FR2864405A1 - Software updating method for audio/video equipment e.g. digital processing TV, involves coding update digital data in analog signal recorded on audio/video recording medium adapted to audio/video restoration equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves coding update digital data in an analog signal e.g. video, that is recorded on audio/video recording medium adapted to audio/video restoration equipment e.g. video cassette recorder (1). The coding of the digital data includes representing each bit or set of bits in the form of a component with different levels, if the data is of video type. The coding is performed by digital modulation if data is of audio type. An independent claim is also included for an audio/video recording medium.

Description

Method for updating a software installed in a device

Audio / Video

  TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a method for updating software integrated in audio / video equipment and, in particular, audio / video equipment installed in private homes. It also relates to audio / video recording media that can be viewed by these devices.

  The invention has applications in the audiovisual field and, in particular, the updating of consumer audio-visual equipment such as televisions, video recorders, CD players, camcorders, DVRs (hard disk recorders). ), etc. TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Generally, audio / video equipment, such as digital processing televisions, DVD players, and other relatively recent video and / or audio devices, includes software that inter alia manages the functions of these devices. devices and possibly digital processing of the image or sound. These programs, like most software programs, require updates from time to time to optimize processing, correct problems, and / or add new features. However, currently most consumer audio / video equipment, ie audio / video equipment installed in private homes, are never updated because of the difficulty of implementing this update. .

  There are, however, techniques for updating these audio / video equipment. One of these techniques is to connect the audiolvideo equipment to a computer with a computer link, of the serial link type, and to download updates from the computer to the audio / video equipment. However, this technique requires that the user, namely an individual, has a computer. It also requires the manufacturer to provide a computer link to the user. In the case where the user does not have a computer, it is possible to provide the user with a pre-programmed box to connect to his audiolvideo equipment. In this case, it is the manufacturer who must provide the box to the user. However, the provision of any specialized tools, such as a pre-programmed housing, requires the management of this tool and therefore a structure for storing and managing this tool. Such a technique is therefore heavy to implement and very expensive for the manufacturer. In addition, it is impractical for the user who must obtain the necessary tools, connect it, carry out operations, and then bring back the tools.

  Another technique is to download updates via audio / video broadcasts, for example via television. In this case, the incident stream containing the updates is a digital stream. The audio / video equipment to be updated must then be equipped with a digital input terminal in order to receive the digital stream. Most TVs and audio / video equipment have an analog A / V input. They can not receive a digital stream. EP-A-0 993 183 discloses an example of such a technique.

  Another technique is to save the updates to a digital file on a CD or DVD. The CD player or DVD player then receives this data and processes it digitally. However, only audio / video equipment capable of receiving and processing digital data can be updated. An audio / video equipment with analog input, such as a video recorder or a television, can not be updated because it is not able to receive digital data.

  US Pat. No. 4,789,961 discloses a system using a video recorder for storing digital data.

  Also known are US-A-6,267,296 and US-A-5,288,986, which disclose methods of encoding digital data.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

  The purpose of the invention is precisely to overcome the disadvantages of the techniques described above. To this end, it proposes a method for updating software audio / video equipment equipped with an analog input terminal, called A / V input, without requiring specialized tools. In some cases, the audio / video equipment to be updated directly integrates an analog audio / video reproduction means; this is the case, for example, of a television incorporating a video recorder. For this, the invention proposes to encode the digital update data in an analog signal recorded on an audio / video recording medium. In this way, any audio / video equipment equipped with an AN input terminal (for example a T.V. or Rear Projector or Front Projector, ...) can receive the analog signal including the update data.

  More specifically, the invention relates to a method for updating software installed in audio / video equipment, this audio / video equipment comprising at least one analog audio / video input terminal or audio / video reproduction equipment integrated analog and digital processing means of an analog signal received on the input terminal. This method is characterized in that digital update data is encoded in the analog signal, said analog signal being recorded on an audio / video recording medium in analog form (example of a conventional VCR cassette) or digital form (eg DVD). Advantageously, the coding of the digital data in the analog signal consists in representing each bit or set of bits in the form of an element at different levels.

  The invention also relates to a recording medium ANcomportant the digital update data coded in the analog signal. More specifically, the invention relates to an audio / video recording medium intended to be read by an audio / video reproduction equipment frequently present in a user installation because widely used, on which is stored an analog signal, characterized in that that the analog signal includes digital update data of the audio / video equipment encoded in analog form.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

  FIG. 1 represents an example of a functional diagram showing the reading of updating data in the case of a video recorder connected to a television set.

  Fig. 2 shows an exemplary block diagram showing the process of generating an audio / video recording medium containing the coded update data in the video.

  FIG. 3 shows an example of a functional diagram showing the process of updating the audio / video equipment of the end user when the audio / video recording medium is a video cassette, a DVD, an SVCD or a VCD.

  Fig. 4 shows an example of a check pattern encoding update data in the analog signal.

  DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF

  The invention proposes a method for updating software installed in audio / video equipment by using its analog input terminal AN to connect audio / video reproduction equipment frequently present in a user installation. capable of reading the audio / video recording medium containing the analog signal in which the download data stream is encoded. The audio / video equipment may be, for example, a CD player, a television set, a camcorder or a video recorder, or any audio / video device having an input AN and having means for digitally processing the received analogue data. on the NV entry. Audio / video equipment can also be a set of audio / video devices connected together such as, for example, a digital processing television connected to a DVD player or VCR.

  When the audio / video equipment is a single device, for example a DVD player or a VCR, it can be updated directly. If the audio / video equipment is a set of audio / video devices, then one of the devices can be updated via another audio / video playback device. This is the case, in particular, of a television which is not able to read itself the data of any audio / video recording medium. It is then updated via a DVD player or a VCR, able to read, respectively, a DVD or video cassette. In this case, the player reads the information contained in the recording medium and transmits it to the television without processing. It is the TV that processes this information to update its software.

  The audio / video recording medium containing the data to be updated may be a DVD, a CD (VCD or SVCD format) or a video cassette when the audio / video reproduction equipment connected or integrated with the equipment to be put update is, respectively, a DVD player, a CD player or a VCR.

  The method for updating the audio / video equipment software is to insert the digital data for the software update into an analog signal recorded on an audio / video recording medium. This analog signal may be, for example, a video in the case where the recording medium is a video cassette or a DVD or a series of sounds when the recording medium is an audio CD.

  The insertion of the digital update data, that is to say the computer code for updating the software, in an analog signal is performed by a coding which will be described in detail later. Regardless of the type of analog signal (sound or video) and the type of recording medium (DVD, CD, tape), the method for inserting the update data into the analog signal is the same. In the remainder of the description, the case will be described where the analog signal forms a video to be recorded on a video cassette or a DVD, the case where the analog signal forms sounds being similar.

  The invention therefore proposes to code the digital update data in the analog signal, for example video, without taking into account that the analog signal will, during processing by the audiolvideo equipment, be converted into a digital stream. The digital update data is simply encoded in an analog form so that it can be inserted into the analog signal and thus read and processed like any video by the playback audiolvideo equipment. The method of the invention, in principle, therefore does not take into account the type of audiolvideo medium for the restitution. It consists only in making a video containing the coded update data, this video can then be recorded on any recording medium adapted to the video and adapted to the audio / video playback equipment.

  In other words, the method of the invention is to image the digital update data and record it on a recording medium. This recording medium can then be read by the audio / video reproduction equipment and analyzed by the audio / video equipment to be updated. In the following description, it is considered that the audio / video reproduction equipment is a video rendering device (VCR or DVD player) connected to a digitally processed television to be updated.

  Fig. 2 shows the process of generating an audio / video recording medium containing the coded update data in the video. This process is performed by the manufacturer of the equipment that needs to be updated. This is the audio / video recording medium that is distributed to users of the equipment that needs to be updated.

  The updating data, which constitutes a file to be downloaded 11, are encoded in the video 12 and then, depending on the audio / video recording medium chosen, either: a video cassette recorder 13 produces the video cassettes 18 containing the downloading video, or - an MPEG2 encoder 14, associated with a DVD burner 15, produces the downloading DVDs 19, or - the MPEG2 encoder 14, associated with a CD burner 17, produces the SVCDs downloading 20, or - an encoder MPEG1 16, associated with the CD burner 17, produces the VCDs downloading 20.

  When the recording medium is a video cassette, the recording of the video is done simply as explained above. Then, when the individual wants to update, for example, his digital TV via the VCR, he introduces the video cassette into the VCR. Figure 1 shows an example of processing the video played by a video recorder to update a television. In this example, the video is played by the video recorder 1 as a conventional video and transmitted to the television 5 as a conventional video, via the AN input of the television. Upon reception of the video, the television performs an analog / digital conversion of the video in an A / D converter 2 and stores this digital video in a frame memory 3, where the video is processed before being displayed on the video. screen 4.

  Figure 3 shows the process of updating the end-user audio / video equipment, when the audio / video recording medium is either a video cassette, a DVD, an SVCD or a VCD. All these media are widely distributed and used by the general public. The video cassette 18 is read by the video recorder 21 as a conventional video and transmitted to the audio / video equipment 23 which needs to be updated. It's the same with the DVD 19, or with the SVCD or the VCD 20, which is played by a VCD-compatible DVD player and SVCD 22 as a conventional video and transmitted to the audio / video equipment 23 to be updated. . The audio / video equipment 23 to be updated receives, on its A / V input, a conventional video; a process internal to the equipment 23 detects that it is a data stream downloading and performs the updating.

  As can be understood from the foregoing, the individual who wants to update his / her audio / video equipment only needs a video rendering device, that is to say a device capable of reading and transmitting an analog signal, such as a DVD player or VCR, which is very common in the home, and a specific recording medium with the update data. Such a recording medium is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and its distribution is relatively easy; in fact, the recording medium can be distributed by all the usual DVD or cassette resellers or distributed by the postal services. Once in possession of this recording medium, the individual can update when he wants, very easily. It just has to introduce the recording medium containing the update data into the video rendering device and start playing the recording medium. The processing can then be done automatically or semi-manually via a menu displayed on a graphical display of the audio / video equipment to be updated, for example the TV screen. In the latter case, the individual is asked to select an update mode in the menu and to follow the instructions displayed on the screen. In the case where the processing is done automatically, the course of the actions can be indicated by a graphic display of the audio / video equipment.

  When the audio / video equipment has converted the analog signal into a digital stream, it must detect the update data, analyze it, and execute it, thereby updating its software.

  To allow the audio / video equipment whose software is to be updated to easily detect update data in the analog signal, the method proposes to precede said update data with an easily detectable synchronization sequence. by the audio / video equipment that needs to be updated. This synchronization sequence may be a particular video image or a series of particular video images, such as an image of 0 followed by an image of 1, which may be repeated each a number of times, which number may depend on the capacity processing of audio / video equipment. For example, a VCR usually has a lower processing capacity than a DVD player. The image or synchronization images in a cassette can then be repeated a number of times, for example 10 times, than in a DVD.

  As seen previously, the digital update data is inserted into the analog signal by coding these data. This coding is intended to transform digital data into an analog video image. Different encodings can be used to transform this data and insert it into the analog signal. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the coding is based on the use of a checkerboard as a video image. In this coding, each box of the checkerboard corresponds to a binary symbol, and each box is coded on a certain number of levels. Levels can be gray levels, luminance levels, or chrominance levels. In the preferred embodiment, each checkerboard box is coded on four luminance levels, ie 2 bits. The choice of the size and the depth (number of levels) of each box depends directly on the capacities of the reproduction equipment VCR, DVD player, ...) and the capacities of the equipment to be updated.

  FIG. 4 shows an example of a checkerboard corresponding to the preferred embodiment of the invention. In the example of Figure 4, a box of the checkerboard corresponds to a symbol of two bits. Each value of this set of two bits is encoded by a luminance level. In particular: the numerical value 00 corresponds to a luminance level represented by a white box on the checkerboard, the numerical value 01 corresponds to a luminance level represented by a box speckled on the checkerboard, the numerical value corresponds to at a luminance level 10 represented by a striped box on the checkerboard, and - the numerical value 11 corresponds to a luminance level represented by a squared grid on the checkerboard.

  Thus, on the checkerboard, each set of two bits of update data is coded by a box of a predefined luminance level. This gives one or more images of a predefined size, for example 14x10 boxes. The checkerboard of FIG. 4 thus makes it possible to code 140 symbols, ie 280 raw bits. In the case of using a DVD or VCD or SVCD as a video recording medium, the checkerboard may advantageously have a size multiple of an MPEG macro-block.

  The size of the checkerboard, that is to say the number of boxes, as well as the size of the boxes can be adapted according to the processing capacities of the audiolvideo equipment to be updated.

  The coding may also include detection codes and / or error correction codes, such as redundancies. The number of useful bits, i.e. bits of update data, depends on the number of bits used for these error detection and correction. These detection and error correction codes may vary depending, in particular, on the processing capabilities of the audiolvideo equipment.

  In a variant of the invention, the pages of the update data are numbered and an alternating synchronization, every other page, is inserted to facilitate the detection of a new data page.

  The multi-level images of luminance thus obtained can then be inserted, like any analog image, into the analog signal. These images are refreshed regularly, at a frequency adapted to the processing capacity of the audiolvideo equipment to be updated.

  The coding example that has just been described applies to video data. In the case of audio data, conventional digital modulation, such as modems, is used.

Claims (4)

  1 - Method for updating software installed in audio / video equipment, this audio / video equipment comprising at least one analog audio / video input terminal and digital processing means of an analog signal received on the input terminal, characterized in that digital update data is encoded in the analog signal, said analog signal being recorded on an audio / video recording medium adapted to an audiolvideo playback equipment present in an installation of user.   2 Update method according to claim 1, characterized in that the coding of the digital data in the analog signal consists of representing each bit or set of bits in the form of an element at different levels.   3 Update method according to claim 2, characterized in that the coding levels are gray levels, or luminance levels, or chrominance levels in the case of video type data.   4 - Update method according to claim 2, characterized in that, in the case of audio type data, the coding is a digital modulation.     An updating method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that each element is represented on a checkerboard, the luminance level of each element depending on the bit value of the set of bits. any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the shape and size of the elements is selected according to the capabilities of the audio / video equipment to be updated and the capabilities of the recording medium used to transmit the update.   7 Update method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the encoding incorporates detection codes and / or error correction.   8- updating method according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the encoded update data is preceded in the analog signal by a synchronization sequence detectable by the audiolvideo equipment.   9 Update method according to claim 8, characterized in that the synchronization sequence is chosen according to the capabilities of the audio / video equipment.     Method according to one of Claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the updating data is detected automatically by the audio / video equipment.   Method according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the update data is detected after selecting, in a menu, an update mode.   12 - audio / video recording medium intended to be read by an audio / video reproduction equipment and on which is memorized an analog signal, characterized in that the analog signal comprises digital data update of the audio equipment / video, coded in an analog form.