Automated system for testing and verification of control access kernel functionality in set-top boxes

This paper presents a novel approach and system for automated testing conditional access kernel (CAK) which is embedded in the set-top box (STB). The proposed system is based on a “black-box” testing approach where the testing is performed only by comparing the expected output and the tested output of the STB under test, given the input test signal. For the purpose of testing the CAK functionality we use “On Screen Display” module from the STB, which sends the messages from the CAK in the form of pop-ups on the output video signal. The final functional verification of the CAK within the STB under test is done by detecting pop-ups and their content from the output video signal, and comparing it to the expected one in a specific time interval and under specifically set access conditions of the STB.