Remote maintenance method and remote maintenance apparatus

• US 6,263,497 B1
• Filed: 07/27/1998
• Issued: 07/17/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Mori, Toshiya, Maeda, Tetsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaki, Kakali
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T.
• Application Number:
  US09/123,111
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 717/11, 717/1, 707/203, 707/511
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99953 Recoverability
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99954 Version management

Abstract

The transmitter transmits program information including machine type codes showing the version of hardware able to receive program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and the names and codes of programs to replace with or be added to for the version of software. The receiver compares a machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware and version information showing the version of software corresponding to the machine type code with the machine type codes and version information of the program information, examines whether the version of software is updated or not, and, when the version is not updated, stores program codes to update the version. Thereby, it is possible to provide a remote maintenance method and a remote maintenance apparatus able to update the version of software, securing the matching of software and hardware, in a network of wired or wireless broadcasting.

Claims

1. A remote maintenance method in which the transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs,

the transmitter transmitting, by data packet, download information including machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, program names being the names of the programs to replace with or be added to for the version of software, and the identifiers of program data packets (PID) including program codes necessary for updating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and program data including the program codes of the program, the program name, and the identifier of the packet (PID), and

the receiver comparing a machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware, and version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, with the machine type codes and version information described in the received download information, and, when the versions of software do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, updating the version by receiving and storing the data packet including program data necessary for updating the version, based on the PID described in the download information.

2. The remote maintenance method of claim 1 wherein the program data further includes allocation information about where functions included in the program are to be located at the receiver, and, the receiver replaces transmitted programs with, or adds the transmitted programs to, the programs stored at the receiver, based on the allocation information.

3. The remote maintenance method of claim 1 wherein in updating the version, the receiver checks whether a transmission error occurs or not, and informs the transmitter of a result of the check.

4. The remote maintenance method of claim 1 wherein the transmitter transmits program data including the program codes of test programs, and the receiver, in updating the version, executes the test program, and informs the transmitter whether an execution error occurs or not.

5. A remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs,

the transmitter transmitting, by data packet, download information including machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, program names being the names of the programs to replace with or be added to for the version of software, and the identifiers of program data packets (PID) including program codes necessary for updating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and

the receiver comparing a machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware and version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, with the machine type codes and version information described in the received download information, checking whether the version of software is updated or not, and informing the transmitter of a result of the check.

6. A remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs,

the transmitter transmitting service program information including all-service information indicating all the names of services provided by the transmitter, machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and the names of services executable with each version of software, and

the receiver comparing a machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware and version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, with machine type codes and version information of the service program information, and marking the services in the all-service information, executable with the current version of software, or, when the compared versions do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, executable if the version of software is updated.

7. A remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs,

the transmitter transmitting service program information including all-service information indicating all the names of services provided by the transmitter and service execution restricting items indicating the level of hardware/software performance demanded by each service, machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, the names of services executable with each version of software, and service execution restricting items indicating the levels of hardware/software performance for the services executable with each version of software, and

the receiver comparing a machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware and version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, with machine type codes and version information of the service program information, and storing, among the service program information, the all-service information and information about the services executable with the current version of software, or, when the compared versions do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, executable if the version of software is updated.

8. A remote maintenance apparatus executing a remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs, the apparatus comprising:

a program receiving unit for receiving download information, transmitted from the transmitter, including machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, program names being the names of the programs to replace with or be added to for the version of software, and the identifiers of program data packets (PID) including program codes necessary for updating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and program data including the program codes of the program, the program name, and the identifier of the packet;

a hardware information storing unit for storing a machine type code indicating the version of the apparatus hardware;

a software information storing unit for storing version information indicating the current version of software in the apparatus;

a loader for comparing the machine type code stored in the hardware information storing unit and the version information stored in the software information storing unit, with the machine type codes and version information of the download information to check whether the version of software is updated or not, and, when the compared versions do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, storing the program codes of the program necessary for updating the version of software in a program storing unit described hereinafter, based on the PID described in the download information;

a program storing unit for storing the program codes necessary for updating the version of software out of the program data; and

a program executing unit for executing the program stored in the program storing unit.

9. A remote maintenance apparatus executing a remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs, the apparatus comprising:

a program receiving unit for receiving download information, transmitted from the transmitter, including machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, program names being the names of the programs to replace with or be added to for the version of software, and the identifiers of program data packets (PID) including program codes necessary for updating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and program data, transmitted from the transmitter, including the program codes of the program, the program name, the identifier of the packet, and allocation information about where functions included in the program are located at the receiver;

a hardware information storing unit for storing a machine type code indicating the version of the apparatus hardware;

a software information storing unit for storing version information-indicating the current version of software in the apparatus;

a loader for comparing the machine type code stored in the hardware information storing unit and the version information stored in the software information storing unit, with the machine type codes and version information of the download information to check whether the version of software is updated or not, and, when the compared versions do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, storing the program codes of the program necessary for updating the version of software in a program storing unit described hereinafter, based on the PID and allocation information described in the download information;

a program storing unit for storing the program codes necessary for updating the version of software out of the program data; and

a program executing unit for executing the program stored in the program storing unit.

10. The remote maintenance apparatus of claim 9 wherein in updating the version, the loader checks whether a transmission error occurs or not, and informs the transmitter, via a communications unit described hereinafter, of a result of the check, and the apparatus further comprises the communications unit for informing the transmitter of a result of the check.

11. The remote maintenance apparatus of claim 9 wherein the program receiving unit receives program data including the program codes of test programs, transmitted from the transmitter;

the loader, in controlling the storage of the program, informs the transmitter, via a communications unit described hereinafter, whether an execution error occurs or not in the execution of the test programs by the program executing unit; and

the apparatus further comprises the communications unit for informing the transmitter whether an execution error occurs or not in the execution of the test programs by the program executing unit.

12. A remote maintenance apparatus executing a remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs, the apparatus comprising:

a program receiving unit for receiving download information, transmitted from the transmitter, including machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, program names being the names of the programs to replace with or be added to for the version of software, and the identifiers of program data packets (PID) including program codes necessary for updating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code;

a hardware information storing unit for storing a machine type code indicating the version of the apparatus hardware;

a software information storing unit for storing version information indicating the current version of software in the apparatus;

a loader for comparing the machine type code stored in the hardware information storing unit and the version information stored in the software information storing unit, with the machine type codes and version information of the download information to check whether the version of software is updated or not, and informing the transmitter of a result of the check via a communications unit described hereinafter;

a communications unit for when it is checked whether the version of software is updated or not, informing the transmitter of a result of the check along with the machine type code and version information of the apparatus;

a program storing unit for storing the program; and

a program executing unit for executing the program stored in the program storing unit.

13. A remote maintenance apparatus executing a remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs, the apparatus comprising:

a program receiving unit for receiving service program information, transmitted from the transmitter, including all-service information indicating all the names of services provided by the transmitter, machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, and the names of services executable with each version of software;

a hardware information storing unit for storing a machine type code indicating the version of the apparatus hardware;

a software information storing unit for storing version information indicating the current version of software in the apparatus;

a loader for comparing the machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware and the version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, with the machine type codes and version information of the service program information, marking the services, executable with the current version of software or, when the compared versions do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, executable if the version of software in the receiver is updated, and storing the marked all-service information in a service information storing unit described hereinafter;

a service information storing unit for storing the marked all-service information;

a program storing unit for storing the program;

a program executing unit for executing the program stored in the program storing unit, and creating a display image based on the information stored in the service information storing unit; and

a presentation unit for presenting the display image created by the program executing unit.

14. A remote maintenance apparatus executing a remote maintenance method in which a transmitter transmits a program which is a collection of functions performing the respective tasks, via wired or wireless digital broadcasting, and a receiver updates the version of software comprising a group of the programs by changing the programs or adding other programs to the programs, the apparatus comprising:

a program receiving unit for receiving service program information, transmitted from the transmitter, including all-service information indicating all the names of services provided by the transmitter and service execution restricting items indicating the level of hardware/software performance demanded by each service, machine type codes indicating the version of hardware able to receive the program data, version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, the names of services executable with each version of software, and service execution restricting items indicating the levels of hardware/software performance for the services executable with each version of software;

a hardware information storing unit for storing a machine type code indicating the version of the apparatus hardware;

a software information storing unit for storing version information indicating the current version of software in the apparatus;

a loader for comparing the machine type code indicating the version of the receiver hardware and the version information indicating the version of software corresponding to the machine type code, with machine type codes and version information of the service program information, and storing, among the service program information, the all-service information and information about the services, executable with the current version of software or, when the compared versions do not match each other and thus the version of software is not updated, executable if the version of software is updated, in a service information storing unit described hereinafter;

a service information storing unit for storing the all-service information and information about the services, executable with the current version of software or, when the version of software is not updated, executable if the version of software is updated.

a program executing unit for executing the program stored in the program storing unit, and creating a display or audio image based on the information stored in the service information storing unit; and

a presentation unit for presenting the display or audio image created by the program executing unit.