EP0909095A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Reprogrammable terminal for suggesting programs offered on a television program delivery system
Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
•
Filing: 1993-12-02
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2013-12-02
Abstract
Abstract A set top terminal 220 for a television delivery system 200 comprising receiving means 606, 714 for receiving a reprogramming signal from a remote location wherein the reprogramming signal comprises a command informing the set top terminal 220 that reprogramming is to commence followed by changes; interpreting means 602, 702, connected to the receiving means 606, 714, for interpreting the changes in the reprogramming signal; first storage means 1104, connected to the interpreting means 602, 702, for storing the interpreted changes; second storage means 1108 for storing information; and processing means 602, 702, operably connected to the receiving means 606, 714, the first storage means 1104, and the second storage means 1108, for processing the received reprogramming signal, whereby the processing means 602, 702 instructs the transfer of the stored interpreted changes from the first storage means 1104 to the second storage means 1108, and instructs the set top terminal 220 to reset so that the set top terminal 220 operates using the interpreted changes.
Inventors
- 👤 John S. Hendricks
- 👤 Alfred E. Bonner
- 👤 Richard E. Wunderlich
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 10:18
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/40; H04N21/47; H04N21/478; H04N21/4786; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04H; H04H20/00; H04H20/02; H04H20/06; H04H20/10; H04H20/42; H04H20/65; H04H20/76; H04H20/77; H04H20/78; H04H20/79; H04H20/86; H04H60/00; H04H60/02; H04H60/04; H04H60/09; H04H60/13; H04H60/35; H04H60/38; H04H60/39; H04H60/47; H04H60/68; H04H60/72; H04N21/20; H04N21/21; H04N21/218; H04N21/2181; H04N21/21815; H04N21/2187; H04N21/222; H04N21/2221; H04N21/23; H04N21/235; H04N21/236; H04N21/23608; H04N21/2362; H04N21/238; H04N21/2381; H04N21/2389; H04N21/25; H04N21/251; H04N21/252; H04N21/254; H04N21/2543; H04N21/258; H04N21/25866; H04N21/25891; H04N21/262; H04N21/26208; H04N21/26283; H04N21/266; H04N21/2668; H04N21/41; H04N21/418; H04N21/4181; H04N21/4184; H04N21/422; H04N21/42204; H04N21/42206; H04N21/426; H04N21/42653; H04N21/43; H04N21/431; H04N21/4312; H04N21/4314; H04N21/4316; H04N21/433; H04N21/4331; H04N21/434; H04N21/4344; H04N21/4345; H04N21/435; H04N21/438; H04N21/4385; H04N21/442; H04N21/44204; H04N21/44213; H04N21/44222; H04N21/443; H04N21/45; H04N21/4508; H04N21/4532; H04N21/454; H04N21/462; H04N21/4622; H04N21/466; H04N21/4668; H04N21/472; H04N21/47211; H04N21/47214; H04N21/475; H04N21/4755; H04N21/4788; H04N21/482; H04N21/4821; H04N21/60; H04N21/63; H04N21/643; H04N21/64307; H04N21/65; H04N21/654; H04N21/6543; H04N21/6547; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/812; H04N21/8146; H04N21/8166; H04N21/8173; H04N21/85; H04N21/858; H04N21/8586; H04N5/00; H04N5/44; H04N5/445; H04N5/44504; H04N5/60; H04N5/602; H04N7/08; H04N7/087; H04N7/088; H04N7/0882; H04N7/0884; H04N7/0887; H04N7/10; H04N7/102; H04N7/162; H04N7/163; H04N7/165; H04N7/173; H04N7/17309; H04N7/17318; H04N7/17336; H04N7/17345; H04N7/17354; H04H20/95; H04H2201/00; H04H2201/70; H04H60/14; H04H60/21; H04H60/22; H04H60/23; H04H60/61; H04H60/66; H04H60/73; H04H60/74; H04H60/76; H04H60/81; H04H60/93; H04H60/94; H04H60/96; H04H60/97; H04M; H04M1/00; H04M1/57; H04N5/45
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 40
Claim 1
Independent Claim
171 words
A set top terminal (220) for a television delivery system (200), the set top terminal (220)
characterized by: receiving means (606, 714) for receiving a reprogramming signal from a remote
location wherein the reprogramming signal comprises a command informing the set top
terminal (220) that reprogramming is to commence followed by changes; interpreting means (602, 702), connected to the receiving means (606, 714), for
interpreting the changes in the reprogramming signal; first storage means (1104), connected to the interpreting means (602, 702), for
storing the interpreted changes; second storage means (1108) for storing information; and processing means (602, 702), operably connected to the receiving means (606,
714), the first storage means (1104), and the second storage means (1108), for processing
the received reprogramming signal whereby the processing means (602, 702) instructs the
transfer of the stored interpreted changes from the first storage means (1104) to the
second storage means (1108), and instructs the set top terminal (220) to reset so that the
set top terminal (220) operates using the interpreted changes.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
30 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 1 characterized in that the first storage means (1104)
includes random access memory and the second storage means (1108) includes FLASH read/write
memory.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The set top terminal (220) of claims 1 or 2 characterized in that the processing means
(602, 702) includes reprogramming instructions, and whereby the reprogramming instructions
direct the reprogramming of the set top terminal (220).
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
53 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-3 characterized in that the processing means
(602, 702) further includes erasable programmable read only memory (1102), whereby the
reprogramming instructions are stored in the erasable programmable read only memory (1102) so
that the reprogramming instructions will continue to execute after a system failure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
36 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-4 characterized in that the processing means
(602, 702) further includes FLASH read/write memory (1108), whereby the reprogramming
instructions are stored in the FLASH read/write memory (1108).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-5 further characterized by a third storage
means (1110) for storing an operational program, whereby the set top terminal (220) continues to
function during the processing of the reprogrammable signal using the stored operational
program.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 6 characterized in that the third storage means (1110)
includes a FLASH read/write memory.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-5 characterized in that the receiving means
(606, 714) further includes means for receiving graphics instructions and the changes include
graphics instructions.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
31 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-6 characterized in that the receiving means
(606, 714) further includes means for receiving graphics data and the changes include graphics
data.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
93 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-9 characterized in that the stored information
includes a current program version n and a past program version n-1, and the interpreted changes
provide a new program n+1, the processing means further comprising: means (602,702) for overwriting the past program version n-1 with the new
program n+1, without overwriting the current program version n; and means (602,702) for resetting the set top terminal (220) so that the set top terminal
(220) operates using the new program nil rather than the current program version n.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
29 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 1-10 characterized in that the set top terminal (220)
uses menus, and the reprogramming data is menu data to update the menus.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
27 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 11 characterized in that the receiving means (606, 714)
also receives menu changes, and wherein the changes include menu changes.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 12 characterized in that the menu changes include
graphics data.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
34 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 12 characterized in that the menus contain graphics
and text, and the menu changes comprises graphical data and textual data to update the menu
graphics and text.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
36 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-13 characterized in that the set top terminal
(220) operates through the use of executable instructions and wherein the second storage means
(1108) stores the executable instructions.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
46 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-14 characterized in that the second storage
means (1108) comprises individual memory modules, and wherein the transferring means
comprises: means (602,702) for forwarding the stored reprogramming data to individual
memory modules of the second storage means (1108).
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
35 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-15 characterized in that a program control
information signal includes the reprogramming signal, so that the reprogramming signal is
contained within the program control information signal.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
71 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 1-17 further characterized by: selecting means (602,702), connected to the second storage means (1108) and the
receiver means (606, 714), for selecting one or more programs for suggestion based on a
received program control information signal and subscriber data; and means (602,702), connected to the selecting means, for displaying information
concerning the one or more selected programs for suggestion to the subscriber.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
61 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 18 characterized in that the receiving means (606, 714)
includes means for obtaining personal profile data, the personal profile data is contained in the
program control information signal; and the selecting means (602, 702) further includes means
(602,702) for suggesting one or more programs based on the personal profile data and the
subscriber data.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
90 words
The set top terminal (220) of claims 18 or 19 characterized in that the received program
control information signal contains program abstract data and the set top terminal (220) further
comprises: third storage means (1110), connected to the receiver means (606, 714), for
storing the received program abstract data; wherein the selecting means (602,702) comprises: means (602,702) for mapping the subscriber data into key words; and means (602,702) for searching the stored program abstract data for the
mapped key words, wherein the programs are selected for suggestion using the
search.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
47 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 18-20 characterized in that the received
program control information signal contains favorite channel data and the selecting means
(602,702) comprises means (602,702) for suggesting one or more programs based on the favorite
channel data and the subscriber data.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 21 characterized in that the set top terminal (220)
further comprises means, connected to the second storage means (1108), for inputting the favorite
channel data.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 21 characterized in that the receiver means (606, 714)
is connected to the second storage means (1108) and obtains the favorite channel data from the
program control information signal.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
42 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 18-23 characterized in that most watched
channel data is used, and the selecting means comprises means (602,702) for suggesting one or
more programs using the most watched channel data and the subscriber data.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
37 words
The set top terminal (220) of claims 24 characterized in that the receiver means (606, 714)
is connected to the second storage means (1108) and obtains the most watched channel data from
the program control information signal.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
37 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 24 characterized in that the set top terminal further
comprises a means (602,702), connected to the second storage means (1108), for processing
subscriber selections to determine the favorite channel data.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
42 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 18-26 characterized in that personal profile
data is used and the selecting means (602,702) comprises means (602,702) for suggesting one or
more programs based on the personal profile data and the subscriber data.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
36 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 27 characterized in that the receiver means (606, 714)
is connected to the second storage means (1108) and obtains the personal profile data from the
program control information signal.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
37 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 27 characterized in that the set top terminal further
comprises a means (602,702), connected to the second storage means (1108), for processing
subscriber selections to determine the personal profile data.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
33 words
The set top terminal (220) of claim 27 characterized in that the set top terminal further
comprises a means (602,702), connected to the second storage means (1108), for inputting the
personal profile data.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
30 words
The set top terminal (220) of any of claims 18-29 characterized in that the subscriber data
is stored in the first storage means (1104) or the second storage means (1108).
Claim 32
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of updating memory in a set top terminal (220) used by subscribers of a
television program delivery system (200), the method characterized by the steps of: receiving (1226) a program control information signal; extracting (1230) reprogramming data from the received program control
information signal; storing the extracted reprograming data in a first memory (1104); and transferring the stored reprogramming data from the first memory (1104) to a
second memory (1108).
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 32 further characterized by the step of: running an operation program during the step of transferring, so that the set top
terminal (220) functions during the transferring step.
Claim 34
Independent Claim
42 words
The method of claims 32 or 33 further characterized in that the step of selecting further
comprises the step of generating a menu, wherein the set top terminal (220) uses menus, and
wherein the reprogramming data is menu data to reprogram menus.
Claim 35
Independent Claim
95 words
The method of any of claims 32-34 further characterized in that the second memory
contains data, and the step transferring further comprises the steps of: moving the reprogramming data from the first memory (1104) to the second
memory (1108) without overwriting the data stored in the second memory (1108); and instructing the set top terminal (220) to use the reprogramming data stored in the
second memory (1108) instead of the data stored in the second memory (1108), thereby
updating the data stored in the second memory without overwriting the data stored in the
second memory.
Claim 36
Independent Claim
65 words
The method of any of claims 32-35 further characterized by the steps of: gathering (1202, 1206) subscriber specific data; storing the gathered subscriber specific data in the second memory (1108); selecting one or more programs based on the received program control
information signal and the subscriber specific data; and displaying (1234) program information concerning the one or more selected
programs for suggestion to the subscriber.
Claim 37
Independent Claim
87 words
The method of any of claims 32-36 further characterized in that the received program
control information signal contains program abstract data, and further comprising the step of
storing the received program abstract data in the first memory (1104), second memory (1108), or
a third memory (1110), and wherein the step of selecting further comprises the steps of: mapping the subscriber data into key words; and searching the stored program abstract data for the mapped key words, wherein the
programs are selected for suggestion based on the search.
Claim 38
Independent Claim
47 words
The method of any of claims 36-37 further characterized by the step of storing favorite
channel data in the first memory (1104), second memory (1108), or third memory (1110), and
wherein the step of selecting uses the stored favorite channel data and the stored subscriber
specific data.
Claim 39
Independent Claim
67 words
The method of any of claims 36-38 further characterized by the step of storing most
watched channel data in the first memory (1104), second memory (1108), or third memory
(1110), and wherein the step of selecting uses the stored favorite channel data and the stored
subscriber specific data, and wherein the step of selecting uses the stored most watched channel
data and the stored subscriber specific data.
Claim 40
Independent Claim
65 words
The method of any of claims 36-39 further characterized by the step of storing personal
profile data in the first memory (1104), second memory (1108), or third memory (1110), and
wherein the step of selecting uses the stored favorite channel data and the stored subscriber
specific data, and wherein the step of selecting uses the stored personal profile data and the stored
subscriber specific data.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.