KR101580690B1 - Component providing server and component providing service for digital broadcasting receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

A component providing apparatus of the present invention includes: a communication module for forming a data communication channel with a digital broadcasting receiver; A component DB for storing components that can be provided to the digital broadcasting receiver; A compatibility information DB for recording information on compatibility of each of the components with respect to a digital broadcast receiver having peculiar specification information; A system image DB storing a platform of a digital broadcast receiver and system images in which one or more of the components are installed; And a controller for transmitting the system image in which the component or the component is installed to the digital broadcasting receiver according to the compatibility of the component with respect to the digital television when the component providing request is received from the digital broadcasting receiver.

Open platform, component, digital television, system image, simulation

Description

Technical Field [0001] The present invention relates to a component providing server and a component providing method for a digital broadcast receiver,

The present invention relates to a server and a method for providing a component to a digital broadcasting receiver.

The television broadcasting system is classified into an analog television broadcasting system and a digital television broadcasting system according to the transmission format of a television signal. Since an analog television broadcasting system transmits an analog type television signal as it is, it is affected by noise and it is difficult to reproduce the original image. On the other hand, a digital television broadcasting system transmits an analog television signal in a digital form, thereby minimizing the influence of noise and facilitating reproduction of the original image.

In addition, recent advances in compression techniques for video information allow digital television signals to be transmitted over narrow bandwidths. Accordingly, the digital television broadcasting system can provide a large number of television broadcasting programs to viewers as compared with the analog television broadcasting system. In other words, a digital television broadcasting system increases the number of television broadcast channels over which a television signal can be transmitted.

In accordance with the radical development of digital broadcasting technology and diversification of services, a digital broadcasting receiver such as a digital television and a set-top box has a function of receiving a digital broadcasting in addition to a basic function of receiving a digital broadcasting, And differentiated functions are needed.

Accordingly, the manufacturer of digital television seeks to give various additional functions to the digital television to be released. However, due to the characteristics of a digital television having a comparatively long usage period (for example, 10 years), the additional functions expected or required at the time of product launch and the additional functions required at a later time after the purchase of the product differ none. Depending on the contractual relationship with the service provider providing the intellectual property right or the additional function such as copyrights, an additional function that the manufacturer of the digital television can not provide may exist.

In order to solve the above problem, a digital television platform (OS) can be implemented as an open platform. However, theoretically, the components of the open platform should be executed smoothly on the open platform without any action, but in reality there are many troubles such as collision between the internal program codes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a component providing server capable of preventing troubles when a component is installed in a digital broadcast receiver, while providing the convenience of making components.

It is to be understood that both the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are not intended to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Other objects, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, It will be possible.

According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided a component providing apparatus including: a communication module for forming a data communication channel with a digital broadcasting receiver; A component DB for storing components that can be provided to the digital broadcasting receiver; A compatibility information DB for recording information on compatibility of each of the components with respect to a digital broadcast receiver having peculiar specification information; A system image DB storing a platform of a digital broadcast receiver and system images in which one or more of the components are installed; And a controller for transmitting the system image in which the component or the component is installed to the digital broadcasting receiver according to the compatibility of the component with respect to the digital television when the component providing request is received from the digital broadcasting receiver.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of providing a component, the method comprising: accepting a component provision request; Obtaining a system property of a digital broadcasting receiver that has transmitted a component providing request; Confirming whether the component can be installed directly in the digital broadcast receiver; Retrieving a system image corresponding to the component and information of the digital broadcast receiver if the component can not be directly installed; And transmitting the system image to the digital broadcast receiver.

By implementing the component providing apparatus or method of the present invention having the above-described configuration, there is an advantage that troubles can be prevented when the component is mounted on the digital television while providing the convenience of making the component.

In the following description of the present invention, an operating system of a digital broadcasting receiver such as a digital television is referred to as a platform, and an application program executed on the platform is referred to as a component for an additional function of the digital television.

Meanwhile, a software type image of the entire software layer formed on the hardware layer of the digital broadcasting receiver including the platform and the components will be referred to as a system image.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, a configuration and an operation according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 shows a component providing system including a component providing server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The illustrated component providing server 200 includes a communication module 210 for forming a data communication channel with the digital broadcasting receiver 100; A component DB 242 for storing components that can be provided to the digital broadcasting receiver 100; A compatibility information DB 244 for recording information on the compatibility of each component with respect to a digital broadcast receiver having peculiar specification information; A system image DB 246 for storing platform images of the digital broadcasting receiver and system images in which one or more of the components are installed; And a control unit (220) for transmitting the system image in which the component or the component is installed, to the digital broadcast receiver in accordance with the compatibility of the component with respect to the digital television when the component providing request is received from the digital broadcast receiver .

According to the implementation, the component providing server 200 may further include a simulation picture DB 249 for storing simulation pictures showing a screen image when the selected components are installed in a digital broadcasting receiver.

According to the implementation, the component providing server 200 further includes an update module 280 connected to the component supplying server 300 of the component manufacturer side to update the components stored in the component DB 242 .

Preferably, the digital broadcast receiver 100 has an open platform, the component is a program running on the open platform, and the system image is an image in which the component is installed on the open platform.

The additional function of the digital broadcast receiver with the open platform can be easily added by the user or the AS performer even after the release of the product. In addition, securing the interface information for the open platform has the advantage of making components other than the maker of the digital television easily provide additional functions.

The control unit 220 receives the component providing request from the digital broadcasting receiver 100 and obtains the specification information of the digital broadcasting receiver 100 and transmits the component information and the specification information to the compatibility information DB 244 ), And can determine whether the component is to be smoothly executed in the digital broadcasting receiver 100 which transmitted the component providing request.

If the system image corresponding to the component and the specification information of the digital broadcasting receiver 100 is not searched in the system image, the control unit 220 can determine the most similar system image. In this case, it is preferable that the user is approved to use the searched most similar system image.

Meanwhile, the controller 220 may perform the component providing method illustrated in FIG.

The compatibility information DB 244 includes a specification information table for storing specification information of digital broadcast receivers to which components can be provided, a platform information table for storing information according to each version of a platform that can be installed in the digital broadcast receivers, And a component information table for storing information about each component that can be provided to the digital broadcast receiver 100. [

According to the implementation, the component DB 242 may include the component information table.

The system image DB 246 may include a system image table describing requirements of each system image.

FIG. 2 illustrates a data structure of an embodiment of a component information table included in the compatibility information DB 244 of FIG.

The illustrated component information table includes, as its record items, the component ID f21, the component name f22, the DLLs f23, the CPU occupancy f24, the memory occupied capacity f25, ), The dummy DLLs f27, the significance adding device f28, and the significance platform f29.

The component ID is a kind of component identifier. The CPU occupancy rate is a kind of CPU occupancy information, and the occupation capacity of the memory is a kind of memory occupancy information. The noted DLL is a kind of SW module to be noticed.

The DLLs field f23 is for indicating the DLLs included in the corresponding component SW module.

The requesting device field f26 is for indicating an additional device to be equipped with the digital broadcasting receiver as a precondition for executing the corresponding component.

The DLL field f27 indicates that a problem such as a collision occurs when the component is executed in a platform on which the DLL exists, and thus it is a DLL to be particularly noted.

The significance adding device field f28 is for indicating an additional device which should be particularly noticed when a problem such as a collision is reported when the component is performed in a digital broadcasting receiver in which the additional device exists.

The meaningful platform field f29 indicates that a problem such as a collision occurs when the component is executed in the corresponding version of the platform, thereby indicating a platform version to be noted in particular.

The DL DLL field f27, the significant supplementary device field f28 and the significant platform field f29 describe items with severe problems that can not guarantee the desired performance of the digital broadcasting receiver when the corresponding item exists A warning field, and a warning field for describing weak items in which the performance of the digital broadcasting receiver is somewhat degraded if the corresponding item exists.

FIG. 3 shows a data structure of an embodiment of the platform information table included in the compatibility information DB 244 of FIG.

The illustrated platform information table may include the version f31, the included DLLs f32, the CPU request f33, the memory request f34 and the significant DLLs f35 as the record items.

The version field f31 is for indicating the version of the platform.

The containing DLLs field f32 is for indicating the DLLs included in the corresponding component SW module.

The CPU request field (f33) and the memory request field (f34) may be composed of a minimum specification field describing items requiring the platform to be at least equipped and a recommended specification field describing items recommended to be operated.

The noted DLL field (f35) is for indicating a DLL which should be particularly noticed when it is reported that a problem such as a conflict occurs when the corresponding version of the platform is executed together with the component in which the corresponding DLL exists.

The DL DLL field f35 includes an alert field for describing items with severe problems that can not guarantee the desired performance of the digital broadcast receiver when the corresponding item exists, The problem of degree of deterioration can be made of a warning field describing weak items.

FIG. 4 shows a data structure of an embodiment of the specification information table included in the compatibility information DB 244 of FIG. The HW / SW specification information can be obtained by searching the specification information table using the product ID described in the component providing request transmitted from the digital broadcasting receiver 100 of FIG. 1 to the component providing server 200 .

The illustrated specification information table includes, as its field items, a product ID (f41), a CPU (f42) mounted for component execution, a basic main memory (RAM) capacity f43, an applicable platform version f44, Device f45.

FIG. 5 shows a data structure of an embodiment of a system image information table included in the system image DB of FIG.

The illustrated system image table includes, as its record items, an identification ID (f51) and version (f52) of a system image, a product ID (f53) of a digital broadcast receiver in which a platform of the version can be installed, And an installed component f55.

The identification ID field f51 of the system image may simply indicate the rank number stored on the system image DB.

The product ID is a product code managed by the manufacturer of the digital broadcasting receiver, and preferably has a different value depending on a combination of major components used in manufacturing the digital broadcasting receiver.

In the additional device field f54, an additional device that can be installed as a further option after the user purchases the digital broadcast receiver and / or an additional device of the basic specification may be described. In order to prevent the type of the system image from becoming too large, a system image is provided only for the additional devices causing a problem such as a collision when installing the driver of the additional device. In this case, Only additional devices can be recorded.

The component field f55 may describe a component and / or a basic specification component that the user can later selectively install. In order to prevent the type of the system image from becoming too large, a system image is provided only to the components causing a problem such as a collision when the driver of the additional device is installed. In this case, Can be recorded.

Fig. 6 illustrates an embodiment of a method for providing components in the component providing system of Fig. The illustrated component providing method is based on operations performed in the component providing server of FIG.

The illustrated component providing method includes: receiving, at a component providing server 200, a provision request of a component of the digital broadcast receiver 100 (S110); Obtaining (S120) a system property of the digital broadcast receiver 100 that transmitted the provision request of the component; Confirming whether the component can be installed directly in the digital broadcasting receiver 100 (S130); If the component can not be directly installed (S140), the system image DB 246 searches for a system image corresponding to the specification information of the component and the digital broadcasting receiver 100 (S150); And transmitting the searched system image to the digital broadcasting receiver 100 (S165).

If the system image corresponding to the component and the information of the digital broadcasting receiver is not searched in step S160, the system image is determined (S170); And transmitting the determined closest system image (S198).

In this case, the method further includes a step (S180) of inquiring whether or not the user downloads the most similar system image before the step S198 (S180). If the user accepts the approval (S190), the step S198 is performed.

The method may further include displaying a component list of components that can be installed in the digital broadcasting receiver 100 before step S110. The list display step may be performed for the user in the digital broadcasting receiver 100. The detailed configuration of the component list will be described later.

In step S110, the digital broadcasting receiver 100 may transmit a component providing request including identification IDs of the components selected by the user to add / delete on the component list to the component providing server 200 have.

The component providing request may further include specification information of the digital broadcasting receiver, in addition to component identifiers requesting addition / deletion. The specification information may include a product identifier (product ID) and information on a part that can be further changed by the user. For example, the specification information may include a platform version, additional devices added, and main memory capacities.

In step S120, the component providing server 200 may read specification information of the digital broadcasting receiver 100 described in the transmitted component providing request. In addition, the specification information not described in the component provision request can be obtained from the specification information table.

In step S 130, the platform information table and the component information table included in the compatibility information DB 244 may be used.

One implementation example of step S130 is as follows.

First, the component providing server 200 searches the component information table for the requested component identifier to be added, and searches the platform information table for the platform version of the digital broadcast receiver acquired in step S120.

The component providing server 200 may check whether one of the DLLs included in the platform version belongs to a DLL for the corresponding component in the component information table. If one of the DLLs included in the platform version belongs to the alert DLL, it can be determined that the corresponding component can not be installed. If the DLL is included in the attention DLL, it can be determined that downloading of the system image is preferable to downloading of the component have.

Alternatively, in a manner analogous to that described above, one of the DLLs included in the component may check whether it belongs to a DLL for the platform of the corresponding version of the platform information table.

Another implementation of step S130 is as follows.

First, the component providing server 200 searches the component information table for the requested component identifier to be added, and extracts, from the specification information of the digital broadcasting receiver acquired in step S120, Information can be obtained.

The component providing server 200 may check whether one of the basic additional apparatus and the added additional apparatus belongs to a significant additional apparatus for the corresponding component in the component information table. If it is included in the warning attachment device, it can be determined that installation of the corresponding component is impossible. If it belongs to the attachment device, it may be determined that downloading of the system image is preferable to downloading of the component.

Meanwhile, according to the implementation, if the version of the platform of the digital broadcast receiver is not checked and is not the recommended latest version, the component providing server 200 can invite the user to update the platform through the digital broadcast receiver 100 .

If it is determined in step S140 that the compatibility is sufficient (S140), the component providing server 200 transmits the components to be added described in the component providing request to the digital broadcasting receiver 100 (S145) And terminates.

As a result of performing the above step S130, the compatibility is not sufficient means that it is preferable to replace the system image rather than installing the individual components. In this case, the component providing server 200 may include a product identifier, a platform version, components finally present as a result of addition and deletion of components according to the component providing request, A system image including additional devices installed in the system image table is searched in the system image table.

When a system image that exactly matches the conditions (product identifier, platform version, components, and additional devices) is retrieved, the component providing server 200 transmits the system image retrieved to the digital broadcasting receiver 100 S165), and the procedure is terminated.

However, since there may be a large number of combinations of the components and the additional devices, there is a high probability that a system image that accurately matches the above conditions (product identifier, platform version, components, and additional devices) is not actually retrieved .

In such a case, the following method may be applied in step S165.

First, a system image is selected that includes a part of the components and the additional devices, among the above conditions (product identifier, platform version, components, and additional devices), the product identifier and the platform version match. At this time, it is preferable to exclude a system image including a component or an additional device not belonging to the above conditions.

Next, it is checked whether components of the above-mentioned conditions and the additional devices not included in the selected system image can be downloaded and installed on a component-by-component basis in the digital broadcasting receiver in which the system image is installed. The checking process may be performed similar to the compatibility determination in step S130.

If it is determined that the components can be downloaded on a component-by-component basis, the component providing server 200 transmits the selected system image to the digital broadcasting receiver 100. The component providing server 200 transmits the components of the conditions and the drivers of the additional devices not included in the selected system image to the digital broadcasting receiver 100.

Then, the digital broadcasting receiver 100 replaces its system image with the received system image, installs the received components and additional devices, and terminates the procedure. As a result, the digital broadcasting receiver 100 finally has the same components as the component adding / deleting unit described in the component providing request.

In step S170, a system image is retrieved from the system image DB in the case where one or two components are installed or less installed in the result of adding / deleting a component described in the component providing request.

In step S170, one of the closest system images may be determined, and in another implementation, a plurality of candidates may be determined.

In step S180, the component providing server 100 transmits information about a difference between the system image according to the component providing request and the closest system image determined in step S170 to the digital broadcasting receiver 100 Wow; And displaying information on the difference in the digital broadcasting receiver 100. [

The information on the difference may include at least one of information of a component that does not exist in the approximate system image among the components existing in the digital broadcast receiver when the component described in the component providing request is added or deleted, When the addition / deletion of the component described in the component providing request among the existing components is performed, information of a component that does not exist in the digital broadcasting receiver can be included.

In the case where the plurality of candidates are determined in step S170, the step S180 provides information on the difference of all the candidates and may wait for the user to select one of the candidates.

If the user accepts the approval in step S190, the component providing server 200 transmits the approximate system image to the digital broadcasting receiver 100 (S198), and ends the procedure. In step S190, if the user does not accept the request, the component providing server 200 notifies that the component according to the component providing request can not be provided through the digital broadcasting receiver 100 (S195), and ends the procedure . The notification can be displayed on the digital broadcast receiver 100 and delivered to the user.

FIG. 7 illustrates a method of providing a component according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, focusing on operations performed in the digital broadcast receiver 100 of FIG.

The illustrated component providing method includes: displaying a list of installable components (S205); Accepting user selection of a component (S210); Receiving a simulation instruction of the user (S230); Displaying (S240) a simulation picture according to a combination of components added and removed according to the user selection in step S210; Upon receipt of a request to apply a combination of the components from the user who watched the simulation (S260), downloading the components added according to the combination of the components, or downloading the system image including the combination of components S265).

According to the implementation, the method may further include a step S220 of updating the component list with the list of the next selectable components according to the selection of the user after the step S210.

FIG. 8 illustrates a screen for displaying a list of components in a digital broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention.

The illustrated component list shows six additional components. Each item of the list may be composed of a preview picture showing a screen shape when the corresponding component is added and a text description of the component.

As shown in the text description, an item name, memory occupancy information, and CPU occupancy information for the component may be described, and a necessary HW / SW condition may be further described depending on the type of the component.

The memory occupancy information may be occupied capacity when the corresponding component is loaded into the main memory.

The CPU occupancy information may be a CPU occupancy rate when the component is loaded in the main memory and then executed in the background.

The CPU occupancy rate may vary depending on the performance of the CPU of the digital broadcasting receiver, and may be estimated from the number of CPU instructions (the number of CPU instructions can be counted with respect to the CPU's operation processing unit) Can be estimated from the share of the reference CPU and the performance ratio of the reference CPU and the CPU of the digital broadcasting receiver.

The HW / SW condition is a condition that a digital broadcast receiver must have in order to execute the component.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the embodiments but should be determined by the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a component providing system for a digital broadcast receiver according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

2 is a data structure diagram illustrating an embodiment of a component information table used in a component providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a data structure diagram illustrating an embodiment of a platform information table used in a component providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention;

4 is a data structure diagram illustrating an embodiment of a specification information table used in a component providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

5 is a data structure diagram illustrating an embodiment of a system image information table used in a component providing method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for providing components according to the principles of the present invention.

7 is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method for providing components in terms of a digital broadcast receiver.

8 is a screen view illustrating an exemplary component list displayed in the digital broadcast receiver of the present invention.

Claims (10)

A communication module for forming a data communication channel with a digital broadcasting receiver; A component DB for storing components that can be provided to the digital broadcasting receiver; A compatibility information DB for recording compatibility information of each component including specification information of digital broadcasting receivers that can receive components stored in the component DB; A system image DB storing a platform of a digital broadcast receiver and system images in which one or more of the components are installed; A simulation picture DB storing simulation pictures showing a screen image when a selected component is installed in the digital broadcasting receiver; And Receiving the component providing request from the digital broadcasting receiver, acquiring the specification information of the digital broadcasting receiver, searching the component information and specification information in the compatibility information DB, receiving the component image, the system image in which the component is installed, And a control unit for transmitting the simulation picture to the digital broadcast receiver To the component providing apparatus. The method according to claim 1, Wherein the digital broadcasting receiver has an open platform, Wherein the component is a program executing on the open platform, Wherein the system image is an image in which the component is installed on the open platform. The method according to claim 1, The compatibility information DB includes: A specification information table for storing specification information of digital broadcast receivers that can receive the components, A platform information table for storing information according to each version of a platform that can be installed in the digital broadcast receivers, And at least one of a component information table storing information on each component that can be provided to the digital broadcasting receiver And the component providing apparatus. The method according to claim 1, Wherein, And determines the most similar system image if the system image corresponding to the specification information of the component and the digital broadcasting receiver is not found in the system image, and approves the same. The method according to claim 1, An update module for updating a component stored in the component DB; Further comprising: Transmitting a simulation picture of a component list and a component that can be installed in a digital broadcasting receiver; Receiving a component provision request from the digital broadcasting receiver; Obtaining a system property of a digital broadcasting receiver that has transmitted a component providing request; Confirming whether the component can be installed directly in the digital broadcast receiver; If the component can not be directly installed, retrieving a system image corresponding to the component and the information of the digital broadcast receiver; And Transmitting the system image to the digital broadcast receiver / RTI > The method according to claim 6, The digital broadcasting receiver has an open platform, Wherein the component is a program executing on the open platform, Wherein the system image is an image in which the component is installed on the open platform. The method according to claim 6, Prior to the step of receiving the provision request, And transmitting a simulation picture of a component list and a component that can be installed in the digital broadcasting receiver. 9. The method of claim 8, In the list, A method for providing a component for each component, the component providing at least one of a hardware occupancy of a component, a screen appearance when installed, and a requirement for executing a component. The method according to claim 6, Determining a most similar system image if a system image corresponding to the component and information of the digital broadcast receiver is not found; And Transmitting the determined closest system image Further comprising the steps of:

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