KR100727902B1 - Method of upgrading software of cable modem - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a method for upgrading a software image of a cable modem over a network. The method of the present invention is a method for retracting a software image for operation of a cable modem, the method comprising: storing the operating software image of the cable modem in at least one bank, in the process by a software image stored in one bank in a network; When the software image stored in one of the banks is disabled due to a download error via the network in the process of downloading the software image for upgrading, the user switches to the other bank and overwrites the network by the software image stored therein. For downloading a software image.

Description

How to upgrade your cable modem software {Method of upgrading software of cable modem}

1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a cable modem for releasing conventional software.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a cable modem configuration for the software according to the present invention.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a software upgrade method of a cable modem according to the present invention.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a software upgrade method of a cable modem, and more particularly, to a software upgrade of a cable modem over a network.

In general, a cable modem is connected to a hybrid fiber cable (HFC) network in a home or office and provides services such as the Internet on an information terminal such as a personal computer (PC) connected to the modem. The software images required for operation can be downloaded via cable network.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a cable modem configuration of a conventional software. The memory 110 and the bootROM corresponding to flash or EPROM (Erasable and Programmable Read Only Memory) are shown in FIG. 120, a nonvolatile random access memory (NVRAM) 130, a DRAM 140, a processor 150, a cable network interface unit 160, and an Ethernet interface unit 170. .

First, the processor 150 operates on a BootROM image when the initial power is turned on. The boot ROM 120 copies the operation image stored in the memory 110 to the DRAM 140 after initializing the system, and then actually operates on the DRAM 140. The cable network interface unit 160 for cable network interface of the cable modem is a cable network interface of the cable modem. An Ethernet interface 270 connects a data terminal such as a personal computer (PC). The processor 150 is a memory 110 for storing an image for operation. If the EPROM is used, the image may not be flipped over the network. If the flash memory is used, the software may be dropped over the cable network. It is possible. However, if a network failure occurs during the upgrade and the data transmission is stopped, the memory 110 in which the operation image is stored is destroyed, and thereafter, the normal operation is impossible even if the power is reset. In addition, the cable modem has a complicated circuit configuration because the memory 110 including the NVRAM 130, the boot ROM 120, and the flash / EPROM for storing the MAC address and various initial parameter values necessary for operation is provided.

The technical problem to be achieved by the present invention is to provide a cable modem software upgrade method that can be operated stably even if a network download occurs by using two image banks when remotely down the operating software image of the cable modem. There is.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a software image upgrade method for operation of a cable modem,

Storing a software image for operation of the cable modem in at least one bank;

Downloading a software image for upgrading on a network by a software image stored in a bank in the process;

If the software image stored in the one bank is disabled due to a download error via the network in the process, switching to the other bank and downloading the software image for upgrading on the network by the software image stored therein. The cable modem software upgrade method, characterized in that.

In order to solve the above technical problem, the present invention provides a software image upgrade method for operation of a cable modem,

Storing software images for operating the cable modem in a first bank and a second bank, respectively;

Downloading the software image for upgrade on the network by the software image stored in the first bank in the process;

Programmatically copying the software image stored in the first bank to the first bank if the download through the network is interrupted in the process;

The cable modem software upgrade method comprising the step of downloading the software image for the upgrade on the network to the software image copied to the first bank in the process.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 2 is a block diagram showing a cable modem configuration for the software according to the present invention. The apparatus of FIG. 2 includes a processor 210 for executing a program, a first flash memory 220 for storing a boot ROM image and a first bank image for operation, and a second flash memory 230 for storing a second bank image for operation. Such as a DRAM 240, a Factory Default Switch 250 for selecting a first bank as a default boot image, a cable network interface unit 260 for a cable network interface of a cable modem, a personal computer (PC), and the like. Ethernet interface 270 for connecting a data terminal.

The processor 210 operates two banks (first bank and second bank) by using the first flash memory 220 and the second flash memory 230. Here the first bank is used for the back-up image and the second bank is used for the network. Therefore, the processor 210 recognizes when the data transfer is interrupted during the network download through the cable network interface unit 260 and the second bank is destroyed, and the processor 210 operates as the first bank in the next operation. The factory default switch 250 selects to boot from the first bank at the time of factory shipment and other needs, and copies two images of the bank stored in the second bank to the first bank as needed. Downgrade the image. In addition, the first flash memory 220 includes a circuit portion such as a boot ROM, a memory IC for an operation image, and an NVRAM for parameter storage.

3 is a flowchart illustrating a software upgrade method of a cable modem according to the present invention.

First, upon initial power-up, the program boots from the boot ROM image stored in the first flash memory 220 (step 312).

The boot ROM image performs a system initialization process such as memory RAM, I / O port initialization, and task creation (step 314).

After performing a system initialization process, the parameter data stored in the first flash memory 220 is read (step 316). At this time, the read parameter value includes MAC address, product serial number, and initial setting value necessary for the operation of the cable modem. Among them, the data value (Boot_Image) that determines whether to boot into the first bank or the second bank is included. do.

Accordingly, the program checks whether the data value Boot_Image is "0" (step 318). If the data value (Boot_Image) is "0", the program copies the first bank image to the DRAM 240 (step 322). If Boot_Image) is "1", the second bank image is copied to the DRAM 240 (step 324).

After the copy process is completed, the program counter is moved to the address start address of the DRAM 240 to perform a cable modem operation (step 326).

During the normal operation of the modem, the program continuously checks the factory default switch on / off state, whether network download is started, and whether the first bank copy is enabled (steps 328, 334, and 344). The factory default switch is used to make the boot image the first bank at the factory or forcibly.

At this time, when the factory default switch is pressed (ON state), the program detects this in hardware and stores the data value (Boot_Image) as "0" in the NVRAM for storing the parameter of the first flash memory 220 and then returns to the initial state. It is reset (step 332). In this case, when the program is restarted and the data value (Boot_Image) in the parameter storage NVRAM is read, the value is "0", so the program copies the first bank image to the DRAM 240 and resumes normal operation.

During normal program operation, download via the cable network is turned on by a control method such as Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) or cable modem configuration file, which is commonly used as an NMS tool for cable modems. In step 334, the program downloads the new software image code stored in the remote server to the second bank by using a Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP) method (step 336).

During download, the program continuously checks the network status and the network is interrupted or a network download error occurs due to a data checksum error (step 338). The data value Boot_Image is stored as “0” in the parameter storage NVRAM of the first flash memory 220 so as to boot into the bank (step 342).

On the contrary, if the network download is successfully completed through the network without error (step 338), the program may use the first flash memory 220 to set the data value (Boot_Image) to "1" so that the program is executed in the downgraded second bank image. ) Is stored in the NVRAM for parameter storage and then reset to its initial state (step 348).

In addition, when the first bank copy operation is enabled by the control of SNMP or the configuration file (step 344) during normal operation, the program converts the image currently stored in the first bank into the second bank internally. Copy and downgrade (step 346).

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and of course, modifications by those skilled in the art are possible within the spirit of the present invention. That is, the present invention can be used not only for cable modems, but also for all information terminals such as set-top boxes and high-speed modems having a function of necessitating a software image over a network.

As described above, according to the present invention, when the software image is remotely laid down, the cable modem can be stably operated even if a network download error occurs by using two image banks.

In addition, circuit design is facilitated by integrating functions such as boot ROM, memory IC for motion image, and NVRAM for parameter storage in a single flash ROM.

Also, by using the factory switch, it can be easily booted into the first bank at the time of factory shipment or operation of the first bank image abnormally.

In addition, two banks can be upgraded internally by simply copying the second bank image to the first bank.

Claims (3)

In the software image upgrade method for the operation of the cable modem, Storing software images for operating the cable modem in a first bank and a second bank, respectively; Downloading the software image for upgrade to a second bank on a network by the software image stored in the second bank; Copying a software image stored in the first bank to a second bank programmatically when the download is interrupted due to a download error on the network; And downloading the software image for upgrading on the network to the second bank as the software image copied to the second bank. delete delete

Images