Monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices

• US 9,218,265 B2
• Filed: 02/22/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: EchoStar Global B.V. (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: De Jong, Menno, van Rozen, Riemer Andries, Bekedam, Harmen
• Primary Examiner(s): BAILEY, FREDERICK D
• Application Number:
  US13/032,471
• Publication Number:
  US 20110206136A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,764 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/368 for test version control, e.g. updating test cases to a new software version
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/12 Arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26291 for providing content or additional data updates, e.g. updating software modules, stored at the client deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4424 Monitoring of the internal components or processes of the client device, e.g. CPU or memory load, processing speed, timer, counter or percentage of the hard disk space used error monitoring in general G06F11/30; arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations in broadcast systems H04H60/32; diagnosis, testing or measuring for television receivers H04N17/04
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

The invention relates to a system and method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, such as Set Top Boxes (STBs). Such devices typically require periodic updates as new versions of operating software is developed. However, it is not possible to guarantee that all devices that have received an updated software version are able to operate correctly. The system initiates a test for a STB and monitors in real time the state of the STB as the software download occurs. The state of the STB is reported to a system controller and the results are output to a test engineer. Other devices in the broadcast network can be controlled by the controller and various troubleshooting or operational tests performed.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, the system comprising:

at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, the AV decoder device being operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

a controller; and

a network for transmitting data signals between the controller and the at least one AV decoder device;

wherein, during a device testing phase, the controller is operable to transmit control and AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device causing the at least one AV decoder device to undertake an action in response to the data,

wherein, during the device testing phase, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to undertake an action in response to the control and AV content data transmitted by the controller, and to transmit state information data to the controller,

wherein the state information corresponds to the state of the AV decoder device during the action undertaken in response to receiving the control and AV content data; and

wherein the controller is operable to output a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device,

wherein, during the device testing phase, the controller runs a script defining the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted,

wherein, at the end of the device testing phase, the controller is operable to output the data result that comprises an instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information, and

wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

2. The system of claim 1, comprising a data streaming device in communication with the controller over the network and operable to generate control and AV content data for transmission to the at least one AV decoder device in response to control data received from the controller.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to log the data signals transmitted between the controller and the at least one AV Decoder device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the control data references an updated version of operating software for the at least one AV decoder device, and, in response to receiving the control data, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to update its operating software to the version referenced in the control data.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller is operable to output the state information received from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

outputting a report,

wherein the report includes the instance of the script that was output at the end of the device testing phase and the state information data transmitted from the at least one AV decoder device to the controller.

6. A device test tool for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices comprising at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, the AV decoder device being operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

wherein, during a device testing phase, the device test tool is operable to;

transmit control and AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device via a network causing the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during the device testing phase, an action in response to the data;

receive from the at least one AV decoder state information data transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase, wherein the state information corresponds to the state of the at least one AV decoder device during the action undertaken in response to receiving the control and AV content data;

output a data result based on the device state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device,

wherein, during the device testing phase, the device test tool runs one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted,

wherein, at the end of the device testing phase, the device test tool is operable to output the data result that comprises an instance of the script that was run by the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase with the state information, and

wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

7. A method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices comprising at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, a controller, and a network for transmitting data signals between the controller, and the at least one AV decoder device, wherein the AV decoder device is operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

the method comprising;

transmitting control and AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device to cause the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the control and AV content data;

receiving at the controller state information data transmitted from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase, wherein the state information corresponds to the state of the at least one AV decoder device during the undertaken action; and

outputting a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device,

running, during the device testing phase by the controller, one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted to the at least one AV decoder device, and

outputting, by the controller at the end of the device testing phase, an instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information,

wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising generating the control and AV content data for transmission to the at least one AV decoder device using a data streaming device in response to control data received from the controller.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising logging the data signals transmitted between the controller and the at least one AV Decoder device.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the control data references an updated version of operating software for the at least one AV decoder device, and, in response to receiving the control data, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to update its operating software to the version referenced in the control data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising outputting from the controller the state information received from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase.

16. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting a channel change time,

wherein the channel change time is an amount of time between;

a time that a remote control device command is issued to the AV decoder device to change from a first channel to a second channel, and

a time that the AV decoder device outputs video information received in the second channel.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein detecting the channel change time comprises:

detecting one of a video black screen duration and a still image duration,

wherein the black screen corresponds to a screen level below a threshold screen level, and

wherein the still image duration corresponds to a number of same images that persist for a specified length of time.

18. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

detecting an audio change time,

wherein the audio change time is an amount of time between;

a time that a remote control device command is issued to the AV decoder device to change from a first audio volume to a second audio volume, and

a time that the AV decoder device outputs the second audio volume.

13. A computer program product on which computer code is stored on a tangible non-transitory medium, wherein when the computer code is executed on a computer of a controller, the computer is caused to perform a method comprising:

transmitting control and AV content data to at least one AV decoder device to cause the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the control and AV content data;

receiving, at the controller, state information data transmitted from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase, wherein the state information corresponds to the state of the at least one AV decoder device during the undertaken action; and

outputting a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device,

wherein, during the device testing phase, the controller runs one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted,

wherein the controller, at the end of the device testing phase, is operable to output the data result that comprises an instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information, and

wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

14. A system for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices, the system comprising:

at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, the AV decoder device being operable to output state information representative of its internal state;

a controller;

a network for transmitting data signals between the controller, and the at least one AV decoder device;

wherein, during a device testing phase, the controller is operable to transmit control and AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device causing the at least one AV decoder device to undertake an action in response to the control and AV content data;

and wherein, during the device testing phase, the at least one AV decoder device is operable to undertake an action in response to the control and AV content data transmitted by the controller, and to transmit state information data to the controller, wherein the state information corresponds to the state of the AV decoder device during the action undertaken in response to receiving the control and AV content data; and

the controller is operable to output a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device; and

wherein, during the device testing phase, the controller runs one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted,

wherein, at the end of the device testing phase, the controller is operable to output an e-mail with a running instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information, and includes any trace objects generated by the AV decoder device during the device testing phase, and

wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.

15. A method for monitoring and controlling the operation of devices in a distributed network of broadcast devices comprising at least one AV decoder device for decoding video and/or audio signals, a controller, and a network for transmitting data signals between the controller, and the at least one AV decoder device, wherein the AV decoder device is operable to output state information representative of its internal state, the method comprising:

transmitting control and AV content data to the at least one AV decoder device to cause the at least one AV decoder device to undertake, during a device testing phase, an action in response to the control and AV content data;

receiving at the controller state information data transmitted from the at least one AV decoder device during the device testing phase, wherein the state information corresponds to the state of the at least one AV decoder device during the action undertaken in response to receiving the control and AV content data;

outputting a data result based on the state information data received from the at least one AV decoder device;

running one or more scripts at the controller, wherein the scripts define the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted; and

outputting, at the end of the device testing phase, a data result that comprises an instance of the script that was run with the state information,

wherein, during the device testing phase, the controller runs the one or more scripts defining the nature of the control and AV content data, and the sequence in which the control and AV content data is to be transmitted,

wherein the controller is operable to output the instance of the script that was run during the device testing phase with the state information, and

wherein the state information transmitted by the at least one AV decoder device includes debugging information.