System and method for generating a set top box code download step sequence

• US 7,716,662 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2005
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Holdings LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Seiden, Joshua A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen; Wei Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rampuria; Satish
• Application Number:
  US11/159,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20060294512A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,784 Days
• Field of Search: 717168-178, 717/105, 717/126, 717/127, 725/25
• US Class Current: 717/173
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• 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 21/4351 involving reassembling additional data, e.g. rebuilding an executable program from recovered modules
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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

A method for generating a Set Top Box (STB) code download step sequence includes the steps of retrieving a code object from a Software Download Generator (SDG) memory in response to an instruction signal, generating at least one of a control message and a decoder conditional command using a SDG processor in response to the code object, accessing information in a channel map in the SDG memory, combining the at least one of a control message and a decoder conditional command with the code object to generate the STB code download step sequence for a target STB, transmitting the at least one STB code download step sequence from the SDG memory to a Digital Addressable Controller (DAC), re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the DAC to a Remote Addressable DANIS/DLS (RADD), and re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the RADD to the target STB.

Claims

1. A method for generating a Set Top Box (STB) code download step sequence, the method comprising:

retrieving a code object from a Software Download Generator (SDG) memory;

generating a control message in response to the code object;

accessing information in a channel map defining a plurality of services that a provider offers to users;

selecting at least one target STB based on one or more STB parameters stored in the channel map information;

generating the STB code download step sequence for the at least one target STB by associating the control message with the code object; and

transmitting the STB code download step sequence to the at least one target STB.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the control message includes at least one command configured to purge code from the target STB.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the STB code download step sequence transmission is compliant with a TCP/IP protocol.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the STB code download step sequence to a Digital Addressable Controller (DAC);

re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the DAC to a Remote Addressable DANIS/DLS (RADD); and

re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the RADD to the target STB;

wherein the RADD is electrically coupled to a server and the server transmits the STB code download step sequence and a media stream to the target STB.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the STB code download step sequence is transmitted out of band relative to the media stream.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the SDG causes the target STB to perform the STB code download step sequence when a predetermined parameter of the target STB satisfies a decoder conditional command.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the predetermined parameter is at least one of STB type, STB authorization tier, and STB multicast address.

8. A system comprising:

a Software Download Generator (SDG) having a processor and a memory, wherein the SDG processor is configured to retrieve a code object from the memory, to generate a control message, access information in a channel map defining a plurality of services that a provider offers to users, select at least one target Set Top Box (STB) based on one or more STB parameters stored in the channel map, generate a STB code download step sequence for the at least one target STB by associating the control message with the code object, and transmit the STB code download step sequence to the at least one target STB.

9. The system of the claim 8 wherein the control message includes at least one command configured to purge code from the target STB.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the at least one STB code download step sequence transmission is compliant with a TCP/IP Protocol.

11. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a Digital Addressable Controller (DAC) that receives the STB code download step sequence; and

a Remote Addressable DANIS/DLS (RADD) that receives the STB code download step sequence, and transmits the STB code download step sequence to the target STB;

wherein the RADD is electrically coupled to a server and the server transmits the STB code download step sequence and a media stream to the target STB.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the STB code download step sequence is transmitted out of band relative to the media stream.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the SDG causes the target STB to perform the STB code download step sequence when a predetermined parameter of the target STB satisfies a decoder conditional command.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the predetermined parameter is at least one of STB type, STB authorization tier, and STB multicast address.

15. A Software Download Generator (SDG) comprising a computer-readable medium having a computer-readable program code, the computer-readable program code adapted to be executed to implement a method for generating a Set Top Box (STB) code download step sequence, the method comprising:

retrieving a code object from a SDG memory;

generating a control message in response to the code object;

accessing information in a channel map defining a plurality of services that a provider offers to users;

selecting a target STB based on one or more STB parameters defined in the channel map information;

generating the STB code download step sequence for the target STB by associating the control message with the code object; and

transmitting the STB code download step sequence to the target STB.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the control message includes at least one command configured to purge code from the target STB.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the at least one STB code download step sequence transmission is compliant with a TCP/IP protocol.

18. The method of claim 15 wherein the transmitting step comprises:

transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the SDG memory to a Remote Addressable DANIS/DLS (RADD); and

re-transmitting the STB code download step sequence from the RADD to the target STB;

wherein the RADD is electrically coupled to a server and the server transmits the STB code download step sequence and a media stream to the target STB.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the STB code download step sequence is transmitted out of band relative to the media stream.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein SDG caused the target STB to perform the STB code download step sequence when a predetermined parameter of the target STB satisfies a decoder conditional command.