KR20100045266A - A method for processing ota in set-top box - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for processing OTA in a set-top box is provided to prevent the operation-disabled state of a set-top box by stably performing OTA. CONSTITUTION: An OTA(On The Air) information is transmitted through a predetermined frequency bandwidth in a data broadcasting type(S21), and a set-top box stores the OTA information at a booting logo region of a flash memory region and/or a channel data region(S22). The set-top box receives the software of a broadcasting station according to an OTA procedure through the stored OTA related information(S23). The set-top box installs the software(S24).

Description

A method for processing ota in set-top box

The present invention relates to a method of executing Over The Air (hereinafter referred to as 'OTA') in a set-top box. More specifically, in a set-top box that upgrades software using OTA, it is possible to more stably perform OTA. It is about how.

In general, a set-top box (hereinafter referred to as 'STB') is a device required for receiving cable or satellite broadcasting at home. The STB is a device that enables a variety of additional functions, such as watching satellite, cable broadcast, or Internet access to the TV. Therefore, by connecting a communication line such as a telephone line, a cable TV network, and an ADSL to the STB, the Internet can be easily searched without a computer.

In recent years, as digital broadcasting has become full-fledged, various types of STBs have been developed and marketed. STBs receive information such as news, weather forecasts, stock information, advertisements, etc. from broadcasting stations, decode them, and provide them to users. In addition, the present invention provides various services to the user, such as providing a program related information such as a start time or end time of the current or next program, or an approximate plot of the current or next broadcast program.

STBs, on the other hand, require some software to implement these services, and these softwares must be continuously upgraded whenever new functions are added after they are produced and sold.

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a conventional general digital broadcasting system. As shown in FIG. 1, the conventional satellite broadcasting system includes a central station 10, a central station antenna 20, a plurality of terminal station antennas 30_1 to 30_n, a plurality of STBs 40_1 to 40_n, a TV 50, Satellites 60 and the like. In the conventional digital broadcasting system as described above, when the type of service provided to the subscriber in the central station 10 is changed or added, or the service thus changed cannot be provided through existing software. In this case, it is necessary to upgrade the software included in the STB 40_n of the subscriber in response to the changed service.

In addition, in the conventional multimedia satellite communication system, after the production and sale of the STB, it is necessary to develop and upgrade new software that can improve the performance of the STB.

There are several ways to upgrade software such as digital television. First, there is a method of directly upgrading software by a serviceman of a manufacturer who manufactures the digital television. Second, there is a method in which the user accesses the manufacturer's website and downloads and upgrades. Third, there is a method in which software of each manufacturer is included in the broadcast signal, and the television extracts the corresponding software from the broadcast signal transmitted from a broadcasting station or the like and automatically performs a software upgrade process.

The third method is referred to as an Over The Air (OTA) method, and sometimes referred to as an Over Air Download (OAD) method. Using the OTA method, it is possible to transmit the software to several digital broadcasting receivers at once, and there is an advantage in that the procedure is easy for the user.

STB provides the function to update the firmware through OTA method to solve the problem of software (S / W) or add a function. When the STB manufacturer needs to update the firmware of the STB, the new software (S / W) is distributed to the broadcaster according to the OTA specification, and the broadcaster uses the frequency band determined by the data broadcasting method. Send it through.

Examples of the OTA method include the Euroloader method and the DVB-SSU method, and may be separately determined by the manufacturer or the broadcaster. However, in recent years, to prevent hacking, arbitrary software is prevented from being downloaded to the STB, and software (S / W) can only be used if the hardware (H / W) is certified through the chipset. W) is on the trend to update.

In addition, software access by other methods (for example, serial download or USB download) except OTA is provided through the conditional access security (CAS) security policy. S / W Download), there is a problem that the STB itself must be disposed of when an error occurs in the OTA process.

That is, however, it takes physical time to write software downloaded via satellite or cable to flash memory. If the user accidentally powers off or loses power while writing software to flash memory. Since there is no complete S / W in the STB, it cannot be operated.

To prevent this situation, the STB divides the software into two parts: the boot loader area and the main software area. The main software area contains applications and drivers that allow the user to control the STB. In the boot loader area, the STB boot and main software Perform authentication and management functions.

The boot loader area checks for the existence and integrity of the main software (Main S / W), and if there is a problem with the main software (Main S / W), it performs OTA to download new software. However, the software in the boot loader area is immutable to prevent the product from falling completely out of operation. However, if the information for performing the OTA is changed by the broadcasting station, the main software (Main S / W) can not be downloaded, and there is a problem that the STB cannot operate.

As described above, there is a case in which the STB itself cannot operate because the OTA is not normally performed. Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method of stably performing OTA, thereby preventing the STB itself from becoming inoperable.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for executing an OST applied to an STB, the method comprising: receiving OST information, storing the OST information in a boot logo area on a flash memory, and booting And executing the OTI using the OTI related information stored in the logo area.

In addition, the present invention provides a method for executing an OTT to be applied to the STB, the step of receiving the OET-related information, the step of storing the OET-related information in the channel data area on the flash memory and the OT stored in the boot logo area And executing OTI using the relevant information.

In addition, the present invention is a method for executing an OTI applied to the STB, the step of receiving the OTI-related information, the step of storing the OTI-related information in the EEPROM and using the OTI-related information stored in the boot logo area This includes the steps of running OT.

In addition, the present invention provides a booting method using the OBT of the STB, the step of checking whether the main software is bootable, if the normal booting is difficult as a result of the test, the step of waiting for external input, and the external input In this case, the step of performing the OTI and the step of performing a boot by driving the main software received through the OTI.

According to the present invention, there is an effect that the STB can operate more stably by solving the problem that the STB cannot be driven or the STB must be disposed of because the OTA is not normally performed in the STB.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

The present invention proposes a method for efficiently responding to a change in OTA information by a broadcaster. Since OTA transmits software to a STB from a broadcasting station or the like, OTA information is required to receive software through OTA. Examples of the OTA information include frequency information on which OTA is performed, symbol rate information, code rate information, and the like. That is, the STB performs OTA using the OTA information and receives necessary software. The OTA information may be stored in the following manner.

As a first embodiment, OTA information may be stored in flash memory in the STB. That is, parameters corresponding to the OTA information are stored in a predetermined format in a flash memory area of the STB. The following is an example of a format for storing each parameter corresponding to the OTA information.

       OTA Info Start byte (2Byte) | Frequency (4Byte) |

       Symbolrate (4Byte) | Bandwidhth (1Byte) | OTA Info End Byte (2Byte) |

Since the OTA information does not have a large data size, the OTA information may be stored in a booting logo area determined for each STB model in an area of a flash memory or in a channel data area.

The boot logo area of the flash memory area in the STB is determined to be stored at the time of STB production. However, even after the STB is sold to the consumer, the broadcaster may change the information stored in the boot logo area as necessary. Therefore, the changed OTA information can be stored in the boot logo area, and by performing the OTA using this information, it is possible to prevent the STB from becoming inoperative.

As a second embodiment, OTA information may be stored in an EEPROM in the STB. When using the EEPROM, OTA information can be stored in the EEPROM at any time regardless of the operation of the STB. Therefore, when the OTA is attempted using the main software Main S / W, the OTA parameters may be stored in the EEPROM in advance. If a problem occurs during the OTA process using the main software (Main S / W), the OTA may be performed using the OTA parameter stored in the EEPROM.

As a third embodiment, OTA information may be stored in flash memory and / or EEPROM in the STB. That is, when the OTA information is changed by a broadcasting station or the like, a method of storing the OTA information in the boot logo area and / or channel data area in the flash memory and storing it in the EEPROM may be used.

2 is a flowchart illustrating a method of performing an OTA according to the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, the broadcasting station transmits OTA information through a frequency band determined by a data broadcasting method (S21). The STB stores the OTA information in the boot logo area and / or the channel data area of the area of the flash memory (S22). In this case, the OTA information may be stored in the EEPROM. If necessary, the STB receives the software transmitted from the broadcasting station according to the OTA procedure using the stored OTA information (S23), and installs and drives the received software (S24).

Meanwhile, a faulty software may be transmitted through OTA due to a manufacturer's or broadcaster's mistake. For example, a problem may occur in a tuner driver that downloads software to the STB that can no longer perform OTA.

In general, during the STB booting process using the bootloader area in the flash memory in the STB, the boot loader area is checked for integrity of the main software area so that it is driven when it is determined to be normal software. . In this case, if an error is stored in the STB due to a mistake of the manufacturer or the broadcaster as described above, there is a problem because the booting can not proceed anymore.

Therefore, in the present invention, if the boot is not able to proceed, OTA is performed by an external command. For example, when the main software (Main S / W), which is bootable but has problems with the OTA function, has been downloaded, it may be possible to use a remote control command or a command input from the boot loader to restore normal software. If there is a command to be entered, the software is first updated via OTA, rather than running the main software.

The present invention described above is capable of various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the spirit of the present invention for those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is not limited by the drawings.

1 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a conventional general digital broadcasting system.

Figure 2 is an embodiment flow diagram illustrating a method for performing OTA according to the present invention.

Claims (6)

In the method of executing OTI applied to the set-top box, Receiving OTI related information; Storing the OTI related information in a boot logo area on a flash memory; And Executing OT using the OT related information stored in the boot logo area; OTI execution method comprising a. The method of claim 1, The information related to the OTEI, the OTI execution method including the frequency information, symbol rate information, code rate information that the OTI is performed. The method of claim 1, The OTI related information is received from a broadcasting station through a frequency band determined by the data broadcasting (Data Broadcasting) method. In the method of executing OTI applied to the set-top box, Receiving OTI related information; Storing the OTI related information in a boot logo area on a flash memory; And Executing OT using the OT related information stored in the boot logo area; OTI execution method comprising a. In the method of executing OTI applied to the set-top box, Receiving OTI related information; Storing the OTI related information in an EEPROM; And Executing OT using the OT related information stored in the boot logo area; OTI execution method comprising a. In the booting method using OTI of the set-top box, Checking whether the main software is bootable; Waiting for an external input when normal booting is difficult as a result of the test; If there is an external input, performing an OTI; And Performing booting by driving the main software received through the OT Set-top box boot method using OTC made of a.

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