KR20040066434A - Common Interface Module for updating system software - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A common interface module for system software update is provided to easily update software of a set-top box and a digital TV system by updating system software by using a transport stream interface of a common interface module. CONSTITUTION: A TS(Transport Stream) pumper(41) generates clocks for synchronizing transport streams, and transmits SSUS(System Software Upgrade Service) streams to a TS output connected with a host block through a common interface. A flash ROM(Read-Only Memory)(43c) stores the SSUS streams and transmits the SSUS streams to the TS pumper through an inner bus. A command interface(42) communicates control signals, addresses, and data with the host block through the common interface. A control unit(43a) controls the TS pumper and the flash ROM, and executes commands from the host block inputted from the external command interface.

Description

Common Interface Module for updating system software

The present invention relates to a common interface module, and more particularly, to a common interface module for system software update that enables data to be transmitted at the highest transmission rate that can be handled by the host system software upgrade service (SSUS) protocol.

DVB (Digital Video Broadcasting) system is a standard for digital video broadcasting made in Europe. There are three types of satellite (DVB-Satellite), cable (DVB-C), and terrestrial (DVB-T). The S standard is used.

Among them, satellite and terrestrial reception systems have several interfaces, one of which is DVB-CI (Common Interface).

The common interface is to freely use an external application in the receiver by inserting a general external application module into the common interface.

The standard is now adopted in both DVB-S and DVB-T systems, and is also used in US cable receivers.

Hereinafter, a common interface module of the related art and data transmission using the same will be described.

1 is a diagram illustrating a connection between a common common interface module and a host block.

2 is a configuration diagram of a common interface module of the prior art, and FIG. 3 is a configuration diagram of an encoding format of system software.

The common interface (CI) is a standardized interface between CI modules that are external modules of a receiver such as a digital TV or a set top box (STB), and includes hardware and applications that perform additional functions not performed by the receiver.

The CI module is implemented in the form of a PCMCIA card and is mainly used to provide a receiving side function of a CAS (Conditional Access System) for pay-TV viewing.

The connection structure of the CI module and the host block of the related art is a host block 8 for outputting a video / audio signal as an input of an external broadcast signal and a command signal as shown in FIG. A common interface (CI) for connecting a transport stream to an external device and a CI module 9 for performing processing according to a command signal and a transport stream inputted from the common interface unit are included. .

The host block 8 is a receiver such as a digital TV or STB that receives a broadcast and executes a user's command. The host block 8 includes a tuner 1, a demodulator 2, a demultiplexer 5, It consists of an MPEG decoder 3 and a microprocessor 4.

Here, the demodulator 2 outputs the scrambled transport stream to the descrambler 7 of the CI module 9 through the common interface.

The demodulator 2 receives the descrambled transport stream through the common interface in the descrambler 7 and outputs it to the MPEG decoder 3 which is decoded and reproduced.

The CI module 9 includes a microprocessor 6 which processes additional functions such as storing / reproducing the broadcast program received from the host block 8 according to a user's command and controls a user's remote control signal. do.

In this case, the common interface unit is a standardized interface between the host block 8 and the CI module 9 and is composed of a command interface and a transport stream interface.

As described above, the CI module 9 connected to the host block 8 includes a descrambler 21 for receiving, descrambled, and outputting scrambled transport stream data input through the common interface unit, and a host. A filter / extension unit 22 for filtering and extracting a transport stream received through a common interface at block 8 and storing the same through an internal bus, and a control signal through a common interface with a host block. And a command interface 23 for exchanging addresses and data, a CPU 24a connected to the descrambler 21, the filter / extension 22, and the command interface 23 through an internal bus, and a ROM. / EPROM 24b, RAM / NVRAM 24c, and Security processor 24d.

The ROM / EPROM 24b and the RAM / NVRAM 24c include an application program and data of a CI module for controlling storage and reproduction of a transport stream, and also stores a card information structure (CIS) required for initialization of the CI module. do.

In addition, the command interface 23 embeds a communication protocol between a resource to be embedded in a host block and an application of a CI module to perform various functions.

In the prior art, there are two methods of updating system software: first, a method using a compact flash, and second, a method of receiving and updating an OTA (Over The Air) system software.

Some manufacturers use software updates using Compact Flash cards, but there is no way to update the system software using CI modules.

In addition, OTA (Over The Air) system software reception and update method is a structure in which the previous STB or digital TV system knows the channel and service information that the manufacturer already updates and updates without the user's knowledge.

When a user enters the service by remote control on a given channel, it will search for new system software and update it if necessary.

In this case, referring to the OTA (DVB-SSUS) transmission protocol for the data format to be transmitted, the encoding of the system software uses the DSMCC (ISO / IEC 13818-6) data carousel standard as the transmission protocol for DVB-SSUS.

This is developed in the form of an MPEG 2 transport stream as shown in FIG. 3.

However, the common interface module according to the related art described above has the following problems.

The update of the system software of the prior art uses a compact flash card, and the method of receiving and updating the Over The Air (OTA) system software.

However, in the system software update method using the compact flash card, there is a problem in that software for the compact flash card and other memory cards must be written together during the software production of the STB and the digital TV system.

In addition, the data access speed of a compact flash card is slow, and it takes time to update a large amount of software.

In addition, OTA system software reception and update method is disadvantageous in terms of user's convenience as the structure is updated without user's knowledge.

The present invention has been made to solve the problems of the conventional common interface module as described above, the system software update to enable the data transmission at the highest transfer rate that can be handled by the system software upgrade service (SSUS) protocol of the host The purpose is to provide a common interface module for.

1 is a connection diagram of a common common interface module and a host block

2 is a block diagram of a common interface module of the prior art

3 is a configuration diagram of encoding format of system software

4 is a block diagram of a common interface module according to the present invention

5 is a detailed configuration diagram of a transport stream pump according to the present invention

Explanation of symbols for main parts of the drawings

41. Transport Stream Pump 42. Command Interface

43a. CPU 43b. RAM / NVRAM

43c. Flash memory

The common interface module for system software update according to the present invention for achieving the above object internally synchronizes the transport stream (TS), and hosts the system software upgrade service (SSUS) stream through the common interface (CI). TS pump directly transmitting to the TS output connected to the block; Storage means for storing the SSUS stream and transmitting the SSUS stream to the TS pump via an internal bus; Send and receive control signals, addresses and data through a common interface with the host block Command interface; characterized in that it comprises a control means for controlling the TS pump and the storage means and performing commands of the host block coming through the external command interface.

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the embodiments.

A preferred embodiment of a common interface module for updating system software according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

4 is a configuration diagram of a common interface module according to the present invention, Figure 5 is a detailed configuration diagram of a transport stream pump according to the present invention.

The present invention is to enable the CI module in DVB-SSUS (System Software Upgrade Service).

The CI module according to the present invention does not use a descrambler and does not require a transport stream input from the tuner unit of the host block.

Its configuration is as shown in Figure 4, internally generates a clock for synchronizing the transport stream (System Stream Upgrade Service) SSUS (System Software Upgrade Service) stream read from the flash ROM (43c) through the internal bus (Internal Bus) Stream pump (41 pump) for transmitting the data to the TS stream as it is, and a flash ROM (43c) which is a storage means for storing an SSUS stream with a capacity of more than a software storage area of a target to be updated. Control the flash ROM 43c and the TS pump 41 to control the transfer of TS stream data and to perform appropriate processing for the HOST commands coming through the external command interface 42. A command interface 42 for exchanging control signals, addresses, and data via the CPU 43a as a means and a common interface with the host block. It is included and configured.

Then, the TS pump 41 is divided into a clock generator for generating a clock for adjusting the bit rate when outputting the transport stream, and a division in the clock generator and the clock generator, as shown in FIG. The controller is configured to control the generation of a transport stream sync signal (TS sync signal) from the signal to be processed and communicate with the CPU 43a to process a command from the CPU 43a.

Here, the controller controls reading of the TS through the internal bus from the flash ROM 43c stored in the form of a transport stream and transferring it to the TS output through the FIFO memory.

That is, when TS data is transmitted through the local bus of the TS pump, it controls whether the FIFO memory is sent to the TS output.

In addition, a null transport packet may be inserted when necessary for bit rate adjustment.

Program Association Table (PAT), Network Information Table (NIT), Service Description Table (SDT), Program Map Table (PMT), which are Service Information / Program Specification (SI / PSI) information / For specifications such as IEC 13818-1 and EN 300 468, once per second).

In addition, DSI and DII table information of DSMCC Spec should be repeatedly inserted in the middle of DDB (actual data block table) so that it can be transmitted periodically within 5 to 10 seconds when transport stream is encoded. have.

Such a common interface module for system software update according to the present invention enables to update the software of the STB and digital TV system usefully and easily.

Such a common interface module for updating system software according to the present invention has the following effects.

First, the present invention uses the transport stream interface of the CI module to update the system software so that it is useful and easy to update the software of the STB and digital TV system.

Second, even large amounts of data can transmit software data to the host block at the highest speed that the SSUS protocol function of the host block can handle.

Thirdly, it has the same effect as sending system software to the host block to Air, so there is no need to modify the previous software.

This can increase user convenience and reduce maintenance costs for manufacturers.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the embodiments, but should be defined by the claims.

Claims (2)

A TS pump which internally synchronizes the transport stream (TS) and directly transmits a system software upgrade service (SSUS) stream to a TS output connected to the host block via a common interface (CI); Storage means for storing the SSUS stream and transmitting the SSUS stream to a TS pump via an internal bus; A command interface for exchanging control signals, addresses, and data through a common interface with the host block; And control means for controlling the TS pump and the storage means and for performing commands of the host block coming in through an external command interface. The method of claim 1, wherein the TS pump, A clock generator for generating a clock for adjusting the bit rate when outputting the transport stream; And a controller for controlling generation of a transport stream synchronization signal (TS sync signal) from the clock generator and the signal divided by the clock generator.