Method and System for Selectively Distributing Data to a Set of Network Devices

• US 20070294362A1
• Filed: 06/16/2004
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/17/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services GmbH (Accenture PLC), Imagine Broadband Ltd. (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Patel, Dipan
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,267 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25833 involving client hardware characteristics, e.g. manufacturer, processing or storage capabilities allocation of resources considering hardware capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5044; allocation of resources considering software capabilities in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/5055
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8402 involving a version number, e.g. version number of EPG data arrangements for version control in computers G06F8/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A method selectively distributes data to a set of devices linked by a network, where each device has at least one unique identifier. The method comprises selecting devices to be members of the set, the set devices being selected to receive the data based on the at least one unique identifier, and distributing data to at least the selected devices, the data including at least a one matching key for matching at least a portion of the unique identifier of selected devices. The unique identifier is a device hardware identifier, being a string of bits and the key correlates to at least a portion of the string of bits.

Claims

1-59. -59. (canceled)

60. A method of selectively distributing data to a set of devices linked by a network, each said device having at least one unique identifier, the method comprising the steps of:

selecting devices to be members of the set, the set devices being selected to receive the data based on the at least one unique identifier; and

distributing data to at least the selected devices, the data including at least one matching key for matching at least a portion of the unique identifier of selected devices.

61. A method according to claim 60 wherein the data is broadcast to a plurality of the devices over the network but wherein only selected devices selectively install the data.

63. The method of claim 60 wherein the unique identifier is independent of the content of the data.

64. The method of claim 60 wherein the unique identifier is a device hardware identifier.

65. The method of claim 60 wherein the set of devices comprises one of a plurality of substantially arbitrarily partitioned subsets of a population of devices.

66. The method of claim 60 wherein the set of devices is selected by one or more predetermined geographic regions common to the set devices.

67. The method of claim 60 wherein the data comprises instruction code or a software update.

68. The method of claim 60 wherein the unique identifier is a string of bits or characters.

69. The method of claim 68 wherein the unique identifier is a string of a first length and the set of devices is determined from a shorter length subset of the string of the first length.

70. The method of claim 69 wherein the first length is at least about 32 bits.

71. The method of claim 68 wherein the shorter length subset of the string is of a selectable length.

72. The method of claim 61 wherein the step of installing the data is performed after performing one or more predetermined action steps to determine whether or not to install the data.

73. The method of claim 72 wherein the one or more action steps include determining whether the data includes the key corresponding to the device.

74. The method of claim 69 wherein the key corresponds to the shorter length subset.

75. The method of claim 72 wherein the one or more action steps are performed when a device initialization instruction is performed by the device when the device is switched to a power on state or when the device is switched to a standby state.

76. The method of claim 72 wherein the one or more action steps are performed periodically or at regular intervals while the device is in communication with the network.

77. The method of claim 72 wherein the one or more predetermined action steps include the steps of:

determining the version of a device data of a set device;

comparing the version of the device data with the version of the data to be distributed; and

determining whether or not to perform the step of downloading the data to be distributed, based on the outcome of the step of comparing the versions of the device data and the data to be distributed.

78. The method of claim 72 wherein the predetermined action steps are performed by the device.

79. The method of claim 60 wherein each device is arranged to run a manual update routine for allowing a user to decide whether to download data flagged as user selectable from the network, wherein the manual update routine is modified so that, in place of user decision, the routine runs a test routine to determine whether to download data flagged as user selectable.

80. The method according to claim 79 wherein the test routine comprises comparing the matching key to the unique identifier.

107. The method of claim 60 wherein the devices are set top boxes.

108. The method of claim 60 wherein the network is a subscription television service.

109. The method of claim 108 wherein the set of devices is selected by determining one or more channels subscribed by and common to users of the respective devices.

110. The method of claim 60 wherein the devices are:

mobile telephones and the network is a mobile telephone network;

or

telephone base stations and the network is a telephone network;

or

computers and the network is a computer network;

or

back to base home security devices and the network is a back to base security network.

111. A computer readable medium comprising instructions for performing the method of claim 60.

62. A method of selectively installing data at one of a set of devices linked by a network, each device having a unique identifier, the method comprising determining whether to install the data based on matching at least a portion of the unique identifier to at least one received matching key associated with the data.

81. A device for running data, the device being linked to other devices by a network, the device including:

a processor;

a memory with stored data processable by the processor; and

at least one unique identifier,

wherein the data stored by the memory includes a routine for checking for update data for the device, and for selectively downloading the data based on at least a portion of the unique identifier, and at least one key associated with the update data.

82. The device of claim 81 wherein the update data includes the key and the device selectively downloads the update data when the key correlates to the at least a portion of the unique identifier.

83. The device of claim 81 wherein the unique identifier is a device hardware identifier.

84. The device of claim 81 wherein the unique identifier is a string of bits or characters.

85. The device of claim 84 wherein the unique identifier is a string of a first length and the at least a portion of the unique identifier is determined from a shorter length of the first length.

86. The device of claim 85 wherein the first length is at least about 32 bits.

87. The device of claim 85 wherein the shorter length subset of the string is of a selectable length.

88. The device of claim 81 wherein the device is a set top box.

89. The device of claim 81 wherein the network is a subscription television service.

90. The device of claim 81 wherein the devices are:

mobile telephones and the network is a mobile telephone network;

or

telephone base stations and the network is a telephone network;

or

computers and the network is a computer network;

or back to base home security devices and the network is a back to base security network.

91. A system for selectively distributing data to of a set of devices linked by a network, each said device having at least one unique identifier, the system comprising:

means for selecting devices to be members of the set, the set of devices being selected to receive the data based on respective unique identifiers of the devices;

means for distributing data to at least each selected device, the data including at least one matching key for matching at least a portion of the unique identifier of selected devices; and

means for running the data on each respective selected device.

92. A method of updating a device which has an update routine which checks for available updates over a network and selects available updates which are applicable to the device for download, each update having associated therewith an update condition selected from a plurality of pre-determined conditions which conditions include at least (1) at least one power change condition and (2) a user-selection condition, the device being arranged to execute a user confirmation routine on selection of an available applicable update associated with a user-selection condition, the method comprising executing a routine which performs a test to determine whether a selective update criterion is met in place of the user confirmation routine and which automatically opts to install the available applicable update if the selective update criterion is met.

93. The method of claim 92 wherein the device is arranged to execute the routine which performs the test to determine whether a selective update criterion is met.

94. The method of claim 92 wherein performing the test comprises comparing additional update data associated with the available applicable update to device data obtained from the device.

95. The method of claim 94 wherein the additional update data comprises matching key data and the device data comprises a unique identifier of the device.

96. The method of claim 95 wherein performing the test comprises detecting at least a partial match between said matching key data and said unique identifier.

97. The method of claim 94 wherein the extent of match required for a positive test result is specified in the additional update data.

98. The method of claim 92 wherein said at least one power change condition includes (a) detection of a switch to or from a standby condition and (b) a hard power-up condition.

99. The method of claim 92 wherein the conditions further include (3) an immediate installation condition signifying that an available applicable update is to be applied without waiting for a power change condition or user selection.

100. The method of claim 92 wherein the routine which performs the test is arranged to revert to requesting user confirmation in the absence of data specifying the selective update criterion.

101. A method of providing updated data to a population of devices, the method comprising partitioning the population of devices into subsets, making the updated data available to a first subset, and subsequently making the data available to further subsets, characterized by monitoring the response following making available to the first subset and setting the size of further subsets and/or the rate of making data available to further subsets based on the response.

102. The method of claim 101 wherein the size of further subsets is increased in the event of a low level of response.

103. The method of claim 101 wherein the subsets are defined by specifying a portion of a matching key to match to a unique identifier of each device.

104. The method of claim 103 wherein the size of each subset is determined by setting the length of the portion of matching key to match, wherein a shorter matching portion will match a larger number of devices.

105. The method of claim 104 wherein a longer portion of matching key is used to define a smaller first subset and a shorter portion of matching key is used to define at least one larger further subset.

106. The method of claim 101 wherein monitoring the response comprises obtaining a measure of response based on user feedback.