Claims
- 1. A set top terminal that stores programs locally and generates menus, comprising:
a first input port, located on an external face of the set top terminal, that receives information, wherein the information includes menu data; a second input port, located on an external face of the set top terminal that receives a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; memory, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, in which the received information and the program signal are stored; a microprocessor, operably connected to the memory, that executes instructions that prompt the generation of menus, wherein the menus are generated using the menu data; and a combiner, operably connected to the microprocessor, that combines the video with the generated menus, wherein the set top terminal receives a reprogramming signal that reprograms the set top terminal.
- 2. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the reprogramming signal reprograms the instructions that prompt the generation of menus.
- 3. The set top terminal of claim 2, further comprising an instruction memory, operably connected to the microprocessor, wherein the instructions are stored in the instruction memory.
- 4. The set top terminal of claim 3, further comprising a menu memory, operably connected to the microprocessor, wherein a menu format is stored in the menu memory.
- 5. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein a menus comprise graphics, the set top terminal further comprising:
a graphics memory that stores compressed graphics; a graphics decompressor, operably connected to the graphics memory and the combiner, that decompresses the compressed graphics and generates the menus; and wherein the reprogramming signal reprograms the graphics stored in the graphics memory.
- 6. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor interprets the reprogramming signal.
- 7. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the set top terminal receives the reprogramming signal via the first input port.
- 8. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the set top terminal receives the reprogramming signal via the second input port.
- 9. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the reprogramming signal is sent from an operations center.
- 10. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the reprogramming signal is sent from a cable headend.
- 11. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the memory is a first memory and the set top terminal further comprises a second memory, operably connected to the microprocessor, which includes reprogramming software.
- 12. The set top terminal of claim 11, wherein the microprocessor interprets the reprogramming signal and directs the execution of the reprogramming software.
- 13. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the menus is generated using a menu format stored in the set top terminal and the reprogramming signal reprograms the stored menu format.
- 14. The set top terminal of claim 1, wherein the program signal is demultiplexed prior to being stored in the memory.
- 15. A system for delivering programs comprising:
the set top terminal of claim 1;a cable headend, remotely located from the set top terminal; and an operations center, remotely located from the set top terminal, wherein the information received by the first input port is transmitted from the operations center to the set top terminal.
- 16. A terminal that stores programs locally and generates menus, comprising:
a first input port, located on an external face of the terminal, that receives information, wherein the information includes menu data; a second input port, located on an external face of the terminal that receives a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; a first memory location, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, in which the program signal is stored; a microprocessor that executes instructions that prompt the generation of menus, wherein the menus are generated using the menu data; a second memory location, operably connected to the processor, that stores the menu generating instructions, wherein menu generating instructions are reprogrammable and the terminal receives a reprogramming signal that reprograms the menu generating instructions; and means, operably connected to the microprocessor, for transmitting the video and the generated menus to a display device.
- 17. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the microprocessor interprets the reprogramming signal.
- 18. The terminal of claim 16, wherein the program signal is demultiplexed prior to being stored in the memory.
- 19. A terminal that stores programs locally and generates menus, comprising:
a first input port, located on an external face of the set top terminal, that receives information, wherein the information includes menu data; a second input port, located on an external face of the set top terminal that receives a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; a first memory location, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, in which the program signal is stored; a microprocessor, operably connected to the first memory, that executes instructions that prompt the generation of menus, wherein the menus are generated using the menu data; a second memory location, operably connected to the processor, that includes reprogramming software; and an output device, operably connected to the microprocessor, that outputs the video and the generated menus to a display device.
- 20. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the terminal receives a reprogramming signal that causes the microprocessor to execute the reprogramming instructions.
- 21. The terminal of claim 19, wherein the program signal is demultiplexed prior to being stored in the memory.
- 22. A terminal that stores programs locally and generates menus, comprising:
a first input port, located on an external face of the terminal, that receives information; a second input port, located on an external face of the terminal that receives a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; memory, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, in which the program signal is stored; a microprocessor that executes instructions that prompt the generation of menus, wherein the menus are generated using the information; an output device, operably connected to the microprocessor, that outputs the generated menus to a display device; and wherein the set top terminal receives a reprogramming signal that contains new instructions.
- 23. The terminal of claim 22, wherein the reprogramming signal reprograms the instructions.
- 24. The terminal of claim 22, wherein the memory is a first memory and the terminal further comprises a second memory, operably connected to the microprocessor, which includes reprogramming software.
- 25. The terminal of claim 24, wherein the microprocessor interprets the reprogramming signal and directs the execution of the reprogramming software.
- 26. The terminal of claim 22, wherein at least one of the menus is generated using a menu format stored in the terminal and the reprogramming signal reprograms the stored menu format.
- 27. The terminal of claim 22, wherein the reprogramming signal prompts execution of a reprogramming process.
- 28. The terminal of claim 22, wherein the program signal is demultiplexed prior to being stored in the memory.
- 29. A terminal that stores programs locally, comprising:
a first input port, located on an external face of the terminal, that receives information; a second input port, located on an external face of the terminal that receives a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; memory, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, in which the program signal is stored; a microprocessor that executes instructions that prompt the display of the information; means, operably connected to the microprocessor, for transmitting the information to a display device; and wherein the set top terminal receives a reprogramming signal that contains new instructions.
- 30. The terminal of claim 29, wherein the reprogramming signal reprograms the instructions.
- 31. The terminal of claim 29, wherein the memory is a first memory and the terminal further comprises a second memory, operably connected to the microprocessor, which includes reprogramming software.
- 32. The terminal of claim 31, wherein the microprocessor interprets the reprogramming signal and directs the execution of the reprogramming software.
- 33. The terminal of claim 29, wherein the information is displayed in a menu.
- 34. The terminal of claim 33, wherein the menu is generated using a menu format stored in the terminal and the reprogramming signal reprograms the stored menu format.
- 35. The terminal of claim 29, wherein the reprogramming signal prompts the execution of a reprogramming process.
- 36. The terminal of claim 29, wherein the program signal is demultiplexed prior to being stored in the memory.
- 37. A terminal that stores programs locally, comprising:
means, located on an external face of the terminal, for receiving information; means, located on an external face of the terminal, for receiving a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; means, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, for storing the program signal; means for executing instructions that prompt the display of the information; and means, operably connected to the microprocessor, for transmitting the information to a display device, wherein the set top terminal receives a reprogramming signal that contains new instructions.
- 38. A terminal that stores programs locally, comprising:
means, located on an external face of the terminal, for receiving information; means, located on an external face of the terminal, for receiving a program signal comprising one or more programs, the one or more programs including video; means, operably connected to the first input port and the second input port, for storing the program signal; means for generating menus using the received information; and means, operably connected to the microprocessor, for transmitting the information to a display device, wherein the set top terminal receives a reprogramming signal that contains new instructions.
RELATED APPLICATIONS/PATENTS
[0001] This application is a divisional of application Ser. No. 09/643,722 filed Aug. 23, 2000 entitled SET TOP TERMINAL THAT STORES PROGRAMS LOCALLY AND GENERATES MENUS, which is a continuation of U.S. Pat. No. 6,181,335 entitled CARD FOR A SET TOP TERMINAL, which is a divisional of U.S. Pat. No. 5,734,853 filed Dec. 2, 1993 entitled SET TOP TERMINAL FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEMS, which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 07/991,074 filed Dec. 9, 1992 entitled TELEVISION PROGRAM PACKAGING AND DELIVERY SYSTEM WITH MENU DRIVEN SUBSCRIBER ACCESS. The following other continuation-in-part applications, also based on the above-referenced patent application, are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,798,785, entitled REPROGRAMMABLE TERMINAL FOR SUGGESTING PROGRAMS OFFERED ON A TELEVISION PROGRAM DELIVERY SYSTEM, filed on Dec. 2, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,364, entitled NETWORK CONTROLLER FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEMS, filed on Dec. 2, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,659,350, entitled AN OPERATIONS CENTER FOR A TELEVISION PROGRAM PACKAGING AND DELIVERY SYSTEM, filed on Dec. 2, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,990,927, entitled ADVANCED SET TOP TERMINAL FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEMS, filed on Dec. 2, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,682,195, entitled DIGITAL CABLE HEADEND FOR CABLE TELEVISION DELIVERY SYSTEM, filed on Dec. 2, 1993.
Divisions (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09643722 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Child |
10295922 |
Nov 2002 |
US |
Parent |
08160193 |
Dec 1993 |
US |
Child |
09157574 |
Sep 1998 |
US |
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09157574 |
Sep 1998 |
US |
Child |
09643722 |
Aug 2000 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
07991074 |
Dec 1992 |
US |
Child |
08160193 |
Dec 1993 |
US |