Remote program downloading system and apparatus

• US 6,266,810 B1
• Filed: 04/17/1998
• Issued: 07/24/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Company Limited (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Hirofumi, Yasutake, Koichi, Maeda, Tetsuji
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Vo, Ted T.
• Application Number:
  US09/062,482
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 395/708, 395/709, 395/710, 395/712, 717/11, 717/10, 717/1
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• 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 21/4586 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 21/8166 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

Abstract

For updating the entire region of the control software stored in the memory of the information terminal, the invention provides a system and apparatus for remote program downloading characterized by downloading a download process program exclusive for downloading process in a region indifferent to download process by using control software at the terminal, downloading the download process program portion of the control software to be updated by using this exclusive download process program, and finally, by using this download process program, downloading the program other than the download process program portion of the control software to be updated.

Claims

1. A method of a remote program downloading system for updating control software of a terminal, wherein said control software includes a first program, said first program being a download process program, and a second program, said second program being another program and font data, said first program and said second program being stored in regions of EEPROM, and an updated control software includes a third program, said third program being a updated download process program and a fourth program said fourth program being another updated program and updated font data, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) downloading a temporary download process program directly into the EEPROM memory by using the first program and storing said temporary download process program in a memory region of the second program;

(b) downloading the third program program directly into the EEPROM memory by using the temporary download process program and storing said third program in a memory region outside the memory region of the temporary download process program; and

(c) downloading the fourth program directly into the EEPROM memory by using the third program and storing said fourth program in a memory region outside the memory region of the third program.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the step (a) is preceded by the step of:

receiving instructions from a terminal operator.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a), is preceded by the steps of;

comparing a plurality of terminal information to a plurality of updated control software information of an updated control software, wherein said updated control software information includes a plurality of product information, user information and version information, and

selecting an updated control software to be downloaded.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) is followed by the steps of:

verifying the fourth program, and

transmitting the result of said verifying to the host system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) is followed by the steps of:

executing a maintenance control program, and transmitting a result of said executing to the host system.

6. A remote program downloading apparatus for updating a control software of a terminal, wherein said control software includes a first program, said first program being a download process program and a second program, said second being program being another program and font data, said first program and said second program being stored in regions of EEPROM memory, and an updated control software includes a third program, said third program being an updated download process program and a fourth program, said fourth program being another updated program and updated font data, the apparatus comprising:

data receiving means for receiving a data packet transmitted from a host system through a digital transmission channel;

program acquiring means for interpreting said data packet, and acquiring from said data packet a program specified by state control means by using a download process program specified by state control means, and;

program storing means for storing said program acquired from said data packet in a memory region specified by state control means; and

issuing a completion of downloading signal after storing said program acquired from said data packet;

state holding means for holding a downloading state while downloading a program;

state control means for specifying a download process program and a program to be acquired to said program acquiring means, and a memory region to be used by said program storing means, according to said downloading state;

in a first downloading state, specifying the first program as said download process program, the temporary download process program as said program to be acquired and a memory region of the second program as said memory region to be used,

in a second downloading state, specifying the temporary download process program as said download process program, the third program as said program to be acquired and a memory region outside of the temporary download process program as said memory region to be used, and

in a third downloading state, specifying the third program as said download process program, the fourth program as said program to be acquired and a memory region outside of the third program as said memory region to be used, and;

in a normal state, specifying the fourth programs as said download process program and;

download starting means for changing the downloading state in said state holding means from a normal state to a first downloading state, when accepting a starting request, and,

to a second downloading state if the downloading state in said state holding means is a first downloading state,

to a third downloading state if the downloading state in state holding means is a second downloading state, and

to a normal state if the downloading state in said state holding means is a third downloading state when said completion of download signal is received from the program storing means, and,

activating said program acquiring means.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising event input means for detecting a program download request from an apparatus operator and giving a start request to said download starting means.

8. The remote program downloading apparatus of claim 6, further comprising;

automatic updating means for obtaining program control information of an updated control software from said program acquiring means, wherein said program control information of the updated control software includes a plurality of product information, user information and version information,

comparing terminal information to said program control information of the updated control software, and

sending a start request to said download starting means when the terminal information coincides with said information of the updated control software.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising:

verification result transmitting means for verifying the downloaded program at the end downloading before the downloading state is changed by the download starting means, and transmitting the result of said verifying to the host system.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, further comprising;

maintenance control means for controlling maintenance, and transmitting a result of said maintenance to the host if the data packet interpreted by the data acquiring means is a data packet for maintenance control.