Display system with programmable display parameters

• US 6,166,728 A
• Filed: 06/07/1993
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/02/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Haman, R. Thomas, Ith, Chamnan, Banker, Robert O., Bacon, Kinney C.
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, NATHAN J
• Application Number:
  US08/072,291
• Time in Patent Office: 2,759 Days
• Field of Search: 345/25, 345/26, 345/113, 345/114, 345/115, 345/116, 345/141, 345/142, 345/143, 345/144, 345/194, 345/327, 348/7, 348/8, 348/910, 348/12, 348/467, 348/584, 348/588, 348/589, 348/596, 348/600, 380/5, 707/217-219
• US Class Current: 715/719
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4184 providing storage capabilities, e.g. memory stick
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4435 Memory management allocation of memory to service a request G06F9/5016; addressing or allocating within memory systems or architectures G06F12/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4884 for displaying subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6547 comprising parameters, e.g. for client setup
• 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 5/44504 Circuit details of the additional information generator, e.g. details of the character or graphics signal generator, overlay mixing circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/45 Picture in picture , e.g. displaying simultaneously another television channel in a region of the screen
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/025 Systems for the transmission of digital non-picture data, e.g. of text during the active part of a television frame transmission of digital non-picture data during the vertical blanking interval only H04N7/088
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/03 Subscription systems therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/06 Systems for the simultaneous transmission of one television signal, i.e. both picture and sound, by more than one carrier H04N7/084, H04N7/087 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309
• 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 display system for providing programmable on-screen displays for a subscriber terminal, includes a control processor and a display processor which generates such displays from stored display information and display attributes. The control processor executes display routines to configure the display processor and to load the display data into a display memory. The display routines, display attributes and display data are programmable and can be varied for optimal use of the display processor. In one implementation, such information can be modified by changing the programming in non-volatile memory of the subscriber terminal, either by switching ROM or Flash EPROM ICs or by a plug in module. Another implementation includes downloading the information with other executable code and data in the read/write portions of the non-volatile memory. A third implementation provides specialized display transactions for the information which, in a preferred embodiment, envisions a high level screen definition language whose commands can be compiled into the formats of the display routines, display attributes and display data.

Claims

1. A display system for generating a first video signal, said display system being a subsystem of a subscriber terminal of a cable television system, said display system comprising:

a data extractor for receiving an input command transmitted by a remote transmitter, said remote transmitter being a subsystem of a headend of the cable television system and said input command including a header portion, a command portion and a display data portion, wherein said header portion indicates whether said input command is global in nature and therefore should be received by all subscribers or is addressed in nature and therefore should be received by particular subscribers, and said command portion defines an operation that said display system will perform using said display data portion;

a dynamic, non-volatile memory;

a control processor, said control processor including first program means for modifying at least one of symbol data and graphics data stored in said dynamic, non-volatile memory according to said input command;

a control processor for converting at least one of said symbol data and graphics data to pixel data, said control processor further including second program means for configuring said digital processor; and

a video processor, responsive to said digital processor, for converting said pixel data to an analog pixel signal and for generating said first video signal by multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and a second video signal.

2. The display system according to claim 1, said video processor multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and said second video signal on a screen by screen basis.

3. The display system according to claim 1, said video processor multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and said second video signal on a pixel by pixel basis.

4. The display system according to claim 1 wherein operation of said first program means of said control processor is controlled by a first program.

5. The display system according to claim 1, said symbol data including a plurality of character sets, each of said character sets defining a plurality of characters, wherein each of said characters is defined by an m by n array of pixels.

6. The display system according to claim 5, one of said character sets being an English character set.

7. The display system according to claim 5, one of said character sets being a Chinese character set.

8. The display system according to claim 5, one of said character sets being an Arabic character set.

9. The display system according to claim 5, one of said character sets being a Japanese character set.

10. The display system according to claim 1, said remote transmitter transmitting said input command using in-band signaling techniques.

11. The display system according to claim 1, said remote transmitter transmitting said input command using out-of-band signaling techniques.

12. The display system according to claim 1, said input command being derived from a display screen building language that compresses multiple instructions into a single command.

13. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for loading a color data value into a color palette register, wherein a color palette register number and said color data value is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

14. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for modifying a line attribute register, wherein a line number is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

15. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for loading a border screen register with a color data value, wherein said color data value is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

16. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for filling a screen of pixels of an associated television receiver with a particular symbol, wherein an address of said particular symbol is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

17. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for making a screen of symbol data share a common attribute, wherein said common attribute is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

18. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for filling a screen of pixels of an associated television receiver with a particular symbol having an attribute, wherein an address of said particular symbol and said attribute is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

19. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying n symbols on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row, said column, number n, and an address for each of said n symbols are specified in said display data portion of said input command.

20. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying n symbols sharing a common attribute on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row, said column, number n, and said common attribute are specified in said display data portion of said input command.

21. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying a particular symbol on an associated television receiver n times starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row, said column, an address of said particular symbol, and number n are specified in said display data portion of said input command.

22. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying n symbols sharing a common attribute on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row, said column, number n, said common attribute, and an address for each of said n symbols are specified in said display data portion of said input command.

23. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying n symbols, each having a particular attribute, on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row, said column, number n, an address for each of said n symbols, and said attribute of each of said n symbols are specified in said display data portion of said input command.

24. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying a display parameter having n symbols on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row, said column, a display parameter number corresponding to said display parameter, and number n are specified in said display data portion of said input command.

25. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command setting a first portion of a volatile memory to a first value and setting a second portion of said dynamic, non-volatile memory to a second value, wherein said first and second values are specified in said display portion of said input command.

26. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command making said control processor wait for one of a specific input command and a timeout period before transmitting data from a first memory to a second memory, wherein said timeout period is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

27. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion of said input command being for displaying a blinking cursor on an associated television receiver at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels, wherein said row and said column is specified in said display data portion of said input command.

28. The display system according to claim 1, said command portion causing no operation to occur.

29. The display system according to claim 1, said dynamic, non-volatile memory being a FLASH EPROM.

32. A display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said command defines an on-screen display with a selected symbol.

33. A display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said command defines symbols of an on-screen display with an attribute.

34. A display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said command defines an on-screen display with a selected symbol having a selected attribute.

35. A display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said command causes said display controller to write n symbols on an on-screen display.

36. A display system as set forth in claim 35 wherein said command constitutes a command to give each of said n symbols the same attribute.

37. A display system as set forth in claim 35, wherein said command constitutes a command to give each of said n symbols a different attribute.

38. A display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said command defines n symbols with an attribute.

39. A display system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said command causes said display controller to write a selected symbol n times on an on-screen display.

30. A display system comprising:

a data extractor for extracting remotely generated data from an input signal and for determining whether said extracted data comprises display control information, said input signal being generated by a subscription television system that provides the remotely generated data as communication transactions from a headend to said display system, said communication transactions including a first transaction including command and parameter data, said data extractor including means for receiving the remotely generated data at the display system in one or more communication transactions;

a dynamic, non-volatile memory;

a control processor performing at least one of storing and replacing said display control information in the dynamic, non-volatile memory, the control processor processing said command and parameter data into display control information wherein said display control information comprises display information and display attributes; and

a display controller, responsive to said control processor, for generating a video display signal based on contents of the dynamic, non-volatile memory.

31. A display system as set forth in claim 30, wherein said control processor further includes means to configure said display controller with said display control information.

40. The display system as set forth in claim 30, said display control information including information controlling at least one of menu screens, barker screens, and graphic screens.

85. A display system as set forth in claim 30, wherein:

said display controller includes a digital processor and an analog processor;

said digital processor processes the display control information into pixel data; and

the analog processor converts the pixel data into an analog pixel signal and generates said video display signal.

41. A method for remotely programming a display system for generating a first video signal, said display system including a display controller, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a remotely generated input command, said input command being derived from a display screen building language that compresses multiple instructions into a single command;

modifying at least one of symbol data and graphics data according to said input command, said at least one of symbol data and graphics data constituting first display information;

configuring the display controller of said display system based on said modified first display information;

converting said modified first display data to pixel data in said display controller;

converting said pixel data to an analog pixel signal; and

generating said first video signal, said step of generating including multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and a second video signal.

42. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 41, wherein said step of multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and said second video signal includes multiplexing on a screen by screen basis.

43. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 41, wherein said step of multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and said second video signal is performed on a pixel by pixel basis.

44. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 41, wherein:

said display system is a subsystem of a subscriber terminal of a cable television system;

said cable television system includes a headend having a remote transmitter; and

said step of receiving a remotely generated input command includes receiving the input command from the remote transmitter.

45. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 44, wherein said step of receiving the input command includes receiving said input command using in-band signaling techniques.

46. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 44, wherein said step of receiving the input command includes receiving said input command using out-of-band signaling techniques.

47. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 44, wherein said step of receiving a remotely generated input command includes receiving an input command that includes a header portion, a command portion, and a display data portion, wherein said header portion indicates whether said input command is global in nature and therefore should be received by all subscribers or is addressed in nature and therefore should be received by particular subscribers, and said command portion defines an operation that said display system will perform using said display data portion.

48. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for loading a color data value into a color palette register; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving a color palette register number and said color data value in said display data portion of said input command, said color palette register number corresponding to the color palette register to be loaded.

49. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for modifying a line attribute register; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving a line number in said display data portion of said input command, said line number corresponding to the line attribute register to be modified.

50. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for loading a border screen register with a color data value; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said color data value in said display data portion of said input command.

51. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for filling a screen of pixels of an associated television receiver with a particular symbol; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving an address of said particular symbol in said display data portion of said input command.

52. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for making a screen of symbol data share a common attribute; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said common attribute in said display data portion of said input command.

53. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for filling a screen of pixels of an associated television receiver with a particular symbol having an attribute; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving an address of said particular symbol and said attribute in said display data portion of said input command.

54. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for displaying N symbols on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row, said column, a number N, and an address for each of said N symbols in said display data portion of said input command.

55. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for displaying N symbols sharing a common attribute on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row, said column, a number N, and said common attribute in said display data portion of said input command.

56. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for displaying a particular symbol on an associated television receiver N times starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row, said column, an address of said particular symbol, and a number N in said display data portion of said input command.

57. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for displaying N symbols sharing a common attribute on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row, said column, a number N, said common attribute, and an address for each of said N symbols in said display data portion of said input command.

58. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for displaying N symbols, each having a particular attribute, on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row, said column, a number N, an address for each of said N symbols, and said attribute of each of said N symbols in said display data portion of said input command.

59. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for displaying a display parameter having N symbols on an associated television receiver starting at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row, said column, a display parameter number corresponding to said display parameter, and a number N in said display data portion of said input command.

60. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for setting a first portion of a volatile memory to a first value and for setting a second portion of said dynamic, non-volatile memory to a second value; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said first and second values in said display data portion of said input command.

61. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command includes a command for making said control processor wait for one of a specific input command and a timeout period before transmitting data from a first memory to a second memory; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said timeout period in said display data portion of said input command.

62. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein:

said command portion of said input command for displaying a blinking cursor on an associated television receiver at a particular row and column of a screen of pixels; and

said step of receiving an input command includes receiving said row and said column in said display data portion of said input command.

63. The method for remotely programming a display system according to claim 47, wherein said command portion of said input command includes a command for causing no operation to occur.

65. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 54, further comprising a step of automatically initiating said display routine after performing said expansion routine.

66. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 54, wherein said step of receiving includes receiving said second display information in compressed form.

67. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 54, wherein said step of generating said first video signal includes steps of:

processing said first display information into pixel data;

converting the pixel data into an analog pixel signal; and

generating said first video signal based on the analog pixel signal.

68. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 67, wherein said step of generating said first video signal includes multiplexing said analog pixel signal with a second video signal.

64. A method for remotely programming a display system of a subscriber terminal for generating a first video signal said display system including a non-volatile memory to store first display information which controls said display system said first display information including at least one of display data and display attributes, said display system further including first memory means for storing a display routine and second memory means for storing an expansion routine, said non-volatile memory constituting third memory means for storing said first display information, said display system further including fourth memory means for storing said second display information, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving a remotely generated input command in said subscriber terminal;

modifying said first display information according to said input command so that said display system functions according to said input command, said input command constituting second display information;

generating said first video signal based on said first display information;

storing said second display information in said fourth memory means;

checking said fourth memory means to determine whether said second display information has been stored therein;

when it has been determined that the second display information has been stored in said fourth memory means, determining whether said first display information needs a change based on said second display information, said step of determining whether said first information needs a change including reading said first display information and determining whether said second display information constitutes a command to set said first display information to information different than said first display information as stored in said third memory means; and

when it has been determined that said first display information needs change, performing said expansion routine, said step of performing said expansion routine including accessing said second display information and replacing at least some of said first display information with said second display information in said third memory means.

69. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 64, wherein:

said display system includes a display controller; and

said step of generating said first video signal includes configuring said display controller with said display attributes.

70. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 64, further comprising steps of:

performing said display routine, said step of performing said display routine includes accessing said first display information from said third memory; and

returning to a normal operating routine after performing said display routine.

71. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 64, wherein said step of checking includes monitoring a software flag whose state corresponds to the receipt of said second display information in said fourth memory.

72. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 64, wherein:

said first display information includes color registers with associated values as well as other information; and

said step of performing said expansion routine retains said associated values of said color registers of said first display information while replacing at least some of said other information with said second display information.

73. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 64, wherein:

said first display information includes symbol set definitions as well as other information; and

said step of performing said expansion routine retains said symbol set definitions of said first display information while replacing at least some of said other information with said second display information.

74. The method for remotely reprogramming a display system according to claim 64, wherein said step of replacing said at least some of said first display information includes replacing at least one of screen parameter register values and information locating said displayable screens in said third memory, said screen parameter register values includes values indicating portions of displayable screens.

75. A display system for generating a first video signal comprising:

remote command receiving means for receiving an input command transmitted by a remote transmitter;

a non-volatile memory including first memory means and wherein said at least one of symbol data and graphics data constitutes first display information;

control processing means, said control processing means including first program means for modifying at least one of symbol data and graphics data stored in said non-volatile memory according to said input command;

digital processing means for converting at least one of said symbol data and graphics data to pixel data, said control processing means further including second program means for configuring said digital processing means;

video processing means, responsive to said digital processing means, for converting said pixel data to an analog pixel signal and for generating said first video signal by multiplexing between said analog pixel signal and a second video signal;

an output terminal connectable to a display;

second memory means for storing said input command as second display information;

third memory means for storing a display routine, said second program means being responsive to said display routine to configure said digital processing means, with at least some of said first display information, to generate a displayable image for output on said output terminal; and

fourth memory means for storing an expansion routine, said first program means being responsive to said expansion routine to determine whether to replace at least some of said first display information with at least part of said second display information when said second memory means has received said second display information and for replacing at least some of said first display information when required.

76. The display system according to claim 75, said display processor automatically initiating said display routine after executing said expansion routine.

77. The display system according to claim 75, said second display information being received by said display system in compressed form.

78. The display system according to claim 75, said second memory including a dynamic, non-volatile memory.

79. The display system according to claim 78, said dynamic, non-volatile memory including at least one of a flash EPROM and a battery backed up RAM.

80. The display system according to claim 75, said control processor performing a normal operating routine when not performing one of said display routine and said expansion routine.

81. The display system according to claim 75, said control processor determining whether said second memory has received said second display information by checking whether a software flag has been set, said software flag corresponding to the receipt of said second display information in said second memory.

82. The display system according to claim 75, said first display information including color registers with associated values as well as other information, said first program means retaining said associated values of said color registers of said first display information while replacing at least some of said other information with said second display information.

83. The display system according to claim 75, said first display information including symbol set definitions as well as other information, said first program means retaining said symbol set definitions of said first display information while replacing at least some of said other information with said second display information.

84. The display system according to claim 75, said first display information which is replaced by said second display information includes at least one of screen parameter register values, which include positions of displayable screens, and information locating said displayable screens.