Method and system for single chip satellite set-top box system

• US 8,126,391 B2
• Filed: 04/28/2009
• Issued: 02/28/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Broadcom Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bushner, Paige
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, NHAN T
• Application Number:
  US12/431,596
• Publication Number:
  US 20090282431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 455/3.02, 455/101, 455/132, 455/133, 455/137, 455/313, 455/314, 455/323, 455/324, 455/333, 342/357.01, 342/357.06, 342/357.12, 701/213, 701/214, 701/215
• US Class Current: 455/3.02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00

Abstract

A system for an integrated set-top box may include a single integrated circuit chip (SICC). The SICC may include a first satellite receiver demodulator, at least a second satellite receiver demodulator and at least one processor, all integrated within the SICC. The at least one processor may be coupled to the first satellite receiver demodulator and the second satellite receiver demodulator. The at least one processor may generate separate encoded audio and video streams based on at least one demodulated signal received from the first satellite receiver demodulator and/or the at least the second satellite receiver demodulator. The at least one processor may include a MIPS processor, a floating point processor and/or at least one data transport processor. The system may also include a programmable memory integrated within the SICC.

Claims

1. A system for an integrated set-top box, the system comprising:

a single integrated circuit chip comprising;

a first satellite receiver demodulator;

a second satellite receiver demodulator;

a programmable memory operable to store a security key, an electronic serial number, an address and configuration information associated with the single integrated circuit chip; and

at least one processor operable to generate separate encoded audio and video streams based on at least one demodulated signal received from one or both of the first satellite receiver demodulator and/or the second satellite receiver demodulator.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one processor comprises one or more of a MIPS processor, a floating point processor and/or at least one data transport processor.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein the configuration information comprises one or both of configuration data and code for configuring the single integrated circuit chip.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein the programmable memory is a one-time programmable memory.

5. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one video decoder integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to the at least one processor.

6. The system according to claim 5, wherein the at least one video decoder is a standard definition MPEG-2 video decoder.

7. The system according to claim 5, comprising at least one video and graphics display engine integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to the at least one video decoder.

8. The system according to claim 7, comprising at least one video encoder integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to the at least one video and graphics display engine.

9. The system according to claim 8, comprising at least one video digital-to-analog converter and RF modulator integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to the at least one video encoder.

10. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one audio decoder integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to the at least one processor.

11. The system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one audio decoder is an MPEG-2 audio decoder.

12. The system according to claim 10, comprising at least one audio digital-to-analog converter integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to the at least one audio decoder.

13. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one memory controller integrated within the single integrated circuit chip and coupled to at least the at least one processor.

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the at least one memory controller comprises a unified dual data rate DRAM memory controller.

15. The system according to claim 1, comprising a digital satellite equipment control (DiSEqC) bus integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

16. The system according to claim 1, comprising one or more of a plurality of peripheral interfaces comprising, an infrared interface, a universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter, a serial peripheral interface, a binary synchronous communication interface, general purpose input/output pins, and/or pulse width modulation controller interface, integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

17. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one read-only memory integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the at least one read-only memory comprises a CPU boot ROM and a FLASH.

19. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one debug port integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the debug port comprises a JTAG port or any variation thereof.

21. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one card reader or writer interface integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the card reader or writer interface is a smart card reader or writer interface.

23. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one core voltage regulator integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

24. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one phase lock loop integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

25. The system according to claim 1, comprising at least one telephony modem integrated within the single integrated circuit chip.

26. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first satellite receiver demodulator and the second satellite receiver demodulator are one or more of 8 PSK, 8 PSK-turbo and/or QPSK demodulators.

27. A method for processing information within an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

receiving a first satellite signal;

demodulating the first satellite signal to generate a first demodulated signal;

receiving a second satellite signal;

demodulating the second satellite signal to generate a second demodulated signal;

generating separate encoded audio and video streams based on the first demodulated signal and the second demodulated signal;

decoding a video portion of the second demodulated signal to generate a second decoded video signal;

encoding the second decoded video signal to generate a second encoded digital video signal; and

converting the second encoded digital video signal to a second analog video signal.

28. The method according to claim 27, comprising decoding a video portion of the first demodulated signal to generate a first decoded video signal.

29. The method according to claim 28, comprising encoding the first decoded video signal to generate a first encoded digital video signal.

30. The method according to claim 29, comprising converting the first encoded digital video signal to a first analog video signal.

31. The method according to claim 27, comprising decoding an audio portion of the first demodulated signal to generate a first decoded digital audio signal.

32. The method according to claim 31, comprising converting the first decoded digital audio signal to a first analog audio signal.

33. The method according to claim 27, wherein the demodulating of the first satellite signal and the demodulating of the second satellite signal occurs simultaneously.

34. A method for processing information within an integrated circuit, the method comprising:

receiving a first satellite signal;

demodulating the first satellite signal to generate a first demodulated signal;

receiving a second satellite signal;

demodulating the second satellite signal to generate a second demodulated signal;

generating separate encoded audio and video streams based on the first demodulated signal and the second demodulated signal;

decoding an audio portion of the second demodulated signal to generate a second decoded digital audio signal; and

converting the second decoded digital audio signal to a second analog audio signal.