JP4057832B2 - System for updating software on digital television receivers - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for updating software of a digital television receiver, which comprises a digital television receiver and a card tuner.
[0002]
[Prior art]
Digital television receivers have been developed with various functions such as EPG (Electronic Program Guide) to provide convenience to users, and the development ratio to software is increasing. In this situation, more and more functions are required, such as compatibility with multi-broadcasting systems such as terrestrial broadcasting, BS broadcasting, and CS broadcasting, and Internet compatibility. Therefore, it is considered that a sales promotion method in which a recording medium storing additional hardware or update software separately in a digital television receiver is sold to a user and a new function is provided will be widely used in the future.
[0003]
This situation is already happening in the case of personal computers, which is a field where software is frequently updated, such as secondary recording devices and communication lines equipped in the personal computer itself. And can be updated.
[0004]
However, in the case of a personal computer, the driver software is updated when the additional hardware is installed. In this case, generally, the user needs to specify the OS version of the personal computer, and the software for updating is installed in the personal computer. A certain amount of knowledge is required as an operation until acquisition to the main body. Further, in this case, only the driver software is updated, and as a result of the update, software such as an application or OS that is previously held in the personal computer itself needs to be updated. In some cases, a new software update procedure must be taken.
[0005]
On the other hand, unlike a personal computer, a digital television receiver is required to be able to update software by a simple operation. Furthermore, the receiver main body does not always have a software update communication line or a secondary recording device such as a hard disk.
[0006]
Therefore, conventionally, a method of updating software of a digital television receiver by connecting a recording medium capable of storing update software to the digital television receiver has been used. In this method, when the recording medium is connected, all the update software recorded in the recording medium is rewritten as software already possessed by the digital television receiver. By using this method, a simple software update operation can be provided to the user of the digital television receiver.
[0007]
However, if this method of rewriting all the software is used, a function unnecessary for the user may be added, and the problem arises that the processing speed of the digital television receiver is reduced by adding the function. Furthermore, in the software update using the recording medium of the conventional digital broadcast receiver, a new recording medium storing new software is prepared every time the software is updated, so that the software update is newer than the digital television receiver. It is assumed.
[0008]
However, new software is not always prepared for a recording medium once put on the market as compared with the digital television receiver itself. In other words, the update software that the recording medium has stores the latest version at the time of its release, and if it is connected to a digital TV receiver that has been released after that time, it has old software. Probability is high. In such a case, if all of the software on the recording medium is overwritten, there is a problem that the old software is overwritten for the digital television receiver. As a technique related to such a problem, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-2127775 proposes a software module selection execution method in an information processing system.
[0009]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, in the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the version of each module is recognized by the person who updates it, and it must be specified that the module is to be replaced. For this reason, it is difficult to determine which module is to be updated unless a person who is familiar with the module itself and the configuration is used. On the other hand, a user who does not know the module configuration can update a module of a digital television receiver. The problem is that you may accidentally overwrite an older version because it is done, or you can overwrite another version of the software to a digital TV receiver that can only operate on one particular version. The problem that it ends up is left.
[0010]
The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and an object of the present invention is to enable software update in a form that is easy for the user to understand when the digital television receiver is connected to the expansion device. More specifically, rather than simply replacing, adding, or upgrading the functions provided by the software, the modularized software prepared in the external recording medium is mistakenly replaced with an old version, It is intended to selectively use only useful ones by not overwriting a version that does not operate on a digital television receiver in use.
[0011]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is a digital television receiver comprising a digital television receiver having an interface with a card tuner provided with a recording medium and a card tuner having an interface with the digital television receiver. In a system for updating the software of a television receiver,
The digital television receiver
Means for reading software that is stored in the recording medium of the card tuner and divided into modules for each function of the digital television receiver;
Means for comparing the version of the modularized software read by the reading means with the version of the modularized software already possessed by the digital television receiver;
Means for executing the software read by the reading means;
Means for updating software already possessed by the digital television receiver to software read by the reading means;
An operation input means for instructing the execution means and the updating means to execute the operation according to a user operation input;
Prepared,
The card tuner is
The recording medium for storing software divided and modularized for each function of the digital television receiver;
A tuner / demodulator for receiving and demodulating a signal transmitted by a transmission method not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver;
Demodulation obtained by receiving and demodulating the modularized software stored in the recording medium and a signal transmitted by a transmission method not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver with the tuner / demodulator Means for transmitting data to the main body of the digital television receiver;
Prepare.
[0013]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
[0014]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of a digital television receiver in a system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the digital television receiver 1 includes an expansion slot 2, a module management unit 21, and a module reading. -It has the acquisition part 22, the module selection menu display part 23, the module storage part 24, and the module execution part 25.
[0015]
The module management unit 21 has module management data (receiver) 30 that is module management data on the receiver 1 side. This module management data (receiver) 30 is an example of the module management data in FIG. As shown by 120, it is composed of items such as module name, corresponding receiver, version number, storage size, execution size, and explanatory text. When the expansion device 31 is inserted into the expansion slot 2 (when the expansion device 31 is connected), the expansion device 31 side module described in the same format as the module management data (receiver) 30 is used. Module management data (expansion device) 40, which is management data, is read via the module reading / acquisition unit 22, and both 30 and 40 are compared.
[0016]
The module reading / acquisition unit 22 individually reads modules stored in the recording medium 32 of the expansion device 31 inserted into the expansion slot 2 and stores them in the module storage unit 24 or expands them in the module execution unit 25.
[0017]
The module storage unit 24 is configured by a nonvolatile memory such as a flash memory, and the module is updated by being stored here. The module execution unit 25 includes a RAM, and the digital television receiver 1 can execute the module by expanding the module from the module storage unit 24 and the recording medium 32.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an example of an expansion device in the system according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the expansion device 31 has a recording medium 32 and an interface 33 with the digital television receiver 1. is doing. The recording medium 32 stores module management data (extension device) 40 that is module management data on the extension device 31 side, and modules that are candidates for addition / update to the digital television receiver 1.
[0019]
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a card tuner as an example of an expansion device that can be connected to the digital television receiver shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3, the card tuner 51 includes a memory medium 52, a tuner / demodulator 53, and a card interface 80. The memory medium 52 includes module management data (card) 70 that is module management data on the card tuner 51 side, a menu module 54 that is a candidate for addition / update to the digital television receiver 1, and an EPG module 55. A channel selection module 56, a back program data totaling module 57, a year-end / new-year screen data module 58, and a tuner driver module 59 are stored for each of several compatible models.
[0020]
The card interface 80 passes the data from the memory medium 52 and the tuner / demodulator 53 to the digital television receiver 1. The tuner / demodulator 53 is a satellite / terrestrial tuner / demodulator that can be viewed by this card tuner. The tuner / demodulator 53 is connected to an external antenna, and the acquired data is digitally converted using the card interface 80. Pass to TV receiver 1. Thereby, a signal transmitted by a transmission method not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver 1 can be received and demodulated, and the demodulated data can be sent to the main body of the digital television receiver 1.
[0021]
Next, the module update / execution method according to the present invention will be described using the processing flow of FIG. 11 as an example when the card tuner 51 is inserted into the digital television receiver 1.
[0022]
First, in step 200, when the card tuner 51 is inserted into the expansion slot 2, in step 201, the digital television receiver 1 uses the module reading / acquisition unit 22 to store modules stored in the memory medium 52. Management data (card) 70 is read.
[0023]
Next, in step 202, the module management unit 21 creates the update module list 180 of FIG. 8 and updates the module on the expansion device side (here, the card tuner 51 side). The update module list 180 is a list composed of a module name, an update type, and an explanatory text. The update module list 180 is created by the processing described below, and is updated according to the selection result of the user custom menu 150. This list is used when module update / execution processing described in FIG. 13 is performed.
[0024]
Here, the creation procedure of the update module list 180 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 to 10 and FIG. Here, STB1 and IDTV2 are assumed as specific examples of the digital television receiver 1.
[0025]
As an example of the module management data of STB 1, the module management data 120 of FIG. 5 is used as an example of module management data of IDTV 2, the module management data 130 of FIG. 6 is used as an example of module management data (card) 70, and FIG. Assuming that the module management data 100 of 4 is held, the processing when the card tuner 51 is inserted into the STB 1 and the IDTV 2 will be described below with reference to the processing flow of FIG.
[0026]
In step 250, the top row of the card side module management data 100 is acquired.
[0027]
Next, in step 251, the module name of the module management data (receiver) 30 acquires a line that matches the module name acquired in step 250, and confirms whether it corresponds to the corresponding receiver item, If applicable, the process proceeds to step 252; otherwise, the process proceeds to step 258. As an example, when an EPG module is considered in STB1, the row acquired in step 250 is applicable.
[0028]
Next, in step 252, the magnitudes of the version numbers are compared. If the line of the module management data (card) 70 is not larger for the version number, the process of step 253 is performed. If the module name exists only in the module management data (card) 70, or the version number has a larger row in the module management data (card) 70, the process of step 254 is performed. For example, in the case of STB1, in the case of an EPG module, in the case of a tuner driver module, or in the case of a year-end and New Year screen data module, the process proceeds to step 254.
[0029]
When the process proceeds to step 253, the module is present in the receiver, the card-side module is older, and there is no change in the corresponding model. Therefore, in this step 253, the card-side module is changed by the receiver module. After the replacement, the process of step 258 is performed. However, in this step, if the storage area in the memory medium 52 is insufficient, it is naturally not replaced, but the determination process in this case is not described because it is not directly related to the gist of the present invention. An example of this step is the case of an EPG module of IDTV2, and the EPG module stored in the module storage unit of IDTV2 replaces the EPG module 55 of the memory medium 52 on the card tuner 51 side.
[0030]
In step 254, the execution size item on the module management data (card) 70 side is viewed, and it is determined from the free capacity of the module execution unit 25 whether the module can be executed on the module execution unit 25. If possible, the process of step 255 is performed. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step 258.
[0031]
In step 255, the storage size item on the module management data (card) 70 side is checked to determine whether or not the module can be updated on the module storage unit 24 with the free space in the module storage unit 24. If possible, the process of step 257 is performed. Otherwise, the process of step 256 is performed.
[0032]
In step 256, the module indicated by the module name on this line is added to the update module list 180 as an executable module.
[0033]
In step 257, the module indicated by the module name in this row is added to the update module list 180 as an updateable / executable module.
[0034]
In step 258, it is determined whether or not processing has been performed for all rows of the module management data (card) 70. If so, the creation of the update module list 180 is terminated. Otherwise, the process returns to step 250, the next line is acquired, and the processing of steps 251 to 258 is performed again. With the above processing, the creation of the update module list 180 is completed.
[0035]
As an example, in the case of STB1, the update module list 185 shown in FIG. 9 is created, and in the case of IDTV2, the update module list 190 shown in FIG. 10 is created.
[0036]
Subsequently, returning to the processing flow of FIG. 11, the description will be continued. In step 203, it is determined whether or not the update module list 180 is empty. If it is empty, the process is terminated.
[0037]
If the update module list is not empty, a customization menu 150 as shown in FIG. 7, for example, is created in step 204 and presented to the user. The method for creating a custom menu using the update module list 180 here is the same as the method for creating various menus of digital television receivers currently on the market, and is not directly related to the gist of the present invention. Explanation here is omitted.
[0038]
Next, when a module is selected by the user using the customize menu 150 using, for example, a remote control or a button on the main body, the update module list 180 is limited / changed to only the one selected by the user. The module selected by the user is updated / executed.
[0039]
Hereinafter, the update / execution of the module selected by the user will be described with reference to the processing flow of FIG.
[0040]
First, in step 350, the module name selected first from the update item list 180 is acquired. Next, in step 351, the module reading / acquisition unit 22 reads the selected module from the memory medium 52. If the module is designated as an updatable / executable module, the process moves to step 353 to update the module storage unit 24 and the module management data (receiver) 30 and then moves to step 354. On the other hand, if it is not specified as an updateable / executable module in step 352, that is, if it is specified as an executable module, the process proceeds to step 354.
[0041]
Next, in step 354, the module execution unit 25 is updated by adding the module read in step 351. Next, module execution is performed in step 355, and when the execution ends, the process proceeds to step 356.
[0042]
Next, in step 356, it is determined whether or not the processing in steps 351 to 355 has been performed for all the modules selected by the user. If so, the processing ends. If not, the next module is determined in step 357. The name is read, and the processing from step 351 to step 356 is repeated again. Module update / execution is completed with the above processing.
[0043]
As described above, when the system of this embodiment is used, the software module can be selectively updated / executed and used. The user can also select and customize the appearance of the menu screen or the like. In addition, if the software update method of this embodiment is used, the module management data can be handled even if the module name is increased later, so it can be applied to later-release cards and receivers. Even if there is a receiver or card of a different version, it can be handled.
Also, by presenting an update menu by connecting the card tuner to the digital TV receiver, another procedure for separately storing the update software in the main body is taken as in the update method on a personal computer. No complicated operation for the user occurs. Further, unlike the conventional updating method of a digital television receiver, old software is not accidentally overwritten in the main body, and it is possible to avoid updating functions unnecessary for the user. Furthermore, by updating the module on the card tuner side, it can be useful when connected to another digital television receiver.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to the illustrated embodiment, the present invention has not only a specific expansion device called a card tuner, but also a high-speed communication interface as long as the expansion device has the recording medium 32 and the interface 33. Needless to say, it can be applied to a wide variety of expansion devices having unique functions such as a high-speed communication card and a data broadcast card equipped with an image decoder. For example, a high-speed communication card having a high-speed communication interface can be expanded. In this case, this expansion device may have a function corresponding to a communication method that is not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver, and may have a function of mediating data between the main body and its communication line. it can.
Also, by preparing a wide variety of expansion devices to which the present invention can be applied, it is possible to diversify the functions of the digital television receiver and reduce the functions required for the digital television receiver body. This makes it possible to provide a digital TV receiver body at a low cost.
[0044]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, in the system of the present invention , the software module can be selectively updated / executed and used by using the card tuner . In addition, a signal transmitted by a transmission method not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver can be transmitted from the card tuner to the main body of the digital television receiver.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a digital television receiver according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an expansion device connectable to a digital television receiver according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a schematic configuration diagram of a card tuner as an example of the expansion device shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of module management data on the card side.
FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of module management data on the digital television receiver side older than the card side.
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of module management data on the digital television receiver side that is newer than the card side.
FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of a customization menu.
FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an update module list.
FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an update module list created when a card tuner is inserted into the STB 1;
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of an update module list created when a card tuner is inserted into the IDTV 2;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing software update of the digital television receiver according to the present invention.
12 is a flowchart showing details of update module list creation processing in FIG. 11; FIG.
13 is a flowchart showing details of module update / execution processing in FIG. 11; FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital television receiver 2 Expansion slot 21 Module management part 22 Module reading / acquisition part 23 Module selection menu display part 24 Module storage part 25 Module execution part 30 Module management data (receiver)
31 Expansion device 32 Recording medium 33 Interface 40 Module management data (expansion device)
51 Card tuner 52 Memory medium 53 Tuner / demodulator 54 Menu module 55 EPG module 56 Tuning module 57 Back program data totaling module 58 Year-end / New Year screen data module 59 Tuner driver module 70 Module management data (card)
80 card interface

Claims (1)

A system for updating software of a digital television receiver comprising a digital television receiver having an interface with a card tuner having a recording medium and a card tuner having an interface with the digital television receiver. There,
The digital television receiver
Means for reading software that is stored in the recording medium of the card tuner and divided into modules for each function of the digital television receiver;
Means for comparing the version of the modularized software read by the reading means with the version of the modularized software already possessed by the digital television receiver;
Means for executing the software read by the reading means;
Means for updating software already possessed by the digital television receiver to software read by the reading means;
An operation input means for instructing the execution means and the updating means to execute the operation according to a user operation input;
Prepared,
The card tuner is
The recording medium for storing software divided and modularized for each function of the digital television receiver;
A tuner / demodulator for receiving and demodulating a signal transmitted by a transmission method not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver;
Demodulation obtained by receiving and demodulating the modularized software stored in the recording medium and a signal transmitted by a transmission method not supported only by the main body of the digital television receiver with the tuner / demodulator Means for transmitting data to the main body of the digital television receiver;
A system for updating software of a digital television receiver, comprising:

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