Dynamically programmable digital entertainment terminal using downloaded software to control broadband data operations

Claims

We claim:

1. A digital entertainment terminal comprising:

a network interface module for coupling the terminal to a communication network, serving a plurality of information service providers, for receiving a digital broadband channel and providing two-way control signaling communication between the terminal and the network;

a control processor controlling operations of the terminal and sending control signals over the two-way control signaling channel through the network interface module in response to selection signals and receiving control signals over the two-way control signaling channel through the network interface module;

means for receiving inputs from a user and providing said corresponding selection signals to the control processor;

program memory for storing software executable by the control processor, wherein in response to a command code within the received control signals received over the two-way signaling channel, the control processor causes data including software to be received over the digital broadband channel from a selected one of the service providers to be stored in the program memory; and

an audio/video processor controlled by the control processor, said audio/video processor being responsive to compressed, digital audio and video information received over the broadband channel to produce signals for driving an audio/video display device,

wherein the control processor executes the software received and stored in the program memory to control subsequent operations of the terminal, including at least some operations of the audio/video processor and at least some responses to the inputs from the user.

2. A digital entertainment terminal as in claim 1, wherein the audio/video processor comprises:

an audio/video decoder for decompressing the compressed, digital information received over the broadband channel to produce a decompressed video signal and a decompressed audio signal;

a graphics overlay controller, controlled by said control processor, for generating graphic display information; and

means for combining the graphic display information with the decompressed video signal.

3. A digital entertainment terminal as in claim 2, wherein the audio/video decoder comprises:

an MPEG video decoder;

an MPEG audio decoder; and

an MPEG demultiplexer for selectively routing MPEG encoded video and audio packets carried on the digital broadband channel to the MPEG video decoder and the MPEG audio decoder, respectively.

4. A digital entertainment terminal as in claim 2, wherein the audio/video processor further comprises output means responsive to a signal from the means for combining and the decompressed audio signal for producing at least one output signal for driving a television receiver type audio/video display device.

5. A digital entertainment terminal as in claim 1, wherein the software received and stored in the memory comprises an application program to be executed by the control processor to provide the user a specific interactive service during the reception of said compressed, digital audio and video information over the broadband channel.

6. A digital entertainment terminal as in claim 1, wherein the software received and stored in the memory includes at least a portion of an operating system to be executed by the control processor during subsequent provision of a plurality of interactive services during the reception of said compressed, digital audio and video information over the broadband channel.

7. A method of providing an interactive communication service comprising:

establishing a communication link between a selected one of at least two available information service providers supplying software and digitized audio and video information and a digital entertainment terminal, said communication link providing downstream transport of broadband, digital information to the digital entertainment terminal;

receiving the corresponding software executable by a control processor of the digital entertainment terminal from the one information service provider via the communication link;

storing the software in a memory within the digital entertainment terminal;

receiving digitized audio and video information over the communication link; and

supplying the software from the memory to the control processor for execution, to control interactions of a user of the digital entertainment terminal with a service offered by the one information service provider and to produce an audio/video output responsive to the received digitized audio and video information.

8. A method as in claim 7, wherein the software received and stored in the memory is a complete application program for providing the user a specific interactive service offered by the one information service provider through the communication link.

9. A method as in claim 7, wherein the software received and stored in the memory includes at least a portion of an operating system of the control processor.

10. A method as in claim 9, wherein the step of storing the software in memory is dependent on whether the one information service provider is authorized access to operating system software stored in the memory.

11. A method as in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

establishing a new broadband, digital communication link between the digital entertainment terminal and a second information service provider different from the one information service provider;

receiving software executable by the control processor of the digital entertainment terminal via the new communication link from the second information service provider;

writing the software from the second information service provider over software previously stored in the memory within the digital entertainment terminal;

receiving digitized audio and video information over the new communication link from the second information service provider; and

supplying the software from the second information service provider from the memory to the control processor for execution, to control interactions of the user of the digital entertainment terminal with a service offered by the second information service provider and to produce an audio/video output to the user responsive to the digitized audio and video information received from the second information service provider.

12. A method as in claim 7, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a command from the one information service provider;

receiving new software executable by the control processor of the digital entertainment terminal from the one information service provider via the communication link;

writing the new software over software previously stored in the memory within the digital entertainment terminal;

receiving further digitized audio and video information over the downstream, broadband, digital communication link; and

supplying the new software from the memory to the control processor for execution, to control interactions of the user with a service offered by the one information service provider and to produce an audio/video output responsive to the further digitized audio and video information.

13. A method as in claim 7, wherein the establishing step comprises:

receiving a service provider selection as an input to the digital entertainment terminal;

in response to the selection input, establishing a two-way signaling communication link between the digital entertainment terminal and a gateway operated by the