Abstract: A method of enabling a proxy to participate in a secure communication between a client and a set of servers. The method begins by establishing a first secure session between the client and the proxy. Upon verifying the first secure session, the method continues by establishing a second secure session between the client and the proxy. In the second secure session, the client requests the proxy to act as a conduit to a first server. Thereafter, the client and the first server negotiate a first session master secret. Using the first secure session, this first session master secret is then provided by the client to the proxy to enable the proxy to participate in secure communications between the client and the first server. After receiving the first session master secret, the proxy generates cryptographic information that enables it to provide a given service (e.g., transcoding) on the client's behalf and without the first server's knowledge or participation.

Abstract: A method for transcoding an input stream to a desired output format using a transcoder framework. In response to a given transcoder of the framework recognizing an external reference that it cannot transcode, the method calls a subseries of specialized transcoders to transcode the external reference. After the subseries of specialized transcoders generates a transcoded external reference, that reference is returned back to the given transcoder, where it is incorporated into the transcoder's output. Transcoder sub-chains are used in this manner as modular, building blocks in the transcoder framework.