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:
Aug. 16, 2011
Filed:
Jan. 13, 2009
Masakazu Suzuoki, Austin, TX (US);
Akiyuki Hatakeyama, Austin, TX (US);
Masakazu Suzuoki, Austin, TX (US);
Akiyuki Hatakeyama, Austin, TX (US);
Sony Computer Entertainment Inc., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
Methods and apparatus provide for placing an apparatus into at least one of a plurality of operational modes, wherein: the apparatus includes a local memory, a bus operable to carry information to and from the local memory, one or more arithmetic processing units operable to process data and operatively coupled to the local memory, and a security circuit operable to place the apparatus into the operational modes; and the plurality of operational modes includes: (i) a first mode whereby the apparatus and an external device are operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the memory over the bus, (ii) a second mode whereby neither the apparatus nor the external device are operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the memory over the bus, and (iii) a third mode whereby the apparatus is operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the local memory over the bus, but the external device is not operable to initiate a transfer of information into or out of the local memory over the bus.