Reprogrammable subscriber terminal

• US 6,785,817 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2003
• Issued: 08/31/2004
• 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: Lett, David B., Harney, Michael P., Haman, R. Thomas, Banker, Robert O., Bacon, Kinney C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barroń; , Gilberto
• Assistant Examiner(s): Zand, Kambiz
• Application Number:
  US10/370,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20030140237A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 713/2, 713/189, 713/201, 713/164, 380/202, 380/210, 380/211, 380/239
• US Class Current: 713/189
• 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 comprising:

downloading computer program code to a subscriber terminal via a subscription television system, wherein the computer program code comprises at least a portion of a control program of the subscriber terminal, the control program operative for controlling predetermined features of the subscriber terminal; and

storing the computer program code in memory;

providing a boot code program operative for downloading the computer program code; and

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

wherein the boot code program is operative for downloading the computer program code via a selected one of a plurality of channels of the subscription television system.

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

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

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined features comprise a user interface.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the computer program code is responsive to determining that the computer program code is globally transmitted.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the computer program code is responsive to determining that the subscriber terminal is authorized to download the computer program code.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the control program includes at least one kernel routine associated with a particular model of subscriber terminals.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

storing in the memory a kernel identifier corresponding to the kernel routine;

receiving kernel revision information via the subscription television system; and

comparing the kernel revision information with the stored kernel identifier.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein downloading the computer program code is responsive to determining that the kernel revision information corresponds to the kernel identifier.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the kernel revision information is provided in a download parameters transaction provided via the subscription television system.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

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

receiving code revision information via the subscription television system; and

comparing the code revision information with the stored code identifier.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein downloading the computer program code is responsive to determining that the code revision information corresponds to the stored code identifier.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the code revision information is provided in a download parameters transaction provided via the subscription television system.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein downloading the computer program code is responsive to receiving a download immediately command.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the download immediately command is indicated by a state of a flag provided in a download parameters transaction.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein a first state of the flag indicates that the computer program code should be downloaded immediately, and a second state of the flag indicates that the computer program code should be downloaded at a later time.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a flag in the subscriber terminal indicating that the subscriber terminal is not to be interrupted with a download operation; and

responsive to the flag being in a first state, displaying a message on a display device associated with the subscriber terminal indicating that computer program code is available for downloading;

wherein downloading the computer program code is responsive to receiving user input authorizing the downloading.

18. A subscriber terminal comprising:

a processor that is programmed to initiate downloading of computer program code via a subscription television system, wherein the computer program code comprises at least a portion of a control program of the subscriber terminal, the control program operative for controlling predetermined features of the subscriber terminal, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate downloading of the computer program code responsive to instructions contained in a boot code program, wherein the boot code program is operative for downloading the computer program code via a selected one of a plurality of channels of the subscription television system; and

memory for storing the downloaded computer program code.

19. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, wherein the boot code program is operative for tuning the subscriber terminal to one of the plurality of channels of the subscription television system to download the computer program code.

20. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, wherein the boot code program is executed by the processor responsive to a failed memory checksum test.

21. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, wherein the predetermined features comprise a user interface.

22. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate downloading of the computer program code responsive to determining that the computer program code is globally transmitted.

23. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate downloading of the computer program code responsive to determining that the subscriber terminal is authorized to download the computer program code.

24. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, wherein the control program includes at least one kernel routine associated with a particular model of subscriber terminals.

25. The subscriber terminal of claim 24, further comprising:

a kernel identifier corresponding to the kernel routine, the kernel identifier being stored in the memory.

26. The subscriber terminal of claim 25, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate downloading of the computer program code responsive to determining that kernel revision information received via the subscription television system corresponds to the kernel identifier.

27. The subscriber terminal of claim 25, wherein the kernel revision information is provided in a download parameters transaction provided via the subscription television system.

28. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, further comprising:

a code identifier corresponding to a version of the control program, the code identifier being stored in the memory.

29. The subscriber terminal of claim 28, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate downloading of the computer program code responsive to determining that code revision information received via the subscription television system corresponds to the code identifier.

30. The subscriber terminal of claim 28, wherein the code revision information is provided in a download parameters transaction provided via the subscription television system.

31. The subscriber terminal of claim 28, wherein the processor is programmed to initiate downloading of the computer program code responsive to the subscriber terminal receiving a download immediately command.

32. The subscriber terminal of claim 31, wherein the download immediately command is indicated by a state of a flag provided in a download parameters transaction.

33. The subscriber terminal of claim 32, wherein a first state of the flag indicates that the computer program code is to be downloaded immediately, and a second state of the flag indicates that the computer program code is to be downloaded at a later time.

34. The subscriber terminal of claim 18, further comprising:

a flag stored in the memory indicating that the subscriber terminal is not to be interrupted with a download operation.

35. The subscriber terminal of claim 34, wherein the processor is programmed to cause a message to be displayed on a display device responsive to the flag being in a first state, the message indicating that the computer program code is available for downloading.

36. A method comprising:

storing in a memory of a subscriber terminal a kernel identifier corresponding to a kernel routine;

receiving kernel revision information via a subscription television system;

comparing the kernel revision information with the stored kernel identifier;

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

receiving code revision information via the subscription television system;

comparing the code revision information with the stored code identifier;

providing a flag in the memory indicating whether the subscriber terminal is authorized to be interrupted with a download operation;

downloading computer program code to the subscriber terminal via the subscription television system responsive to;

the kernel revision information corresponding to the stored kernel identifier,

the code revision information corresponding to the stored code identifier, and

the flag indicating that the subscriber terminal is authorized to be interrupted with a download operation; and

storing the computer program code in the memory.