US6029046A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for a game delivery service including flash memory and a game back-up module
Assignee: Tech 5 Sas
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Filing: 1995-12-01
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Granted: 2000-02-22
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Expires: 2015-12-01
Abstract
Abstract A communications terminal for receiving digital data services at a location remote from a transmitter comprises a service controller, a bus system, a random access memory and a non-volatile memory. The non-volatile memory preferably comprises FLASH memory. Data is first loaded into random access memory, preferably SRAM and there checked for errors and error-corrected. The data is preferably loaded in blocks into FLASH memory in a predetermined manner to further secure the service data and to permit the use of byte-wide memories accessed as word-wide memories. A service back-up memory is further connected to the bus for storing service data during suspension of play of a service. The service back-up memory preferably comprises a FLASH memory card having its own basic input output service (BIOS) control. A method of storing back-up service data in a home communications terminal comprises the steps of storing current service data in a first FLASH non-volatile memory and storing previous service data in a state in which play of the service is suspended is a second FLASH non-volatile memory, the service back-up memory described above.
Inventors
- 👤 Raheel Ahmed Khan
- 👤 David Brent Burleson
- 👤 John Thomas Filion
- 👤 Donald Scott Cheek
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-23 15:57
CPC Classifications
A; A63; A63F; A63F13/00; A63F13/70; A63F13/73; A63F13/12; A63F13/30; A63F13/71; A63F13/77; H; H04; H04N; H04N21/00; H04N21/80; H04N21/81; H04N21/8166; H04N7/00; H04N7/16; H04N7/162; H04N7/165; H04N7/167; H04N7/1675; A63F2300/00; A63F2300/20; A63F2300/206; A63F2300/40; A63F2300/401; A63F2300/409; A63F2300/50; A63F2300/53; A63F2300/532; A63F2300/55; A63F2300/552; A63F2300/60; A63F2300/63; A63F2300/636
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
170 words
A secure home communications terminal for pay services comprising: a secure controller for 1) tuning to a service channel frequency, 2) demodulating a service and authorization and control data stream, 3) deserializing and deinterleaving received data, 4) decrypting received data, and 5) storing said data in memory, said secure controller comprising a reconfigurable write machine for writing data into memories via write cycles required by a plurality of different memory types; a random access memory for receiving said stored data; a non-volatile memory for receiving the stored data from said random access memory, a plug-in connection to said secure controller for a service player; a bus system connecting said random access memory, said non-volatile memory and said controller, the service player retrieving service data only upon authorization, said authorization data, stored in memory of said secure controller, being accessible by a controller of said service player for reading and not writing; and a back-up memory for service data, the backup memory receiving previous data during suspension of play of service.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
170 words
A secure home communications terminal for pay services comprising: a secure controller for 1) tuning to a service channel frequency, 2) demodulating a service and authorization and control data stream, 3) deserializing and deinterleaving received data, 4) decrypting received data, and 5) storing said data in memory, said secure controller comprising a reconfigurable write machine for writing data into memories via write cycles required by a plurality of different memory types; a random access memory for receiving said stored data; a non-volatile memory for receiving the stored data from said random access memory, a plug-in connection to said secure controller for a service player; a bus system connecting said random access memory, said non-volatile memory and said controller, the service player retrieving service data only upon authorization, said authorization data, stored in memory of said secure controller, being accessible by a controller of said service player for reading and not writing; and a back-up memory for service data, the backup memory receiving previous data during suspension of play of service.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
34 words
A home communications terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein the non-volatile memory receives the data from the random access memory in blocks of data mixed in said non-volatile memory in a predetermined manner.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
A home communications terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein said data in non-volatile memory is corrupted after a predetermined period of time after suspending service play.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
33 words
A home communications terminal as recited in claim 1, wherein menu data is written into non-volatile memory only if the menu identifier is different from the menu identifier of previously stored menu data.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A home communications terminal as recited in claim 2 wherein said random access memory comprises SRAM and said non-volatile memory comprises FLASH memory.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
A home communications terminal as recited in claim 2 wherein said non-volatile memory comprises three byte-wide memories accessed as word-wide memories.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
19 words
A home communications terminal as recited in claim 6 wherein said non-volatile memory is extendable to four byte-wide memories.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
142 words
A secure home communications terminal for pay services comprising: a secure controller for 1) tuning to a service channel frequency, 2) demodulating a service and authorization and control data stream, 3) deserializing and deinterleaving received data, 4) decrypting received data, and 5) storing said data in memory; a random access memory for receiving said stored data; a service back-up memory for storing service data pending play of a new service, a plug-in connection to said secure controller for a service player; and a bus system connecting said service back-up memory and said controller, the service player retrieving service data only upon authorization, said authorization data, stored in memory of said secure controller, being accessible by a controller of said service player for reading and not writing; wherein said stored data is corrupted after a predetermined period of time after suspending service play.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
142 words
A secure home communications terminal for pay services comprising: a secure controller for 1) tuning to a service channel frequency, 2) demodulating a service and authorization and control data stream, 3) deserializing and deinterleaving received data, 4) decrypting received data, and 5) storing said data in memory; a random access memory for receiving said stored data; a service back-up memory for storing service data pending play of a new service, a plug-in connection to said secure controller for a service player; and a bus system connecting said service back-up memory and said controller, the service player retrieving service data only upon authorization, said authorization data, stored in memory of said secure controller, being accessible by a controller of said service player for reading and not writing; wherein said stored data is corrupted after a predetermined period of time after suspending service play.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
42 words
A secure home communications terminal as recited in claim 8 wherein said random access memory comprises dynamic random access memory coupled to said controller by an address and data bus and further comprises static random access memory connected to said bus system.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of downloading service data to a home communications terminal comprising the steps of: tuning to a particular channel; synchronizing to frame data of the channel; deserializing service data from the frame data in accordance with selection criteria; checking the service data for errors; loading only error-free service data into non-volatile memory; and corrupting the service data stored in non-volatile memory after suspension of play and after a predetermined period of time.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
73 words
A method of downloading service data to a home communications terminal comprising the steps of: tuning to a particular channel; synchronizing to frame data of the channel; deserializing service data from the frame data in accordance with selection criteria; checking the service data for errors; loading only error-free service data into non-volatile memory; and corrupting the service data stored in non-volatile memory after suspension of play and after a predetermined period of time.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method of downloading service data to a home communications terminal according to claim 10 wherein said non-volatile memory loading step comprises the additional steps of dividing said error-free service data into blocks and mixing said data in said non-volatile memory in accordance with a predetermined program.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
31 words
A method of downloading service data as recited in claim 10 further comprising the step of backing-up service data in additional non-volatile memory upon selection of a new service for play.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of storing back-up service data in a home communications terminal comprising the steps of: receiving service data via a transmission channel; checking said service data for errors and storing error-free service data in a first portion of random access memory and the service data with errors in a second portion of random access memory storing current game information service data in a first FLASH non-volatile memory; and storing previous game information service data in a state in which play of said service is suspended in a second FLASH non-volatile memory, said first and second FLASH non-volatile memories being coupled to a shared bus system for interfacing with service player apparatus.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
112 words
A method of storing back-up service data in a home communications terminal comprising the steps of: receiving service data via a transmission channel; checking said service data for errors and storing error-free service data in a first portion of random access memory and the service data with errors in a second portion of random access memory storing current game information service data in a first FLASH non-volatile memory; and storing previous game information service data in a state in which play of said service is suspended in a second FLASH non-volatile memory, said first and second FLASH non-volatile memories being coupled to a shared bus system for interfacing with service player apparatus.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
27 words
A method of storing back-up service data in accordance with claim 13 wherein said service data comprises blocks of data mixed in said first FLASH non-volatile memory.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
A method of storing back-up service data in accordance with claim 14 wherein said first FLASH non-volatile memory comprises byte-wide memories accessed as word-wide memories.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
24 words
A method of storing back-up service data in accordance with claim 15 wherein said first FLASH non-volatile memory comprises three memories extendable to four.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4905280A
Cited
US5539920A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2003-02-21 | 2003-08-23 | 2004-02-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2007-02-21 | 2007-08-23 | 2008-02-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2011-02-21 | 2011-08-23 | 2012-02-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |