KR20080026008A - Data broadcasting platform based on gem and its method for the interoperability guarantee of applications among data broadcasting - Google Patents

Abstract

A data broadcasting platform based on GEM for interoperability guarantee of an application among heterogeneous data broadcastings and a method thereof are provided to supply an application operation related module capable of being commonly applied even in the data broadcasting platform of different standards, thereby guaranteeing interweave among the different data broadcasting platforms and the interoperability. An application manager(21) manages a lifecycle of a corresponding application(215,216) at every service. The application manager configures a service context(210) for providing corresponding service environment at every service, and configures and manages an application context(213,214) at every application corresponding to one service(211). Application information is integrally managed through an application list(212), and a loader(22) loads applications downloaded in middleware according to a request of the application manager.

Description

Data Broadcasting Platform based on GEM and its Method for the Interoperability Guarantee of Applications among Data Broadcasting}

1 is an explanatory diagram of the interrelationship between the main factors of the application lifecycle applied to the present invention,

2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a GEM-based data broadcasting platform for ensuring interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting according to the present invention;

3a and 3b are flow diagrams of an embodiment of a process for starting and terminating an application in accordance with the present invention;

4 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of an AIT filtering process in accordance with the present invention;

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for downloading and managing an application for a new service in a data broadcasting platform according to the present invention.

* Explanation of symbols on the main parts of the drawing

21: Application Manager 21: Class Loader

210: service context 211: service

212: application list 213, 214: application context

215, 216: application

The present invention relates to a GEM-based data broadcasting platform and method for ensuring interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting, and more particularly, to the GMB (Globally Executable that can be commonly applied in different standard data broadcasting platform) Interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasts by providing an MHP-based application lifecycle framework and a method of managing applications within the frameworks, thereby ensuring interoperability of applications among heterogeneous data broadcast platforms. The present invention relates to a GEM-based data broadcasting platform and a method thereof.

'Data broadcasting' transmits multimedia data such as text, still images, graphics, documents, and software using a broadcasting medium, and allows viewers to use the information through a dedicated set-top box or a computer (PC) with processing functions. It is a service.

It is a service that best fits the trend of the times of convergence of broadcasting and communication, and enables the interaction of users and personalization of broadcasting information, and is a new service that will drastically change the attributes of broadcasting services that have been experienced so far. .

Looking at the current adoption of data broadcasting standards according to domestic broadcasting platforms, satellite broadcasting is based on MHP (Multimedia Home Platform), terrestrial broadcasting is ACAP (Advanced Common Application Platform), and cable broadcasting is OCAP (Open Cable Application Platform). Each is housed.

However, the adoption of different data broadcasting standards as described above causes various problems in the present situation, which is aimed at mutual harmony between each broadcasting platform. In particular, there are many controversies regarding interoperability between data broadcasting standards (that is, application interoperability between broadcasting platforms) in terrestrial and cable broadcasting, and other issues that are being raised. There is a controversy over the re-modulation (8VSB-QAM) method according to the retransmission of terrestrial broadcasting, or the application of universal free service to pay broadcasting.

The present invention has been proposed to solve the above problems, and is a framework of an application lifecycle based on Globally Executable MHP (VEM) that can be commonly applied to data broadcasting platforms of different standards and applications within the framework. The purpose of the present invention is to provide a GEM-based data broadcasting platform and method for ensuring interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting, by providing a management method to ensure interoperability of applications among heterogeneous data broadcasting platforms. .

Other objects and advantages of the present invention can be understood by the following description, and will be more clearly understood by the embodiments of the present invention. It will also be appreciated that the objects and advantages of the present invention may be realized by the means and combinations thereof indicated in the claims.

The present invention for achieving the above object, in the data broadcasting platform for ensuring the interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting, the service context for managing the life cycle of the application for each service, providing the service environment for each service Application management means for configuring and configuring an application context for each application corresponding to one service, and managing application information through an application list; And loading means for loading the application downloaded from the middleware according to the request of the application management means.

On the other hand, the present invention, the GEM-based application management method for ensuring the interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting platform, the service selection step of receiving a service selection from the user through the service context; Identification information obtaining step of obtaining application identification information related to the selected service from an application list; And an application loading step of loading an application corresponding to the application identification information through a corresponding application context.

On the other hand, the present invention, the GEM-based application management method for ensuring interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting platform, the service selection step of receiving a new service from the user through the service context; An AIT filtering step of acquiring an application information table (AIT) to download the corresponding application for the selected service; A previous application management step of terminating or maintaining an application of the previous service according to a bound condition of a currently running service (previous service) and service change; Setting an environment for a new application associated with the selected service according to the obtained application information table (AIT); And a new application management step of managing a new application downloaded and loaded from the middleware according to the control code.

According to the present invention, in consideration of the harmony between different data broadcasting platforms, the main factors related to data broadcasting applications, that is, requirements for the application (Application) and application context (Application context) and application manager (Application Manager) Based on this, the frameworks and processes of the application lifecycle part of the data broadcasting middleware, which is responsible for managing and operating the application, are commonly applied to each broadcasting platform. By making it possible, the interoperability of applications between data broadcasting platforms is guaranteed from the perspective of application management.

The above objects, features and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, whereby those skilled in the art may easily implement the technical idea of the present invention. There will be. In addition, in describing the present invention, when it is determined that the detailed description of the known technology related to the present invention may unnecessarily obscure the gist of the present invention, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is an explanatory diagram of the interrelationship between the main factors of the application lifecycle applied to the present invention. That is, the relationship between the main factors of the application life cycle on the data receiver platform of the broadcast receiver.

As shown in FIG. 1, an application manager 11, an application manager 11, an application 12, and application contexts 13 and 14 of the application lifecycle are described. It is a major factor, and the relationship between these factors can be divided into two aspects as follows.

One is the aspect in which the application manager 11 manages the application 12, and the other is the aspect in which the application manager 11 notifies or calls the application 12 so that it is properly managed. And the interface between these two aspects is made through the application context (13, 14).

First, the aspect in which the application manager 11 manages the application 12 will be described. First, the application manager 11 creates an application so that the application is in a loaded state, and initXlet ( To get to a PAUSED state. Then, the startXlet () method is called in the PAUSED state, so that the application is configured to be displayed on the TV screen in the case of an application configured with a GUI (Graphic User Interface). It also calls the pauseXlet () method in the ACTIVE state to make it PAUSED. In each state, that is, in the LOADED, PAUSED, and ACTIVE states, the destroyXlet () method is called. The call causes the application 12 to be in a DESTROYED state.

In addition, when the application 12 describes the aspect of notifying or requesting the application manager 11 of its state change through the application contexts 13 and 14, the application 12 is defined in the application context 14. Using notifyPaused () or notifyDestroyed () method to notify the application manager 11 that its status has changed to a status such as PAUSED or DESTROYED, respectively, and calling its resumeRequest () method. The application manager 11 may be requested to have a status of ACTIVE.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an embodiment of a GEM-based data broadcasting platform for ensuring interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcastings. In particular, FIG. 2 illustrates a framework of an application lifecycle according to the present invention. In other words, it represents an application lifecycle framework applicable to the data broadcasting platform of the broadcast receiver.

As shown in FIG. 2, the WEM-based data broadcasting platform according to the present invention includes an application manager (application manager) 21 corresponding to an application database (DB) having a data processing function, and a data broadcast unit is downloaded. It consists of a 'Class Loader' (22) corresponding to a kind of loading means for loading the received application 'according to the request of the application manager.

Here, the application manager 21 manages the life cycle of the corresponding application for each service, configures and manages a service context for providing a corresponding service environment for each service, and configures and manages an application context for each application corresponding to one service. Application information is integrated management through the application list, the 'service context (210)', 'service' (211), which provides the environment for the service (Service) (211), the 'application ( Application '(215, 216),' Application Context (Application Context) '(213, 214) that provides the environment of the application, each application is registered in the' Application List '(212) Becomes In addition, identification of each application is made through organization identification information (organization_id) (O-ID in FIG. 2) and application identification information (application_id) (A-ID in FIG. 2).

The framework of the application lifecycle according to the present invention is a structure for implementing the "Application Listing and Launching" API of Globally Executable MHP (GEM), which is commonly defined in MHP, ACAP, and OCAP. In order to implement the API, it is necessary to establish a relationship between various classes defined therein, and a framework as shown in FIG. 2 clearly shows the interrelationship between main classes. Hereinafter, an embodiment of a corresponding framework for each data broadcasting platform will be described.

First, in the case of MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) of satellite broadcasting, types of applications are divided into 'bound applications' and 'unbound applications' according to service dependencies of applications. If the bound or unbound applications 215, 216 are included in any service, the application is registered in the respective application context 213, 214, and the application context 213, 214 is the application manager 21 Is registered in the application list 212 managed by), and the signaling 20 of the application is configured to be performed by the AIT. In addition, the service 211 including the application is registered in the service context 210, and the service context 210 is stored and managed in an internal database of the application manager to associate the service with the application.

Next, OCAP of cable broadcasting is basically the same as that of MHP (Multimedia Home Platform) of satellite broadcasting. However, in the case of OCAP, the application types are divided into bound applications, unbound applications, and monitor applications. When applying the framework from the viewpoint of managing these three types of applications, the application life of OCAP is applied. In the cycle structure, the bound application will be included in the service, the unbound and monitor applications will be included in the abstract service, and the service and the virtual service will each be registered in a service context. Each of the applications 215 and 216 is registered in the corresponding application list 213 and 214 and is managed by the application manager 21 so that the corresponding applications are signaled by AIT and XAIT (Extended AIT), respectively. Will be constructed.

Finally, terrestrial broadcasting ACAP is similar to OCAP.

Meanwhile, referring to FIG. 2, an application loading method performed by the application manager 21 among the GEM-based application management methods for ensuring interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting platforms will be described. Performing a service selection process for receiving service selection through (2) next, performing an identification information acquisition process for obtaining application identification information (ie, organization_id, application_id) related to the selected service from an application list, ( 3) Next, an application loading step of loading an application corresponding to the application identification information through a corresponding application context is performed.

3A and 3B are flowcharts illustrating an example of a process of starting and terminating an application according to the present invention, and showing a process of starting and terminating an application performed in a data broadcasting platform of a broadcast receiver.

As shown in Figures 3a and 3b, the "start" and "end" of the application starts from the selection of the service, when the service is selected (300), the 'previous service (if there is a selection of a new service) Bound condition of the currently running service "(301) and" Change of service (i.e. whether the newly selected service is the same as the currently running service (old service)) "(302, According to 303), there may be four cases of processes (Case A, Case B, Case C, and Case D).

Here, "service_bound_flag" indicating a bound condition of the previous service is a field defined in an application descriptor included in the AIT table and indicates a field for confirming whether a specific application is driven in the corresponding service area. And, service_bound_flag may be "0" or "1". If "0", it means that the application is not running in the service area, that is, the application is running regardless of the service. On the other hand, the "1" means that the application is running in the service area, that is, when the service is terminated, the application is also terminated.

And, when describing the control code (control code) to be used in the steps "313", "325", "332", "345", "Autostart", "Present", "Destroy", "Kill", etc. have. "Autostart" means to start the application, "Present" means to register with the service, and "Destroy" and "Kill" means to terminate the application. Here, "Destroy" and "Kill" have the same meaning in that the application is terminated, but there are differences in the process in the termination process. That is, in general, various errors may exist when the application is terminated. In this case, "Destroy" means waiting for the problem to be solved, and when the problem is solved, remove the application at that time, and "Kill" means Unlike "Destroy", if a problem occurs, it means to terminate the application immediately regardless of the problem.

In short, the application is started by the command "Autostart" in the application control code, and the application is terminated by the server command "Destroy" or "Kill". But the problem here is the termination of the application. This is because the application is not simply terminated by the server side termination command. In general, there can be a variety of situations, and conditions can exist at the end of an application.

Returning to the description of FIG. 3, in case of Case A, that is, when the bound condition (service_bound_flag) of the previous service is "1" and the service is changed (if the newly selected service is different from the currently running service (old service)). Next, PAUSED and DESTROYED the previous application (311, 312). Then, the control code of the new application is checked (313), and if the control code is "Autostart", the process is terminated by initializing (314) and starting (STARTED) 315 the new application. On the other hand, if the control code is "Present", the process is terminated after only registering the new application (316).

The registered applications can be provided to the user as a list, and if selected by the user, the application will be started.

In case B, that is, when the bound condition of the previous service is "1" and the service is not changed, another process may proceed according to whether or not the version of the application is changed because the services are the same. If the version of the application has not changed, the process is terminated while maintaining the state of the previous application (322). In contrast, when a version change occurs, the previous application is stopped (323) and terminated (324), and then the control code of the new application is checked (325). If the control code is "Autostart", the new application is initialized (326). The process ends by starting 327. On the other hand, if the control code is "Present", the process is terminated after registering a new application (328).

In case C, that is, when the bound condition of the previous service is "0" and the service is changed, the previous application state is maintained (331) and the control code of the new application is checked (332).

If the control code is "Autostart", the process is terminated by initializing a new application (333) and starting (334), whereas in the case of "Present", the process is terminated after registering a new application (335). do.

In case D, that is, when the bound condition of the previous service is "0" and the service is not changed, another process may proceed according to whether the application is changed or not because the services are the same. First, if the application version check result 341, the version is not changed, the process is terminated while maintaining the state of the previous application (342). However, if a version change occurs, the previous application is stopped (343) and terminated (344), and then the control code of the new application is checked (345). As a result of the confirmation of "345", when the control code is "Autostart", the process is terminated by initializing (346) and starting (347) a new application, whereas registering the new application when the control code is "Present". The post process 348 ends.

4 is a flowchart illustrating an AIT filtering process according to the present invention, and illustrates an AIT filtering process that may be performed in a data broadcasting platform of a broadcast receiver.

Application Information Table (AIT) filtering is a process of obtaining an AIT from the application lifecycle part, and starts from receiving a Service Map (SIT) database from a Program Map Table (PMT) (400). Here, the AIT is a table that contains information about the application and is a table used for application signaling.

When the PMT is obtained, the stream type (stream_type) is checked in the obtained PMT (401). That is, it is checked whether the stream type (stream_type) is 0x05 (whether it is the basic stream type) or not (401). Herein, the stream type (stream_type) of 0x05 indicates that ITU-T Rec. H.222.0 | Represents ISO / IEC 13818-1 private_section.

As a result of checking in step 401, if the stream type (stream_type) is not 0x05 (the base stream type), the process is terminated. If the stream type is 0x05 (the base stream type), the application signaling descriptor is again included in the PMT. It is checked whether a descriptor (elementary_PID) is included (402).

As a result of checking in step 402, if the application signaling descriptor is not included, the process is terminated. If the application signaling descriptor is included, the elementary stream is included in the PMT. Obtain a PID (elementary_PID) of the UE (403).

Then, the PID (elementary_PID) of the obtained elementary stream is designated as the PID of the AIT and an AIT is requested to the section filter portion (404). That is, AIT filtering is performed by requesting an AIT corresponding to the PID designated as the PID of the AIT (404). Through this AIT filtering process, an AIT containing application information is obtained.

5 is a flowchart illustrating a method of downloading and managing an application for a new service in a data broadcasting platform according to the present invention, and showing an application signaling process.

As shown in FIG. 5, the application lifecycle begins with the selection of a service. When a service is selected (500), a service context is provided to provide an environment for the selected service (501). ). Here, the service selection from the user is to receive the service selection through the electronic program guide (EPG) or the remote controller.

Then, audio / video tuning occurs in the media processing unit of the middleware in charge of the presentation so that the selected service can be displayed on the actual TV screen (502). That is, the media processing unit of the middleware stops the old service and drives the new service through the media control process (502).

Next, an application manager is driven, and the application manager receives corresponding service information from the SI database (503).

The selected service is assigned or registered to an application manager. In order to download an application included in the service, AIT filtering is first performed (504) (see FIG. 4). Here, the AIT filtering requests filtering by monitoring so that the version of the AIT can be continuously checked (507).

The application manager checks the bound condition of the previous service and the like by using the service information and the AIT (AIT obtained through the AIT filtering performed on the previous service) for the selected service delivered in "503". As a result, the previous application is stopped / terminated (505, more specifically, FIG. 3) and the corresponding memory is released, and at the same time, information related to the previous application (for example, resources of the previous application) is deleted ("Detach Domain ") 506.

On the other hand, if the AIT is obtained through the AIT filtering process started through "504" (507), the application manager sets the environment for a new application associated with the service ("Attach Domain") (509). The Attach Domain process 509 is performed in accordance with the completion of the Detach Domain process 506 and the event receiving process informing that the AIT has been acquired. If a new application environment is configured according to "509", the application manager requests the data broadcasting unit to download a new application (510).

When the download 510 of the application is completed through the data broadcasting unit, the application manager executes the downloaded application to generate the corresponding application (511) and configures the corresponding application context for the generated application (512). The application manager registers the application according to the control code of the application (513) or starts the application and continuously manages the state of the application (514). Here, the lifecycle management process of the application is the same as "515", and the application manager manages the state of the application through the application context.

As described above, the method of the present invention may be implemented as a program and stored in a recording medium (CD-ROM, RAM, ROM, floppy disk, hard disk, magneto-optical disk, etc.) in a computer-readable form. Since this process can be easily implemented by those skilled in the art will not be described in more detail.

The present invention described above is capable of various substitutions, modifications, and changes without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention for those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains. It is not limited by the drawings.

As described above, the present invention provides an application operation related module that can be commonly applied to data broadcasting platforms of different standard standards, thereby ensuring interoperability or interoperability between different data broadcasting platforms. .

In addition, the present invention provides an approach in terms of application management in consideration of interoperability of applications between different broadcast platforms, thereby effectively ensuring interoperability in terms of application management.

Claims (17)

In the data broadcasting platform to ensure the interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting, Manages the life cycle of the application for each service, configures the service context to provide the service environment for each service, configures and manages the application context for each application corresponding to one service, and the application information is integrated and managed through the application list. Management means; And Loading means for loading the application downloaded from the middleware according to the request of the application management means Wem-based data broadcasting platform comprising a. The method of claim 1, The application management means, When the data broadcasting platform is a satellite broadcasting platform, a service selected by a user is registered in a corresponding service context, and the service context is stored and managed in an internal database to associate the service with an application. Broadcast platform. The method of claim 2, The application management means, A GEM-based data broadcasting platform, characterized in that one service is registered for each service context. The method of claim 2, The application management means, A WEM-based data broadcasting platform, wherein the application context is registered in a corresponding application context, and the application context is registered in the application list and managed. The method of claim 1, The application management means, When the data broadcasting platform is a cable broadcasting or terrestrial broadcasting platform, the bound application is included in the service, the unbound application and the monitor application are included in the virtual service, and the service and the virtual service are each in a single service context. JP-based data broadcasting platform, characterized in that registered in. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, The application management means, When the user selects a new service, the life cycle of the GEM-based data broadcasting platform is characterized by managing the life cycle of the application according to the bound condition, service change, and control code for the currently running service (old service). The method of claim 6, The application, A GEM-based data broadcasting platform comprising notifying the application management means of its own state change through a corresponding application context. The method of claim 6, The application, Requesting the application management means to change its own state through a corresponding application context; The application management means, A WEM-based data broadcasting platform, characterized in that for changing a state of a corresponding application by calling a corresponding lifecycle method according to a state change request of the application. The method of claim 6, The application, And a data broadcasting platform identified through organization identification information (organization_id) and application identification information (application_id). In the GEM-based application management method to ensure interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting platform, A service selection step of receiving a service selection from a user through a service context; Identification information obtaining step of obtaining application identification information related to the selected service from an application list; And An application loading step of loading an application corresponding to the application identification information through a corresponding application context; GEM-based application management method comprising a. The method of claim 10, The application list, A GEM-based application management method comprising an application that is registered and managed for each service and identification information of the corresponding application. The method of claim 11, The identification information, A GEM-based application management method comprising organization identification information (organization_id) and application identification information (application_id). In the GEM-based application management method to ensure interoperability of applications between heterogeneous data broadcasting platform, A service selection step of selecting a new service from a user through a service context; An AIT filtering step of acquiring an application information table (AIT) to download the corresponding application for the selected service; A previous application management step of terminating or maintaining an application of the previous service according to a bound condition of a currently running service (previous service) and service change; Setting an environment for a new application associated with the selected service according to the obtained application information table (AIT); And New application management step to manage new application downloaded and loaded from middleware according to control code GEM-based application management method comprising a. The method of claim 13, The AIT filtering step, Obtaining a PMT from a service information (SI) database; Confirming whether the stream type is an elementary stream (ES) and whether an application signaling descriptor is included through the obtained PMT; As a result of the check, if the stream type is an elementary stream (ES) and the PMT includes an application signaling descriptor, the PMT obtains a PID of an elementary stream and requests an AIT from a section filter of middleware using the elementary stream PID. Obtaining by; And If the stream type is not an elementary stream (ES) or if the PMT does not include an application signaling descriptor, ending AIT filtering GEM-based application management method comprising a. The method of claim 13, The previous application management step, If the previous service is a bound service and the selected service is different from the previous service or the service is the same but the application is different in version, the previous application is terminated, and the selected service is the same as the previous service and the version up to the version. If the step of maintaining the previous application; And  If the previous service is an unbound service and the selected service is different from the previous service or the same as the application version, the previous application is maintained, and the selected service is the same as the previous service but the application is different. Terminating the previous application GEM-based application management method comprising a. The method of claim 15, The new application management step, If the control code is " Autostart ", the new application is changed to a start state; if the control code is " Present ", the new application is managed. The method of claim 15, The new application management step, A GEM-based application management method characterized by managing the state change of the application through an application context.

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