in an UPnP device.
• UPnP Forum has developed a general framework architecture [1] on which the definition of the different devices and the services they support is based. Different classes of devices (Content Media Servers and Renderers, Digital Security Cameras, Printers, etc.) and the standard services they should offer have also been defined, and the standard is being widely adopted by the industry.
• DLNA Digital Living Network Alliance
• the UPnP Device Architecture which is the general framework for the devices definition, consists of a set of protocols for communication between controllers (Control Points) and devices. For device discovery, description, control, eventing and presentation it uses the protocol stack depicted in Figure 1.
• the protocol stack leans on TCP/IP and UDP/IP protocols. It defines UPnP specific protocols like the Simple Service Discovery Protocol (SSDP) for device discovery, the General Event Notification Architecture (GENA) for eventing, and a specific multicast protocol. Above them stand the UPnP Device Architecture and the UPnP-specific protocols, as defined by UPnP working committees.
• SSDP Simple Service Discovery Protocol
• GAA General Event Notification Architecture
• Controlled devices function in the role of a server, responding to requests from Control Points. Multiple Media Servers, Control Points or both may be operating in the same physical hardware simultaneously.
• the present invention is focused on a specific set of devices, which are the Media Servers. These devices are defined in the UPnP A V workgroup, and a general overview of their architecture can be seen in [2]. The typical A/V device interaction model can be seen in Figure 2.
• An A/V Control Point is able to interact with two or more UPnP devices (acting as source or sink of multimedia content), coordinating and synchronising the behaviour of these devices. Its mission is to discover the devices, configure them as needed, and trigger the content flow. Afterwards, the devices interact directly to exchange the content using an "out-of-band" communication protocol (usually, HTTP).
• HTTP "out-of-band” communication protocol
• UPnP A/V three entities are defined in UPnP A/V: the Control Point, the Media Server (source of content) and the Media Renderer (sink for the content). These entities can be integrated in a single hardware device, or distributed among several hardware devices. For instance, a hardware that integrates a Media Renderer with a Control Point is usually called a Media Player.
• UPnP A/V defines [2], a set of services (name, purpose, methods, eventing) that each of these entities must implement, as well as the interaction flow between the entities for content exchange. These services are:
• - Content Directory Service provides a set of actions that allow the
• Control Point to enumerate the content that the Server can provide to the home network (browse, list, search%)
• Connection Manager Service used to manage the connections associated with a particular device
• Rendering Control Service provides a set of actions that allow the Control Point to control how the Renderer renders a piece of incoming content (eg. brightness, contrast, etc.)
• Connection Manager Service as in the former case, it manages the connections associated with a device
• UPnP AN defines the XML schemas for the device, service and content definition.
• a Media Server is able to expose its content via the Content Directory Service, negotiate a common transfer protocol and data format with a Media Renderer, control the content flow, copy content from other devices, and may provide functions to record content using the Scheduled Recording service. It can handle any specific type of media, any data format, and transfer protocol.
• Example instances of a Media Server include devices such as CD Players, DVD Players, still-image cameras, hard disks, etc.
• UPnP offers a certification program, based on a very easy six-step process. This program is offered to Implementer Members only, and grants a certificate assuring that the device fulfils UPnP specifications.
• UPnP has defined Device Security [5] and Security Console [6].
• the main idea of these services is to restrict the access to the Media Servers/Renderers to certain pre-authorized Control Points.
• Another proposed solution is the patent WO 2009/131798 consisting on creating User Access Lists to different contents or folders in order to give permissions for accessing Contents or Devices. But this solution, besides needing more complex protocol architecture, would change the current UPnP operation requesting a user authentication to use the UPnP Control Points.
• UPnP proposes the implementation of a Security Console that offers the users the possibility to select manually which devices and Control Points are allowed to access other devices.
• UPnP doesn't implement the "user" concept, nor any mechanism to restrict the access to specific content stored in an UPnP Media Server. All UPnP A/V devices expose the same functionality and content to all the users that obtain access to it through the corresponding Control Point.
• UPnP doesn't provide a solution
• a family with several members owning a single Network Hard Drive that acts like an UPnP A/V Media Server in which they store all the personal multimedia content (eg. photos, videos, etc) from all the members of the family.
• Any person obtaining access to any standard Control Point available in the home could then browse and view the entire content catalogue, with no restrictions. This could be not desirable in certain situations (for instance, the parents would not like their son's friends to view some personal photos).
• any standard Control Point could navigate and view all the stored content.
• UPnP allows to limit (or to control) which Control Points can access a specific device.
• the present invention relates, in a first aspect, to a method for access control for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) content, permitting the protection of an amount of content stored in a UPnP device by a first user, said UPnP device acting as a source of content, said method comprising:
• a second aspect of the present invention concerns to a system adapted to implement the method of the first aspect.
• the system comprising:
• a media server device acting as a source of content, wherein an amount of content and a user password are stored;
• control point acting as a network element, arranged to enable the connectivity between said source and said sink of content, and allowing a sharing of said content stored in said media server device between said source and said sink by means of a password protection.
• Figure 1 shows an embodiment of the UPnP Protocol Stack.
• Figure 2 shows an embodiment of the typical A/V device interaction model.
• Figure 3 shows the general description of the operation flow, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 4 illustrates the proposed 3-Box model system based in UPnP A/V's general device architecture, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
• Figure 5 illustrates an example of the password-protected content creation.
• Figure 6 illustrates an example of the browsing through a password-protected element.
• Figure 7, Figure 8 and Figure 9 represent several possible embodiments using wide variety of UPnP devices that the present invention can implement.
• the present invention enhances UPnP AN standard to introduce a simple mechanism for access control in order to avoid indiscriminate access to multimedia content.
• the owner of a content stored in an UPnP AN Media Server has the means to introduce a personal password to his content (or to a set of contents, stored in a folder) that could be distributed to their authorized users.
• the owner of the content (user A) loads it in the UPnP AN Media Server, and enters the access password.
• the password could affect either individual content (a single multimedia file) or a set of contents (folder). Afterwards, by some off-line methods (out of the scope of this invention), he communicates this password to the people authorized to view/browse/search this content/folder.
• the UPnP AN Media Server stores both the content and the password, encrypted by a secure mean.
• Control Point prompts UserB for the password. Once the user enters the password, the Control Point forwards it to the UPnP AA Media Server, encrypted by a secure mean.
• the UPnP AA/ Media Server checks if the access password is right. If so, it will return to the Control Point the answer to the method invoked in 3). If not, it will return an "access denied” message and deny the access to the requested content/folder.
• the proposed system is based in UPnP AA/'s general device architecture (3- Box model) in which, for content playback, three entities are defined:
• An UPnP AA/ Media Server which is the entity in charge for content storage and publication, as defined in UPnP. This entity will be extended to support the storage, by a secure mean, of the password that protects the contents from undesired access. To this end, the Content Directory Service must be changed as specified in the following paragraphs.
• An UPnP Control Point which is the entity that offers the User Interface, allowing the end user to discover the UPnP AA/ devices available in the home network, browse or search through the content catalogue of the UPnP AA/
• This entity makes use of standard UPnP services offered by the other entities (i.e. Content Directory Service, Rendering Control Service, Connection Manager Service, AA/ Transport Service) to perform its functions, but neither its software architecture nor its technologies are defined by UPnP, nor will be defined in the scope of this invention. However, this entity must be also enhanced to be able to support content protection, as will be seen in the next sections.
• entities i.e. Content Directory Service, Rendering Control Service, Connection Manager Service, AA/ Transport Service
• the Content Directory Service must be modified to support the introduction of a password to access a content / folder. To this end, the following changes must be done:
• Control Point wants to browse, encrypted by a secure mean (eg. hash code of the original password entered by the end user in the Control Point interface, and communicated through an out-of-band mechanism).
• a secure mean eg. hash code of the original password entered by the end user in the Control Point interface, and communicated through an out-of-band mechanism.
• the Control Point invokes the CreateObject() method.
• the container/item elements that describe the content to be loaded into the Media Server include the password that must be entered to browse/search/view the content.
• the password is communicated to the Media Server through a secure way (e.g. hash key)
• the Media Server stores the content, together with the password, in its hardware, and returns to the Control Point information about the result of this operation.
• the Control Point invokes the Browse() method on an ObjectID existing in the Media Server.
• the password attribute in the container/item object is empty, but the object needs a password to allow browsing.
• the Media Server detects that a Control Point is trying to navigate through an object that is protected, and returns an error indicating this fact.
• the user is prompted by the Control Point to enter the password.
• the Control Point invokes again the Browse() method, this time including the password loaded by the user in the password attribute of the container/item.
• the password is communicated to the Media Server through a secure mean (e.g. hash key)
• the Media Server checks that the password is right, and returns the corresponding result to the Control Point, so that it can be shown to the user.
• the present invention can be implemented in a wide variety of UPnP devices.
• UPnP elements can be designed to provide additional security facilities to in-home UPnP devices and services. In the following a list of possible embodiment are provided.
• the modem-router acts as the network element that enables the connectivity between all the in-home devices. It usually includes a WiFi AP in order to enable wireless connectivity among them (although the WiFi AP could be available in dedicated network equipment)
• a NAS Network Attached Storage device, i.e. a networked hard disk
• a standard PC or a mobile phone could act as source of content (that is, AA Media Servers).
• AA Media Servers AA Media Servers
• Multiple devices could act as sinks of content (that is, the point where the content is viewed): a TV, a photo frame, a BluRay/DVD player or a set-top-bow. As such, these devices render the desired content once the Media Server / Control Point has checked that the right password has been entered (if the content is password- protected).
• the Control Point in charge of the interaction with the end-user (since it provides the GUI) could be either an application downloaded in the PC and/or the Mobile Phone, or could be embedded in the sinks of content.
• the most usual situation is to have a remote control through which the user can interact with a specific menu to navigate through the content, introduce the requested data, and control the content rendering (stop, play, pause).
• the modem-router acts as the network element that enables the connectivity between all the in-home devices.
• a Game Console acts as the source of content, that is, the point where the multimedia data to be shared in the home network is stored. It will include the UPnP Content Directory Service with the modifications described in this invention to protect specific data from undesired access.
• the sinks of content would naturally be the TV and the user's PC. They are in charge of rendering the desired content once the right password is entered.
• the Control Point would be integrated in the Remote Control and specific software of the Game Console.
• the Remote Control will enable the navigation through the content stored in the Game Console, and the GUI provided by the Game Console will include a Control Point responsible for user prompting for the password, and its communication to the Content Directory Service.
• IP Cameras Digital Security Cameras
• the modem-router acts also as the network element that enables the connectivity between all the in-home devices.
• IP Cameras act as source of content, offering both still images and video streams. They will include a specific service modified, following the system description of this invention, to grant access to the images/streams only if the right password is provided.
• the sinks of content would be the TV, the user's PC and mobile phones available in the home network. They are in charge of rendering the desired content once the right password is entered.
• Control Point with the modifications proposed in this invention, would be integrated in the rendering devices (i.e. the sinks of content, TV, PC and mobile phone).
• the Control Point will be composed of a Remote Control and a specific set of menus that, besides running the standard UPnP actions, is modified to enable user prompting for the password, password introduction, and management of the interactions with the IP Cameras.
• the main technical advantage of this invention is to propose a system to enable easy content protection for content exported through UPnP services. This functionality is not available today and is expected to be welcomed by end users.
• An additional advantage of the system proposed is its seamless integration into current UPnP architecture, so that it could be incorporated into a wide variety of devices (see the proposed embodiments) with relative ease and no big development effort (for instance, for A/V Media Servers a firmware update could be enough to provide this functionality).

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Automation & Control Theory (AREA)
• Data Mining & Analysis (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Databases & Information Systems (AREA)
• Storage Device Security (AREA)
• Information Retrieval, Db Structures And Fs Structures Therefor (AREA)
• Management, Administration, Business Operations System, And Electronic Commerce (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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Family Applications (1)

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Citations (7)

• 2012
  • 2012-03-30 ES ES201230492A patent/ES2430013B1/es not_active Withdrawn - After Issue
• 2013
  • 2013-03-26 WO PCT/EP2013/056382 patent/WO2013144134A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (7)

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