US Patent No: 7,640,571
Number of patents in Portfolio can not be more than 2000
Method and apparatus for preventing disruptions in set-top terminal function due to the download of updated programming or data to the set-top terminal
Stats
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Dec 29, 2009
Issued date -
Jul 15, 1999
filing date -
09/353,583
serial no -
In Force
status
Importance
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Abstract
A method and device prevent a set-top terminal from accepting a download of new programming or data over a cable network when the download would be redundant of information already possessed by the set-top terminal or would cause an inconvenience to subscribers. When the set-top terminal is signaled that a new download is being offered, the set-top terminal checks to see if the download in fact contains a newer version of data or programming than is currently resident in the set-top terminal. The set-top terminal also checks whether criteria for accepting a download are met. The criteria are conditions that tend to indicate that an interruption of service to accept a download would not inconvenience the subscriber at that time. When the criteria are met, the download is accepted. Otherwise, the download is not accepted or is not accepted until the criteria are satisfied. Similar criteria govern the termination of the older, executing programming and the execution of the newer, downloaded programming to, again, prevent unwarranted disruptions in service.
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First Claim
Related Publications
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International Classification(s)
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- [Patents Count]
Cited Art
| Patent Info | (Count) | # Cites | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
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| 5,247,364 Method and apparatus for tuning data channels in a subscription television system having in-band data transmissions | 238 | 1991 | |
| 6,166,728 Display system with programmable display parameters | 13 | 1993 | |
| 5,440,632 Reprogrammable subscriber terminal | 218 | 1994 | |
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| 5,771,064 Home communications terminal having an applications module | 53 | 1995 | |
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| 5,951,639 Multicast downloading of software and data modules and their compatibility requirements | 121 | 1996 | |
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| 5,826,166 Digital entertainment terminal providing dynamic execution in video dial tone networks | 61 | 1995 | |
| 5,847,771 Digital entertainment terminal providing multiple digital pictures | 90 | 1996 | |
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| 5,966,637 System and method for receiving and rendering multi-lingual text on a set top box | 39 | 1996 | |
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| 5,960,445 Information processor, method of updating a program and information processing system | 133 | 1997 | |
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| 5,987,210 Method and apparatus for eliminating television commercial messages | 61 | 1995 | |
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| 5,909,559 Bus bridge device including data bus of first width for a first processor, memory controller, arbiter circuit and second processor having a different second data width | 188 | 1997 | |
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| 5,373,557 System for processing user access control data at a decoder | 9 | 1993 | |
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| 5,797,010 Multiple run-time execution environment support in a set-top processor | 19 | 1995 | |
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| 6,331,876 Method of updating software in a video receiver | 21 | 1997 | |
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| 5,635,979 Dynamically programmable digital entertainment terminal using downloaded software to control broadband data operations | 185 | 1994 | |
Patent Citation Ranking
Maintenance Fees
| Fee | Large entity fee | small entity fee | micro entity fee | due date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Year Payment | $1600.00 | $800.00 | $400.00 | Jun 29, 2013 |
| 7.5 Year Payment | $3600.00 | $1800.00 | $900.00 | Jun 29, 2017 |
| 11.5 Year Payment | $7400.00 | $3700.00 | $1850.00 | Jun 29, 2021 |
| Fee | Large entity fee | small entity fee | micro entity fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surcharge - 3.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge - 7.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge - 11.5 year - Late payment within 6 months | $160.00 | $80.00 | $40.00 |
| Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unavoidable | $700.00 | $350.00 | $175.00 |
| Surcharge after expiration - Late payment is unintentional | $1,640.00 | $820.00 | $410.00 |