Secure fast channel changing

1. A method for communication, comprising:

distributing over a communication network multiple channels of digital content, which are encrypted using different, channel-specific control words; and

transmitting over the communication network, different, channel-specific entitlement control messages from which the control words are derivable such that each of the different channel-specific control words is derivable from any of the different channel-specific entitlement control messages by authorized receivers of the channels on the communication network, wherein: (a) a first channel-specific control word for a first channel is derivable from a channel key for the first channel and a master control word which is derivable from a first channel-specific entitlement control message for the first channel; and (b) a second channel-specific control word for a second channel is derivable from a channel key for the second channel and the master control word in the absence of the first channel-specific control word.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising providing the master control word, from which each of the channel-specific control words is derivable, and wherein the master control word is derivable from any of the channel-specific entitlement control messages.

3. The method according to claim 2 , wherein each of the channel-specific entitlement control messages comprises:

a respective message body, which is processed by the authorized receivers using a predefined function to give a respective interim result; and

a respective correction value, which is computed so that application of the respective correction value to the respective interim result gives the master control word.

4. The method according to claim 2 , comprising:

receiving a channel-specific entitlement control message over the network for the first channel;

processing the channel-specific entitlement control message to derive the master control word;

receiving an instruction to switch to the second channel, different from the first channel;

processing the master control word to derive a channel-specific control word for the second channel; and

decrypting the digital content of the second channel using the channel-specific control word.

5. The method according to claim 2 , comprising providing respective channel keys for the multiple channels, wherein the channel-specific control words are derived by the authorized receivers by application of the channel keys to the master control word.

6. The method according to claim 5 , wherein providing the channel keys comprises transmitting respective channel-specific entitlement management messages containing the respective channel keys for the multiple channels.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein transmitting the channel-specific entitlement control messages comprises transmitting a respective new channel-specific entitlement control message in each of a sequence of crypto-periods, wherein new channel-specific control words are derivable for each of the channels from the new channel-specific entitlement control message.

8. A method for communication, comprising:

receiving multiple channels of digital content, which are encrypted using different, channel-specific control words, over a communication network;

receiving different, channel-specific entitlement control messages over the network for the multiple channels such that each of the different channel-specific control words is derivable from any of the different channel-specific entitlement control messages by authorized receivers of the channels on the communication network, wherein: (a) a first channel-specific control word for a first channel is derivable from a channel key for the first channel and a master control word which is derivable from a first channel-specific entitlement control message for the first channel; and (b) a second channel-specific control word for a second channel is derivable from a channel key for the second channel and the master control word in the absence of the first channel-specific control word;

processing a channel-specific entitlement control message of any given channel among the multiple channels in order to derive a channel-specific control word for the given channel; and

decrypting the digital content of the given channel using the channel-specific control word.

9. The method according to claim 8 , comprising:

receiving an instruction to switch to a new channel after deriving a first control word from the channel-specific entitlement control message received for the given channel;

processing the first control word to derive the channel-specific control word for the new channel; and

decrypting the digital content of the new channel using the channel-specific control word of the new channel.

10. The method according to claim 9 , comprising:

receiving a new channel-specific entitlement control message for the new channel after deriving the channel-specific control word for the new channel from the first control word; and

processing the new channel-specific entitlement control message to derive a new channel-specific control word for the new channel.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein receiving the new channel-specific entitlement control messages comprises receiving a respective new channel-specific entitlement control message in each of a sequence of crypto-periods, wherein new channel-specific control words are derivable for each of the channels from the new channel-specific entitlement control message in each crypto-period.

12. The method according to claim 8 , wherein processing the channel-specific entitlement control message comprises deriving from the channel-specific entitlement control message the master control word, which is common to the multiple channels, and processing the master control word to derive the channel-specific control word for the given channel.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein processing the master control word comprises:

receiving a channel key for the given channel; and

processing the master control word using the channel key to derive the channel-specific control word.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein receiving the channel key comprises receiving over the network respective channel-specific entitlement management messages for the multiple channels.

15. The method according to claim 13 , wherein neither the master control word nor the channel key can be derived from the channel-specific control word.

16. The method according to claim 12 , wherein decrypting the channel-specific entitlement control message comprises passing the entitlement control message from a receiver of the digital content to a smart card associated with the receiver, and wherein the smart card derives the master control word and processes the master control word so as to output the channel-specific control word to the receiver for use in decrypting the digital content, without revealing the master control word to the receiver.

17. Communication apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface; and

a head-end processor, which is configured to distribute over a communication network via the communication interface multiple channels of digital content, which are encrypted using different, channel-specific control words, and to transmit over the communication network, different, channel-specific entitlement control messages from which the control words are derivable by authorized receivers of the channels on the communication network such that each of the different channel-specific control words is derivable from any of the different channel-specific entitlement control messages by the authorized receivers of the channels on the communication network, wherein: (a) a first channel-specific control word for a first channel is derivable from a channel key for the first channel and a master control word which is derivable from a first channel-specific entitlement control message for the first channel; and (b) a second channel-specific control word for a second channel is derivable from a channel key for the second channel and the master control word in the absence of the first channel-specific control word.

18. Communication apparatus, comprising:

a communication interface, which is configured to receive multiple channels of digital content, which are encrypted using different, channel-specific control words, over a communication network and to receive different, channel-specific entitlement control messages over the network for the multiple channels such that each of the different channel-specific control words is derivable from any of the different channel-specific entitlement control messages by authorized receivers of the channels on the communication network, wherein: (a) a first channel-specific control word for a first channel is derivable from a channel key for the first channel and a master control word which is derivable from a first channel-specific entitlement control message for the first channel; and (b) a second channel-specific control word for a second channel is derivable from a channel key for the second channel and the master control word in the absence of the first channel-specific control word;

a processor, which is configured to process a channel-specific entitlement control message of any given channel among the multiple channels in order to derive a channel-specific control word for the given channel; and

a media generator, which is configured to decrypt the digital content of the given channel using the channel-specific control word.