Method and apparatus for encrypting media programs for later purchase and viewing

1. A method of operatively pairing a receiver configured to receive a plurality of media programs and a conditional access module removably coupleable to the receiver, comprising the steps of:

accepting a receiver ID associated with a receiver key stored in a memory of the receiver in a control center;

determining a pairing key for encrypting communications between the conditional access module and the receiver;

encrypting the pairing key with the receiver key; and

transmitting a message comprising the encrypted pairing key to the receiver.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein

the media programs received by the receiver are encrypted according to a media encryption key (CW); and

the conditional access module communicates the media encryption key (CW) encrypted by the pairing key to the receiver.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiver ID is user-readable.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiver key is user-unreadable.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiver key is uniquely paired to the receiver ID.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:

the message further comprises the pairing key

the step of transmitting a message comprising the encrypted pairing key to the receiver comprises the steps of:

encrypting the message; and

transmitting the message.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the message is encrypted according to an I/O indecipherable algorithm.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the steps of:

decrypting the message in the conditional access module to produce the pairing key and the encrypted pairing key;

storing the pairing key in the conditional access module;

providing the encrypted pairing key to the receiver; and

decrypting the encrypted pairing key in the receiver with the receiver key.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising the step of:

storing the pairing key in the receiver.

10. A method of operatively pairing a receiver configured to receive a plurality of media programs encrypted according to a media encryption key (CW) and a conditional access module removably coupled to the receiver, comprising the steps of:

receiving an encrypted message comprising a pairing key and an encrypted pairing key;

decrypting the encrypted message in the conditional access module to produce the pairing key and the encrypted pairing key;

storing the pairing key in the conditional access module;

transmitting the encrypted pairing key to the receiver; and

decrypting the encrypted pairing key with a receiver key stored in the receiver.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the message is encrypted according to an I/O indecipherable algorithm.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving the media encryption key (CW) in the conditional access module;

encrypting the media encryption key(CW) according to the pairing key; and

transmitting the encrypted media encryption key (CW) to the receiver.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving the encrypted media encryption key (CW) from the conditional access module;

decrypting the encrypted media encryption key (CW) with the pairing key stored in the receiver; and

decrypting the media program with the media encryption key (CW).

14. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving the media encryption key (CW) in the conditional access module;

encrypting the media encryption key (CW) according to the pairing key; and

transmitting the encrypted media encryption key (CW) to the receiver.

15. The method of claim 14 , further comprising the steps of:

receiving the media encryption key (CW) in the conditional access module;

decrypting the encrypted media encryption key (CW) with the pairing key stored in the receiver; and

decrypting the media program with the media encryption key (CW).

16. An apparatus for operatively pairing a receiver configured to receive a plurality of media programs and a conditional access module removably coupleable to the receiver, comprising:

means for accepting a receiver ID associated with a receiver key stored in a memory of the receiver in a control center;

means for determining a pairing key for encrypting communications between the conditional access module and the receiver;

means for encrypting the pairing key with the receiver key; and

means for transmitting a message comprising the encrypted pairing key to the receiver.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 , wherein:

the message further comprises the pairing key;

the means for transmitting a message comprising the encrypted pairing key to the receiver comprises means for encrypting the message and means for transmitting the message.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , further comprising:

means for decrypting the message in the conditional access module to produce the pairing key and the encrypted pairing key;

means for storing the pairing key in the conditional access module;

means for providing the encrypted pairing key to the receiver; and

means for decrypting the encrypted pairing key in the receiver with the receiver key.

19. An apparatus for operatively pairing a receiver configured to receive a plurality of media programs encrypted according to a media encryption key (CW) and a conditional access module removably coupled to the receiver, comprising:

means for receiving an encrypted message comprising a pairing key and an encrypted pairing key;

means for decrypting the encrypted message in the conditional access module to produce the pairing key and the encrypted pairing key;

means for storing the pairing key in the conditional access module

means for transmitting the encrypted pairing key to the receiver; and

means for decrypting the encrypted pairing key with a receiver key stored in the receiver.