Interactive set-top box having a unified memory architecture

Details Interactive set-top box having a unified memory architecture Interactive set-top box having a unified memory architecture

1999-03-05

2003-02-25

Faile, Andrew (Department: 2611)

Interactive video distribution systems

Video distribution system with local interaction

Receiver

C725S131000, C725S139000, C725S151000, C348S513000, C348S518000, C348S547000, C709S211000, C711S151000, C712S031000, C345S418000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06526583

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to interactive television systems; more particularly, the present invention relates to an interactive set-top box operating according to a Unified Memory Architecture.
BACKGROUND
Recently, the popularity of interactive televisions [ITVs] have increased. An ITV is the meeting of television with new interactive technology that takes advantage of current data transferring technology, such as coaxial cable (cable TV cable) or twist copper pair (telephone wire). Typically, ITV is facilitated through an advanced terminal, or set-top box. The set-top box allows users to communicate with an ITV system in order to make perform operations as search the Internet, choose movies, order from catalogs, play games, watch videos, take classes, search through archives, read newspapers, and more.
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of a set-top box
100
. Set-top box
100
includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU)
105
and a Motion Picture Experts Group (MPEG) decoder/graphics processor
115
. CPU
105
is coupled to a memory
107
and MPEG decoder/graphics processor
115
is coupled to memory
117
. Additionally, MPEG decoder/graphics processor
115
is coupled to a display unit. Set-top box
100
may be typically used in applications requiring limited data services. However, in modern ITV systems requiring enhanced data services, set-top box
100
is inadequate.
One problem with set-top box
100
is that memory
117
is not sufficiently large to service both the MPEG decoder and graphics processor applications of MPEG decoder/graphics processor
115
. Consequently, the graphics processor operations of MPEG decoder/graphics processor
115
are restricted to four-bit simple graphics, resulting in inadequate color depth. Another problem with set-top box
100
is that the performance interface is not fast enough.
FIG. 2
is a block diagram of a set-top box
200
. Set-top box
200
includes a CPU
205
, an MPEG decoder
215
and a graphics processor
225
. CPU
205
is coupled to a memory
207
, while MPEG decoder
215
and graphics processor
225
are coupled to memories
217
and
227
, respectively. Graphics processor
225
is also coupled to a display unit. The configuration of set-top
200
solves the deficiencies associated with set-top box
100
by including a separate memory for the operations of graphics processor
225
. Nevertheless, adding a separate memory to service graphics processor
225
results in an incremental price increase in the manufacturing of set-top boxes. Therefore, a set-top box that supports enhanced data services without adding a separate memory for graphics functions is desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to one embodiment, an interactive set-top box includes a memory device and a graphics/video processor coupled to the memory device. In addition, the set-top box includes a central processing unit (CPU) coupled to the graphics/video processor and the memory device. Access to the resources of the memory device is shared by the CPU and the graphics processor.


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