Abstract: An apparatus and method for sending and receiving fragmented Audio/Video Control packets using a communication software layer that is separate from a processing software layer. The method and apparatus may be used in a system for transferring copy protected digital audio/video signals between devices. In one embodiment of the present invention, a connection is established between a source and a sink device. Next, a communication layer of code on the source device receives at least one packet of data from the sink device. Next, the communication software on the source sends to the sink a response for each of the packets of data. Next, this embodiment of the source communication software sends all the packets as one group to a processing layer of code on the source device.

Abstract: A method and system for a source device to simultaneously perform authentication and key exchange (hereinafter referred to as “AKE”) protocols with multiple sink devices. In a communication network that comprises a source device and multiple sink devices in compliance with the 5C Digital Transmission Content Protection specification, the present invention discloses a method and system for using a multiple client state machine comprising a multiple client state machine table to allow the source device to track at which stage each sink device is undergoing within a 5C DTCP AKE protocol. Specifically, an embodiment allows the source device to receive an audio/video control command or response associated with the 5C DTCP AKE protocol from a particular sink device, access the table to determine at which stage that sink is undergoing within the 5C DTCP AKE protocol, and process the AV/C command or response depending on that stage.