Reprogrammable subscriber terminal
First Claim
1. A method that stores software code for a subscriber terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing communication through a transmission medium for storing the software code for the subscriber terminal;
downloading software code that includes at least a portion of control program code for the subscriber terminal; and
storing the downloaded software code in a memory of the subscriber terminal, wherein the stored downloaded software code that includes at least a portion of the control program code for the subscriber is executed by a control processor.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A reprogrammable subscriber terminal of a subscription television service which can have the control program code of its control processor modified by downloading new program code from the headend. The control processor stores a boot program in an internal read only memory. Upon start up and resets, the boot program determines whether the control program should be changed from a command sent from the headend. The command, termed a parameters transactions, includes the number of expected download program code transactions required to complete the control code modification, the memory space areas where the code is to be loaded, and the channel over which the download program code transactions are to be transmitted. The channel is tuned and when the boot program receives all the download program code transactions accurately and stores them, the boot program will cause the control program to be restarted at a selected address of the new or modified control program code which has been downloaded. The boot program may download code to different configurations of subscriber terminals including those with Flash EPROM or extended memories from plug-in expansion modules.
29 Citations
33 Claims
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1. A method that stores software code for a subscriber terminal, the method comprising the steps of:
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establishing communication through a transmission medium for storing the software code for the subscriber terminal;
downloading software code that includes at least a portion of control program code for the subscriber terminal; and
storing the downloaded software code in a memory of the subscriber terminal, wherein the stored downloaded software code that includes at least a portion of the control program code for the subscriber is executed by a control processor. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A subscriber terminal that stores software code in a subscription television system, the terminal comprising:
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a receiver/transmitter that facilitates downloading the software code in one of the plurality of channels;
a memory that has stored software code and stores the downloaded software code including at least a portion of control program for the subscriber terminal; and
a control processor that executes at least a portion of a stored downloaded software code in the memory along with the at least a portion of the control program for the subscriber terminal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33)
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Specification