KR101625505B1 - A method for upgrade firmware of settop-box in a digital broadcast system and an apparatus thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for updating a firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system, the method comprising: receiving a code version table; generating a code version Extracting only the table; determining whether the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is the latest one; and if the firmware is the latest one, receiving and updating the firmware by referring to the extracted code version table A method of updating firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system and an apparatus therefor are provided.

CVT, SETTOP BOX

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for updating firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system,

The present invention relates to a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system, and more particularly, to a method and an apparatus for updating firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system.

Digital broadcasting includes a digital terrestrial broadcasting system, a digital satellite broadcasting and a cable digital broadcasting according to a transmission medium. The information amount of programs for each channel is highly efficiently compressed based on MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) Programs corresponding to a plurality of channels are highly efficiently multiplexed and transmitted according to a medium-specific digital modulation scheme. Therefore, digital broadcasting can broadcast tens to hundreds of channels without using a large number of repeaters as in analog broadcasting.

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, a digital broadcasting system for conducting cable digital broadcasting mainly includes a head end for receiving and processing data uploaded from a subscriber while transmitting a broadcasting related digital signal, And a set-top box for converting the signal into a signal and restoring the original audio and video signal.

In such a digital broadcasting system, each of the cable operators (SOs) produces programs, contents, and other data of cable TVs or supplies them to the subscribers, You will see the broadcast you want.

In the digital broadcasting system, the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG) -2 is adopted as the video and audio compression technology, and the modulation method of the signal is the QAM method suitable for transmitting the high efficiency data, Transmits efficient data.

In a digital broadcasting, a settop-box (digital broadcast receiver) transmits digitized broadcasting and management information transmitted from a head-end installed in a local cable TV company for cable TV or cable modem service provided to subscribers Decode and transmit an analog signal to the TV.

The set-top box receives broadcasting and management information from a head end such as a digital broadcasting server (Audio / Video Server), a service information server for transmitting broadcast channel information, and a conditional access server.

A POD (Point of Deployment) is a reception restriction card (aka "cable card") that contains cable TV subscriber information and allows pay-TV broadcasts of cable TV only when confirmed as a subscriber.

The cable card is configured in the form of a PCMCIA card along with a smart card containing subscriber information, allowing the pay TV subscriber to unlock the encrypted signal to view the TV. In addition, POD enables billing of various services by sending billing and subscriber management information to SO's Head End.

The method of separating the cable card and the set-top box is called "OpenCable". Generally, in the OpenCable Application Platform (OCAP) environment, if the set-box needs to update the firmware, it receives a code version table (CVT) from the cable card or POD. The settop box analyzes the contents of the code version table and obtains the update information to update the firmware. This approach has the problem that the code version table can only be received if there is a POD.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for updating firmware of a set-top box by receiving a code version table using a head end environment based on existing OCAP And a method and an apparatus for updating firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for updating a firmware using a device for updating firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcast system, the method comprising: receiving a code version table; Extracting only a code version table having information on the corresponding firmware; determining whether the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is the latest; and if the firmware is the latest one, referring to the extracted code version table And receiving and updating the firmware.

Wherein the receiving step receives the code version table through a preset MAC tunnel among a plurality of tunnel macs.

The updating process re-processes the code version table according to the specifications of the OCAP CDL2.0 of the device for firmware update processing, acquires the reception path of the firmware from the reworked code version table, And updates the received data.

After the determining, if the firmware is not the latest firmware, it may further include ignoring the extracted code version table.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for updating a firmware of a set-top box in a digital broadcasting system, the device comprising: A filtering unit for extracting only a code version table; A controller for determining whether the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is the latest firmware and outputting the extracted code version table if it is the latest firmware version; And a firmware updater for receiving the firmware by referring to the extracted code version table and updating the firmware.

And the received code version table is received through a predetermined one of a plurality of tunnel macs.

And a rebuilding unit for reprocessing the code version table outputted by the control unit according to the specification of OCAP CDL2.0 and providing the code version table to the firmware updater.

And the control unit discards the extracted code version table if the firmware is not latest.

According to the present invention, there is provided a method of updating a firmware when a DSG packet is received in a Basic DSG mode in a DSG message system using DOCSIS (Data-over-Cable Service Interface Specifications). In particular, when using the code version table reception and code version table processing method according to the embodiment of the present invention, the existing firmware reception and update configuration can be used as it is. Accordingly, the firmware update can be performed without a large change in the system.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Note that, in the drawings, the same components are denoted by the same reference symbols as possible. Further, detailed descriptions of well-known functions and configurations that may obscure the gist of the present invention will be omitted.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining a digital broadcasting system for upgrading firmware according to an embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG.

The digital broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a head-end 100 and a set-top box 200.

Headend 100 refers to a primary coordination center with technical facilities for receiving, producing and retransmitting programs over a system network from a satellite or elsewhere in a cable television system.

The set-top box 200 refers to a home-use communication terminal required for using a multimedia communication service, including a video-on-demand service (Video On Demand).

The head end 100 and the set-top box 200 are connected via a radio frequency (RF) cable network.

The head end 100 can transmit various data related to digital broadcast data (contents) and broadcast data. In particular, the headend 100 may generate and transmit a packet of a Data-over-Cable Service Interface Specifications (DOCSIS) scheme (hereinafter, referred to as a DSG packet). Here, the DSG packet is transmitted in a different path (time, frequency, or code) than the transmission of the actual broadcast data (content). The DSG packet is for transmitting various additional information related to digital broadcasting. In particular, a code version table (CVT) (abbreviated as "CVT" hereinafter) can be transmitted through a DSG packet.

The CVT has information about the firmware for updating the firmware of the set-top box 200, and the CVT includes various information for downloading firmware such as hardware information and software version information according to the maker.

At this time, the CVT is transmitted through a specific DSG Tunnel Mac (DSG Tunnel Mac) in the RF cable network. Here, "MAC" is an abbreviation of "Message authentication code ". Here, the DSG tunnel MAC is a path through which various kinds of data necessary for a set-top box in a DSG mode, that is, a DSG packet, are transmitted. These DSG packets include System Information (SI), Entitlement Management Message (EMM)

Basically, the set-top box 200 receives broadcast data, converts the received broadcast data into a broadcast signal suitable for digital broadcast, and provides the converted broadcast signal to a digital TV (not shown).

In addition, the set-top box 200 can receive a DOCSIS type packet (DSG packet) and receive it through a DSG Tunnel Mac. In addition, the set-top box 200 can extract necessary data from the received DSG packet and provide various supplementary services to the digital broadcasting subscriber through the extracted data.

In particular, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the set-top box 200 extracts the CVT from the DSG packet and receives and updates the firmware through the information on the firmware indicated by the CVT. The set-top box 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention conforms to the DSG standard except for the parts described separately.

Next, the head end 100 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described. 2 is a diagram for explaining a schematic structure of a head end according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 2, a head end 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a firmware providing unit 110 and a CVT generating unit 120.

The firmware providing unit 110 provides various types of firmware to the set-top box 200. At this time, the types of the firmware may be classified according to the manufacturer and may be classified according to the service level.

Since the manufacturer differs for each set-top box 200, it may be necessary to use different firmware due to characteristics of different apparatuses according to each manufacturer. That is, when the firmware is classified according to the manufacturer, the firmware supplier 110 may provide the set-top box 200 with the firmware according to the manufacturer of the company A, company B, company C.

The digital broadcasting service can provide different services according to the level of the subscription service, and other firmware can be used to provide differentiated services. That is, firmware for general service and firmware for premium service may be different. Accordingly, the firmware supplier 110 may provide the set-top box 200 with the firmware according to the service class.

The firmware provider 110 may provide other types of firmware according to various criteria in addition to the above-described criteria.

The CVT generator 120 generates a CVT having information on all the firmware provided by the firmware supplier 110. As described above, the CVT includes information on firmware by manufacturer and service class. In particular, the CVT has identification information, version information, and transmission path information for each manufacturer and service class of firmware.

Next, a set-top box 200 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described. 3 is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3, the set-top box 200 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes an Embedded Cable Modem (eCM) 210, a DSG Client Controller (DSGCC) 220, a Code Version Table (CVT) ) Processing unit 230 and a firmware upgrade module 240. [

Hereinafter, the embedded cable modem 210 is referred to as a "cable modem ", and the DSG client controller 220 is referred to as a" client controller ".

The cable modem 210 receives data from the headend 100 via an RF cable network and converts the received data into digital data, i.

In particular, the cable modem 210 receives the CVT from a specific tunnel MAC that is known in advance in the basic DSG mode.

The cable modem 210 can open up to eight DSG tunnels in the basic DSG mode. Each DSG tunnel MAC can be identified by a MAC address, and the data to be transmitted through a specific DSG tunnel MAC is preset. That is, only the CVT is transmitted through any one of the DSG tunnel MACs. The cable modem 210 obtains the address of the tunnel MAC to which the CVT is transmitted and receives the CVT through the corresponding tunnel MAC.

Accordingly, in the basic DSG mode, the cable modem 210 can receive the CVT through the tunnel MAC including the CVT according to the request of the client controller 220. The cable modem 210 receiving the CVT transfers the received CVT to the client controller 220. At this time, the cable modem 210 can forward the CVT to the client controller 220 by forwarding the tunnel MAC including the CVT.

The client controller 220 can selectively receive a desired DSG packet from among the DSG packets. That is, the client controller 220 can selectively receive the DSG packet including the CVT among the DSG packets. To this end, the client controller 220 transmits information on the tunnel MAC to which the CVT is transmitted to the cable modem 210. Accordingly, the cable modem 210 receives the CVT through the corresponding tunnel MAC and forwards the received CVT to the client controller 220.

The client controller 220 can identify the DSG packet type, that is, the CVT, based on the table id information (value) of a specific DSG packet. Accordingly, the client controller 220 distinguishes the CVT from other DSG packets, and provides the CVT to the CVT processing unit 230.

The CVT processing unit 230 receives the CVT and extracts its CVT from the received CVT.

Then, the CVT processing unit 230 checks whether the extracted CVT is the latest version. If the extracted CVT is the latest version, the CVT processing unit 230 re-processes the CVT according to the specification of the OCAP CDL2.0 and transfers the CVT to the firmware updater 240.

The firmware update unit 240 updates the firmware according to the CVT received from the CVT processing unit 230. [ To this end, the firmware update unit 240 extracts the path from which the firmware is received from the CVT, and receives the firmware through the extracted path. Here, the received firmware may be an image (for example, a file having an extension of "iso"). Accordingly, the firmware updater 240 updates the firmware air by installing the received firmware in the set-top box 200. [

Next, the CVT processing unit 230 will be described in more detail. 4 is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a CVT processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 4, the CVT processing unit 230 according to the embodiment of the present invention includes a filtering module 231, a controller 233, and a re-building module 235.

The filtering unit 231 receives the CVT and picks up its CVT from the received CVT. The CVT delivered to a specific Tunnel Mac carries information of various kinds of firmware.

For example, CVTs having information of the firmware of the company A, the company B, and the company C may be transmitted together. Meanwhile, the general service firmware and the CVT having the information about the firmware for the premium service can be transmitted together.

Therefore, when the manufacturer of the set-top box 200 is A, the filtering unit 231 can extract only the CVT of the A company.

For example, the filtering unit 231 may receive the manufacturer's CVT of the set-top box 200 through a manufacturer identifier for identifying a manufacturer of a descriptor capable of identifying a manufacturer in the CVT. The manufacturer classification descriptor in the CVT can be used as a descriptor for the manufacturer's distinction when downloading related software (image) including firmware.

Table 1 below illustrates an example of a descriptor for identifying a manufacturer.

Field Name Bit Num Remark
vendor_id_descriptor () {
descriptor_tag 8 0x00
descriptor_len 8
vendor_id 3 Business Identifier
}

Referring to Table 1, descriptor_tag uses 0x00 specified as a tag value of a manufacturer classification descriptor, descriptor_len indicates a vender_id bit length, and vendor_id indicates an identifier for identifying a vendor. Therefore, the filtering unit 231 can receive its own CVT through the vendor identifier (vendor_id) of the manufacturer classification descriptor.

In Table 1, the descriptor for identifying the manufacturer is a case of the single-stream set-top box 200, and the actual source code of the descriptor can be changed.

In addition, when the digital broadcasting subscriber using the set-top box 200 subscribes to the premium service, the filtering unit 231 can extract only the CVT having information on the firmware for the premium service.

Then, the filtering unit 231 provides the extracted CVT to the control unit 233.

The control unit 233 receiving the CVT of its own determines whether to transmit the received CVT to the firmware updating unit 240. [

At this time, the controller 233 compares the firmware version installed in the set-top box 200 with the firmware version included in the CVT. If the version of the firmware currently installed in the set-top box 200 is newer than the version of the firmware included in the CVT or is the same version, the control unit 233 discards the CVT without delivering the CVT. On the other hand, if the version of the firmware included in the CVT is newer than the version of the firmware installed in the set-top box 200, the controller 233 transmits the CVT to the rebuilding unit 235.

The rebuilding unit 235 reprocesss the received CVT according to the specification of the OCAP CDL2.0 and transfers the re-processed CVT to the firmware updater 240. [

5 is a diagram for explaining a firmware update method of a digital broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 5, the set-top box 200 receives the CVT from the head end 100 in step 501. FIG. In step 503, the set-top box 200 extracts a CVT having information on the firmware to be received from the CVT. At this time, if there is no CVT for the firmware of the set-top box 200, the set-top box 200 can ignore or discard the received CVT.

Then, in step 505, the set-top box 200 receives its own firmware through a CVT having information on its own firmware. Then, the set-top box 200 installs the firmware received in step 507 and updates the firmware.

6 is a diagram for explaining a firmware update method in a download receiving restriction system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6, the set-top box 200 receives the CVT in step 601. FIG. Upon receiving the CVT, the set-top box 200 performs a filtering process to filter only its CVT as follows. That is, the set-top box 200 determines whether a CVT having information on the firmware corresponding to the set-top box 200 itself is included in the CVT received in step 603. At this time, if there is a CVT of its own, the set-top box 200 extracts its CVT in step 605. On the other hand, if there is no CVT, the flow advances to step 615 to discard the received CVT.

The set top box 200 having extracted its CVT compares the version of the currently installed firmware with the version of the firmware included in its CVT in step 607 and determines whether the version of the firmware of the CVT of its CVT is the latest .

If the version of the firmware installed in the set-top box 200 is newer than the version of the firmware included in the CVT or is the same version, the set-top box 200 discards the CVT without transmitting the CVT in step 615.

On the other hand, if the version of the firmware included in the CVT is newer than the version of firmware installed in the set-top box 200, the set-top box 200 proceeds to step 611.

In step 611, the set-top box 200 receives its own firmware through the transmission path of the head end 100 indicated by the CVT.

Then, the set-top box 200 updates the firmware with the firmware received in step 613.

According to the present invention, a DSG message according to DOCSIS provides a firmware update method when receiving a DSG packet in a basic DSG mode. Accordingly, when a method of CVT reception and CVT processing in the basic DSG mode is used, the configuration for receiving and updating the existing firmware can be used as is, and the firmware can be updated even when there is no POD. Accordingly, the firmware update can be performed without a large change in the system.

It should be noted that the embodiments of the present invention disclosed in the present specification and drawings are only illustrative examples of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. It is to be understood by those skilled in the art that other modifications based on the technical idea of the present invention are possible in addition to the embodiments disclosed herein.

1 is a diagram for explaining a digital broadcasting system for firmware upgrade according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a diagram for explaining a schematic structure of a head end according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a set-top box according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram for explaining a schematic configuration of a CVT processing unit according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a diagram for explaining a firmware update method of a digital broadcasting system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a diagram for explaining a firmware update method in a download receiving restriction system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (8)

A method for updating a firmware using a firmware update apparatus of a set top box in a digital broadcasting system, Comprising: receiving a code version table including at least one of firmware, information on firmware, Extracting only a code version table having firmware information corresponding to the set-top box from the received code version table; Comparing the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table and the firmware version of the settop box, If the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is the latest one, receiving the firmware by referring to the extracted code version table and updating the firmware. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the receiving step receives the code version table through a preset MAC tunnel among a plurality of tunnel macs. The method according to claim 1, The updating process The code version table is reworked according to the specifications of the OCAP CDL2.0 of the apparatus for firmware update processing to acquire the reception path of the firmware from the reworked code version table and receive and update the firmware through the acquired reception path And updating the firmware of the settop box in the digital broadcasting system. The method according to claim 1, After the comparing, Further comprising the step of, if the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is not the latest firmware, ignoring the extracted code version table in the digital broadcasting system. An apparatus for updating a firmware of a set top box in a digital broadcasting system, A code version table including at least one of firmware and information on firmware including a combination thereof, and extracts only a code version table having firmware information corresponding to the set-top box from the received code version table ; Comparing the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table with the firmware version of the settop box and outputting the extracted code version table if the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is the latest one; And And a firmware updater for receiving the firmware and updating the firmware by referring to the extracted code version table. 6. The method of claim 5, The received code version table Wherein the at least one of the plurality of tunnels is received through a predetermined one of the plurality of tunnels. 6. The method of claim 5, And a rebuild unit for reprocessing the code version table output by the controller according to the specification of OCAP CDL2.0 and providing the code version table to the firmware updater. 6. The method of claim 5, Wherein the control unit discards the extracted code version table if the firmware indicated by the extracted code version table is not the latest firmware version.

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