JP2000056980A - Program remote correcting method, program remote correcting device and terminal equipment fitted to the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To correct/change the program of a tuner by means of a remote operation without depending on a broadcasting system and to precisely manage firmware at every terminal equipment. SOLUTION: A digital broadcasting tuner 1 is provided with an IC card 12 storing information for identifying a contractor at every tuner. The patch server 21 of an remote patch device 2 authenticates the accessed tuner based on the content of an authentication data base (DB) 23, sends patch data accumulated in a patch data buffer 22 to the tuner 1, patches the program and stores the status and the change history of the tuner 1 in a status data base 24 and a change history data base 25. At the time of patching, the patch server 21 informs the tuner 1 of effect and the tuner 1 correspondingly accesses to the remote patch device 2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a remote program correcting method and a remote program correcting program which enable a program to be changed and corrected by remotely operating a terminal device containing the program. Regarding a compatible terminal device. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and an apparatus for changing and modifying a program of a digital broadcast tuner having a function of receiving digital broadcast via an artificial satellite and transmitting billing information to a center station via a telephone line.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, programs have been provided from digital satellites, and these can be copied on a television screen or recorded on a video recorder via a predetermined tuner. This kind of program can be used only by a tuner contracted in advance. Due to viewing costs, the user usually owns one tuner. This tuner has a relatively low speed telephone modem to send program viewing records to a customer center.

[0003]

In the case where a defect or a need for additional functions of firmware software arises after sale of a product in a satellite broadcast tuner or the like, conventionally, there has been no other method than to cope with the recall. Recently, a method of rewriting firmware by sending data only to a corresponding tuner using a data broadcasting function prepared in a broadcasting system has been devised, but it was not possible if the broadcasting system side did not support it.

[0004] Even if the broadcasting system is compatible, the correction data is transmitted to all tuners, so that it cannot be performed only on account of the manufacturer of some tuners. It was not possible to confirm whether or not

According to the present invention, a program of a terminal device can be modified and changed by remote control without depending on a broadcasting system, and firmware management can be accurately performed for each terminal device. It is an object of the present invention to provide a program remote correction method, a program remote correction device, and a terminal device adapted thereto.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a program remote correction method which enables a program of a desired terminal device to be corrected via a communication line. A notification step of giving an advance notice of program correction, a connection step of connecting the target terminal device to a program remote correction device via a communication line, and a status reading step of reading status information from the terminal device. An authentication processing step of determining whether the terminal device is a target device, and selecting the correction program data based on the read status information when the connected terminal device is a target terminal device. And a transmission step of transmitting the selected correction program, and A correction step for correcting the program in the terminal device based on serial fix those comprising, a status updating step of updating the status information.

[0007] Preferably, in the notifying step, it is necessary to select the target terminal device based on status information for each terminal stored in advance and to modify a program for the selected terminal device. And transmitting an e-mail instructing connection to the program remote correction device via the communication line.

Preferably, in the connecting step, an automatic call is made based on the information provided in the notifying step to connect to the program remote correction device.

Preferably, in the authentication processing step, mutual authentication is performed by comparing status information of the terminal with status information stored in advance of the program remote correction device.

[0010] Preferably, in the authentication processing step, the terminal device and the program remote correction device calculate a password based on date data, and perform mutual authentication by comparing the two generated passwords.

Preferably, in the modification program selecting step, a version of the supplied modification program data is compared with a version of a program included in the status information to select a corresponding modification program.

Preferably, the correction program data includes an identification number of the correction program, first address information indicating a portion to be corrected of the program before correction, second address information indicating an address at which the correction program data is stored, And a modified program, wherein the modifying step is performed at a predetermined location based on the first address information,
A first step of writing a code for activating a trap process for shifting a process to a predetermined address, and a second step of writing a start address of the correction program based on the second address information in a predetermined header portion; And a third step of writing the correction program in a predetermined area. When processing is performed in a part where the code is written in the first step, processing is shifted to the header part by the trap processing, The head address written in the header part is read, and the processing shifts to the correction program.

Preferably, in the case where the correction program is written in a flash memory divided into a plurality of areas in the correction step, in the first step,
A binary number "00" is written as the code, and in the second step and the third step, the start address and the correction program are written in the initialized correction area of the plurality of areas.

Preferably, in the third step,
An address to which processing is returned is written at the end of the correction program.

[0015] The present invention is a program remote correction device that enables a program of a desired terminal device to be corrected via a communication line, and determines whether or not the connected terminal device is a target. An authentication database storing the authentication information of, and as a result of authentication by the authentication information, when the connected terminal device is the target, and read the status information from the terminal device, the read status A correction server that selects input correction program data based on the information and transmits the selected correction program.

Preferably, a modification history database for recording a modification history of the program is provided, and the modification server writes the status information and the information on the transmitted modification program for each terminal device in the modification history database.

Preferably, a correction status database storing status information for each of the terminal devices, a terminal device to be corrected based on the correction status database is selected, and a program is corrected for the selected terminal device. And a notification server that gives a notice of the event.

A terminal device according to the present invention includes a memory for storing a program and status information, and a processing unit for receiving the correction program data, correcting the program, and updating the status information according to the correction. .

Preferably, when the processing unit receives a notice of a program modification, the processing unit connects to the program remote modification device via a communication line based on the notice.

[0020]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment of the present invention, a defect of a firmware of a satellite broadcast tuner is corrected or a function is added using a low-speed telephone modem for sending a program viewing record to a customer center.

FIG. 1 shows a functional block diagram of a digital broadcast tuner 1 and a remote patch system 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The digital broadcast tuner 1 receives a received signal from an antenna (not shown) and decodes the signal.
Tuner section 1 for outputting a video signal and an audio signal
1. IC card 12 for storing information for identifying a contractor for each tuner, CPU for controlling the entire tuner
13, RAM 14 connected to CPU 13, CPU 13
And the program 15a and the patch status 15
An EPROM (or a FLASH memory) 15 in which b is stored and a modem 16 are provided. EPROM (or FLASH memory) 15
Is a non-volatile memory that does not lose its stored contents even when the power is turned off, and is a memory that can electrically erase stored contents and store new contents by processing of the CPU 13.

The remote patch device 2 authenticates the accessed tuner based on the contents of the authentication database (DB) 23, sends the patch data stored in the patch data buffer 22 to the tuner 1, applies the patch to the program, and sets the status. A patch server 21 for storing the status and the change history of the tuner 1 in a database 24 and a change history database 25;
If necessary, the notification server 26 determines whether patch processing is necessary based on the patch status database 24 and the user database 27, and sends an e-mail inviting a tuner that needs to perform patch processing to access the patch server 21. , And a modem 28.

FIG. 2 shows the relationship between the digital satellite broadcasting system and the remote patch system according to the embodiment of the present invention. As is well known, a radio wave from a digital satellite broadcast station 3 on the ground is relayed by a communication satellite (CS) in a geosynchronous orbit and received by a digital broadcast tuner 1 in each home. The signals received by the tuner 1 include non-broadcast signals such as program guides and contract information, as well as digitized broadcast signals. On the other hand, tuner 1
Is provided with a modem 16 for transmitting billing information when watching a paid program or receiving an electronic mail from a broadcasting station. The modem 16 is connected to the billing server 5 of the broadcaster's customer center via the public switched telephone network (PSTN) 4 and to the remote patch device 2 of the manufacturer of the tuner 1. The remote patch device 2 can easily and reliably apply a patch to the firmware of the tuner 1.

Next, the operation of the remote patch device according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

S1: Notify the target user.

Part of the firmware is changed (patched) to change or add a tuner function.
When the need arises, the notification server 26 is started. The notification server 26 selects a target tuner based on the patch status database 24 and the user database 27, and sends an e-mail to these tuners by modem to indicate that it is necessary to apply a patch and to instruct the tuner to connect to the patch server. 28. The transmitted e-mail is received via the modem 16 of the tuner 1 and stored in the memory, and turns on an indicator (not shown) indicating the arrival of the e-mail. This allows the user to confirm that the message has been received,
By operating the tuner, the contents of the message can be known on the television screen.

Alternatively, the manufacturer may contact the user directly by mail or telephone.

The above process will be described with a specific example.

The following can be considered as contents included in the patch status database 24. Status such as tuner model name / manufacturing serial number / current firmware version.

The following can be considered as the contents included in the user database 27. Identification number / user name /
Information such as the user's contact information (telephone number) corresponding to the manufacturing serial number / user's address and contract details.

When applying a patch to a tuner having a given model name and / or a given manufacturing serial number and / or a given version of firmware, the notification server 26 first searches the patch status database 24 to apply a patch. Obtain information on the corresponding tuner. Next, the user database 27 is searched using the searched information, for example, the manufacturing serial number as a key, and the contact information of the corresponding tuner is obtained. The notification server 26 sends an e-mail based on the obtained contact information. The contents of the e-mail include the need to apply a patch, the purpose of the patch, the operation for applying the patch, and the like. For example, "XX has started as a new broadcasting service. Currently, this service is not available, but it will be possible to receive it with simple operations. Receive a new service (YES / N
O) ". If "YES" is selected, the telephone number of the connection destination is displayed, and a message prompting to click the "connection" icon displayed on the screen is displayed.

S2: The user connects to the patch server.

The user who has been notified in S1 connects the tuner 1 to the patch server 21 by a predetermined method. For example, the user clicks on the "connect" icon as described above, or dials a telephone number directly. In addition,
In the case of automatic connection under the control of the CPU 13 of the tuner 1 as in the former case, it is possible to specify the connection time by including time information in the e-mail of S1 so that access to the patch server 21 is not concentrated. Conceivable.

S3: An authentication process is performed.

The patch server 21 stores the authentication database 2
3 to perform an authentication process. In order to ensure mutual authentication and data transmission between the patch server 21 and the tuner 1, the security of the patch system is enhanced by mutual confirmation of passwords. A fixed password determined in advance is used as the password. To further increase the security of the system, the password may be dynamically generated by the following method.

Step 1: Time data of the current date is read.

Step 2: The time data (example: 8 digits)
Is used as an input to a password calculation function to calculate a password that can be used only on that day.

Step 3: Both the server and the client calculate the password at the same time and communicate. Make sure they are the same password.

Also, by transmitting and receiving an ESN (Electrical Serial Number) and an IC card (smart card ID), a model number / version number / serial number /
By acquiring information such as the ID number of the smart card used in the tuner and comparing it with the contents of the patch status database 24, it is possible to surely confirm whether the accessed tuner is a target of the patch processing. . In addition, the digital broadcasting system Twin'X Protoco
Make sure to send and receive patch data using l software.

S4: It is determined whether the user is an authorized user.

S3: It is determined whether or not the user is an authorized user based on the result of the authentication processing. If you are not a regular user (N
O), proceed to S11 and disconnect the connection.

S5: Read the patch status.

The patch server 21 reads the patch status of the corresponding model number / serial number from the patch status database 24.

S6: Select patch data.

The patch server 21 determines what kind of patch processing is to be performed based on the read patch status, and selects corresponding patch data. An example is as follows.

When one type of patch data is externally supplied to the patch data buffer 22 and the firmware version corresponding to the patch data is one, the patch server 21 reads out the patch status from the patch status database 24. The firmware version included in the obtained patch status is compared with the version. When they match, the patch data is selected. If they do not match, they are not selected. For example, Ver.
3 to Ver. 4 for the patch data to be changed to Ver. The patch data is selected only when the firmware has the firmware No. 3.

When there are a plurality of types of patch data externally applied to the patch data buffer 22 and there are a plurality of firmware versions corresponding to these patch data, the patch server 21 stores the corresponding patch data for each version. select. According to this method, a plurality of versions of firmware can be handled with a single connection. For example, if the firmware is Ver. 4 when changing to Ver. 1 for patch data 1 and Ver.
2 for patch data 2, Ver. When patch data 3 is prepared for patch 3, the corresponding patch data is selected for each firmware version of the accessed tuner. Alternatively, there is a method of reading out the firmware version and sequentially changing the version. For example, if the firmware is Ver. 4 when changing to Ver. First, for Ver. 2, Ver.
3 and then Ver. Change to 4. Ver. 2
First, Ver. 3 and then Ver.
Change to 4. Note that Ver. 1 to Ver. 4 and the patch data for Ver. 2 to Ver. By providing the patch data for patch 4 to the patch data buffer 22,
Ver. 1, Ver. 2 without the intermediate steps (Ver. 2 and Ver. 3 in the above example). 4 may be changed. As described above, when a plurality of versions exist in the firmware, a patch can be applied to a specific version and a patch can be applied to all versions.

S7: The patch data is transmitted to the tuner.

The patch server 21 transmits the patch data selected in S6 to the tuner 1.

S8: Update the patch processing / patch status.

The CPU 13 of the tuner 1 receives the transmitted patch data and rewrites the contents of the EPROM (or FLASH memory) 15 based on the patch data. This rewriting procedure will be described by taking a flash memory as an example.

The flash memory has a plurality of banks (BANK) as shown in FIG. 4, and data is erased for each bank. Therefore, the program cannot be corrected in byte or word units. To simply rewrite the program, the contents of the entire bank containing that word must be sent, even if a single word is modified. Since the transmission speed of the modem of the tuner 1 is slow, it takes a very long time and is not practical. To avoid such inconvenience, the patching process is performed by the following method.

(1) In the flash memory, the data must be erased in order to rewrite from "0" to "1". On the contrary, in order to be rewritten from "1" to "0", such data must be erased. It utilizes the feature that it is not necessary to write "0" directly. As shown in Sub2 of BANK1 in FIG. 5, 0x00 is written at the correction location (where there is a bug). 0
Since x00 is a code that does not exist in the command of the CPU 13, the processing is transferred to the trap handler when the CPU 13 reads 0x00 (the TRAP processing routine is started).
be able to.

(2) The head address of the patch program is written in the header of BANK4 in FIG. 5, and the patch program is written in a predetermined area (Sub). At the end of the patch program, an address to which processing is returned is written. Since the header can specify a plurality of jump destinations, a plurality of patches can be applied by dividing the header and the Sub in this manner.

(3) A soft command is incorporated into the TRAP processing routine of the CPU so as to jump to a predetermined patch address.

By applying patches as in (1) to (3), the CPU 13 operates as follows. When the processing reaches the patched portion (0x00), the trap processing routine shifts the processing to the header portion (a in FIG. 5). By reading the head address of the patch program written in the header portion, the processing shifts to a predetermined patch program (b in FIG. 5). When the processing of the patch program ends, the processing returns to the original processing according to the return address written last (c in FIG. 5). Thus, the corrected program can be executed.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, the patch area is divided into the patch header area (header) and the patch data area (Sub). Each patch header includes at least the following three items. (A) a patch ID number, (b) an original code address (address where a bug exists), and (c) a substitute code address (address of a correction patch).

Since the above-described processing for applying a patch is performed by the CPU 13 of the tuner 1, the patch area is stored in the BANK 4
The CPU 13 may determine whether to set the patch header area and the patch data area, and determine the size of the patch header area and the patch data area.
In this case, the transmitted patch data may include at least information specifying the part of the program to be patched and the patch program.

On the other hand, the designation of the patch area and the setting of the patch header area and the patch data area are performed by the patch server 21.
You may decide on the side. According to this method, the way of applying patches does not differ for each tuner,
It is suitable for accurately grasping the status of the tuner and managing it reliably. In this case, the transmitted patch data includes information for designating a portion of a program to be patched, patch program, patch area bank designation information, and patch header area and patch data area setting information.

When the update is completed as described above, the CPU 13 rewrites the contents of the patch status 15b according to the contents of the update. For example, the latest version information, information designating a portion of a program to be patched, patch program, designation information of a patch area bank, and setting information of a patch header area and a patch data area are recorded.

S9: Update the patch status of the patch server.

After transmitting the patch data or receiving a report of the end of the patch processing from the tuner 1, the patch server 21 updates the contents of the patch status database 24. Alternatively, in order to reliably perform the patching process for each tuner, the patch server 21 may be used after the patching process.
, The patch status 15b of the tuner may be read out, and the result of the patching process may be checked at any time.

S10: A change history is recorded.

The patch server 21 records the contents of the above change in the change history database 25.

As described above, according to the embodiment of the present invention, it is possible to change the firmware of the satellite broadcast tuner without bothering the broadcaster. That is, since no change on the system side is required, it is possible to respond flexibly and simply. This is a tremendous advantage in this type of system involving many clients. Also, since the history of the changed tuner can be recorded as a record in the server, it is possible to know whether the firmware has been correctly changed for each tuner. Therefore, by reading a parameter called patch status, the situation can be determined for each tuner, and it is possible to individually and appropriately cope with a specific situation for each client.

In the above description, a digital broadcast tuner has been described as an example, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, so-called mobile terminals, mobile phones, P
It is also applicable to HS and the like. In short, any device that can be notified by some means and can access the patch server is applicable.

In this specification, means does not necessarily mean physical means, but also includes a case where the function of each means is realized by software. further,
The function of one unit may be realized by two or more physical units, or the function of two or more units may be realized by one physical unit.

[0068]

As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to correct a desired terminal device program via a communication line, so that the terminal device program can be corrected and changed without depending on the system. Can be performed by remote control.

Further, since a change history database for recording the change history of the program is provided, it is possible to accurately manage the firmware of each terminal device.

Also, when the processing comes to the part where the specific code is written, the processing shifts to the header part by the trap processing, reads the head address written in the header part, and shifts the processing to the correction program. Since the program of the terminal device is modified, only a partial modification is required instead of the entire program, so that the amount of data to be transmitted is reduced, the modification is completed in a short time, and the data transmission time is shortened.

When a correction program is written in the flash memory divided into a plurality of areas, a binary number "00" is written as the code, and the code is written to the initialized correction area of the plurality of areas. By writing the start address and the correction program, the erasing operation of the flash memory becomes unnecessary, and the processing is simple and short.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram of a digital broadcast tuner according to an embodiment of the present invention and a functional block diagram of a remote patch device.

FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of the entire system for describing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a remote patch process according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of a bank configuration of a flash memory.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram (when a flash memory is used) of a remote patch process according to the embodiment of the present invention;

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Digital tuner 11 Tuner part 12 IC card 13 CPU 14 Memory (RAM) 15 Program memory (EPROM (or FLASH memory)) 15a Program 15b Patch status 16 Modem 2 Remote patch device 21 Patch server 22 Patch data buffer 23 Authentication Database 24 Patch status database 25 Change history database 26 Notification server 27 User database 3 Digital satellite broadcasting station 4 Public network (PSTN) 5 Billing server

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Isao Okazaki, Inventor 2-12-7 Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Uniden Corporation (72) Inventor Takeo Masaki 2-12-7, Hatchobori, Chuo-ku, Tokyo Uniden Corporation Inside

Claims (14)

[Claims] 1. A method for remotely correcting a program of a desired terminal device via a communication line, wherein a method of correcting the program is notified to a target terminal device among a plurality of terminal devices. A notification step; a connection step of connecting the target terminal device to a program remote correction device via a communication line; a status reading step of reading status information from the terminal device; and the connected terminal device. An authentication processing step of determining whether or not the terminal device is a target terminal device; and a correction program selecting step of selecting correction program data based on the read status information when the connected terminal device is a target terminal device. A transmitting step of transmitting the transmitted correction program; and A correction step of correcting the program can the terminal device, a program remotely correction method comprising: a status update step, the updating of the status information. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the notifying step includes selecting the target terminal device based on status information stored in advance for each terminal, and correcting the program for the selected terminal device. And transmitting an e-mail for instructing connection to the program remote correction device via the communication line.
The described remote program correction method. 3. The program remote correction method according to claim 1, wherein said connecting step connects automatically to said program remote correction device by automatically calling based on the information provided in said notifying step. 4. The mutual authentication according to claim 1, wherein in the authentication processing step, mutual authentication is performed by comparing status information on the terminal side with status information stored in advance of the program remote correction device. Program remote modification method. 5. The authentication processing step is characterized in that the terminal device and the program remote correction device calculate a password based on date data, and perform mutual authentication by comparing the two generated passwords. The method according to claim 1. 6. The modification program selecting step, wherein a given version of the modification program data is compared with a version of a program included in the status information to select a corresponding modification program. 2. The method for remotely correcting a program according to item 1. 7. The correction program data includes an identification number of the correction program, first address information indicating a portion to be corrected of the program before correction, second address information indicating an address at which the correction program data is stored, and A first step of writing a code for starting a trap process for shifting a process to a predetermined address at a predetermined location based on the first address information, the first step including a corrected program; A second address for writing a start address of the correction program in the header portion based on the second address information.
And a third step of writing the correction program in a predetermined area. When processing is performed on a portion where the code is written in the first step, processing is performed on the header portion by the trap processing. 2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of: reading the head address written in the header portion, and shifting the processing to the correction program. 8. When the correction program is written in the flash memory divided into a plurality of areas in the correction step, in the first step, binary “00” is written as the code, 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, in the third step, the start address and the correction program are written in a correction area that has been initialized among the plurality of areas. 9. The method according to claim 7, wherein in the third step, an address to which processing is returned is written at the end of the correction program. 10. A program remote correction device that enables a program of a desired terminal device to be corrected via a communication line, wherein authentication for determining whether the connected terminal device is a target is performed. An authentication database storing information, and, as a result of authentication by the authentication information, when the connected terminal device is a target, while reading status information from the terminal device, read the status information. A correction server that selects input correction program data based on the selected correction program and transmits the selected correction program. 11. A modification history database for recording a modification history of a program, wherein the modification server writes the status information and the information on the transmitted modification program for each terminal device in the modification history database. The program remote correction device according to claim 10, wherein 12. A correction status database storing status information for each of the terminal devices, a terminal device to be corrected is selected based on the correction status database, and a correction of a program is performed on the selected terminal device. The program remote correction device according to claim 10, further comprising a notification server that gives a notice. 13. A program remote correction device comprising: a memory for storing a program and status information; and a processing unit for receiving the correction program data, correcting the program, and updating the status information according to the correction. Terminal device to do. 14. The program remote correction according to claim 13, wherein said processing unit connects to a program remote correction device via a communication line based on said notification when receiving a notice of program correction. Terminal device compatible with the device.