System Integration and Validation of DOCSIS based Gateway System

Abstract

In modern digital word, Set-Top Box has become an essential electronic product in home multimedia appliances. Similarly in modern age of Internet, a gateway (generally called modem) is one of the most found electronic product along with Set-Top Box in today's digital home. An Interactive Set-top Box(ISTB) introduced by ST is such a device which satisfies need of both Set-Top box and gateway. ISTB is also called headed gateway fulfills need of residential gateway, digital set-top box and telephony as a complete Solution This thesis includes integration and full gateway system validation. Gateway is modem that adds facility of router and telephony both to Set-Top box. Gateway is cable modem based device(DOCSIS) which is dual CPU architecture, cable modem(ST40) and ARM core. This whole system has Linux based operating system with kernel 3.10. Integration over here means to unite together various software components along with kernel, with valid release and build complete software of gateway system. Full system software validation is process of being assured that product is meeting specified requirements. Thus Gateway system software validation means to check functionality like Set-Top box facility, data browsing, telephony etc. This system software consists of software components. Whenever system wont work as for what it is designed, we make change in system or new component is introduced to fulfil requirements. This addition of new components and make it a part of old system is known as system integration. After system integration, Sanity test and regression test is performed to test desired functionality of gateway board on YOCTO platform. This tests includes Heartbeat test which ensures aliveness of system, Watchdog timer test which used to prevent system suffering from timeout due to hardware fault or software error, LEDSERVICE tests for booting flow of system, nvmdb for system's database verification etc.