Method and apparatus of communication between embedded cable modem and embedded set-top box

• US 20080028432A1
• Filed: 02/27/2007
• Published: 01/31/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Hong, Gyung-pyo, Park, Young-min
• Application Number:
  US11/711,091
• Publication Number:
  US 20080028432A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/111
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/437 Interfacing the upstream path of the transmission network, e.g. for transmitting client requests to a VOD server flow control in data networks H04L47/10; streaming protocols, e.g. RTP or RTCP, H04L65/65; scheduling or organising the servicing of application requests in data packet switching networks H04L67/60
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem

Abstract

An apparatus and method for communication between an embedded cable modem and an embedded set-top box in a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway (DSG)-based digital broadcast receiving apparatus are provided. The apparatus includes an embedded cable modem which receives or transmits messages from or to an embedded set-top box through a number of unidirectional ports according to message types.

Claims

1. A digital broadcast receiving apparatus comprising:

an embedded cable modem; and

an embedded set-top box,

wherein the embedded cable modem receives or transmits a plurality of messages from or to the embedded set-top box through a number of uni-directional ports according to a message type.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the digital broadcast receiving apparatus supports a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway (DSG) specification.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the ports comprise a first port configured to transfer a command in a first type message between the embedded set-top box and the embedded cable modem, a second port configured to transmit a second type message from the embedded cable modem as a response to the first type message, a third port configured to transmit a third type message from the embedded cable modem to inform the embedded set-top box of an event, and a fourth port configured to transmit a fourth type message from the embedded cable modem to transfer a packet transmitted by a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway Cable Modem Termination System (DSG CMTS) to the embedded set-top box.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the first type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the first type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier which specifies a subtype of the first type message is recorded, a third field in which content of the first type message is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the second type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the second type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier which specifies a subtype of the second type message is recorded, a third field in which content of the second type message is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the third type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the third type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier for specifying a subtype of the third type message is recorded, a third field in which content of the third type message is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

7. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fourth type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the fourth type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier for specifying a DSG tunnel for receiving the packet is recorded, a third field in which the packet is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the messages are transmitted or received using a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

9. A method of communication between an embedded cable modem and an embedded set-top box in a digital broadcast receiving apparatus, the method comprising:

transmitting or receiving a plurality of messages by the embedded cable modem from or to the embedded set-top box through a number of unidirectional ports according to a message type.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the digital broadcast receiving apparatus supports a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway (DSG) specification.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ports comprise a first port configured to transmit a first type message from the embedded set-top box to transfer a command to the embedded cable modem, a second port configured to transmit a second type message from the embedded cable modem as a response to the first type message, a third port configured to transmit a third type message from the embedded cable modem to inform the embedded set-top box of an event, and a fourth port configured to transmit a fourth type message from the embedded cable modem to transfer a packet transferred from a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway Cable Modem Termination System (DSG CMTS) to the embedded set-top box.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the first type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier which specifies a subtype of the first type message is recorded, a third field in which content of the first type message is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the second type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the second type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier which specifies a subtype of the second type message is recorded, a third field in which content of the second type message is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the third type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the third type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier for specifying a subtype of the third type message is recorded, a third field in which content of the third type message is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the fourth type message comprises a first field in which a sequence number of the fourth type message is recorded, a second field in which an identifier for specifying a DSG tunnel for receiving the packet is recorded, a third field in which the packet is recorded, and a fourth field in which length information of the third field is recorded.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the messages are received or transmitted using a User Datagram Protocol (UDP) or a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).

17. A computer readable recording medium having embodied thereon a program for executing the method of claim 9.

18. An embedded cable modem apparatus receiving or transmitting a plurality of messages from or to the embedded set-top box according to message types through a number of unidirectional ports.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the embedded cable modem apparatus and the embedded set-top box supports a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway (DSG) specification.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the ports comprise a first port which receives a first type message which transmits a command of the embedded set-top box, a second port which transmits a second type message as a response to the first type message to the embedded set-top box, a third port which transmits a third type message which informs the embedded set-top box of an event, and a fourth port which transmits a fourth type message which transmits a packet transmitted by a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway Cable Modem Termination System (DSG CMTS) to the embedded set-top box.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the embedded set-top box apparatus and the embedded cable modem supports a DOCSIS Set-top Gateway (DSG) specification.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the ports comprise a first port which transmits a first type message which transfers a command to the embedded cable modem, a second port which receives a second type message as a response to the first type message from the embedded cable modem, a third port which receives a third type message which informs the embedded cable modem of an event, and a fourth port which receives a fourth type message including a packet transmitted by the DSG CMTS from the embedded cable modem.

21. An embedded set-top box apparatus receiving or transmitting a plurality of messages from or to an embedded cable modem according to message types, through a number of uni-directional ports.