TW538628B - Software architecture for a television set-top terminal that provides compatibility with multiple operating environments - Google Patents

Abstract

A software architecture is provided to enable core television set-top software (20) to run in different operating environments. Reuse and portability of the core set-top software (20) to alternate operating environments allows well-understood and previously tested software components to be reused. A kernel abstraction component (18) uses kernel calls and kernel-specific translations to abstract operating system-specific functions from an operating system kernel (16). The functions are made available to the core software (20) in a generic format Additionally, a device drivers-to-driver model interface (30) separates the details of the driver model environment from the core system software (20). Furthermore, a software interface (26) allows application programs (10) (such as program guides, games, and Internet web browsers) and middleware (12) to communicate with the core set-top system software (20). The core software allows the set-top to provide television functions such as service acquisition, system information management, download capability, return path communication, set-top configuration, and conditional access control.

Description

^ 38628 ⑴

Description of the embodiment and item list) & Description of the invention (The description of the invention should state: the technical field, prior art, content, and background of the invention to which the invention belongs Tomb 1¾] at the time of applying for the right of case number 60/1 3 5, 22 1. The present invention provides a software architecture that makes the core software of a terminal on a television compatible with the same operating environment. + Recently appeared * & The growth of the TV network of users seeking satellites. This type of terminal can support the enhancement process ::: hierarchy, as well as a variety of programs such as an electronic program guide, stock or weather, and banking services, games, etc. Such a soft foundation "applications and functions. Moreover, this trend is expected to follow the convergence of video and computer networks, and home computers: °, electric cable or satellite TV, etc.-digital computers; Continuation: The operating system (OS) software, intermediate software, and device driver operating system (OS) software provide operating system support (OS). The multi-threaded real-time intermediate software system connects the two different Separation should Program introduction · I person one place ΠΠ Xiao Dou For example, this intermediate soft touch between the application ^ application and a network across heterogeneous computing flat A々 / Π Xutian Y Menku people planted, hunted for management and different thousand There is no communication between applications. From the more general car cylinder, as a separate application, the application of π, the adhesive of π, because it is connected to the Φ pipeline device. Sometimes referred to as a 'Further' drive is used to control a different hardware device in a terminal machine 538628 i:?: ⑽

(2) Such as tuner, demodulator, MPEG-2 decoder (eg ^... Audio frequency, audio and video data), video encoder and audio mixer, etc. Have "core software" available, allowing the aircraft to provide services such as: (sr) management, downloading capabilities (for example, for new applications: (0 S) software), return to Rousseau and say "plus" 焖 get in the box, System information V — P > type and operating system (os) software), return path communication (for example, to poll f to facilitate account opening), on-board configuration and conditional access control (that is, to maintain 0 and other necessary) TV function. In the past, each machine was only designed to use a special operating environment. Previously, j did not address the problem of multiple operating environments in the on-board environment. Generally, the application program was rewritten by rewriting the on-board system software. In this environment, or the & $ ~ summary layer is transferred to various operating environments. A 3 This, its benefits are: to promote the choice of different operating environments on one machine and = need to change the system software on the core machine, which will lead to a single The on-board design is used repeatedly in the heavy operating environment. At the same time, it promotes the faster operation of the alternate operating software environment, allowing the new on-board devices to be marketed in a faster time. In particular, 'a software architecture that allows Like a cable A user of a TV system private operator selects the operating environment including the operating system (OS) core, the middleware and application software, and the device driver on the aircraft. The system software should allow the device to operate in a common system. Operating in the environment. The architecture should allow the development of core software, and then implement the architecture in any of a number of different operating environments, such as VRTX, Windows CE, Aperios, PowerTV, and other on-board operating environments. Μ The architecture should be applicable to terminal 538628 (3) _talk page 'terminals that receive program planning services including broadband communication networks, digital subscriber loop (DSL) networks, and any other network type. The present invention provides a device that enjoys the above and other Advantageous software architecture. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, it provides an operating environment software architecture that enables core software of an on-board device to operate in a plurality of different operating environments. In a particular embodiment, a method for providing A device implementing a software architecture of a television user terminal includes: a computer readable device having a computer code device Media, and a device for executing the computer code device to implement a hierarchical software architecture. The architecture includes: a first hardware layer, a second device driver layer, and a third device driver interface layer, which provide television functions Core system software and a fourth layer of a core summary function, a fifth layer for intermediate software transfer, and a sixth layer core provided by at least one application program (on a seventh layer) The abstraction layer and the device driver interface layer enable the core system software to operate in different operating environments. Furthermore, an operating system (0 S) core is prepared at the fourth and fifth layers. The architecture further includes the core system software and the first layer. A software interface between five layers to enable the core system software to operate in different operating environments. The TV functions of the core system software include one or more message acceptance and distribution, system information processing, terminal configuration, and terminal control message processing services. Acquisition, conditional access control, download capability, return path communication, and diagnostic data management. Furthermore, the TV function may include conditional access services, which include one or more object authentication, object authorization, resource authorization, baseline dedicated key exchange service 538628 / > ^ (4),. 丨 | Continued pages': S.,,, and encryption functions. Also express a corresponding method. Brief Description of the Drawings This drawing depicts a television user terminal architecture according to one of the present invention. Implementation Method This illustration is to implement a software platform or architecture of a set-top box according to the present invention. The platform can be implemented using any suitable operating system, such as the VRTX (Virtual Real-Time Execution) operating system provided by Mentor Graphics of Oregon, Wilsonville, Windows CE provided by Microsoft Corporation of Washington, Redmond, N · Ν ·, AperiOS from New York, CA, PowerTV from PowerTV from Cupertino, etc. The architecture can be considered as consisting of three main layers, including: a lower layer related to hardware and device driver functions (functions 30, 32, and 3 4), and an intermediate layer related to software on the core machine (function 1 4 , 16, 18, 2 0, 2 2, 24, and 2 6), and a high level of middleware and applications (functions 10, 12) 〇 In particular, the top level of the stylistic structure contains one or more applications The program 10 may include, for example, a digital TV (DTV) browsing application (provided by Liberate Technology of California 'San Carlos), interactive games, enhanced TV features, and a web browser on the Internet. These applications must communicate with the core system software 20. The communication is completed by an intermediate software / application program interface 1, 2, an intermediate software transfer layer 14, and a software interface 26. 538628 (5) The second level in the face-to-face software structure includes the intermediate software / application programming interface A P I (Application Private Programming Interface) 丨 2. This layer is part of the operating environment (that is, it is a characteristic of the operating system (0s)) and provides an interface with the application program 10 running on-board (for example, on-board hardware 34). Layer 12 provides facilities for applications to use and control set-top box resources and coexist with other applications. Layer 12 also provides the environment in which the application executes. Layer 2 also provides an API for writing applications to provide a writing environment. Furthermore, this layer 12 handles the shared drought resources, multiple applications, application selection, application activation, and application termination release. Preferably, it provides a consistent interface for end users. Intermediate software transfer layer i 4 for cable, DSL or other television services is required for software components that do not convert TV, graphics and communication interfaces 20, 22, and 24 into an intermediate software, and the intermediate software Special function interface specified by the vendor / vendor. Intermediate software vendors usually specify an interface where their software has been tested and verified. This layer 14 is also part of the operating environment 'and it allows the portability of on-board intermediate software solutions in an expedient manner. In particular, when different intermediate software layers are allowed to execute, layer 14 allows the system software 20 on the core to remain intact. The operating system (0S) core 16 is provided at the middle software transfer layer 14 and the core ^ on-board system software 20, graphics, audio, video subsystem 22, and network communication. This core 16 can include, for example, a VRTX core version 4π, and • another MIPS (Million Instruction Per Second) port for the Mentor Graphics 1 < Microtechnology Division to the Motorola 68000 microprocessor family. This core 16 provides The multi-threaded real-time operation system required on the operating system is -10- 538628 仪 Instrument page: system (0S) support. The operating system (0s) core 16 together with the intermediate software transfer layer 14 and the intermediate software / application program interface API1 s 12 and the device driver are components of the operating environment. In particular, the operating system (OS) core 16 provides operating system (OS) facilities such as multiplexing, internal task communication, synchronization, and memory management. These facilities are used to create tasks, set task priorities, communicate between tasks, and synchronize system tasks with application tasks. A core summary component 18 according to the present invention provides the general core functions required by other components. In particular, the component 18 extracts these functions from the characteristics of the operating system (OS) core 16. The core summary component 18 includes two sections, that is, (1) the core call used by the component, and (i 丨) the core-specific conversion. Some of the supported core features are implemented in a way that is independent of the underlying core. According to the present invention, the core summary component 18 separates the details of the operating system (0S) core from the core on-board system software 20, and isolates the characteristics of the core system software from the implementation of an operating system (0S) core. In this way, the core software 20 portability between operating environments is provided. Operating System (OS) Core Summary 18 Provides a standard operating system (OS) service type of core system software 20 in a general way. These services include, for example, messaging, thread operations, memory management, synchronization, and event management. The core system software 20 includes support for TV system features. For example, this software can be written to support DigiCipher® II digital TV system features. DigiCipher® II is a proprietary system developed by the general equipment company, PennSyivania, Horsham, USA. This system includes features specific to the cable television environment used for downstream and upstream communications. The features supported by the core system software 20 include, but are not limited to: service acquisition (for example, a payment of 538628 ί ί / 2. K; i ΰ ～ _ _ _ _ about the movie page fee to obtain the movie), system information Management, on-board configuration and control, polling return path, download capabilities with authentication and authorization, and invariant memory management.

The core system software 20 also includes a conditional access system driver (CABIOS) to provide security and access control. This component supports features such as object authentication, object authorization, resource authorization, toolbox for encryption tools, and baseline dedicated key exchange. Cryptographic Toolbox (Cryptographic Toolbox) interface layer, which is the standard of the Public Key Cryptographic Standard (PKCS) 1 1. In particular, the core system software 20 provides services that allow the aircraft to exist in a communications (eg, cable television) network. As mentioned above, the functions of this software include: Message Acceptance and Distribution-This software component receives messages on a control channel or through an in-band channel and assigns them to appropriate software processing for interpretation and processing. .

System Information Processing-This component interprets communication protocols (such as the Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC), or the Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) standard) to provide for specifying modulation types, channel mapping, service mapping, service description, service components System information. This information allows software to find and reconstruct delivery services to users or applications. Configuration and control message processing ... This component interprets, for example, configuration and control messages transmitted from a wired head-end controller to the machine. This information is used to prepare a machine to operate within a cable television system or other applicable network. This component sets the characteristics of the machine and provides the system operator the ability to remotely operate on the machine. -12- 538628 ⑻

Fact Sheet 1¾ Achievement Page: Digital and Analog Service Acquisition ... This component performs all the necessary functions of a video / audio service that is “tuned” to one of the TV viewers. Conditional access system ... This component authorizes services and applications. Video services are delivered to the aircraft in an encrypted form. The conditional access (CA) system compares the authorization information about the service with the authorization information passed to the aircraft. When authorizing a service authorization, the CA system facilitates decryption of the service.

Download Subsystem-This component obtains software objects from a wired or other applicable network and stores them in on-board memory. Such objects may include, for example, software packages or applications. The download subsystem decides whether to authorize the object, and if so, processes and stores each section of the object. Once the object is stored, it becomes effective and can then be controlled from the headend or executed by the operating system.

Return Path Subsystem--This component collects purchase and diagnostic information and sends it back to the headend (or other appropriate system operator end) as instructed. This information is finally sent to an billing system to facilitate billing for services used on board. The return path can be a storage and transfer facility, or an on-demand interactive facility. Diagnostic data management subsystem ... This component collects and manages the data that can be used to diagnose the status of the machine to allow remote determination of the operation and health of the software on the machine. This information can be displayed to the user or installer by the operating system (0S). It can also be collected by the return path subsystem by a computer at the system operator's end (such as a cable headend). CAB IOS (Conditional Access Basic Service) provides normal service access control -13-

538628 (9) conditional access services above, including: Object authentication-This function authenticates a software object 'to determine that the object strain a is the desired object. This type of authentication is accomplished, for example, by comparing a passing signature to an object. Object Authorization-This function authorizes the loading and execution of objects on the machine. i. It uses conditional access hardware to determine the authorization status on the machine. Resource Authorization--This feature authorizes the use of hardware resources through conditional access. Baseline Dedicated Key Exchange Service-These functions support the key exchange requirements of the wired system ^ Dual-machine system, which follows the cable loading data service warehouse ^ 面 A surface specifications (DOCSIS) 〇 Encryption functions-these functions Provides a basic encryption toolbox for on-board application operating systems and applications. As mentioned above, the typical encryption toolbox follows the PKCS 11 standard, but other standards can be used. In a preferred embodiment, the graphics, audio, and video subsystem 22 includes two-dimensional (2D), Three-dimensional (3D) and video halls that operate on top of a graphics display driver. This type of display driver is usually made by companies like Canada,

Provided by various vendors of ATI Technologies, Thornhill, Ontario. Subsystem 22 provides one of the standard APIs for intermediate software providers to be transferred and to facilitate viewing of video in conjunction with graphics. {It's analog or digital video system: a graphic overlay combined, expressed to the user with a combined appearance. This subsystem 22 also provides audio, which can exist in country mode, such as stereo and surround sound. The Sun audio subsystem can also support the recording and reproduction of audio files. -14-

Daddy's Continuation Page 538628 (ίο) Network Communication Stack 2 4 Provides a standardized network connection stack ’to assist in web browsing and communication with external devices. This subsystem 2 4 includes many standardized network communication protocols that can be transmitted over multiple communication paths. The stack may include, for example, a Mentor / Microtec CNX communication extension of the VRTX operating system provided by Mentor Graphics, Oregon, Wilsonville. This subsystem 24 resides on top of communication drivers (such as Ethernet and DOCSIS drivers) and provides, for example, a Berkeley socket interface

(Berkeley Software Design Company), for example, as TCP / IP (such as a TCP / IP interface on a DOCSIS modem or an Ethernet device), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Address Resolution Protocol (ARP), Internet Control Message Protocol (ICMP), Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DH cp) client, Domain Name System (DNS) ) Customers and point-to-point communication protocols (PPP) (the broadcast uses CCP, Link Control Protocol (LCp) & Internet Protocol Control Protocol (IPCP)) and other communication protocols.

As is well known in the art, in order for the onboard hardware 34 to operate the desired < function in the settop box, various drivers must be provided. In the figure, it is described by a low-level device driver 32. According to the present invention, the driver model interface 30 via the device driver 2 is connected to the driver model used by the system software 20 on the core machine. J-face 3 〇 The driver 丨 acupuncture center Xiner software 1/30 is used to isolate the device driver 32 from the working environment to provide the characteristics of the force model. Low-end device driver software 3 2 is hardware specific and portable across operating environments. Drive model interface 3〇 By providing -15- 538628

92. 1 .. 30. —. The desired driver interface of the system (0s) and the hardware-specific device driver 32 is integrated into the operating system (0S). Both the mother and one device supported on board are equipped with device drivers. It includes a graphics driver, such as an ATI Hardware Access Provider (HAP) layer provided by ATI Technologies. A graphics library used on board can also be written on the AP. Other typical on-board device drivers include a communication driver, a tuner (such as a combination of general-purpose DOCSIS tuner and quadrature amplitude modulation (QA M) code), and a serial port (such as using an I e EE 1 3 9 4 high-performance (Serial bus), parallel port, Ethernet port, universal serial bus (USB) port, light emitting diode (LED), keypad and / or keyboard driver, such as California, Irvine, a DOCSIS driver and a smart card driver for the Broadcom DOCSIS driver provided by Broadcom. A smart card can be used in-flight, such as a consumer purchase application for online purchases. Each device on board requires a driver function to facilitate operation. Obviously, the present invention solves the problem of making the core on-board software compatible with multiple on-board operating environments. With the software architecture provided by the present invention, there is no need to rewrite the specific code of each environment or to transfer the core software to a different operating environment through a summary layer. Instead, it provides a unique device driver-to-driver model interface that combines a core summary component to overcome portability issues, and provides a clear interface between layers in the architecture. The invention can be implemented using object-oriented techniques such as C ++ or JaVa programming, but the invention is not limited to this implementation. The combination of components described here provides on-board software to enable an advanced on-board -16-538628 (12)

f. Taboo pages and boxes implement the basis of their advanced features. Each component provides the necessary functions required for an advanced onboard terminal. The novel architecture of the present invention provides the benefits of repeated use and portability of core on-board software in alternate operating environments, thereby allowing repeated use of software components that are well understood and previously tested. The architecture also allows for fast and straightforward implementation in alternate operating environments. Although the present invention is described in connection with various specific implementations, it should be understood that various adjustments and modifications can be made without departing from the scope stated in the scope of the patent application of the present invention.

Claims (1)

538628 Patent application scope 1. A device for providing a software architecture to implement a television user, comprising: a computer-readable medium having a computer code device; for executing the computer code device to implement a A hierarchical device, comprising: a first layer of hardware supporting the terminal; a second layer including at least one device driver; a third layer including an interface of the at least one device driver; The fourth layer of the core system software of the TV function. The fourth layer also includes a core abstraction function, which starts from the first layer to enable the core system software to operate in different operating environments. A fifth layer for intermediate software transfer. The fourth and fifth layers of the operating system core; and a sixth that provides intermediate software to interface with at least one application. 2. The device in the scope of patent application item 1, wherein: an operating environment includes the intermediate software, intermediate software transfer And the core of the system. 3. For the device in the scope of patent application, item 1, where: An operating environment includes middleware, middleware transfer, core, and device driver. Terminals and software shelves j y three layers and one y layer. Operating system 538628 92 ·] ▲ 裔 Yin patent fan park continuation page ~;-,;, 4. For the device in the scope of patent application item 1, where: An operating environment includes intermediate software, intermediate software transfer, operating system Core, device drivers, and applications. 5. For the device in the scope of patent application item 1, wherein: the television user terminal receives television signals through a broadband communication network. 6. For the device under the scope of patent application, the television function includes at least one of the following: message reception and distribution; system information processing; terminal configuration; terminal control message processing; service acquisition; conditional access control Download capabilities; return path communications; and diagnostic data management. 7. If the device of the scope of patent application, the television function includes conditional access service, which includes at least one of the following: object authentication; object authorization; 538628 1 a :; appeal for special interest: scope: performance page ^ S _; _ resource authorization; baseline dedicated key exchange service; and encryption capabilities. 8. For the device in the scope of patent application, the core summary function provides core call and specific core conversion of the operating system core. 9. For the device under the scope of patent application, the core summary function isolates the core system software from the core part of an operating system specific to an operating environment. 10. The device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the interface of the at least one device driver isolates the core system software from a part of the device driver specific to a specific operating environment. 11. The device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein: The operating system core provides the support of the multi-threaded real-time operating system required to operate the terminal. 1 2 · The device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the operating system core provides a facility specific to the operating environment of the terminal, which includes at least one of the following: multitasking, inter-task communication, messaging, Synchronization, memory management, and event management. 1 3. The device according to item 1 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the architecture further includes between the core system software and the fifth layer 538628 丨 ...,: j I #tab: patent scope continuation "i ___ — f. ,.,, I_ I · ......- a software interface that enables the core system software to operate in different operating environments. 1 4 · If the device in the scope of patent application No. 13, where: the software The interface isolates the core system software from an operating environment intermediate software and a portion of the intermediate software transfer. 1 5. For a device in the scope of claim 13 of the patent application, wherein: the software interface isolates the core system software from a specific Isolate parts of applications in an operating environment. 1 6. —A method for providing a software architecture to implement a television user terminal, including the following steps: Provide a computer with a computer code device that can be read Media; and executing the computer code device to implement a hierarchical software architecture, including: a first layer of hardware supporting the terminal; a first layer including at least one device driver Layers; a third layer containing an interface of the at least one device driver; a fourth layer containing core system software for providing television functions; the fourth layer also includes a core summary function, together with the third layer Promote core system software to operate in different operating environments; a fifth layer for the transfer of intermediate software; a core of the operating system at the fourth and fifth layers; and 538628 F Please: Patent scope: Continued one provides intermediate The software is connected to the sixth layer of at least one application program. 17. The method of item 16 in the scope of patent application, wherein: An operating environment includes intermediate software, intermediate software transfer, and operating system core. The method of item 16 of the patent scope, wherein: An operating environment includes intermediate software, intermediate software transfer, operating system core, and device driver. 19. The method of item 16 of the scope of patent application, wherein an operating environment includes Middleware, middleware transfer, operating system kernel, device driver, and application program. 2. Such as the 16th patent application Method, wherein: The television user terminal receives television signals through a broadband communication network. 2 1. The method according to item 16 of the patent application, wherein the television function includes at least one of the following: message reception and distribution; system Information processing; Terminal configuration; Terminal control message processing; Service acquisition; Conditional access control; 538628 L 3 ϋ. Eight patent application scope performance page download capabilities; Return path communication; and diagnostic data management. 2 2. For example, the method of claim 16 of the patent scope, wherein the television function includes conditional access service, which includes at least one of the following: object authentication; object authorization; resource authorization; baseline dedicated key exchange service; and encryption function. 2 3. The method according to item 16 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the core summary function provides core calling and specific core conversion of the operating system core. 24. The method of claim 16 in the scope of patent application, wherein: the core abstraction function isolates the core system software from a core portion of an operating system specific to a working environment. 25. The method of claim 16 in the scope of patent application, wherein: the interface of the at least one device driver isolates the core system software from a portion of the device driver that is specific to an operating environment. 26. The method according to item 16 of the scope of patent application, in which: the core of the operating system provides the multi-threaded real-time required to operate the terminal 538628 92. L.30: Please discuss the continuation page I议 雠 议 I 议 __ 议 1_ ^ Operating system support. 27. The method according to item 16 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the operating system core provides a terminal device specific to an operating environment, which includes at least one of the following: multi-tasking, inter-task communication, sending Messaging, synchronization, memory management, and event management. 28. The method according to item 16 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the architecture further includes a software interface between the core system software and the fifth layer, so that the core system software operates in different operating environments. 29. The method according to item 28 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the software interface core system software is isolated from a part of the software that is specific to an operating environment and the intermediate software is transferred. 30. The method according to item 28 of the scope of patent application, wherein: the software interface isolates the core system software from a portion of an application program specific to an operating environment.