Communication protocol for content on demand system with callback time

1. A transaction protocol for communicating between an encryption renewal system communicably coupled to one or more video on demand systems via a communication network, the encryption renewal system permitting pre-encrypted content to be accessed by clients of the video on demand systems, the protocol comprising:

receiving, by the encryption renewal system, a request transaction document having a first format from the video on demand system;

parsing the request transaction document to retrieve data from the request transaction document;

generating a request object code having a second format for processing by encryption renewal system, the request object code based on the data in the request transaction document;

responsive to processing of the request object code, generating a response object code having the second format;

converting the response object code to a response transaction document having the first format; and

forwarding the response transaction document to the video on demand system.

2. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the request transaction document contains an encryption record, a data structure having one or more cryptographic keys for accessing the pre-encrypted content.

3. The protocol of claim 1 further comprising

parsing the request transaction document to determine a protocol version of the request transaction document,

wherein the request object code is partly based on the protocol version.

4. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the first format is extensible mark-up language, and the second format is Java.

5. The protocol of claim 1 wherein the request transaction document is a request to retrofit an entitlement control message for permitting clients of the video on demand system to access the pre-encrypted content.

6. The protocol of claim 5 wherein the response transaction document is a response to the request to retrofit the entitlement control message.

7. The protocol of claim 6 wherein the response further comprises a callback time, specifying a time for the video on demand system to contact the encryption renewal system.

8. In a communication system having an encryption renewal system coupled to one or more on demand servers, a method by the encryption renewal system for allowing the on demand server to callback the encryption renewal system, the method comprising:

receiving a first request to retrofit an entitlement control message;

retrofitting the entitlement control message to allow access to pre-encrypted content;

generating a first response having the entitlement control message which is retrofitted, wherein the response further comprises a first call back time specifying a time for the video on demand system to contact the encryption renewal system;

receiving a second request to retrofit prior to the first callback time; and

generating a response having a second callback time that invalidates the first callback time.

9. A system for communicating between an encryption renewal system communicably coupled to one or more video on demand systems via a communication network, the encryption renewal system permitting pre-encrypted content to be accessed by clients of the video on demand systems, the system comprising:

means for receiving a request transaction document having a first format from the video on demand system;

means for parsing the request transaction document to retrieve data from the request transaction document;

means for generating a request object code having a second format for processing by encryption renewal system, the request object code based on the data in the request transaction document;

responsive to processing of the request object code, means for generating a response object code having the second format;

means for converting the response object code to a response transaction document having the first format; and

means for forwarding the response transaction document to the video on demand system.

10. The protocol of claim 9 wherein the request transaction document contains an encryption record, a data structure having one or more cryptographic keys for accessing the pre-encrypted content.

11. The protocol of claim 9 further comprising

means for parsing the request transaction document to determine a protocol version of the request transaction document,

wherein the request object code is partly based on the protocol version.

12. In a communication system having an encryption renewal system coupled to one or more on demand servers, a system for allowing the on demand server to callback the encryption renewal system, the system comprising:

means for receiving a first request to retrofit an entitlement control message;

means for retrofitting the entitlement control message to allow access to pre-encrypted content;

means for generating a first response having the entitlement control message which is retrofitted, wherein the response further comprises a first call back time specifying a time for the video on demand system to contact the encryption renewal systems;

means for receiving a second request to retrofit prior to the first callback time; and

means for generating a response having a second callback time that invalidates the first callback time.

13. The protocol of claim 9 wherein the first format is extensible mark-up language, and the second format is Java.

14. The protocol of claim 9 wherein the request transaction document is a request to retrofit an entitlement control message for permitting clients of the video on demand system to access the pre-encrypted content.

15. The protocol of claim 14 wherein the response transaction document is a response to the request to retrofit the entitlement control message.

16. The protocol of claim 15 wherein the response further comprises a callback time, specifying a time for the video on demand system to contact the encryption renewal system.