Methods and systems for content distribution

1 . A method comprising:

receiving, using control circuitry of a distributor node, a functionally encrypted content request comprising a user identifier and a content identifier, wherein the user identifier is separate from the content identifier;

sending, to a content provider and using the control circuitry, the functionally encrypted content request;

receiving, using the control circuitry, a first content reply comprising the functionally encrypted content request and encrypted content corresponding to the content identifier, the content identifier having been resolved from the functionally encrypted content request by decrypting the functionally encrypted content request using a functional content identifier decryption key, wherein the functional content identifier decryption key used to resolve the content identifier is provided to the content provider without a functional user identifier decryption key used to resolve the user identifier;

decrypting, using the control circuitry, the first content reply using the functional user identifier decryption key to resolve the user identifier, wherein the functional user identifier decryption key used to resolve the user identifier is provided to the distributor node without the functional content identifier decryption key used to resolve the content identifier; and

sending, to a user node corresponding to the user identifier and using the control circuitry, a second content reply corresponding to the first content reply.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving at least one functional user identifier decryption key.

3 . The method of claim 1 , the method further comprising:

receiving, using the control circuitry, a transaction identifier along with the functionally encrypted content request;

sending the transaction identifier along with the functionally encrypted content request to the content provider; and

wherein the first content reply is decrypted using a functional user identifier decryption key corresponding to the transaction identifier.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein a content distributor network acts as the distributor node.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises receiving an encrypted content response comprising the content reply and a contribution of a user, and sending the encrypted content response to the content provider.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the functional content identifier decryption key is provided to the content provider and the functional user identifier decryption key is separately provided to the distributor node using a key manager node.

7 . A method for content distribution at a user node, the method comprising:

sending, to a distributor and using control circuitry of the user node, a functionally encrypted content request comprising a user identifier and a content identifier, wherein:

the user identifier is sent to the distributor separate from the content identifier,

the content identifier is sent to a content provider,

the distributor is configured to decrypt the user identifier using a functional user identifier decryption key separate from a functional content identifier decryption key, and

the content provider is configured to decrypt the content identifier using the functional content identifier decryption key;

receiving, from the distributor and using the control circuitry, a content reply comprising encrypted content; and

decrypting, using the control circuitry, the content.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the content is functionally encrypted, and wherein the user node decrypts the content using a functional content decryption key.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the functional content decryption key corresponds to a predefined condition.

10 . The method of claim 7 , the method further comprising:

receiving a functionally encrypted content decryption key message comprising a plurality of functionally encrypted content decryption keys;

decrypting the functionally encrypted content decryption key message to resolve a content decryption key; and

using the content decryption key to decrypt the content.

11 . A system comprising control circuitry of a distributor node configured to:

receive a functionally encrypted content request comprising a user identifier and a content identifier, wherein the user identifier is separate from the content identifier;

send the functionally encrypted content request to a content provider;

receive a first content reply comprising the functionally encrypted content request and encrypted content corresponding to the content identifier, the content identifier having been resolved from the functionally encrypted content request by decrypting the functionally encrypted content request using a functional content identifier decryption key, wherein the functional content identifier decryption key used to resolve the content identifier is provided to the content provider without a functional user identifier decryption key used to resolve the user identifier;

decrypt the first content reply using the functional user identifier decryption key to resolve the user identifier, wherein the functional user identifier decryption key used to resolve the user identifier is provided to the distributor node without the functional content identifier decryption key used to resolve the content identifier; and

send a second content reply corresponding to the first content reply to a user node corresponding to the user identifier.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive at least one functional user identifier decryption key.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a transaction identifier along with the functionally encrypted content request;

send the transaction identifier along with the functionally encrypted content request to the content provider; and

decrypt the first content reply using a functional user identifier decryption key corresponding to the transaction identifier.

14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein a content distributor network acts as the distributor node.

15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive an encrypted content response comprising the content reply and a contribution of a user, and send the encrypted content response to the content provider.

16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the functional content identifier decryption key is provided to the content provider and the functional user identifier decryption key is separately provided to the distributor node using a key manager node.

17 . A system comprising control circuitry of a user node configured to:

send, to a distributor, a functionally encrypted content request comprising a user identifier and a content identifier, wherein:

the user identifier is sent to the distributor separate from the content identifier,

the content identifier is sent to a content provider,

the distributor is configured to decrypt the user identifier using a functional user identifier decryption key separate from a functional content identifier decryption key, and

the content provider is configured to decrypt the content identifier using the functional content identifier decryption key;

receive, from the distributor, a content reply comprising encrypted content; and

decrypt the content.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the content is functionally encrypted, and wherein the user node decrypts the content using a functional content decryption key.

19 . The system of claim 18 , wherein the functional content decryption key corresponds to a predefined condition.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

receive a functionally encrypted content decryption key message comprising a plurality of functionally encrypted content decryption keys;

decrypt the functionally encrypted content decryption key message to resolve a content decryption key; and

use the content decryption key to decrypt the content.