Subscriber terminal with plug in expansion card
First Claim
1. A subscriber terminal for a subscription television system, comprising;
- control processor means operative for executing a control program for controlling the features of the subscriber terminal;
memory means for storing data and at least a portion of said control program for said control processor means;
a memory bus including data, address, and control lines for coupling said control processor means to said memory means; and
expansion means coupled to said memory bus for coupling to an optional second memory means for storing other portions of said control program when said optional second memory means is present.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A subscriber terminal with a plug-in expansion card provides for memory expansion and security renewal. The subscriber terminal has a memory control bus including data, address, and control lines which are extended to an expansion connector. In addition, the subscriber terminal includes a secure microprocessor and secure microprocessor bus (SMB) which regulate the secure transactions of the subscriber terminal. The SMB is also extended to the external connector. The expansion card plugs into the external connector and can contain numerous combinations of external memory, such as ROM, RAM, EEPROM, Hash EPROM, or other types of memory, to supplement internal memory and/or a secure microprocessor to renew, supplement, or modify security precautions for the terminal. The extended memory of the expansion card is fully controllable by the control microprocessor of the terminal and is downloadable through the expansion connector to allow changes in the program code stored there. The expansion card is inserted into a narrow slot through the outside cover of the subscribers terminal and is guided by a carrier into the external connector. A protective casing on the card includes a pivotable door which permits the card to maintain a slim profile. The door is opened during the insertion process into the external connector by a pair of tongs positioned at an inclined angle on the carrier to expose the terminal end of the expanding card.
174 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A subscriber terminal for a subscription television system, comprising;
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control processor means operative for executing a control program for controlling the features of the subscriber terminal; memory means for storing data and at least a portion of said control program for said control processor means; a memory bus including data, address, and control lines for coupling said control processor means to said memory means; and expansion means coupled to said memory bus for coupling to an optional second memory means for storing other portions of said control program when said optional second memory means is present. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of operating a subscriber terminal for a subscription television system, said subscriber terminal including:
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a control processor for controlling the features of the subscriber terminal; an internal memory for storing data and instructions for the control microprocessor; a memory bus including data, address, and control lines for coupling the control processor to the internal memory; authorization circuitry for permitting access to restricted channels of the subscription television system; a secure processor for controlling the authorization circuitry; and a secure processor bus for coupling the secure processor to the authorization circuitry, the method comprising the steps of; providing an expansion slot in the subscriber terminal for coupling to the internal memory and allowing expansion of the internal memory, and for coupling to the secure processor bus; providing a logic signal indicative of the presence of an expansion card in the expansion slot; in the control microprocessor, testing the logic signal to determine the presence of the expansion card in the expansion slot; and in response to a determination that the expansion card is present in the expansion slot, setting system parameters of the subscriber terminal to allow communication with and control of circuitry on the expansion card. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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17. In a subscription television system providing a plurality of restricted and unrestricted channels in which signals are transmitted to subscriber terminals from a head end, a subscriber terminal comprising:
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a control microprocessor for controlling the operation of the subscriber terminal; an internal memory for storing data and instructions for said control microprocessor, said internal memory coupled to said control microprocessor; and an expansion means for receiving an optional expansion circuit module; said control microprocessor operative for; receiving a download program code parameters transaction from the head end of said subscription television system, said download program code parameters transaction including a destination for new program code for the subscriber terminal; detecting the presence of said optional expansion circuit module; receiving a download program code transaction from the head end of said subscription system, said download program code transaction containing new program code for the subscriber terminal; in response to detection of said optional external circuit module, downloading said new program code from said download program code transaction into said optional expansion circuit module. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. In a subscription television system providing a plurality of restricted and unrestricted channels in which signals are transmitted to subscriber terminals from a head end, each of the subscriber terminals including a control microprocessor for controlling the operation of the subscriber terminal and an internal memory coupled to the control microprocessor for storing data and instructions for the control microprocessor, a method of operating a subscriber terminal, comprising the steps of:
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providing an expansion means in the subscriber terminal for receiving an optional expansion circuit module; receiving a download program code parameters transaction from the head end of said subscription system, the download program code parameters transaction including a destination for new program code for the subscriber terminal; detecting the presence of the optional expansion circuit module; receiving a download program code transaction from the head end of the subscription television system, the download program code transaction containing new program code for the subscriber terminal; and in response to detection of the presence of the optional expansion circuit module, downloading the new program code from the download program code transaction into the optional expansion circuit module. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34)
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Specification