Method and apparatus for software update of terminals in a mobile communication system

• US 8,396,464 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2009
• Issued: 03/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Lee, Jong-Hyo, Hwang, Sung-Oh, Jung, Bo-Sun, Keum, Ji-Eun, Lee, Byung-Rae, Lee, Kook-Heui
• Primary Examiner(s): TRAN, CONGVAN
• Application Number:
  US12/414,294
• Publication Number:
  US 20090247145A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 455/418, 455/419, 455/420, 455/403, 455/550.1, 709/203, 709/207, 717/169, 717/173
• US Class Current: 455/419
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2362 Generation or processing of Service Information [SI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8193 dedicated tools, e.g. video decoder software or IPMP tool
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/835 Generation of protective data, e.g. certificates protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 24/02 Arrangements for optimising operational condition
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/06 Selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS]; Services to user groups; One-way selective calling services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/245 from a network towards a terminal

Abstract

A method of updating software of terminals in a mobile broadcast system is provided. The method includes creating an update command for terminals of a particular model, the update command including update information; and broadcasting the created update command. The update information includes software version information and at least one of terminal manufacturer information and terminal model information. Further, the method may further include, before broadcasting the created update command, forcibly requiring terminals subscribe to an update service; and creating and broadcasting an update file for terminals of the particular model from among the forcibly subscribed terminals. The software of the terminals may be firmware.

Claims

1. A method of updating software of a terminal in a mobile broadcast system, the method comprising the steps of:

creating, by a BroadCAST (BCAST) Subscription Management (BSM), an update command for the terminal, the update command including update information;

delivering the update command, by the BSM, to a Broadcast Service Distribution System (BSDA); and

broadcasting, by the BSDA, the update command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the update information comprises software version information and at least one of terminal manufacturer information and terminal model information.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising, before broadcasting the update command:

creating, by the BSM, an update package;

delivering the update package to the BSDA; and

broadcasting, by the BSDA, the update package to the terminal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the software includes firmware of the terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the update command is included in a notification message.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising controlling the terminal to subscribe to an automatic update service, before creating the update package.

7. A method of updating software in a terminal of a mobile broadcast system, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving, by the terminal, an update command for terminals through a broadcast, the update command including update information; and

performing, by the terminal, a software update based on the update command.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the update information comprises software version information and at least one of terminal manufacturer information and terminal model information.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving an update package from a network, before receiving the update command through the broadcast.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the software includes firmware of the terminal.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the update command is included in a notification message.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising subscribing to an automatic update service, before receiving the update package.

13. A network apparatus for updating software of a terminal in a mobile broadcast system, the network apparatus comprising:

a BroadCAST (BCAST) Subscription Management (BSM) for transmitting an update command for the terminal to a Broadcast Service Distribution System (BSDA), the update command including update information; and

the BSDA for receiving and broadcasting the update command.

14. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the update information comprises software version information and at least one of terminal manufacturer information and terminal model information.

15. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the BSM comprises:

a Terminal Provisioning-Management (TP-M) for sending a request for creation of an update notification message; and

a NoTification-Generation (NTG) for creating the update notification message in response to the update notification message creation request from the TP-M and transmitting the created update notification message to the BSDA.

16. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the BSM comprises a Service Guide-Subscription Source (SG-SS) and a Terminal Provisioning-Management (TP-M) for sending a request, to the SG-SS, for creation of an update service,

wherein the SG-SS creates an update service fragment creation request message including information necessary for creation of an update service fragment in response to the update service creation request from the TP-M and transmits the created update service fragment creation request message to the BSDA, and

wherein the BSDA creates and broadcasts the update service fragment including an update service auto-subscription command according to the information necessary for creation of the update service fragment.

17. The network apparatus of claim 13, wherein the software includes firmware of the terminal.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the BSM delivers an update package to the BSDA, and

wherein the BSDA broadcasts the update package for the terminal, before transmitting the update command.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the update command is included in a notification message.

20. An apparatus for software update in a terminal of a mobile broadcast system, wherein the apparatus receives,

an update command through a broadcast and performs a software update based on the update command,

wherein the update command including update information.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the update information comprises software version information and at least one of terminal manufacturer information and terminal model information.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising:

a Service Guide-Client (SG-C) for receiving an update service guide for auto-subscription; and

a BCAST Service Provisioning-Client (BSP-C) for subscribing to an automatic update service according to the update service guide.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the software includes firmware of the terminal.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the update command is included in a notification message.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, comprising:

a NoTification-Client (NTC) for receiving the update command through the broadcast;

a File Delivery-Client (FD-C) for receiving an update package; and

a Terminal Provisioning-Client (TP-C) for performing the software update based on the update command.