Signal processing apparatus and methods

• US 7,783,252 B1
• Filed: 05/23/1995
• Issued: 08/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1981
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Personalized Media Communications, LLC
• Original Assignee: Personalized Media Communications, LLC
• Inventors: Harvey, John Christopher, Cuddihy, James William
• Primary Examiner(s): Pappas, Peter-Anthony
• Application Number:
  US08/447,908
• Time in Patent Office: 5,572 Days
• Field of Search: 348 6- 18, 348/468, 455 31- 63
• US Class Current: 455/39
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0251 Targeted advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• 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 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/818 OS software

Abstract

A unified system of programming communication. The system encompasses the prior art (television, radio, broadcast hardcopy, computer communications, etc.) and new user specific mass media. Within the unified system, parallel processing computer systems, each having an input (e.g., 77) controlling a plurality of computers (e.g., 205), generate and output user information at receiver stations. Under broadcast control, local computers (73, 205), combine user information selectively into prior art communications to exhibit personalized mass media programming at video monitors (202), speakers (263), printers (221), etc. At intermediate transmission stations (e.g., cable television stations), signals in network broadcasts and from local inputs (74, 77, 97, 98) cause control processors (71) and computers (73) to selectively automate connection and operation of receivers (53), recorder/players (76), computers (73), generators (82), strippers (81), etc. At receiver stations, signals in received transmissions and from local inputs (225, 218, 22) cause control processors (200) and computers (205) to automate connection and operation of converters (201), tuners (215), decryptors (224), recorder/players (217), computers (205), furnaces (206), etc. Processors (71, 200) meter and monitor availability and usage of programming.

Claims

1. A method of reprogramming a receiver station, said receiver station including a programmable device of a specific version having a memory, a signal detector, and a receiver operatively connected to said signal detector, said method comprising the steps of:

storing information specifying said specific version of said programmable device, wherein said specific version indicates a version of an operating system executing on said programmable device and controlling the processing capabilities of said programmable device;

receiving an information transmission at said receiver, said information transmission including a control signal which designates a designated version of programmable device;

passing said information transmission to said signal detector and detecting said control signal;

determining whether said specific version is said designated version in response to said control signal;

communicating operating system instructions to said memory only when said step of determining determines that said specific version is said designated version, wherein said communicating comprises erasing any operating system instructions stored within an erasable portion of said memory and then storing said communicated operating system instructions within said erasable portion of said memory; and

executing said communicated operating system instructions to control operation of said programmable device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said information transmission includes said operating system instructions, and said step of communicating includes communicating said operating system instructions from said receiver to said memory.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of determining matches said stored information to information of said control signal.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said receiver station includes a second programmable device of a second specific version, said method further comprising the steps of:

detecting a second control signal which designates a designated version of said second programmable device;

determining whether said specific version of said second programmable device is said designated version of said second programmable device; and

communicating second operating system instructions to a storage device associated with said second programmable device.

5. The method of claim 1, said method further comprising the step of discarding instructions when said step of determining determines said specific version is not said designated version.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable device is a decoder.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said programmable device is a computer.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said step of communicating includes controlling a switch to transfer said operating system instructions to said memory.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of booting said operating system instructions.

10. A method of reprogramming a first receiver station which includes a first receiver, and a first programmable device having a first memory, wherein said first programmable device is of a first specific version, wherein said first specific version indicates a version of an operating system executing on said programmable device and controlling the processing capabilities of said programmable device, said first specific version being different from a second specific version of programmable device included in a second receiver station which includes a second receiver, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a transmitter station an information transmission including a control signal designating a designated version of programmable device, said control signal causing reprogramming of said first receiver station, where, upon detection of said control signal at said first receiver station, said first receiver station determines whether said first specific version is said designated version and communicates operating system instructions to said first memory only when said first receiver station determines that said first specific version is said designated version, wherein communicating operating instruction comprises erasing any operating system instructions stored within an erasable portion of said first memory and then storing said operating system instructions within said erasable portion of said memory, said operating system instructions controlling the operation of said first programmable device when executed; and

transmitting from said transmitter station said information transmission including said control signal to said first receiver and said second receiver.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said control signal includes said operating system instructions and is effective to communicate said operating system instructions from said first receiver to said first memory.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein designating information of said control signal is for comparison with specifying information stored at each of said first and second receiver stations that specifies the version of programmable device at each respective receiver station.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein said second receiver includes a second memory, said method further comprising the step of:

transmitting a second control signal designating a second designated version of programmable device, said second control signal causing reprogramming of said second receiver station, where, said second receiver station communicates second operating system instructions to said second memory only when said second receiver station determines that said second specific version is said second designated version.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of transmitting from said transmitter station additional control signals, each additional control signal designating one of a plurality of different versions of programmable devices at a plurality of receiver stations including said first receiver station and said second receiver station, each additional control signal including operating system instructions of said one of said plurality of different versions, until a control signal that designates each one of said plurality of different versions is transmitted.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein said operating system instructions control a decoder.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein said operating system instructions control a computer.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein said control signal is operative to cause a switch to transfer said operating system instructions to said first memory.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein said control signal is effective to boot said operating system instructions.

19. A method of reprogramming a receiver station, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an information transmission, said information transmission including a control signal which designates a designated version of a programmable device;

passing said information transmission to a signal detector and detecting said control signal;

connecting a source of operating system instructions only to apparatus associated with a programmable device of a specific version equivalent to said designated version, said specific version indicating a version of an operating system executing on said programmable device and controlling the processing capabilities of said programmable device;

communicating operating system instructions only to a memory of said programmable device of said specific version, wherein said communicating comprises erasing any operating system instructions stored within an erasable portion of said memory and then storing said communicated operating system instructions within said erasable portion of said memory; and

executing said communicated operating system instructions to control operation of said programmable device.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein said information transmission includes said operating system instructions, and said step of communicating includes communicating said operating system instructions from a receiver receiving said information transmission to said memory.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of connecting is based on matching information stored at said receiver station that specifies said specific version of said programmable device with information of said control signal that designates said designated version.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein said receiver station includes a second programmable device of a second specific version, said method further comprising the steps of:

detecting a second control signal which designates a second designated version of programmable device;

connecting said source of operating system instructions to apparatus associated with said second programmable device; and

communicating operating system instructions to a storage device associated with said second programmable device.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein when said receiver station cannot connect said source of operating system instructions to a

programmable device of said designated version, said control signal is discarded.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein said programmable device is a decoder.

25. The method of claim 19, wherein said programmable device is a computer.

26. The method of claim 19, wherein said step of connecting includes configuring a switch to transfer said operating system instructions to said memory.

27. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of booting said operating system instructions.

28. A method of reprogramming at least one of a plurality of receiver stations, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving at a transmitter station an information transmission including a control signal designating a designated version of programmable device, wherein said control signal causes reprogramming of said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations, where said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations communicates operating system instructions only to a programmable device of a specific version equivalent to said designated version by connecting a source of said operating system instructions only to apparatus associated with said programmable device at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations, said operating system instructions controlling the operation of said programmable device when executed, wherein said specific version indicates a version of an operating system executing on said programmable device, and wherein communicating operating instruction comprises erasing any operating system instructions stored within an erasable portion of said first memory and then storing said operating system instructions within said erasable portion of said memory; and

;

transmitting from said transmitter station said information transmission including said control signal to said plurality of receiver stations.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein said information transmission includes operating system instructions and said control signal is effective to communicate said operating system instructions from a receiver at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations to said programmable device of said specific version.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein said control signal is effective to connect said receiver to said apparatus associated with said programmable device at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations based on matching information stored at said at least one receiver station that designates said specific version of programmable device at said at least one of said plurality of receiver stations to information of said control signal.

31. The method of claim 28, said method further comprising the step of transmitting a second control signal designating a second designated version of programmable device, said second control signal effective to reprogram at least a second of said plurality of receiver stations, where said at least a second of said plurality of receiver stations communicates second operating system instructions to a programmable device of a second specific version equivalent to said second designated version.

32. The method of claim 28, further comprising the step of transmitting from said transmitter station additional control signals, each additional control signal designating one of a plurality of different versions of programmable devices at said plurality of receiver stations and including operating system instructions of said one of a plurality of different versions, until one control signal has been transmitted that designates each one of said plurality of different versions of programmable devices.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein said operating system instructions control a decoder.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein said operating system instructions control a computer.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein said control signal is operative to configure a switch to connect said source of said operating system instructions to said apparatus associated with said programmable device.

36. The method of claim 28, wherein said control signal is effective to boot said operating system instructions.

37. A method of controlling a receiver station, said receiver station including at least one programmable device, a signal detector, and a receiver operatively connected to said signal detector, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving an information transmission at said receiver, said information transmission including a control signal;

passing said information transmission to said signal detector and detecting said control signal;

determining whether a programmable device of a specific version is present at said receiver station in response to said control signal, wherein said specific version indicates a version of an operating system executing on said programmable device and controlling the processing capabilities of said programmable device;

communicating operating system instructions to said programmable device of said specific version only when said step of determining determines that said programmable device is said specific version, wherein said communicating comprises erasing any operating system instructions stored within a erasable portion of memory of said programmable device and then storing said communicated operating system instructions within said erasable portion of said memory; and

executing said communicated operating instructions to control operation of said programmable device of said specific version.

38. The method of claim 37, wherein said information transmission includes said operating system instructions, and said step of communicating includes communicating said operating system instructions from said receiver to said programmable device of said specific version.

39. The method of claim 37, wherein said step of determining includes matching stored information at said receiver station to information of said control signal.

40. The method of claim 37, wherein said receiver station includes a plurality of different versions of programmable devices, said method further comprising the step of:

detecting a second control signal;

determining whether a programmable device of a second specific version is present at said receiver station in response to said second control signal; and

communicating second operating system instructions to said programmable device of a second specific version determined to be present.

41. The method of claim 37, further comprising the step of:

discarding instructions upon determining that a programmable device of said specific version is not present at said receiver station.

42. The method of claim 37, wherein said at least one programmable device includes a decoder and said control signal specifies a version of decoder.

43. The method of claim 37, wherein said at least one programmable device includes a computer and said control signal specifies a version of computer.

44. The method of claim 37, wherein said step of communicating includes configuring a switch to communicate said operating system instructions to said programmable device of said specific version.

45. A method of controlling a receiver station which includes a receiver, a first programmable device having a first memory, and a second programmable device, wherein said first programmable device is of a first specific version different from a second specific version of said second programmable device, wherein said first specific version indicates a version of an operating system executing on said first programmable device and controlling the processing capabilities of said first programmable device, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving, at a transmitter station, an information transmission including a control signal designating a designated version of programmable device, said control signal causing reprogramming of said receiver station, where said receiver station determines that a reprogrammable device of said designated version is present at said receiver station and only communicates operating system instructions to a memory of said reprogrammable device of said designated version, wherein communicating operating instruction comprises erasing any operating system instructions stored within an erasable portion of said memory of said reprogrammable device of said designated version and then storing said operating system instructions within said erasable portion of said memory of said reprogrammable device of said designated version, said operating system instructions controlling the operation of said reprogrammable device of said designated version when executed; and

transmitting said information transmission including said control signal to said receiver.

46. The method of claim 45, wherein said control signal includes said operating system instructions and is effective to communicate said operating system instructions from said receiver to said memory of said reprogrammable device of said designated version.

47. The method of claim 45, wherein said operating system instructions control a decoder.

48. The method of claim 45, wherein said operating system instructions control a computer.

49. The method of claim 45, wherein said control signal is operative to cause a switch to transfer said operating system instructions to said memory of said reprogrammable device of said designated version.

50. The method of claim 45, wherein designating information of said control signal is for comparison with specifying information stored

at said receiver station that specifies versions of programmable devices at said receiver station.

51. The method of claim 45, said method further comprising the step of transmitting a second control signal designating a second designated version of programmable device said second control signal effective to reprogram said receiver station, where said receiver station determines that a reprogrammable device of said second designated version is present at said receiver station and communicates second operating instructions to said programmable device of said second designated version.

52. The method of claim 45, wherein said control signal is effective to boot said operating system instructions.