JP2008146250A - Update system, update method, and program - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To perform update of a system which can be prevented from becoming a hinderance to the use of a user while suppressing the power consumption of remotely controlled equipment connected to a network. <P>SOLUTION: This equipment is configured to independently manage the power sources of a network communication subsystem and the other system parts. The network communication sub-system itself interprets a TCP or UDP header, and discriminates a protocol which can be processed only by the communication sub-system and a protocol which is processed by the system part. Furthermore, the communication sub-system itself confirms the operating state of the system part, and acquires data including an update program in a proper timing, and performs the update of the system part. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a technology for updating a system using a subsystem having a network communication function that operates independently of a main part constituting the system.

  Along with the recent networking of devices, there are increasing cases in which an operator operates a device placed at a remote place and controls the device.

  For example, in the case of a network camera for surveillance purposes, it can be installed anywhere, such as indoors, outdoors, and public spaces, as long as the power source can be secured and can be connected to the network. Many of these perform TCP / IP communication by connecting to a WAN or LAN, accepting an operation request from a TCP / IP device connected at another location, and operating.

  For such devices, a function to update system software is required in order to cope with attacks through malicious networks and to add other functions, and many proposals have been made for how to do so. Yes.

  For example, the downloaded program is expanded in the RAM. Then, a method has been proposed in which a program is started from the expanded RAM, and after the updated program is confirmed to operate normally, the program is written to the flash memory inside the device (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-298550

  However, even in devices connected to the network, it is desirable to stop the operation in order to reduce power consumption when it is not necessary to operate. On the other hand, when the operation is stopped, an external software update Can't meet the demand.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to update the system software when there is a sufficient time while suppressing wasteful power consumption for the devices connected to the network in this way.

The update system of the present invention is a system for detecting a TCP or UDP port number in an update system having a network communication function in which power management is performed independently of the main part constituting the system, and processing by a subsystem based on the port number The subsystem determines whether to perform processing in the system unit, and the subsystem includes means for determining a system update request from an external device through the network, and data including a program for updating through the network And a means for acquiring.
The update method of the present invention includes a step of detecting a TCP or UDP port number in the update method having a network communication function in which power management is performed independently of a main part constituting the system, and processing by a subsystem based on the port number. And determining whether to perform processing in the system unit, wherein the subsystem includes a step of determining a system update request from an external device through the network, and data including a program for updating through the network. And a step of acquiring.

  According to the present invention, one system is separated into a communication subsystem unit and other system units, and power management is performed independently, so that a system unit with high power consumption is turned off when it is not necessary to operate it. By operating only the subsystem unit and constantly monitoring operation requests from the network, wasteful power consumption can be suppressed. In addition, even when the processing load on the system unit is large, it is possible to constantly ensure performance with respect to communication processing.

  In addition, it is not necessary to intervene in the system unit for communication contents that can be detected and discriminated by the TCP or UDP port number and processed only by the communication system unit, regardless of the state of the power supply or load of the system unit. , Can complete the process.

  In addition, the communication subsystem section determines the update request from the external device, and the communication subsystem section receives data for direct update from the external device or acquires only the location where the update data is stored by communication. And keep it. Thereby, the update timing can be controlled according to the operating status of the system, and the system can be updated at a timing that does not affect the operating system.

(First embodiment)
The system update system and update method according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

  In this embodiment, as an application example of the system update means and method, a description will be given using a moving image camera (hereinafter referred to as a network camera) connected to a network.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the hardware configuration of the network camera of this embodiment. The network camera according to the present embodiment is roughly divided into areas surrounded by a broken line 100 and a broken line 110, which are a camera system unit (100) and a communication subsystem (110), respectively. Can control the cutting.

  The camera system unit (100) includes a CPU 101, a read-only memory 102 (flash ROM), a random access memory 103 (RAM), and a lens. The CPU 101 controls the entire system. The read-only memory 102 holds programs and data that are not frequently rewritten. The random access memory 103 reads and writes programs and data at the time of execution.

  This includes an imaging unit 104, an image processing unit 105, a peripheral 106, and a system bus 107. The imaging unit 104 converts light into an electrical signal, and further converts the electrical signal into digital data. The image processing unit 105 removes noise from the digital data acquired by the imaging unit 104 and adjusts the color to perform image compression. The peripheral 106 includes a secondary storage device for storing the acquired image. The system bus 107 performs transmission / reception and control of these data.

  Normally, the program is once copied from the flash ROM 102 to the RAM 103 and the execution program is executed on the RAM 103.

  The communication subsystem 110 includes a communication control unit 111, a random access memory (local RAM) 112, a protocol processing unit 113, a communication subsystem internal bus 114, and a bus bridge 115. The communication control unit 111 controls transmission / reception of communication packets by interpreting the contents of the TCP / IP header and performing a TCP handshake. The random access memory (local RAM) 112 is a memory that can be used exclusively by the communication subsystem. The protocol processing unit 113 interprets the packet received by the communication control unit 111 and performs subsequent internal processing. The communication subsystem internal bus 114 transmits and receives these data. The bus bridge 115 connects the system bus 107 and the communication subsystem internal bus 114.

  Although not shown in the figure, in this embodiment, it is assumed that the communication subsystem 110 has means for canceling the reset of the CPU 101 of the camera system unit 100.

  The protocol processing unit 113 may be configured by hardware, or may be configured by a CPU that executes a part of the program while reading it sequentially in the local RAM 112.

  In a general network camera, communication processing is often performed by the CPU of the camera system unit 100. By adding a configuration specialized for communication control as in this embodiment, there is an effect of speeding up the operation of the camera system and the communication operation. With the recent improvement in communication speed of communication infrastructure, it is expected that the number of network cameras having such a configuration will increase in the future in order to process a plurality of video streams.

In the present embodiment, processing is performed in the hierarchy shown in FIG. 2 in the communication subsystem.
Of the communication packets, processing corresponding to the IP layer is performed by the IP processing unit 201, and processing corresponding to the TCP layer is performed by the TCP processing unit 202.

  The IP processing unit 201 and the TCP processing unit 202 correspond to the communication control unit 111 in FIG. Further, the protocol processing unit 113 determines whether or not the communication content can be processed only by the communication subsystem of the network camera of the present embodiment. Data that cannot be processed only by the communication subsystem is transferred from the socket processing unit 203 (a) to the system unit, and contents that can be processed only by the communication subsystem are processed by the protocol processing unit 203.

  In the present embodiment, software update processing is performed by the software update processing unit 203 (b).

FIG. 3 shows the flow of software update processing.
First, when the communication subsystem receives a TCP or UDP connection request from the outside through the network (s301), it analyzes the header and detects the port number for which connection is requested (s302).

  If this port number is not a port number for performing software update processing (s303), after performing reception processing, data is transferred to the system side through a socket (s306), and processing is performed on the system side.

  On the other hand, if it is determined in s303 that the port number is to be subjected to software update processing, system update processing is performed (s304).

  Next, the flow of the system update process (s304) will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, in a state where a communication connection is established, a location (URL) storing update data including a program for updating is received from the update request side which is an external device (s401). Then, the communication subsystem holds the position where the update data is stored (s402).

  Next, in s403, the process waits until update is possible. Whether the update is possible is determined by the communication subsystem communicating with the system unit. The system unit cannot update when the shooting is actually being performed, and permits the system update when the shooting is stopped.

  At this point, the operation of the system unit stops. When the system update is possible, the communication subsystem makes a request to receive update data at the update data position held in s402 (s404), and receives the update data (s405).

  When the reception of the update data is completed, the data (program) is expanded and stored in the RAM 103 (s406).

  Next, the communication subsystem resets the CPU of the system (s407), executes the program expanded in the RAM in s406 (s408), and the program self-determines whether the execution is normal (s409). If it is normal, it is written in the program flash ROM 102 (s410), and the update is terminated.

  If the operation check by the program fails in s409, it is determined that the update has failed, and the system is started up using the program written in the flash ROM used conventionally (s411).

  Next, a communication sequence for updating the network camera of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. This corresponds to s401 to s405 described in FIG.

  Assume that an operating device 521 and a file server 522 that make an update request exist on a network to which the network camera 520 of the present embodiment is connected.

  First, the controller 521 makes a connection request to the network camera 520 by designating a port number corresponding to a predetermined system update (s501).

  The network camera 520 makes a connection response (s502), and the controller 521 requests a version of software on which the network camera 520 is currently operating (s503). The network camera 520 transmits the version number to the controller 521 (s504). If the version of the software to be updated is different from the current version of the network camera acquired in s504, the operating device requests an update together with a URL indicating the location of new update data (including the program) (s505).

  The network camera receives this update request, returns a response (s506), and disconnects the connection with the controller 521.

  Next, the network camera issues a connection request to the file server 522 in which the update data acquired in s505 is stored at the timing of updating (s507).

  At this time, in order to actually receive data, connection is performed using a protocol that performs standard data transfer such as FTP or HTTP. After the connection with the standard protocol, the communication contents between the file server 522 and the network camera 520 receive data according to the connected communication protocol (s508 to s513).

  Next, the startup operation after the system unit is reset (s407) will be described with reference to FIG.

  When the system unit is reset, the loader program on the ROM is activated (s601), and it is checked whether the communication subsystem is already operating (s602).

  If the communication subsystem is not operating, it is recognized as a normal cold boot, the program on the ROM is rearranged in the RAM (s603), control is transferred to the program on the RAM and executed (s604).

  In the case of cold boot, the communication subsystem is initialized (s606), and the activation sequence is terminated.

  If the communication subsystem has already been operated in s602, an inquiry is made as to whether an update program exists in the communication subsystem. If there is no update program, s603 is executed, and the ROM program is placed in the RAM and activated in the same manner as in a normal cold boot.

  However, as shown in s605, there is no need to initialize the communication subsystem.

  If there is an update program in s607, the location of the update program is confirmed with the communication subsystem (s608). Then, control is transferred from the loader program to the update program, and the update program is executed (s609).

  The update program has a function (s610) for determining the validity of the operation of the program. If it is determined that it is valid, the update program is written in the flash ROM (s611), and the activation sequence is terminated.

  As described above, in a system having a main system unit and a communication subsystem that are individually power-managed, the subsystem unit independently accepts a system update request from the outside regardless of the state of the main system. The system can be updated when the system is convenient.

  In the present embodiment, the method of receiving update data including an update program after the system is ready for update has been described. However, if the RAM on the system side or the RAM on the subsystem has room, the update data may be downloaded and held in advance before the system is ready for update.

  In this case, since update data has already been downloaded when the system is ready for update, the time required for the update can be shortened, and the system downtime can be reduced.

  Further, the program to be updated is once expanded in the RAM before being written in the flash ROM, and the system is started up from here. Thereby, after confirming that the update program operates correctly, the update data can be written in the flash ROM, and a safe system program update can be realized.

(Second Embodiment)
The second preferred embodiment of the system update means and method according to the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG.

  In the present embodiment, as an application example of the system update means and method, a moving image camera (hereinafter referred to as a network camera) connected to a network will be described as in the first embodiment.

  In the first embodiment, an instruction to update the network camera is performed remotely. Then, a procedure has been described in which the network camera itself acquires update data including an update program from a location (URL) designated using an existing protocol and installs it as a system program. In the present embodiment, an embodiment will be described in which update data is transmitted directly together with an update request from a remote location.

  The hardware configuration of the system is the hardware configuration shown in FIG. 1 as described in the first embodiment. In addition, the general flow for performing a system update by establishing a communication connection from the remote is the flow shown in FIG. 3 as described in the first embodiment.

  In this embodiment, the mechanism for receiving data to be updated is different. This flow is shown in FIG.

  In this embodiment, when a connection request to a port for updating is made, after negotiating whether or not a software update is necessary, the update data is transmitted from a remote location (s701). Then, it is held in the RAM (s702).

  Data transmission / reception is as shown in FIG. The operating device 821 makes a connection request to the network camera 820 for a specific port number (s801), and the network camera 820 sends a response to the connection to the operating device 821 (s802).

  Next, the operating device makes a version request to confirm the version of the software held by the network camera (s803), and the network camera 820 returns the version number of the software (s804).

  The controller 821 determines whether or not an update is necessary from the version obtained in s804. If necessary, an update data transmission start message is transmitted to the network camera 820 (s805). If there is a response (s806) from the network camera, data transmission is started and divided into a plurality of packets (s807, s808). When all the data to be transmitted is transmitted, an end message is transmitted to end the data transmission (s809).

  When the communication subsystem of the network camera finishes receiving the program (s703), it waits until the system can be updated (s704).

  Thereafter, it is confirmed that the obtained update program operates normally by a method similar to the method described in the first embodiment, and is written in the flash ROM of the system.

FIG. 8 shows communication contents from s701 to s703 in the flowchart of FIG.
A port number for updating is designated from the controller 821 for remotely operating the network camera 820, and a connection request is made to the network camera 820 (s801).

  The network camera 820 responds to this (s802). Next, the operating device 821 makes an inquiry request for the software version that the network camera 820 is currently operating (s803), and the network camera 820 returns the software version to the operating device (s804).

  The controller side determines whether or not the updated software version needs to be updated. If the update is necessary, transmission of update data to the network camera 820 is started (s805 and s806). The transmission is performed until the transfer of all data is completed (s807, s808), and the connection is terminated (s809).

  The network camera 820 may hold the received data in the RAM of the communication subsystem or may be held in a part of the system-side RAM.

  However, in any case, at least the program part of the system in the stored update data must be configured to be readable from the CPU 101 on the system side.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment, the update means and method of the system when update data is uploaded remotely from the operator side has been described.

  In this case, there is no need to set up a server for downloading update data such as an FTP server. Also, it becomes easy to distribute individual update data to each target for updating the system. In addition, there is an advantage that it is easy to construct an update system with high security by using a unique update data transfer protocol without using a general-purpose server such as FTP.

  Further, after establishing a communication connection between the operator side and the network camera, both sides communicate with each other. Then, the update data is acquired by uploading the update data to the network camera from the operator side or by downloading the update data to the designated position (URL) at an arbitrary time. You may implement so that the method of acquiring update data can be switched by using the protocol which can select these. Further, the communication subsystem may detect its own communication load and acquire data including a program for updating when the communication load is low.

  Another object of the present invention is to supply a storage medium storing software program codes for realizing the functions of the above-described embodiments to a system or apparatus, and a computer such as the system reads and executes the program codes from the storage medium. Is also achieved.

  In this case, the program code itself read from the storage medium realizes the functions of the above-described embodiments, and the program code itself and the storage medium storing the program code constitute the present invention.

  As a storage medium for supplying the program code, for example, a flexible disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, a CD-ROM, a CD-R, a magnetic tape, a nonvolatile memory card, a ROM, or the like can be used.

  In addition, the case where the functions of the above-described embodiment are realized by performing part or all of the actual processing by an OS or the like running on the computer based on the instruction of the program code read by the computer. It is.

  Further, after the program code read from the storage medium is written in a memory provided in a function expansion unit connected to the computer, the CPU or the like performs actual processing based on the instruction of the program code, and the above-described processing is performed. The case where the functions of the embodiment are realized is also included.

It is a block diagram showing the hardware constitutions of the network camera of embodiment of this invention. It is a logical software block diagram of the communication subsystem which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a rough flowchart which updates the system software of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a flowchart showing the details which perform the update of the system software of the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram showing the communication contents of the operation side, the network camera, and the file server in order to update the system software of the first embodiment of the present invention. It is a flowchart showing the starting sequence of the system after acquiring update data. It is a rough flowchart which updates the system software of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a sequence diagram showing the communication contents of an operation side, a network camera, and a file server in order to update the system software of the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

100 System Unit 110 Communication Subsystem Unit 101 Main CPU
102 flash ROM
103 RAM
107 Bus 112 Local ROM
113 Protocol processing unit 114 Communication subsystem internal bus 115 Bus bridge 111 Communication control unit 112 Communication subsystem RAM
121 Power control unit

Claims (8)

In an update system with a network communication function that is power-managed independently of the main parts of the system,
Means for detecting a TCP or UDP port number;
Means for determining whether to perform processing in the subsystem or in the system unit according to the port number;
The subsystem is
Means for determining a system update request from an external device via a network;
An update system for a system, comprising: means for acquiring data including a program for updating through a network.   2. The update system according to claim 1, wherein the means for discriminating the system update request discriminates the system update request from a port number that has received an external network connection.   The update system according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem acquires data including a program for updating through a network by accumulating data transmitted from an update request source.   The subsystem acquires a location where data including a program for updating through a network is stored from an update request source, and acquires data for updating data including a program for updating from the stored location. The update system according to claim 1.   The said subsystem has a means to detect the communication load of a subsystem, and acquires the data containing the program for updating when the communication load of the said subsystem is low. Update system.   The update system according to claim 1, wherein the subsystem includes means for sending a reset signal to the system. In an update method having a network communication function in which power management is performed independently of the main parts constituting the system,
Detecting a TCP or UDP port number;
Determining whether to perform processing in the subsystem or processing in the system unit according to the port number,
The subsystem is
Determining a system update request from an external device via a network;
Obtaining data including a program for updating through a network.   A program for causing a computer to execute the update method according to claim 7.

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