Communication system for providing updatable information via polling communication

• US 7,986,710 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2008
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tominaga, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Scheibel; Robert C
• Application Number:
  US12/150,572
• Publication Number:
  US 20080279212A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,183 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 370/449
• 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 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests

Abstract

In a communication system, an information processing apparatus communicates with an information management apparatus via polling communication. In the information management apparatus, specification information including information specifying a timing condition of polling communication is stored, and the specification information is transmitted to the information processing apparatus in response to a request from the information processing apparatus. Transmission of the specification information is performed each time the request is issued via polling communication by the information processing apparatus when the specified timing condition is met. In the information processing apparatus, if the specification information is received, the timing condition is set such that next polling communication is performed when the time condition specified by the specification information is met. The polling communication is started when the timing condition set by the setting unit is met to request the provision of specification information specifying the timing condition of further next polling communication.

Claims

1. A communication system including an information management apparatus and an information processing apparatus, the information processing apparatus being adapted to issue a request to the information management apparatus via polling communication, and the information management apparatus being adapted to respond to the request thereby achieving communication between the information processing apparatus and the information management apparatus,

wherein the information management apparatus includes:

a storage unit to store specification information, the specification information including information specifying one of a timing condition for the polling communication and an indication that the polling communication should be deactivated; and

a transmitting unit to transmit the specification information stored in the storage unit to the information processing apparatus in response to the request from the information processing apparatus,

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the specification information stored in the storage unit to the information processing apparatus each time the request is received from the information processing apparatus,

and the information processing apparatus includes;

a setting unit to set, in response to receiving from the information management apparatus first specification information specifying the timing condition for the polling communication, the timing condition of a next polling communication such that the next polling communication is performed when the timing condition specified by the received specification information is met and to deactivate the polling communication in response to receiving from the information management apparatus second specification information specifying that the polling communication should be deactivated;

an interface unit to receive an instruction from a user of the information processing apparatus to activate the polling communication, when the polling communication is deactivated;

a requesting unit to transmit the request when the timing condition set by the setting unit is met and when the polling communication is not deactivated and to transmit the request when the polling communication is deactivated and the instruction to activate the polling communication is received from the user;

a second storage unit to store at least one piece of updatable information; and

a specification information determining unit to set the specification information, the specification information being determined based on whether the at least one piece of updatable information will be updated and/or an assessment of when the at least one piece of updatable information will be updated;

wherein the at least one piece of updatable information comprises an update for a computer program,

wherein, when the computer program is a new product, during a first length of time after the computer program is released, the specification information determining unit is configured to determine the specification information specifying a first value as timing condition for the polling communication; and

wherein, when the computer program is a new product, at a second time after the first length of time, the specification information determining unit is configured to determine the specification information specifying a second value as timing condition for the polling communication, the second value longer than the first value, or to determine the specification information specifying that the polling communication should be deactivated.

3. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the requesting unit of the information processing apparatus is configured to transmit a request for the at least one piece of updatable information.

4. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the information processing apparatus is a set-top television box, the computer program is a firmware for the set-top television box, and the update for the computer program is an update for the firmware.

5. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the specification information determining unit is configured to set the specification information based on input from an administrator.

6. The communication system of claim 1, wherein the requesting unit of the information processing apparatus transmits the request comprising a first request for the specification information.

2. An information management apparatus to communicate with an information processing apparatus by responding to a request transmitted from the information processing apparatus via polling communication, the information management apparatus comprising:

a first storage unit to store at least one piece of updatable information;

a specification information determining unit to set specification information, the specification information being determined based on whether the at least one piece of updatable information will be updated and/or an assessment of when the at least one piece of updatable information will be updated;

a second storage unit to store the specification information, the specification information including information specifying one of a timing condition for the polling communication and an indication that the polling communication should be deactivated; and

a transmitting unit to transmit the specification information stored in the second storage unit to the information processing apparatus, in response to the request from the information processing apparatus, the request being a request for the at least one piece of updatable information,

wherein the transmitting unit is configured to transmit the specification information stored in the second storage unit to the information processing apparatus each time the request is received from the information processing apparatus;

wherein the at least one piece of updatable information comprises an update for a computer program, and

wherein, when the computer program is a new product, during a first length of time after the computer program is released, the specification information determining unit is configured to determine the specification information specifying a first value as timing condition for the polling communication; and

wherein when the computer program is a new product, at a second time after the first length of time, the specification information determining unit is configured to determine the specification information specifying a second value as timing condition for the polling communication, the second value longer than the first value, or to determine the specification information specifying that the polling communication should be deactivated.

7. The information management apparatus of claim 2, wherein the request comprises a request for the specification information and wherein the transmitting unit transmits the specification information in response to the request for the specification information.