KR101353063B1 - Method for Operating Firmware Over The Air and Apparatus Thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention is to check the frequency of use of the terminal to perform a firmware update (Firmware Update) according to the FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) service in the time of low use frequency of the terminal, or when the time set by the mobile operator for firmware update It relates to a terminal that downloads a file and performs a firmware update. The mobile communication terminal of the present invention receives the received data at a set time zone based on the degree of use of the terminal and the time zone of the user and the time zone for receiving the file according to the FOTA service, or the radio resource occupancy rate of the time zone on the wireless communication network. It includes a control unit that executes the file.

Description

How to perform FOTA and terminal according to the method {Method for Operating Firmware Over The Air and Apparatus Thereof}

The present invention relates to a mobile communication terminal, and more particularly to a terminal having a FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) function.

As cell phone functions become more complex, the software on the phone also has a number of bugs, and there is an increasing demand for additional functions after the cell phone is released. Accordingly, it was FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) that came out to solve the wireless patch and feature upgrade of the phone's software.

Looking at the FOTA service method according to the prior art, each FOTA solution company develops and supplies software for executing FOTA, and downloads and executes the software to the mobile phone using a mobile communication network to update the firmware of the mobile phone. Will perform.

The software for FOTA takes much time to download because the amount of data is much larger than that of voice data packet or SMS message, so if you do not answer the phone or receive a call while downloading the software, There is a problem that requires aborting the download.

In addition, since the capacity of the downloaded software is large, a specific terminal consumes a lot of radio resources during download. As a result, radio resources are concentrated on one user in a specific cell, which leaves a problem that other users in the same cell may adversely affect the use of the wireless communication service. This problem not only causes inconvenience to terminal users, but also adds difficulty to efficient wireless resource distribution for telecommunication service providers who want to provide the best communication environment for each telecommunication service user.

In order to solve this problem, a technique of extracting only the modified part and generating a file, and compressing the generated file again and minimizing the size of the downloaded file without downloading the whole software, compared to the previous version of the software may be used. . This is called creating a Diff Package. With Diff Package, you can use your phone's storage more efficiently and reduce the time it takes to download.

However, even if the size of the software file for FOTA is reduced, the time required for downloading and installing the downloaded software usually takes about 5 to 10 minutes, making it inconvenient to respond to incoming calls or messages during that time. This does not solve the problem that occurs, and from the perspective of the mobile operator, it does not solve the problem caused by the unbalanced distribution of radio resources.

In addition, since the process of performing a firmware upgrade, the terminal power is turned off and then turned back on again, it is a problem, which is inconvenient for users who frequently call using a mobile phone.

In addition, as more and more mobile phone models equipped with the FOTA function are increasingly used, when the FOTA function is applied to download and use not only firmware upgrade software but also other types of software, wireless resource consumption, download and The problem of intensifying user's inconvenience in accordance with the implementation will be increased.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and in particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a terminal that automatically performs a FOTA function when a user does not use the terminal.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for inducing a file download for a FOTA service in a time zone when radio resource usage rate is low on a mobile communication network.

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a transceiver for receiving a file for providing a FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) service and the frequency of use of a terminal for each time zone or a radio resource for each time zone on a wireless communication network. It includes a control unit for performing a firmware update (Firmware Update) using the received file at a set time based on the occupancy degree.

Preferably, the controller executes the received file in a time zone set by a mobile communication service provider during a time when a radio resource occupancy degree is low on a wireless communication network, or checks the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone, thereby increasing the use frequency. The received file is executed at the lowest time.

The mobile communication terminal according to the present invention enables the firmware upgrade through the FOTA service to be performed in a time when the user rarely uses the terminal, thereby eliminating the inconvenience that the use of the terminal is restricted due to the firmware upgrade. It provides users with various choices by setting the time zone for firmware upgrade according to different modes, and induces downloading of files for FOTA service during low wireless resource usage period. There is an effect that provides a way to manage the radio resources more efficiently.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, well-known functions or constructions are not described in detail for the sake of clarity and conciseness. In describing the present invention with reference to the drawings, the same reference numerals are used to denote components performing the same function.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the mobile communication terminal according to the present invention includes a transceiver 110, a controller 100, an input unit 140, a display unit 120, and a memory 130. It includes a download unit 102, an update unit 104, a timer 106, the terminal frequency check unit 108.

The transceiver 110 serves to receive a file for executing a firmware update according to the FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) service. The method of receiving a file can be divided into wired and wireless. As an example of a method of receiving by wire, a method of downloading a file provided by a terminal manufacturer to a computer through the Internet and then connecting the terminal and the computer with a cable to receive the file, a homepage or an agency operated by a mobile communication service company, etc. There may be a method of moving and receiving files by wire. As an example of a method of wirelessly receiving, it may be possible to download a file provided by the terminal manufacturer from the server of the mobile communication provider to the terminal using a wireless communication network.

An antenna 112 may be connected to the transceiver 110 to receive file data through a wireless mobile communication network.

The controller 100 controls to receive and execute the firmware update file through the transceiver 110 at a specific time, or controls to execute a file already received through the transceiver 110 at a specific time. In relation to the specific time, the received file is executed in a time zone set by a mobile communication service provider during a low occupancy level of radio resources on a wireless communication network, or the user's terminal usage frequency is checked for each time zone. You can control the execution of the received file during the time of least frequency.

The download unit 102 functions to control the download performance of the file according to the FOTA service, and the update unit 104 executes the file downloaded to the transceiver unit 110 or the file stored in the memory 130, and the terminal. Perform Firmware Update of.

The terminal frequency checker 108 performs a function of checking the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone. The terminal frequency check unit 108 checks the frequency at which work such as a telephone call or message is made by time zone, and is performed on a daily, weekly or monthly basis. The frequency of use by time is statistically processed.

When the terminal frequency check unit 108 checks the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone, the timer 106 determines a time zone for executing the firmware upgrade by the terminal user when it is determined whether the time zone set by the mobile communication operator has been reached. This function provides time information in case of determining whether the set time has been reached.

The display unit 120 may be configured of a liquid crystal display (LCD) or an organic light emitting diode (OLED), and displays information necessary for operation of the terminal and performing various functions.

The input unit 140 functions to receive a corresponding input when a user wants to operate and select an item on a specific menu displayed on the display unit 120. The input unit 140 may receive an input through a button, or may receive an input through a touch of a touch screen.

The memory 130 stores a FOTA service related file received through the transceiver 110. The file stored in the memory may be the entire firmware software file for performing the FOTA service, or may be a file in which only the difference with the firmware of a previous version already installed in the terminal is extracted and compressed. The memory 130 may use either an internal memory or an external memory, and is not limited to a specific memory such as a flash memory or a hard disk.

2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a system for providing a FOTA service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 2, a system for providing a FOTA service includes an OTA server (Over The Air Server 210), a base station 220, a cable server 230, a package generator 240, It comprises a communication network 250, the terminal 200.

The OTA server 210 is a server that provides a terminal user wirelessly with a FOTA service. The OTA server 210 notifies the terminal user of the FOTA service through a text message, and the terminal user can download and execute a firmware upgrade file through an authentication procedure. To provide.

The OTA server 210 may store information on a radio resource usage rate or information on a time for performing a FOTA service. Since the mobile communication service provider manages the mobile communication network, the mobile communication service provider frequently checks the information on the radio resource usage rate, and has information on the radio resource usage rate and occupancy rate for each time slot. Therefore, the mobile service provider may remind the mobile station of information on the radio resource usage rate or the information on the appropriate time to perform the FOTA service so that the FOTA service can be performed at the time when the radio resource usage rate is low based on the radio resource usage rate of each time zone. It is preferable to store it in the OTA server 210. If necessary, the mobile communication provider's server may be configured in such a manner as to provide visual information for performing the FOTA service to the OTA server.

The cable server 230 provides a solution for the terminal user to use the FOTA service through a wire such as a cable rather than wirelessly.

For example, a terminal user downloads and installs a data communication program (PC Sync program) between a terminal and a personal computer (PC), accesses a website providing a FOTA service using a PC, and downloads a firmware upgrade file. After that, a firmware upgrade may be performed by moving a file to a terminal using the PC Sync program. At this time, the cable server 230 may provide a firmware upgrade file or a PC Sync program.

The package generator 240 is a server that manages binaries and delta packages and delivers them to mobile operators. Here, the delta package means that only the difference between the software for performing the firmware upgrade (between the previous version of the software and the latest software or between the version of the software installed on the terminal and the latest software) is extracted.

As is clear from the prior art, in transmitting the firmware update file to the terminal 200 using a wireless communication network, the delta package is used to minimize the size of the file to be transmitted. The package generator 240 is mainly operated by the manufacturer of the terminal.

3 is a diagram illustrating a terminal screen for performing a firmware update according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the FOTA service information is received by the terminal 200 through the base station 220, a message is displayed on the display unit 120 of the terminal to determine whether to perform the firmware update (S300). The controller 100 may be a user selectable item and may provide a start now, a start time setting, an automatic mode, and the like (S300).

When the terminal user selects the 'start now' item, the downloader 102 controls to receive the firmware update software through the transceiver 110 and stores the downloaded software in the memory 130. After that, the update unit 104 executes the downloaded software to perform a firmware update of the terminal (S310).

When the terminal user selects the 'start time setting' item, the controller 100 provides information on how much the terminal user has used the terminal for each time zone through the display 120 (S320). In relation to the terminal usage frequency displayed on the display unit 120, the terminal user frequency check unit 108 transmits and receives the message and the number of calls by the terminal user for a certain period (for example, 1 day, 1 week, 1 month, etc.). / Statistical processing the number of times, wireless data communication, and the like, the control unit 100 displays the statistically processed information.

In relation to when the terminal frequency checker 108 checks the frequency of use of the terminal, when the user selects the 'start time setting' item, the terminal may perform a check operation or perform a check operation at a predetermined period to perform statistical data. May be stored in the memory 130.

In the controller 100 providing information on the frequency of use of the terminal, as shown in FIG. 4, it is preferable to display a time zone having a low frequency of use. In the reference numeral S420, in displaying the frequency of use in units of 1 hour of time from 0 o'clock to 24 o'clock, a screen in which priority is given to a time zone having a low use frequency is shown as an example.

When the terminal user selects a specific time zone having a low frequency of use from among various time zones displayed on the display unit 120, the display unit 120 indicates that the time zone selected by the user as the firmware update time zone is set (S322).

If the terminal user selects the 'auto mode' item, the firmware update is performed at the time set by the mobile communication provider. In order to perform at the time set by the mobile operator, when the terminal user selects the 'auto mode', a signal indicating that the auto mode is selected is transmitted to the server or the OTA server 300 of the mobile operator through the base station 220. Receive the time information set by the mobile communication provider. If the time set by the mobile communication provider is less than 3 am using the wireless communication network, the control unit 100 of the terminal 200 refers to the timer 106, and at 3 am, receives the firmware update software and updates the firmware. To perform.

When the user selects 'automatic mode' when receiving the FOTA service information, the user can select the 'auto mode' to perform the FOTA service in the time zone set by the mobile operator (it is likely to be set according to the early morning when the radio resource usage rate is low due to the low usage of the terminal). Since file downloads occur, efficiency in radio resource use and distribution will be increased. In addition, when the FOTA service information is received, a menu such as 'auto mode' may be provided in the menu to induce a firmware update to be performed in a time zone set by the mobile communication service provider.

4 is a diagram illustrating a method of performing FOTA according to an embodiment of the present invention.

When the FOTA service related information is received in the form of a text message (S400), the terminal frequency check unit 108 checks the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone (S401). When checking the frequency of use, it is not necessary to check the frequency of use by 1 hour unit. It is also possible to use the unit of 30 minutes or 2 hours if necessary. In addition, the operation of checking the frequency of use by the terminal frequency check unit 108 may be performed at regular intervals, or may be performed when the controller 100 provides a menu for performing the FOTA service. It may also be performed when a firmware update time is directly set according to the FOTA service.

Upon receiving the FOTA service information, the controller 100 provides a setting menu regarding when to perform a firmware update (S402).

If the user selects the automatic mode (S403), the firmware update time of the terminal is set to the time set by the mobile communication provider (S404). The control unit 100 compares the current time with the set time using the timer 106 (S405), and when the set time reaches, receives the file for performing the FOTA from the OTA server 210 (S410). Thereafter, the update unit 104 executes the received file to perform the firmware update of the terminal (S411).

On the other hand, if the user does not select the automatic mode (S403), the control unit 100 provides a selection menu on whether to execute the update now or set a time zone to perform the update (S406). If the user selects an item to execute the update now, the firmware is updated by receiving a file for performing FOTA (S410) (S411).

When the user selects an item that can set the time zone to perform the update, the control unit 100 displays the frequency of use for each time zone that the terminal frequency check unit 108 has statistically processed on the display unit 120 (S407). . In this case, in order to induce the user to select a time zone with a low use frequency of the terminal, it is preferable to display a time zone with a low use frequency first. When the user sets a time zone for performing the firmware update (S408), the controller 100 checks whether the time set by the user has been reached with reference to the timer 106 (S409).

When the time reached by the user is reached, the downloader 102 downloads the FOTA performance file through the transceiver 110 (S410). When the download is completed, the firmware update of the terminal is controlled under the control of the updater 104. It is performed (S411).

The preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Here, the terms or words used in the present specification and claims should not be construed as being limited to the common or dictionary meanings, but should be interpreted as meanings and concepts corresponding to the technical spirit of the present invention.

Therefore, the embodiments described in the present specification and the configurations shown in the drawings are merely the most preferred embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the technical ideas of the present invention are described. Therefore, It should be understood that various equivalents and modifications may be present.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a mobile communication terminal according to an embodiment of the present invention;

2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a system for providing a FOTA service according to an embodiment of the present invention.

3 is a view showing a terminal screen for performing a firmware update according to an embodiment of the present invention.

4 is a diagram illustrating a method of performing FOTA according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (18)

Transceiving unit for receiving a file for providing a FOTA (Firmware Over The Air) service; Wow A mobile communication including a control unit for performing a firmware update by using the received file at a set time based on the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone or the occupancy of radio resources for each time zone on the wireless communication network. terminal. The apparatus of claim 1, A download unit for controlling the download of the file according to the FOTA service; A timer for checking an execution time of the downloaded file; And And an update unit which checks the timer and performs a firmware update on the downloaded file at a set time. The apparatus of claim 1, And executing the received file in a time zone set by a mobile service provider during a time when a radio resource occupancy level of the wireless communication network is low. The apparatus of claim 1, And checking the terminal usage frequency by time zone, and executing the received file at the lowest usage time interval. The apparatus of claim 1, When the FOTA service information is received, the mobile terminal characterized in that it provides a menu for the user to set the firmware update execution time The apparatus of claim 1, A mobile communication terminal, characterized in that the terminal checks the frequency of use of the terminal according to time slots, and receives an execution time of the firmware update according to the FOTA service from the user. 7. The apparatus of claim 6, The mobile terminal according to claim 1, wherein the terminal checks the frequency of use of the terminal for each time slot. The method of claim 1, wherein the received file, And a file generated by extracting a difference between firmware installed in the terminal and a new version of firmware. 3. The apparatus of claim 2, The mobile communication terminal further comprises a terminal frequency check unit for checking the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone. The method of claim 9, wherein the terminal frequency check unit, The mobile terminal, characterized in that for checking the number of times of use of the terminal during the selected period of one day, one week, one month. The method of claim 9, wherein the terminal frequency check unit, Mobile communication terminal characterized in that the terminal frequency of use check based on the number of messages sent or received or the number of calls. Receiving a file according to a firmware over the air (FOTA) service; Wow A FOTA comprising performing a firmware update using the received file at a set time zone based on a user's time of use of a terminal for each time zone or a degree of occupancy of radio resources on a wireless communication network. How to do it. The method of claim 12, wherein executing the received file comprises: Checking the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone; And executing the received file by selecting a time zone having the lowest frequency of use among the checked time zones. The method of claim 12, wherein executing the received file comprises: Checking the frequency of use of the terminal for each time zone; Displaying the checked frequency of use of each time zone; Accepting a user's selection of the displayed item and executing the received file at a selected time period. The method of claim 12, wherein executing the received file comprises: Checking the FOTA execution time zone set by the mobile communication provider; And executing the received file in the checked time zone. If a notification message according to a firmware over the air (FOTA) service is received, providing a menu for setting when to perform a firmware update according to the FOTA service; According to a user's setting input for the provided menu, the firmware update file is downloaded to perform a firmware update, or the firmware update file is downloaded at a time set by a mobile operator to control to perform a firmware update, or A method of performing FOTA, comprising providing information on the frequency of use and downloading a firmware update file at a time according to a user's setting to perform a firmware update. An over-the-air (OTA) server that provides configuration information regarding a firmware update file and firmware update execution time according to a firmware over the air (FOTA) service; A base station for receiving the firmware update file and setting information regarding the execution time from the OTA server and transmitting the received configuration information to a mobile communication terminal; And And a mobile communication terminal performing a firmware update at the set firmware update execution time. The system of claim 17, wherein the setting information regarding the firmware update execution time provided by the OTA server is information set based on a radio resource usage rate.

Images