Home communications terminal having an applications module

• US 5,771,064 A
• Filed: 11/29/1995
• Issued: 06/23/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lett, David B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Grant, Chris
• Application Number:
  US08/564,020
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 348/10, 348/11, 348/12, 348/13, 348/6, 348/7, 348/14, 348/15, 348/16, 348/17, 348/18, 455/4.2, 455/4.1, 455/5.1, 455/6.1, 455/6.2, 455/6.3, 455/349
• US Class Current: 725/134
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/1675 Providing digital key or authorisation information for generation or regeneration of the scrambling sequence pseudo-random number generators in general G06F7/58

Abstract

A home communications terminal for use in a communications network is provided. The home communications terminal includes an applications module and a subscriber terminal module. The applications module has a memory including a first memory portion, and a processing unit for executing program code stored in the first memory portion of the memory of the applications module. The subscriber terminal module has a memory including a first memory portion for storing a first boot-loader program, and a second memory portion for storing a second boot-loader program. A processing unit of the subscriber terminal executes the first boot-loader program to load program code in the second memory portion of the memory of the subscriber terminal module and executes the second boot-loader program to load program code in the first memory portion of the memory of the applications module.

Claims

1. A home communications terminal for use in a communications network, comprising:

an applications module including;

a first memory including a first memory portion; and

a first processing unit for executing program code stored in the first memory portion of said first memory; and

a subscriber terminal module including;

a second memory including a first memory portion for storing a first boot-loader program, and a second memory portion for storing a second boot-loader program; and

a second processing unit for executing the first boot-loader program to load program code in the second memory portion of said second memory and for executing the second boot-loader program to load program code in the first memory portion of said first memory.

2. The home communications terminal according to claim 1, wherein said subscriber terminal unit further includes:

a receiver for receiving data transmitted over said communication network, wherein the received data includes the second boot-loader program and the program code to be loaded in the first memory portion of said first memory.

3. The home communications terminal according to claim 2, wherein the received data further includes I/O routines which are stored in the first memory portion of said second memory and which are executable by said second processing unit.

4. The home communications terminal according to claim 3, wherein the second memory further includes a video graphics memory portion for storing graphics data,

wherein the program code executed by said first processing unit generates graphics data and supplied the generated graphics data to said subscriber terminal module, and

wherein the I/O routines include at least one routine for routing the generated graphics data supplied to said subscriber terminal module to said video graphics memory portion of the second memory.

5. The home communications terminal according to claim 1, wherein said applications module further includes a connector assembly for connecting said applications module to external devices.