The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 02, 2004
Filed:
Jul. 17, 2000
Christopher Poli, Doylestown, PA (US);
Douglas S. Makofka, Willow Grove, PA (US);
Ira S. Lehrman, West Windsor, NJ (US);
Christopher S. Del Sordo, Souderton, PA (US);
Thomas F. Bates, IV, Richboro, PA (US);
General Instruments Corporation, Horsham, PA (US);
Abstract
A method and system manages and controls the download of programming, i.e., code objects, to a set-top terminal connected to a cable television system so as to prevent disruptions to service that may arise if only some of the objects specified are successfully downloaded and might, therefore, function improperly or conflict with existing applications. When the message to download new or additional code objects lists two or more objects to be acquired, the set-top terminal will only enable and execute downloaded objects if all the listed objects are successfully acquired. If only some of the objects the terminal has been instructed to download are acquired, those downloaded objects may either be purged or stored in memory without being enabled and executed. The system operator may specify in the message instructing the terminal to acquire new objects, whether the listed objects must be implemented as a group or not at all. The system operator may similarly specify if objects from an incomplete download are to be purged from memory.