Access control processor

Abstract

According to the invention, a method for securing information associated with a content receiver that is part of a conditional access system is disclosed. In one step, an object is selected for monitoring. When the object should encounter a checkpoint is independently determined. A checkpoint triggers authentication and/or authorization. It is independently monitored that at least one of authentication and authorization is performed. Information regarding the monitoring is sent away from the content receiver.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for securing information associated with a content receiver that is part of a conditional access system, the method comprising steps of: 
 selecting an object for monitoring;    independently determining when the object should encounter a checkpoint that triggers at least one of authentication and authorization;    independently monitoring that at least one of authentication and authorization is performed; and    sending information regarding the monitoring away from the content receiver.    
     
     
         2 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising a step of preventing execution of the object in response to the monitoring step.  
     
     
         3 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the determining step comprises a step of determining with an access control processor when the object should encounter the checkpoint, and    the access control processor operates independent of a controller.    
     
     
         4 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein: 
 the monitoring step comprises a step of monitoring with an access control processor that at least one of authentication and authorization is performed, and    the access control processor operates independent of a controller.    
     
     
         5 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the sending step comprises a step of sending information from an access control processor.  
     
     
         6 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one of the following steps of: 
 changing authorization for the object;    changing authorization for a functional unit other than the object;    deleting the object from volatile memory;    deleting the object from non-volatile memory;    deleting the object from the content receiver; and    stopping execution of the object.    
     
     
         7 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising steps of: 
 defining a period that the content receiver should perform the sending step within; and    determining from a remote location if the content receiver has performed the sending step.    
     
     
         8 . A method for securing information associated with a content receiver that is part of a conditional access system, the method comprising steps of: 
 selecting an object for monitoring;    determining when the object should encounter a checkpoint that triggers at least one of authentication and authorization;    independently monitoring that at least one of authentication and authorization is performed; and    preventing execution of the object in response to the monitoring step.    
     
     
         9 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising a step of sending monitoring information away from the content receiver to a headend.  
     
     
         10 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the determining step comprises a step of determining with an access control processor when the object should encounter the checkpoint, and    the access control processor operates independent of a controller.    
     
     
         11 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein: 
 the monitoring step comprises a step of monitoring with an access control processor that at least one of authentication and authorization is performed, and    the access control processor operates independent of a controller.    
     
     
         12 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the sending step comprises a step of sending information from an access control processor.  
     
     
         13 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising steps of: 
 defining a period that the content receiver should perform the sending step within; and    determining from a remote location if the content receiver has performed the sending step.    
     
     
         14 . The method for securing information associated with the content receiver that is part of the conditional access system as recited in  claim 8 , further comprising at least one of the following steps of: 
 changing authorization for the object;    changing authorization for a functional unit other than the object;    deleting the object from volatile memory;    deleting the object from non-volatile memory; and    deleting the object from the content receiver.    
     
     
         15 . A conditional access system for remotely controlling functional units in a content receiver, the conditional access system comprising: 
 a monitoring computer located remotely from the content receiver;    a functional unit within the content receiver;    a distribution network coupling the monitoring computer to the content receiver;    a general purpose processor within the content receiver; and    an access control processor that monitors program execution on the general purpose processor and reports security anomalies to the monitoring computer.    
     
     
         16 . The conditional access system for remotely controlling functional units in the content receiver as recited in  claim 15 , wherein a headend comprises the monitoring computer.  
     
     
         17 . The conditional access system for remotely controlling functional units in the content receiver as recited in  claim 15 , wherein functional unit is chosen from a group consisting of a resource and an object.  
     
     
         18 . The conditional access system for remotely controlling functional units in the content receiver as recited in  claim 15 , further comprising a plurality of content receivers, wherein each of the plurality of receivers comprises: the functional unit, a general purpose processor and the access control processor.