Cryptography – Key management – Having particular key generator
Patent
1995-11-24
1997-10-07
Buczinski, Stephen C.
Cryptography
Key management
Having particular key generator
364430, 364431, 364653, 36518901, 380 9, H04N 7167, G06F 1900, G11C 700
Patent
active
056756461
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a method of writing an identification number of an electronic apparatus, for example, a cable television receiving apparatus used for cable television (hereinafter referred to as CATV) so that an individual identification number may be applied to a memory built in the CATV receiving apparatus.
BACKGROUND ART
In the CATV system, respective CATV receiving apparatuses have to be serviced individually and to this end, they must be identified. In order to identify each CATV receiving apparatus, an identification number specific to a particular CATV receiving apparatus is stored in a memory of the CATV receiving apparatus. A conventional method of writing an identification number of a CATV receiving apparatus will now be described with reference to FIG. 5.
In FIG. 5, the CATV receiving apparatus incorporates a microcomputer 1 and a memory 2 coupled thereto. An input/output terminal 3 of the microcomputer 1 is detachably connected to an external memory write unit 4.
With the CATV receiving apparatus constructed as above, an identification number is written into the memory 2 in a manner as described below. Firstly, the memory write unit 4 is connected to the input/output terminal 3 of the microcomputer 1. Subsequently, an identification number is delivered from the memory write unit 4 to the input/output terminal 3 of the microcomputer 1. Then, the microcomputer 1 starts a control program for the memory 2 to write the identification number to an identification number storing address on the memory 2.
In the conventional method as mentioned above, the memory write unit 4 is first connected to the input/output terminal 3 of the microcomputer 1 and the identification number is then delivered from the memory write unit 4 to the input/output terminal 3 of the microcomputer 1. However, the microcomputer 1 needs the step of starting the control program for the memory 2 and writing the identification number to the identification number storing address on the memory 2. Accordingly, the time taken for the write operation to proceed is prolonged and besides the control program for writing the identification number to the identification number storing address on the memory 2 is needed, which raises a problem that the program memory capacity increases.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The present invention contemplates elimination of the above problem and it is an object of the present invention to provide a method of writing an identification number of an electronic apparatus which ensures a rapid write operation of an identification number into the memory and permits reduction in the capacity of the control program.
To accomplish the above object, a method of writing an identification number of an electronic apparatus having a memory and a microcomputer for controlling the memory comprises a first step of resetting the microcomputer, a second step of bringing a write pin of a memory write unit into engagement with an input/output terminal of the memory after the first step, a third step of writing a preset identification number of the electronic apparatus into the memory through the write pin after the second step, a fourth step of separating the write pin from the input/output terminal of the memory after the third step, and a fifth step of releasing the microcomputer from the resetting after the fourth step.
According to this method, since the write pin of the memory write unit is brought into direct engagement with the input/output terminal of the memory in the second step and subsequently in the third step, the preset identification number of the electronic apparatus is written into the memory through the write pin, the microcomputer need not start any identification number write program and hence a rapid write operation can be ensured.
Further, no identification number write program is required for the microcomputer and therefore, reduction in the capacity of the control program can be realized.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a flow chart showing the steps of a m
REFERENCES:
patent: 3969618 (1976-07-01), Strubel et al.
patent: 4926264 (1990-05-01), Ohno et al.
patent: 5091787 (1992-02-01), Watannabe et al.
patent: 5544064 (1996-08-01), Beckwith
Fukuchi Toshihiro
Koda Tsutomu
Ohwaki Haruki
Ozawa Kazumasa
Buczinski Stephen C.
Matsushita Electric - Industrial Co., Ltd.
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