Reprogrammable subscriber terminal

• US 6,212,278 B1
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• 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: Banker, Robert O., Lett, David B., Bacon, Kinney C., Harney, Michael P., Haman, R. Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Buczinski, Stephen C.
• Application Number:
  US08/480,765
• Time in Patent Office: 2,127 Days
• Field of Search: 380/20, 380/240, 455/186.1, 348/3, 348/12
• US Class Current: 380/240
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4181 for conditional access
• 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 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• 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 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/445 for displaying additional information H04N5/50 takes precedence
• 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 5/60 for the sound signals
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 : with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

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.

Claims

1. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for a computer in a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in the subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

storing in the memory a boot code program operative for downloading new program code for at least a portion of the control program of the computer into the memory from a remote location, the control program operative for controlling predetermined features of the subscriber terminal;

activating the boot code program in response to a predetermined condition;

operating the computer under control of the boot code program to download the new program code from the subscription television system; and

storing the new program code in the memory.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the boot code program is operative for receiving the new program code via a selected one of a plurality of channels of the subscription television system.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected one of the plurality of channels in the subscription television system predetermined by a manager of the subscription television system.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the selected one of the plurality of channels in the subscription television system is tuned to by the subscriber terminal.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the boot code program is operative for receiving information related to the new program code via a selected one of a plurality of channels of the subscription television system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the boot code program is operative for tuning the subscriber terminal to one of a plurality of channels of the subscription television system to download the new program code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition comprises initialization of the subscriber terminal.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined condition comprises detection of a failed memory checksum test.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined features comprise on-screen parameters.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined features comprise subscriber interfaces.

11. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal for a subscription television system, comprising:

a processor for controlling the operation of said subscriber terminal, said processor including a first memory which stores a boot program and a memory bus defining a memory space larger than said first memory;

a second memory connected to said memory bus which is defined in said memory space for storing program code for the control program of said processor, said control program operative for controlling predetermined features of the subscriber terminal; and

said processor under regulation of said boot program operative for downloading new program code from said subscription television system into said second memory.

12. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 11, wherein said subscription television system provides a plurality of information sources to the terminal.

13. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 12, further comprising a component for providing over one of said plurality of information sources a download program code parameters transaction, said download code parameters transaction including information identifying a selected one of said plurality of information sources on which said new program code will be transmitted.

14. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 12, further comprising a component for selecting at least one of said information sources.

15. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 14, wherein said information sources comprise channels in the subscription television system.

16. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 15, wherein said selecting component comprises:

a tuner for tuning to a television channel with downloadable information inserted in the vertical blanking interval said television channel.

17. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 15, wherein said selecting component comprises:

a tuner for tuning to a television channel with downloadable information inserted on the audio carrier of said television channel.

18. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said processor is a microprocessor contained on an integrated circuit and said first memory is a read only memory internal to the integrated circuit.

19. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second memory is at least one of RAM, EPROM, and FLASH EPROM memory.

20. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second memory has at least a portion which is non-volatile.

21. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second memory is downloaded with program code which controls said processor.

22. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 11, wherein said second memory is Flash EPROM and is divided into several pages.

23. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 22, wherein said second memory has an internal portion and an external portion.

24. A reprogrammable subscriber terminal as set forth in claim 23, wherein said external portion of said second memory is provided by plug-in card.

25. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 11, wherein said boot program is executed in response to a predetermined condition.

26. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 25, wherein said predetermined condition comprises initialization of the subscriber terminal.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein said predetermined condition comprises detection of a failed memory checksum test.

28. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 11, wherein said predetermined features comprise on-screen parameters.

29. The reprogrammable subscriber terminal of claim 11, wherein said predetermined features comprise subscriber interfaces.

30. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for each computer in a selected set comprising one or more subscriber terminals in a subscriber base of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in each subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

determining the selected set of subscriber terminals in the subscriber base for receiving new program code for the control program;

communicating to the subscriber base information that allows each subscriber terminal in the subscriber base to determine if it is a member of the selected set;

each subscriber terminal, in response to receipt of said information, determining if it is a member of the selected set;

in response to determination by a particular subscriber terminal that it is a member of the selected set, operating the computer associated with the particular subscriber terminal to download the new program code from the subscription television system; and

storing the new program code in the memory of the particular subscriber terminal.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the step of communicating to the subscriber base comprises transmitting addressing information in a selected channel of the subscription television system, and wherein the step of determining if a subscriber terminal is a member of the selected set comprises examining the addressing information to determine if the particular subscriber terminal has been addressed.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the addressing information is provided in a download program code parameters transaction.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the addressing information is directed to a particular subscriber terminal.

34. The method of claim 31, wherein the addressing information is directed to a group of subscriber terminals.

35. The method of claim 31, wherein the addressing information is globally directed to all of the subscriber terminals in the subscription television system.

36. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for the computer of the subscriber terminals in a subscriber base of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in each subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

globally transmitting the new program code to each subscriber terminal in the subscriber base, together with information identifying the new program code as globally transmitted;

at the subscriber terminal, determining that the new program code is globally transmitted;

in response to determination by a subscriber terminal that the new program code is globally transmitted, operating the computer associated with the subscriber terminal to download the new program code from the subscription television system; and

storing the new program code in the memory of the particular subscriber terminal.

37. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for a computer in a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in the subscriber terminal for storing the control program, the control program including at least a kernel routing associated with a particular model of computer utilized in the subscriber terminal;

storing a kernel identifier corresponding to the kernel routine;

storing in the memory a download routine operative for downloading new program code for at least a portion of the control program of the computer into the memory from a remote location;

receiving a kernel revision identifying information from the subscription television system at the subscriber terminal;

at the subscriber terminal, comparing the kernel revision identifying information with the stored kernel identifier;

in response to a match between the kernel revision identifying information and the stored kernel identifier, operating the computer under control of the download routine to download the new program code from the subscription television system; and

storing the new program code in the memory.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein the kernel revision identifying information is provided in a download program code parameters transaction provided on the subscription television system.

39. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for a computer in a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in the subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

storing a code identifier corresponding to the version of the control program stored in the memory;

storing in the memory a download routine operative for downloading new program code for at least a portion of the control program of the computer into the memory from a remote location;

receiving code revision identifying information from the subscription television system at the subscriber terminal;

at the subscriber terminal, comparing the code revision identifying information with the stored code identifier;

in response to a match between the code revision identifying information and the stored code identifier, operating the computer under control of the download routine to download the new program code from the subscription television system; and

storing the new program code in the memory.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the code revision identifying information is provided in a download program code parameters transaction provided on the subscription television system.

41. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for a computer in a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in the subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

storing in the memory of a download routine operative for downloading new program code for at least a portion of the control program of the computer into the memory from a remote location;

transmitting a download immediate command to the subscriber terminal;

in response to receipt of the download immediate command, operating the computer under control of the download routine to download the new program code from the subscription television system; and

storing the new program code in the memory.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the download immediate command is indicated by the state of an immediate flag provided in a download program code parameters transaction.

43. The method of claim 42, wherein a first state of the immediate flag indicates that the new program code should be downloaded immediately, and wherein a second state of the immediate flag indicates that the new program code should be downloaded at a later time.

44. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for a computer in a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in the subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

storing in the memory a download routine operative for downloading new program code for at least a portion of the control program of the computer into the memory from a remote location;

providing a subscriber convenience flag in the subscriber terminal indicative that the subscriber terminal is preferably not to be interrupted with a download operation;

when the subscriber terminal is in an off mode, checking the state of the subscriber convenience flag;

in response to the subscriber convenience flag being in a predetermined first state, displaying a message on a display associated with the subscriber terminal indicative that new program code is available for downloading;

in response to a first predetermined condition, operating the computer under control of the download routine to download the new program code from the subscription television system;

storing the new program code in the memory; and

in response to a second predetermined condition, postponing the downloading of the new program code.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the first predetermined condition comprises an input from a user of the subscriber terminal granting permission to download the new program code.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the first predetermined condition comprises the expiration of a predetermined timeout period.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the second predetermined condition comprises an input from a user of the subscriber terminal refusing permission to download the new program code.

48. A method of downloading program code to change the control program for a computer in a subscriber terminal of a subscription television system, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a memory in the subscriber terminal for storing the control program;

storing a kernel identifier identifying a particular model of computer utilized in the subscriber terminal;

storing in the memory a download routine operative for downloading new program code for at least a portion of the control program of the computer into the memory from a remote location;

transmitting plural versions of the new program code simultaneously in the subscription television system on a corresponding plurality of channels;

receiving kernel revision identifying information from the subscription television system at the subscriber terminal;

at the subscriber terminal, examining the kernel revision identifying information to determine which particular one of the plurality of channels is transmitting the new program code associated with the stored kernel identifier;

operating the computer under control of the download routine to download the new program code for a particular model of computer utilized in the subscriber terminal from the particular one of the plurality of channels; and

storing the new program code in the memory.

49. The method of claim 48, wherein the kernel revision identifying information is provided in a download program code parameters transaction provided on the subscription television system.