MONITORING AND CONTROLLING THE OPERATION OF DEVICES IN A DISTRIBUTED NETWORK OF BROADCAST DEVICES

• US 20110206136A1
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Global B.V. (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: De Jong, Menno, Bekedam, Harmen, van Rozen, Riemer Andries
• Granted Patent: US 9,218,265 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 375/240.25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/368 for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, such as Set Top Boxes (STBs). Such devices typically require periodic updates as new versions of operating software is developed. However, it is not possible to guarantee that all devices that have received an updated software version are able to operate correctly. The system initiates a test for a STB and monitors in real time the state of the STB as the software download occurs. The state of the STB is reported to a system controller and the results are output to a test engineer. Other devices in the broadcast network can be controlled by the controller and various troubleshooting or operational tests performed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, the system comprising:

at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, the AV decoder device being operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

a controller;

a network for transmitting data signals between the controller and the at least one AV decoder device;

wherein, during a device testing phase, the controller is operable to transmit control and/or AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device causing the at least one AV decoder device to undertake an action in response to the data;

and wherein, during the device testing phase, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to undertake an action in response to the data transmitted by the controller, and to transmit state information data to the controller; and

the controller is operable to output a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a data streaming device in communication with the controller over the network and operable to generate control and/or AV content data for transmission to the at least one AV decoder device in response to control data received from the controller.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to log the data signals transmitted between the controller and the at least one AV Decoder device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein, during the device testing phase, the controller runs one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and/or AV content data, and/or the sequence in which the control and/or AV content data is to be transmitted, and the controller is operable to output an instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the control data references an updated version of operating software for the at least one AV decoder device, and, in response to receiving the control data, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to update its operating software to the version referenced in the control data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the controller is operable to output the state information received from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase.

8. A device test tool for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices comprising at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, the AV decoder device being operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

wherein, during a device testing phase, the device test tool is operable to;

transmit control and/or AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device via a network causing the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the data;

receive from the at least one AV decoder state information data transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase;

output a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device.

9. A method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices comprising at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, a controller, and a network for transmitting data signals between the controller, and the at least one AV decoder device, wherein the AV decoder device is operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

the method comprising;

transmitting control and/or AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device to cause the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the data;

receiving at the controller state information data transmitted from the at least one decoder during the device testing phase; and

outputting a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising generating the control and/or AV content data for transmission to the at least one AV decoder device using a data streaming device in response to control data received from the controller.

11. The method of claim 9, further comprising logging the data signals transmitted between the controller and the at least one AV Decoder device.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

running one or more scripts at the controller, wherein the scripts define the nature of the control and/or AV content data, and/or the sequence in which the control and/or AV content data is to be transmitted; and

outputting an instance of the script that was run with the state information.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the control data references an updated version of operating software for the at least one AV decoder device, and, in response to receiving the control data, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to update its operating software to the version referenced in the control data.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising outputting from the controller the state information received from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase.

16. A computer program product on which computer code is stored, wherein when the computer code is executed on a computer, the computer is caused to perform a method comprising:

transmitting control and/or AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device to cause the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the data;

receiving at the controller state information data transmitted from the at least one decoder during the device testing phase; and

outputting a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device.

17. A system for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, the system comprising:

at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, the AV decoder device being operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

a controller;

a network for transmitting data signals between the controller, and the at least one AV decoder device;

wherein, during a device testing phase, the controller is operable to transmit control and/or AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device causing the at least one AV decoder device to undertake an action in response to the data;

and wherein, during the device testing phase, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to undertake an action in response to the data transmitted by the controller, and to transmit state information data to the controller; and

the controller is operable to output a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device; and

wherein, during the device testing phase, the controller runs one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and/or AV content data, and/or the sequence in which the control and/or AV content data is to be transmitted, and the controller is operable to output an instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information.

18. A method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices comprising at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, a controller, and a network for transmitting data signals between the controller, and the at least one AV decoder device, wherein the AV decoder device is operable to output state information representative of its internal state, the method comprising:

transmitting control and/or AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device to cause the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the data;

receiving at the controller state information data transmitted from the at least one decoder during the device testing phase;

outputting a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device;

running one or more scripts at the controller, wherein the scripts define the nature of the control and/or AV content data, and/or the sequence in which the control and/or AV content data is to be transmitted; and

outputting an instance of the script that was run with the state information.