Method and system for identifying and downloading appropriate software or formware specific to a particular model of set-top box in a cable television system

• US 6,718,374 B1
• Filed: 04/07/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Del Sordo, Christopher S., Poli, Christopher, Makofka, Douglas S., Vince, Lawrence, Bahraini, Ardie, Goffin, Glen P. II
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIN, KENNY S
• Application Number:
  US09/544,461
• Time in Patent Office: 1,460 Days
• Field of Search: 709/233, 709/220, 709/222, 725/116, 725/70, 725/132, 370/110.1, 380/232, 380/210, 345/823, 705/44
• US Class Current: 709/220
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/64 Retargetable
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4401 Bootstrapping security arrangements therefor G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/8166 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 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A method and system identify programming code that is appropriate to the architecture and capabilities of a set-top terminal in a cable television system. The appropriate programming code is identified from among a variety of code objects being broadcast from the headend facility of the cable television system. A platform identifier stored in the set-top terminal is matched to a corresponding platform identifier in an entitlement management message or other download locator message that specifies where in the transport stream from the headend a particular code object can be acquired. By acquiring the object corresponding to the message bearing a matching platform identifier, the set-top terminal acquires programming code compatible with its attributes. Additionally, the cable television system can then optimally support a varied population of set-top terminals.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a code object for download by a set-top terminal from a data transport stream broadcast to the set-top terminal over a cable television system where the object identified is appropriate to the architecture and capabilities of the set-top terminal, the method comprising matching a platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal with a second platform identifier in a download locator message that specifies where in said data transport stream a particular code object can be acquired, wherein said platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal is specific to said architecture and capabilities of said set-top terminal;

wherein said download locator message is added as part of an entitlement management message.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising tuning said data transport stream with said set-top terminal based on a table of control channels carrying data transport streams.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising collecting PID 1 packets from said data transport stream and extracting therefrom a table specifying packet identifiers for a plurality of download locator messages being transmitted on said data transport stream.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising successively acquiring said plurality of download locator messages according to said table and extracting platform identifiers therefrom until a download locator message is found bearing a platform identifier that matches said platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising obtaining locator data from said download locator message having a platform identifier that matches said platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal, wherein said locator data specifies where in said data transport stream a particular code object can be acquired.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising downloading to said set-top terminal said particular code object specified by said locator data from said download locator message having a platform identifier that matches said platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said code object is a base platform code object.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said code object is an operating system code object.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said code object is a resident application code object.

10. A system for of identifying a code object for download by a set-top terminal from a data transport stream broadcast to the set-top terminal over a cable television system where the object identified is appropriate to the architecture and capabilities of the set-top terminal, the system comprising:

means for obtaining a first platform identifier in a download locator message that specifies where in said data transport stream a particular code object can be acquired; and

means for matching said first platform identifier with a second platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal,

wherein said platform identifier is specific to said architecture and capabilities of said set-top terminal;

wherein said download locator message is added as part of an entitlement management message.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising means for tuning said data transport stream with said set-top terminal based on a table of control channels carrying data transport streams.

12. The system of claim 10, further comprising:

means for collecting PID 1 packets from said data transport stream; and

means for extracting therefrom a table specifying packet identifiers for a plurality of download locator messages being transmitted on said data transport stream.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising means for successively acquiring said plurality of download locator messages according to said table and extracting platform identifiers therefrom until a download locator message is found bearing a first platform identifier that matches said second platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising means for obtaining locator data from said download locator message having said first platform identifier that matches said second platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal, wherein said locator data specifies where in said data transport stream a particular code object can be acquired.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising means for downloading to said set-top terminal said particular code object specified by said locator data from said download locator message having said first platform identifier that matches said second platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein said code object is a base platform code object.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein said code object is an operating system code object.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein said code object is a resident application code object.

19. A method of initializing a set-top terminal, said method comprising:

executing a boot code object with said set-top terminal; and

with said boot code object, acquiring and launching a base platform code object on said set-top terminal by matching a platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal with a second platform identifier in a download locator message that specifies where in a data transport stream said base platform code object can be acquired, wherein said platform identifier stored in said set-top terminal is specific to said architecture and capabilities of said set-top terminal and wherein said download locator message is added as part of an entitlement management message;

wherein said base platform code object, when executing, provides said set-top terminal with an ability to receive, tune and output television programming from a cable television system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said acquiring said base platform code object comprises retrieving said base platform code object from a memory of said set-top terminal.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said acquiring said base platform code object further comprises downloading said base platform code object from a headend.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said acquiring and launching said base platform code object further comprises authenticating said base platform code object prior to launching said base platform code object.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising, if said base platform code object fails said authenticating of said base platform code object, deleting said base platform code object;

re-acquiring said base platform code object; and

authenticating said re-acquired base platform object.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising counting a number of failed attempts to authenticate a base platform code object.

25. The method of claim 24, further comprising signaling for a service call when said number of failed attempts to authenticate a base platform code object reaches a pre-determined limit.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said acquiring said base platform code object further comprises checking memory of said set-top terminal for a base platform code object, a last known carrier frequency of a control channel and an Entitlement Management Message Provider Identification.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising downloading said base platform code object to said set-top terminal if said base platform code object, last known carrier frequency of a control channel and Entitlement Management Message Provider Identification are not found in said memory of said set-top terminal.

28. The method of claim 19, further comprising, with said base platform code object executing on said set-top terminal, acquiring and launching an operating system on said set-top terminal.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said acquiring said operating system comprises retrieving said operating system from a memory of said set-top terminal.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said acquiring said operating system further comprises downloading said operating system from a headend.

31. The method of claim 28, wherein said acquiring and launching said operating system further comprises authenticating and authorizing said operating system prior to launching said operating system.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising, if said operating system fails said authenticating and authorizing, deleting said operating system;

re-acquiring said operating system; and

authenticating and authorizing said re-acquired operating system.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising counting a number of failed attempts to authenticate and authorize an operating system.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising signaling for a service call when said number of failed attempts reaches a pre-determined limit.