Multicast downloading of software and data modules and their compatibility requirements

• US 6,487,723 B1
• Filed: 05/04/1999
• Issued: 11/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: MacInnis, Alexander G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALCE, JASON P
• Application Number:
  US09/305,179
• Time in Patent Office: 1,302 Days
• Field of Search: 725/97, 725/87, 725/109, 725/110, 725/68, 725/70, 725/132, 709/217, 709/220
• US Class Current: 725/132
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4411 Configuring for operating with peripheral devices; Loading of device drivers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/303 Terminal profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/329 in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/00 Selective content distribution, e.g. interactive television or video on demand [VOD] real-time bi-directional transmission of motion video data H04N7/14 ; broadcast or conference over packet switching networks H04L12/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2358 for generating different versions, e.g. for different recipient devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17354 : in an intermediate station common to a plurality of user terminals

Abstract

A system for downloading different versions of software or data modules into a plurality of terminals having different compatibility interfaces includes an authoring component for generating the different module versions, a downloading source including a descriptor table which associates each module version with a list of compatibility requirements needed to download the module, and a plurality of terminals coupled to the downloading source. The downloading source transmits the descriptor table to each terminal and also continuously transmits the modules over the network. Each terminal extracts the descriptor table and, based on a match between an entry in the descriptor table and an internally stored table, determines which version of a particular module should be downloaded. The system avoids the need for two-way communication between each terminal and the downloading source.

Claims

1. A system for downloading information, comprising:

a downloading source comprising a plurality of different modules each corresponding to a different set of terminal compatibility requirements which must be satisfied in order for the module to be downloaded by a terminal, a module descriptor table comprising a plurality of comparison indicators and a plurality of operators, each comparison indicator comprising an operator selected from the set consisting of “

equal to”

, “

greater than or equal to”

, and “

don'"'"'t care” and

which associates each of the plurality of different modules with a set of descriptors which describe the different set of compatibility requirements, and means for transmitting the module descriptor table and the plurality of different modules over a network; and

a plurality of terminals each configured to receive the module descriptor table and the plurality of different modules transmitted from the downloading source, each terminal comprising means for extracting one or more sets of descriptors from the module descriptor table, finding a match between the one or more sets of descriptors and a terminal table which defines compatibility interfaces of the terminal, and downloading one of the plurality of modules associated with the matched set of descriptors;

wherein each terminal finds the match by applying one of the comparison indicators to one of the plurality of descriptors and to an entry in the terminal table.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of different modules is compatible with one of the plurality of terminals but is not compatible with the others.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of different modules comprises a different version of a common application program which is to be executed in one or more of the plurality of terminals.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of different modules comprises a different version of a common operating system which is to be executed in one or more of the plurality of terminals.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the transmitting source comprises a headend in a cable television network including means for broadcasting the module descriptor table over the cable television network, and wherein each of the plurality of terminals comprises a home communications terminal (HCT) coupled to the cable television network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the descriptors in the module descriptor table indicates a terminal hardware manufacturer in relation to an entry in the terminal table of each of the plurality of terminals.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the descriptors in the module descriptor table indicates an operating system version number in relation to an entry in the terminal table of each of the plurality of terminals.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein one of the descriptors in the module descriptor table indicates an amount of memory in relation to an entry in the terminal table of each of the plurality of terminals.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of terminals extracts the transmitted module descriptor table after booting up and, responsive to a determination that a more recent version of an operating system is included in the transmitted module descriptor table, downloads one of the plurality of modules corresponding to the more recent version of the operating system.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the terminal table comprises a first entry indicating the hardware model number of the terminal and a second entry indicating the operating system version number of the terminal, and wherein each of the plurality of terminals compares descriptors from the transmitted module descriptor table with the first and second entries to find the match.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of terminals extracts one or more sets of descriptors from the module descriptor table in response to selection of an application program at the terminal.

12. A terminal compatible with a broadcast network, comprising:

a terminal table comprising one or more fields which define compatibility interfaces of the terminal;

means for receiving from the network a table of entries comprising a plurality of comparison indicators, and a plurality of operators, each comparison indicator comprising an operator selected from the set consisting of “

equal to”

, “

greater than or equal to”

, and “

don'"'"'t care” and

each of which associates one of a plurality of downloadable modules with a plurality of terminal compatibility interfaces, comparing one of the fields in the terminal table with one of the entries in the table received from the network and, responsive to a determination that a match of one of the comparison indicators to one of the fields in the terminal table and to one of the entries in the received table exists, downloading the one downloadable module corresponding to the matched entry.

13. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the one or more fields of the terminal table comprise a hardware manufacturer model number and an operating system version number.

14. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the one or more fields of the terminal table comprise a memory capacity of the terminal.

15. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the terminal comprises a home communication terminal (HCT) which is compatible with a subscription television network, and wherein the terminal downloads the one downloadable module over the subscription television network.

16. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the terminal receives the transmitted table after booting up and, responsive to a determination that a more recent version of an operating system is included in the received table, downloads one of the plurality of modules corresponding to the more recent version of the operating system.

17. The terminal according the claim 12, wherein the downloaded module comprises an application program which is subsequently executed in the terminal.

18. The terminal according to claim 12, wherein the terminal downloads the one downloadable module corresponding to the matched entry from a location determined by data contained in the table of entries received from the network.