Scheduled delivery of software download

• US 20070150892A1
• Filed: 12/22/2005
• Published: 06/28/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Chaney, John
• Application Number:
  US11/317,825
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150892A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/177
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/242 Synchronization processes, e.g. processing of PCR [Program Clock References] arrangements for synchronising broadcast or distribution via plural systems in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/643 Communication protocols network streaming protocols, e.g. real-time transport protocol [RTP] or real-time control protocol [RTCP], H04L65/65
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

An OCAP software download method improves the efficiency of software download in the OCAP for delivering operational software to consumer STBs. The download method allows many STBs to receive the software that is streamed from the cable headend over the cable plant to the STBs. Rather than servicing one STB per request, the download method utilizes a scheduled download method with synchronization and broadcasting protocol to allow many STBs to receive the data sent in one request.

Claims

1. A method for delivering an application from a server to multiple client devices through a delivery network, comprising the steps of:

synchronizing a clock in each user device with a universal time at the server;

maintaining the universal time in each client device in order to maintain synchronization with the sever;

the server notifying the client devices of a particular time at which the application delivery will take place;

each client device joining a broadcast reception group when the clock in each client device indicates said particular time;

on or about the particular time, the server performing a single transmission process to broadcast the application over the delivery network; and

each client device receiving the application broadcast from the sever over the delivery network at the particular time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of the sever performing a single transmission process further includes the steps of the server performing communication between the server and the client devices for data transfer.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the server comprises a cable headend;

each client device comprises a user set top box; and

the delivery network comprises a cable plant connecting the cable headend and the set top boxes.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein multiple client devices receive the data sent from the server.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

the server maintaining a database of client devices connected to the network;

the server querying the database and generating a list of client devices to receive the broadcast;

the steps of the server notifying the client devices further includes the steps of the server notifying the client devices on said generated list of a particular time at which the application delivery will take place;

the steps of each client device joining the broadcast reception group further includes the steps of each client device on said generated list joining a broadcast reception group when the clock in each client device on the list indicates said particular time.

6. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of:

each client device receiving the application performing a check on the application, and if the application does not check, then the client device requesting the sever for another transmission such that the server repeats the transmission until all such client device requests have been fulfilled.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising the steps of the server receiving a request to deliver an application to each of multiple client devices.

8. The method of claim 5 further including the steps of the server receiving multiple requests at different times and the server notifying the client devices of a particular time at which the application delivery to the client devices will take place.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein application delivery to the client devices takes place at the same time.

10. A method for delivering an application from a server to multiple client devices through a delivery network, comprising the steps of:

synchronizing each user device with the server;

the server receiving requests to deliver an application to each of multiple client devices;

the server notifying the client devices of a particular time at which the application delivery will take place; and

on or about the particular time, the server performing a single transmission process to broadcast the application over the delivery network to the client devices.

11. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of each client device receiving the application broadcast from the server over the delivery network at the particular time.

12. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of the server receiving multiple requests at different times and the server notifying the client devices of a particular time at which the application delivery to the client devices will take place.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the steps of synchronizing further includes the steps of synchronizing a clock in each user device with a universal time at the server.

14. The method of claim 10 further including the steps of maintaining a universal time in each client device corresponding to a universal time at the server, in order to maintain synchronization with the sever.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein:

the server comprises a cable headend;

each client device comprises a user set top box; and

the delivery network comprises a cable plant connecting the cable headend and the set top boxes.

16. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

the server maintaining a database of client devices connected to the network;

the server querying the database and generating a list of client devices to receive the broadcast;

the steps of the server notifying the client devices further includes the steps of the server notifying the client devices on said generated list of a particular time at which the application delivery will take place;

each client device on said list joining a broadcast reception group when the clock in each client device on the list indicates said particular time.

17. The method of claim 16 further including the steps of:

each client device receiving the application performing a check on the application, and if the application does not check, then the client device requesting the sever for another transmission such that the server repeats the transmission until all such client device requests have been fulfilled.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the step of the server performing a single transmission further includes the steps, on or about the particular time, the server performing a single transmission process to broadcast the application over the delivery network to the client device wherein the transmission rate is based on characteristics of client devices obtained ahead of time.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the server broadcasts the application to the client devices at a transmission rate suitable for essentially the slowest receiving client device.

20. A system for delivering an application from a server to multiple client devices through a delivery network, comprising a controller that synchronizes each user device with the server, the server receiving requests to deliver an application to each of multiple client devices, and the controller notifying the client devices of a particular time at which the application delivery will take place, wherein on or about the particular time, the controller performs a single transmission process to broadcast the application over the delivery network to the client devices.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein each client device receives the application broadcast from the server over the delivery network at the particular time.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the receiver receives multiple requests at different times and the controller notifies the client devices of a particular time at which the application delivery to the client devices will take place.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein the server synchronizes a clock in each user device with a universal time at the server.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein each client device maintains a universal time corresponding to a universal time at the server, in order to maintain synchronization with the sever.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein:

the server comprises a cable headend;

each client device comprises a user set top box; and

the delivery network comprises a cable plant connecting the cable headend and the set top boxes.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein:

the server maintains a database of client devices connected to the network;

the controller queries the database and generates a list of client devices to receive the broadcast;

the controller server notifies the client devices on said generated list of a particular time at which the application delivery will take place;

the client devices on said list join a broadcast reception group when the clock in each client device on the list indicates said particular time.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein each client device receives the application and performs a check on the application, and if the application does not check, then the client device requests the server for another transmission such that the server repeats the transmission until all such client device requests have been fulfilled.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein the controller performs a single transmission process to broadcast the application over the delivery network to the client device wherein the transmission rate is based on characteristics of client devices obtained ahead of time.

29. The system of claim 28 wherein the server broadcasts the application to the client devices at a transmission rate suitable for essentially the slowest receiving client device.