Secured high throughput data channel for public broadcast system

• US 5,251,909 A
• Filed: 05/28/1991
• Issued: 10/12/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 05/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Time Warner Entertainment Company LP (Charter Communications Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Michael F. Lavery, Michael J. Reed
• Inventors: Reed, Michael J., Lavery, Michael F.
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRISON, JESSICA
• Application Number:
  US07/706,222
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 273/434, 273/439, 273/DIG. 28, 273/856, 455/2.5, 358/84, 358/85, 358/86, 364/410, 379/90, 379/92
• US Class Current: 463/29
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/12 involving interaction between a plurality of game devices, e.g. transmisison or distribution systems protocols for networked virtual reality, networked games H04L29/06034
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/30 Interconnection arrangements between game servers and game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game devices; Interconnection arrangements between game servers
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/338 using television networks
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/77 involving data related to game devices or game servers, e.g. configuration data, software version or amount of memory
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 13/95 Storage media specially adapted for storing game information, e.g. video game cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/401 Secure communication, e.g. using encryption or authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/409 Data transfer via television network
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/532 using secure communication, e.g. by encryption, authentication
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/552 for downloading to client devices, e.g. using OS version, hardware or software profile of the client device

Abstract

Apparatus and method for sending and receiving subscriber video game computer data over a broadcast medium for use with video game players and which includes microprocessor controlled transmitter and receiver systems. The receiver system retrieves, demodulates, screens and selects computer data according to subscriber input. A receiver microprocessor signals a video game player to choose from a selection of games placed into a memory. The receiver microprocessor regains control of the memory and regulates flow of selected computer data to the memory. After checking for authorized use, the receiver microprocessor allows control of memory containing video game code to transfer to the video game player. The transmitter system stores, codes, and transmits the computer data over a public broadcast system.

Claims

1. A home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus for receive only operation, comprising:

a data receiver for one-way receive only communication reception of computer data from a public broadcast medium;

data selection circuitry for accepting selected computer data and distinguishing and rejecting other computer data received by said data receiver and currently being broadcast over said public broadcast medium, said data selection circuitry responsive to an input device of a host computer for selecting specific computer data which is broadcast over said public broadcast system as selected with said input device from a menu displayed on a display screen of said host computer;

said home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus being physically located at the location of said host computer;

security control circuitry independent of said host computer for preventing unauthorized access to said broadcast computer data;

a storage medium;

routing circuitry for routing said selected computer data to said storage medium;

an interface regulated by said security control circuitry for allowing passage of said computer data from said data receiver to said host computer, said interface regulated by said security control circuitry also selectively permitting said host computer to interact with said data selection circuitry for determining which data is selected and which data is rejected from said public broadcast medium.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

said routing circuitry for routing selected computer data to said storage medium is operable for placing said menu data in a memory area of said storage medium which is not overwritten with said specific data from said public broadcast medium.

3. A home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

data, address, and control busses connected to said storage medium;

gating circuitry activated by said security control circuitry for controlling data flow over said data, address, and control busses permitting said host computer to use at least a portion of said storage medium as at least a portion of a primary memory storage for said host computer so that said storage medium is accessed via said busses at memory addresses within a memory map of said host computer, said gating circuitry rendering said home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus effectively invisible to said host computer as said host computer processes said computer data,

4. A home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein:

said data receiver retrieves said computer data from a subscriber drop of a CATV system.

5. A home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein said security control circuitry for preventing unauthorized access to said broadcast data comprises:

a real time clock, said real time clock providing a first time value for comparison with a second time value retrieved from said public broadcast medium,

means for receiving said second time value from said public broadcast medium,

comparison circuitry for comparing said first time value is said second time value to determine whether access to said computer data from said public broadcast medium by said host computer is allowed.

6. A home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus as described in claim 1, further comprising:

decompression circuitry for decompressing data which is compressed prior to being broadcast over said public broadcast medium.

7. The home subscriber data bank and retrieval apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

memory locations within said storage medium, at least one of said memory locations being used for communication between said data selection circuitry and said host computer for said selecting of said specific data with said input device of said host computer.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said storage medium comprises:

a program memory for containing said computer data comprising said video game, said program memory having address and data busses accessible by said host computer, and

a scratch pad memory, said scratch pad memory having separate address and data busses from said program memory, said scratch pad busses being accessible by said host computer.

9. A method for one-way transmission of computer data over a public communication system to a subscriber who receives only said computer data, comprising the steps of:

storing computer data that is to be broadcasted;

broadcasting said computer data repetitively in a predetermined sequence;

updating said computer data that is to be broadcast, said updating being made via modem connecting to a transmitter computer, said updating changing the computer data that is to be broadcast according to directions received by said modem;

receiving only said broadcast computer data;

demodulating said broadcast computer data;

programming a receiver computer for selectively permitting communication of said computer data to a host computer while allowing receive-only communication with said transmitter computer from said host computer or an operator of said host computer.

10. The method described in claim 9, further comprising:

transmitting real time computer data containing a first time value in said step of broadcasting;

receiving said real time computer data containing said first time value with said receiver computer in said step of receiving only said broadcast computer data;

comparing said first time value with a second time value generated by said receiver computer for determining whether said receiver computer allows access to said computer data by said host computer.

11. A system for transmission and reception of computer data over a public broadcasting system comprising:

A transmitter adapted to said public broadcasting system, said transmitter having a broadcasting frequency for frequency broadcasting within a bandwidth;

a multiplexor for multiplexing said computer data into a plurality of single frequencies within said bandwidth to form a multiplexed signal, said computer data being in an original data stream prior to being multiplex;

a modulator for modulating said transmitter with said multiplexed signal;

a storage medium for storing data that is to be broadcasted;

a first processor including a real time clock for controlling the flow of data to said multiplexor including a first time stamp value, said processor sending said data to said multiplexor so that each data bit modulates one of said single frequencies within said bandwidth, said first processor controlling said multiplexor so that a plurality of data streams are transmitted substantially simultaneously over said plurality of single frequencies within said bandwidth;

a receiver tune to said broadcast frequency;

a demodulator for demodulating said transmission to receive said plurality of single frequencies;

filtering circuitry for tuning into each of said single frequencies and recovering said computer data; and

a second processor, said second processor selecting said computer data from at least one of said single frequencies, said second processor selecting said output in response to a host computer, said second processor comparing said first time stamp value to a second time stamp value for determining whether said host computer has access to said computer data from at least one of said single frequencies.

12. A method for one way transmission of video game computer data to a subscriber who receives only said video game computer data, comprising the steps of:

including a menu within said video game computer data with said one-way transmission of video game computer data, said menu indicating each of a plurality of video games included in said video game computer data;

modulating a transmitter adapted for broadcasting with said video game computer data containing said plurality of video games, said transmitter broadcasting all games continuously and repetitively in a predetermined sequence;

demodulating said transmitted video game computer data containing said menu after reception of said data by a receiver controlled by a microprocessor;

selecting a specific video game from said plurality of video games from said menu in response to input controls of a video game player which video game player transmits selection control signals to said microprocessor, said microprocessor being programmed independently from said video game player to selectively allow or deny access to said plurality of video games by said video game player;

receiving and then demodulating said transmitted computer data to search for said specific video game; and

detecting said specific video game.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

including a first time stamp from a real time clock in said computer data to be transmitted;

receiving said first time stamp by said receiver in said step of demodulating said transmitted video game computer data;

comparison of said first time stamp with a second time stamp generated by said microprocessor after said computer data is retrieved; and

providing said specific video game for use with said video game player if said first time stamp information is within a specific time relationship with said second time stamp information.