Television – Receiver circuitry
Reexamination Certificate
1997-11-03
2001-12-18
Eisenzopf, Reinhard J. (Department: 2614)
Television
Receiver circuitry
C348S725000, C348S014160, C348S086000, C348S086000, C455S001000, C455S001000, C455S001000, C455S001000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331876
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of updating software, in a video receiver that comprises receiver means for receiving video signals and digital data sent by a television transmitter, said receiver means comprising, for example, a specialized digital video processing module connected by a first bus to a specialized video memory, and a microprocessor connected by a second bus to a rewritable program memory in which are written the basic instructions by which it can operate.
2. Description of the Related Art
The invention also relates to such a video receiver.
Updating the software may be decided by a television program provider when an error has been detected in the software of the receivers, or also for adding new functions. This updating consists of replacing old software by new software. Whereas the larger part of the instructions of the new software are identical to those of the old software, it would nevertheless be surprising that each of the instructions of the new software has the same address as the corresponding instruction in the old software. Thus, the software of a receiver, when only partly transformed, becomes totally unusable. A problem is then posed in that the software updating may be interrupted for different reasons during the process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to solve this problem.
For this purpose, when new software is received in successive parts, the parts of the received software are verified, one by one by, the microprocessor and stored in a random access memory until the software level is complete and, not until that moment will the new software be transferred to the rewritable program memory and will the video memory of the specialized video processing module be used for provisionally storing the received parts of the software.
A receiver according to the invention comprises updating means for replacing the basic instructions taken as a whole by new software which is sent in successive parts, means for verifying the received software parts one by one and for storing them in a random access memory until the new software is complete, and means for transferring the whole new software when it has been received to the rewritable program memory, while said random access memory is formed by the video memory of the specialized video processing module.
Advantageously, the transport of the data from the first bus to the second bus, or vice versa, is realized via the specialized digital video processing module which includes means intended for this purpose.
Preferably, the process of acquiring new software is started during a standby period of the receiver and starting the receiver is forbidden during the transfer of new software to the program memory, the microprocessor including means to that effect.
Advantageously, a message is displayed by the receiver while new software is being transferred to the program memory, the receiver including means to that effect.
These aspects of the invention and also other, more detailed, aspects will provide a better understanding by the following description of an embodiment forming a non-limiting example.
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Bosveld Frank
Koster John
Eisenzopf Reinhard J.
Goodman Edward W.
Natnael Paulos M.
U.S. Philips Corporation
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