TWI543599B - Video set-top-box and application server - Google Patents

Description

TV set box and application server

The present invention relates to a set top box, and more particularly to a set top box and an application server.

In view of the popularity of wired fourth and digital TVs, TV sets are usually set up in the home for users to watch TV programs. However, these TV sets are often accompanied by other value-added functions, such as providing TV program listings, weather information, and stock market information. In this way, the user can conveniently operate the remote control of the television (or the set-top box) and obtain the information that he wants to know.

However, the added value provided by these set-top boxes is often not changed after leaving the factory. Alternatively, the operator can add new features to the set-top box by updating the firmware. However, for the user, it is not necessary to know how to update the firmware. And for the average user, instead of researching how to update the firmware, they often prefer to give up the update and watch the TV program directly. As a result, the beauty of the manufacturer's design of the value-added function is greatly reduced. For users, the opportunity to fully utilize the value-added function cannot be fully utilized, and for the manufacturer, the opportunity to increase revenue is also lost.

Furthermore, operators often present information on value-added features through web pages. For example, if the user selects the TV program list function, the set-top box is directed to a specific program list web page, so that the user can see the program list on the web page. However, when the network connection is interrupted or unstable, the user cannot enjoy the value-added service.

To sum up, how to make the value-added function of the set-top box facilitate the update, and how to reduce the impact of the value-added function due to abnormal network connection is the problem that the relevant manufacturers are trying to solve.

In view of the above problems, the present invention provides a TV set box and an application server, so as to solve the problem that the set-top box value-adding function existing in the prior art is not easy to update, and the value-added function cannot be used due to abnormal network connection. The problem.

An embodiment of the present invention provides a television set box and an application server. The application server stores multiple applications. The TV set-top box is connected to the application server to selectively download the first program of the plurality of applications from the application server. Before the first program is executed, the TV set box automatically checks with the application server whether the downloaded first program is the latest version. If not, the TV set-top box downloads the first version of the latest version from the application server.

Another embodiment of the present invention provides a television set box for use with an application server, the set top box of the television comprising: a communication module and a processing module. The communication module is connected to the application server. The processing module is electrically connected to the communication module to selectively download a first program of the plurality of applications from the application server, and automatically check whether the downloaded first program is sent to the application server before executing the first program For the latest version, if not, download the latest version of the first program from the application server.

According to the set-top box and the application server of the present invention, the set-top box of the television can automatically check and update the latest version to the application that the user wants to execute, and the user does not need to bother learning how to update. Moreover, the user can select the application to be used from the application server and download it to the box on the TV. Furthermore, since the application is downloaded to the local TV set box, if the network connection between the TV set box and the application server is interrupted or unstable, the downloaded application can still be in the offline environment. It is executed so users can continue to use the value-added service.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , which is a schematic diagram of the TV set box 200 and the application server 100 of the present invention.

The application server 100 stores the plurality of applications 120, such as the first program 121, the second program 122, and the third program 123 shown in FIG. 1, but the invention is not limited thereto. The set-top box 200 is connected to the application server 100 to selectively download the first program 121 of the plurality of applications 120 from the application server 100 (here, the first program 121 is downloaded as an example). Before executing the first program 121, the set-top box 200 automatically checks with the application server 100 whether the downloaded first program 121 is the latest version. If not, the set-top box 200 downloads the first version 121 of the latest version from the application server 100; if so, the first program 121 is executed.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing the structure of the set-top box 200 of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the television set 200 includes a communication module 210, a permanent memory 220, an input module 230, a processing module 240, and a temporary memory 250. The processing module 240 is electrically connected to the communication module 210, the permanent memory 220, the input module 230, and the temporary storage memory 250. The communication module 210 supports an Internet Protocol Network (IP Network) to connect to the application server 100 via the Internet Protocol network. The persistent memory 220 stores the application 120 downloaded from the application server 100 (where the first program 121 and the second program 122 are stored). The input module 230 receives an input to generate an execution instruction corresponding to the first program 121. Here, the input module 230 can be a button of the box 200 on the television set or a button of the remote controller paired therewith. The processing module 240 checks with the application server 100 via the communication module 210 in response to the execution command whether the first program 121 is the latest version. If not, the processing module 240 downloads and executes the latest version of the first program 121 from the application server 100. Here, the processing module 240 can be an embedded processor or other equivalent processor and can run a service platform operating system. The temporary memory 250 temporarily stores the first program executed by the processing module 240.

As shown in FIG. 2, when the processing module 240 performs the value-added service of the set-top box 200, the set-top box 200 carries a browser frame 260 in the temporary memory 250 and is in the browser frame 260. An application management platform 270 is constructed to run the first program 121 on the application management platform 270. Here, each application 120 is written in a syntax that supports web pages, such as HTML5 or/and JavaScript. Therefore, the set-top box 200 requires a browser framework 260 (or web browser) to execute the application 120.

As described above, the TV set above 200 will check its version before executing the application 120. Therefore, when the application management platform 270 executes the first program 121, it checks with the application server 100 whether the downloaded first program 121 is the latest version. For example, the set-top box 200 provides the version number of the stored application 120 to the application server 100. The application server 100 updates the application version than the version number of the same application whose version number is stored by itself, if the version number stored by itself is newer.

Figures 3 and 4 are respectively schematic diagrams of the interface of the intermediary program 280 of the present invention (1) (2).

Referring to Figures 2 and 3, the set-top box 200 includes a mediation program 280 for displaying an application menu 281 when the intermediary program 280 is executed, so that the user can use the value-added service. Here, the application menu 281 is exemplarily shown to display a plurality of applications 120 for the user to select and execute. Next, an application 120 in which the user selects "game" through the input module 230 will be described. As shown in FIG. 4, the application menu 281 presents a game menu of the second layer, and a plurality of games (applications 120) are exemplarily illustrated herein, and the present invention is not limited thereto. When the user selects one of the applications 120, such as "Tetris", the intermediary 280 will check with the application server 100 whether the downloaded "Tetris" application is the latest version.

Here, the mediation program 280 is independent of other applications. After the user selects and executes the mediation program 280 through the input module 230 (such as pressing the corresponding function key), the processing module 240 executes the mediation program 280. The version update of the application 120 is performed by the user. In other words, if the user selects only one application 120, the other applications 120 will not be updated to avoid occupying the storage space of the permanent memory 220, and avoid taking up too long update time, affecting the user's use of the set-top box 200.

In an embodiment, the TV set 200 can also be built with a native program, and the native program can also be applied to the version verification and update process of the aforementioned application 120.

Figure 5 is a block diagram showing the architecture of the application server 100 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the application server 100 and the set-top box 200 are connected via the Internet Protocol Network 400. The application server 100 can include a web page sub-server 140, a database sub-server 160, and a file sub-server 180.

The web page server 140 provides a webpage login interface for the TV set-top box 200 to log in to provide legitimate users with application operations and queries related to the management of the application 120 and its information, and historical data display. In addition, the web page server 140 can also serve as an application server for processing connection with each of the set-top boxes 200, verification and application service downloads by the application 120, and application history data recording and statistics. Related processing jobs.

The database sub-server 160 connects the webpage sub-server 140 to store the activity history records of the login box 200 of the television, such as the storage, processing, query and management of related information and historical data. If the size of an application is 1KB and the historical access data is 3KB, and there are about 10,000 users accessing it every day, if you want to maintain 300 days of online storage, the demand will be about 17GB. Therefore, for this large-capacity data storage requirement and in conjunction with the above-mentioned database file system, it is necessary to be able to switch to each other. The storage device of this data must be externally connected and stable, secure, fast in data access and suitable for future remote backup. Expansion and other considerations of the disk array storage system.

The file sub-server 180 is connected to the web sub-server 140 and the database sub-server 160, and stores the application 120 for the set-top box 200 to download the application 120 via the web sub-server 140. Separating the storage and transmission processing of the application file from the web page server 140 and the database sub-server 160 mainly distributes the processing load of the two types of servers. In addition, these large application files are not directly stored in the database system, and the load on the database system itself can be reduced. In the future, when the amount of data increases or the number of users increases, it can be accessed in a more efficient manner. This information file.

As shown in FIG. 5, the web page sub-server 140, the database sub-server 160, and the archive sub-server 180 respectively have two server hosts 300 that are mutually redundant. That is, the web page sub-server 140 has server hosts 300a, 300b that are mutually redundant; the database sub-server 160 has server hosts 300c, 300d that are mutually redundant; the file sub-server 180 has servos that are mutually redundant. Hosts 300e, 300f. In this way, under normal circumstances, it can be handled as load balancing, and it can also avoid service stall caused by single server host failure. Here, the application server 100 further includes a router 500 and a plurality of switches 600 connected between the server hosts 300a-f.

In summary, according to the set-top box 200 and the application server 100 of the present invention, the set-top box 200 can automatically check and update the latest version to the application 120 that the user wants to execute, and the user does not need to bother learning how to update. . Moreover, the user can select the application 120 to be used from the application server 100 and download it to the set-top box 200 for use. Moreover, since the application 120 is downloaded to the local TV set 200, if the network connection between the set top 200 and the application server 100 is interrupted or unstable, the downloaded application 120 remains. It can be executed in an offline environment, so users can continue to use the value-added service.

While the present invention has been described above in the foregoing embodiments, it is not intended to limit the invention, and the invention may be modified and modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of patent protection shall be subject to the definition of the scope of the patent application attached to this specification.

100‧‧‧Application Server
120‧‧‧Application
121‧‧‧First program
122‧‧‧Second program
123‧‧‧ third program
140‧‧‧Page Subserver
160‧‧‧Database Subserver
180‧‧‧File Server
200‧‧‧TV box
210‧‧‧Communication Module
220‧‧‧Permanent memory
230‧‧‧ Input Module
240‧‧‧Processing module
250‧‧‧Scratch memory
260‧‧‧ browser framework
270‧‧‧Application Management Platform
280‧‧‧Intermediary program
281‧‧‧Application Menu
300a-300f‧‧‧ server host
400‧‧‧Internet Protocol Network
500‧‧‧ router
600‧‧‧Switch

[Fig. 1] is a schematic diagram of a television set box and an application server of the present invention. [Fig. 2] is a schematic structural view of a television set box of the present invention. [Fig. 3] is a schematic diagram (1) of the interface of the intermediary program of the present invention. [Fig. 4] is a schematic diagram of the interface of the intermediary program of the present invention (2). [Fig. 5] is a schematic diagram showing the architecture of an application server of the present invention.

100‧‧‧Application Server

121‧‧‧First program

122‧‧‧Second program

123‧‧‧ third program

200‧‧‧TV box

220‧‧‧Permanent memory

250‧‧‧Scratch memory

260‧‧‧ browser framework

270‧‧‧Application Management Platform

Claims (8)

A television set-top box and an application server, comprising: an application server for storing a plurality of applications; and a set-top box connected to the application server for selectively downloading from the application server a first program in the plurality of applications, the set-top box includes: a communication module connected to the application server; and a permanent memory stored in the first program downloaded from the application server An input module, receiving an input to generate an instruction corresponding to one of the first programs; and a processing module electrically connecting the communication module, the permanent memory and the input module, in response to the execution instruction Before executing the first program, the application server checks whether the first program is the latest version through the communication module, and if not, downloads and executes the latest version of the first program from the application server. The television set-top box and the application server according to claim 1, wherein the set-top box has a browser framework, and an application management platform is built in the browser framework for the application. The first program is run on the program management platform. For example, the application box of the television set and the application server described in claim 2, wherein the application management platform checks, before executing the first program, whether the downloaded first program is The latest version of. The television set-top box and the application server according to claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes an intermediary program for displaying an application menu and executing the application program when the intermediaries are executed Check if the first program downloaded is the latest version. The TV set-top box and the application server according to the first aspect of the patent application, wherein the application server comprises: a webpage sub-server, providing a webpage login interface for the login of the set-top box of the television set. a database subserver for connecting the web server to store the activity history record of the login box of the television; and a file subserver for connecting to the web subserver and the database a sub-server and storing the plurality of applications for downloading the plurality of applications via the web sub-server. The television set top box and the application server according to claim 5, wherein the webpage subserver, the database subserver, and the file subserver respectively have two server hosts that are mutually redundant . A television set-top box for use with an application server, the set-top box of the television comprising: a communication module connected to the application server; a processing module electrically connected to the communication module for selective Downloading a first program of the plurality of applications from the application server; a permanent memory electrically connected to the processing module for storing the first program downloaded from the application server; and an input module receiving an input to generate an instruction corresponding to one of the first programs, the processing The module responds to the execution command, and before the execution of the first program, checks, by the communication module, the application server to check whether the first program is the latest version, and if not, downloads and executes the latest version from the application server. The first program of the version. The television set top box of claim 7, wherein the set-top box further comprises an intermediary program for displaying an application menu when executing the intermediary program, and checking the downloaded program to the application server Whether the first program is the latest version.