System and method for an interactive broadband system-on-chip with a reconfigurable interface

Abstract

A method and apparatus are disclosed, in an interactive broadband set-top box receiving broadband signals from a headend, to facilitate communications with an installed card within the set-top box using a single IC chip that processes the broadband signals. The single IC chip is configured to a PCMCIA PC-card mode such that PC card signals are multiplexed to certain I/O pins of the single IC chip. In the PCMCIA PC-card mode, the single IC chip attempts to detect the presence of and identify an installed card in the set-top box. If an installed card is present and is identified as a POD module, then the single IC chip is reconfigured from the PCMCIA PC-card mode to a POD mode such that POD-compatible signals are multiplexed to certain existing I/O pins of the single IC chip when operating in the POD mode.

1 . In an interactive broadband set-top box receiving broadband signals from a headend, a method to facilitate communications with an installed card within said set-top box using a single IC chip processing said broadband signals, said method comprising:
 configuring said single IC chip to a PCMCIA PC-card mode such that said single IC chip multiplexes PC card signals to certain I/O pins of said single IC chip when operating in said PCMCIA PC-card mode;   detecting the presence of said installed card interfacing to said single IC chip;   identifying said installed card as a PC card or a POD module; and   reconfiguring said single IC chip from said PCMCIA PC-card mode to a POD mode, if said installed card is identified as said POD module, such that said single IC chip muliplexes POD-compatible signals to at least one of said certain I/O pins or other existing pins of said single IC chip when operating in said POD mode.   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising applying appropriate power to said installed card based on, at least in part, said identifying. 
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising operating said single IC chip in said POD mode with said POD module after said single IC chip is reconfigured to said POD mode. 
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising operating said single IC chip in said PCMCIA PC-card mode with said PC card if said installed card is identified as said PCMCIA PC card. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said detecting is performed by said single IC chip. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said identifying is performed by said single IC chip. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein said applying is commanded, at least in part, by said single IC chip. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said configuring and said reconfiguring each comprise changing a communication protocol of said single IC chip and multiplexing between said PC card signals and said POD-compatible signals within said single IC chip. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said POD-compatible signals comprise parallel MPEG transport signals generated by said single IC chip from said broadband signals processed by said single IC chip and wherein said parallel MPEG transport signals are multiplexed to said POD module by said single IC chip. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said POD-compatible signals comprise de-encrypted parallel MPEG transport signals generated by said POD module and received by said single IC chip. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said POD-compatible signals comprise digital out-of-band (OOB) signals generated by said single IC chip from said broadband signals processed by said single IC chip and wherein said digital OOB signals are multiplexed to said POD module by said single IC chip. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said POD-compatible signals comprise CPU signals generated by a first CPU within said single IC chip and a second CPU within said POD module. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said POD-compatible signals comprise digital upstream signals generated by said POD module and wherein said digital upstream signals are received and processed by said single IC chip to generate upstream RF signals and wherein said upstream RF signals are subsequently sent to said headend. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating multiple serial MPEG transport streams within said single IC chip from said broadband signals;   combining at least two of said multiple serial MPEG transport streams within said single IC chip to form at least one muxed transport stream;   converting at least one of said multiple serial MPEG transport streams or said at least one muxed transport stream to parallel MPEG transport signals within said single IC chip when said single IC chip is in said POD mode; and   multiplexing said parallel MPEG transport signals to said POD module.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating a serial MPEG transport stream within said single IC chip from de-encrypted parallel MPEG signals from said POD module; and decoding said serial MPEG transport stream within said single IC chip by decompressing audio and/or video signal components of said serial MPEG transport stream.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 generating a serial MPEG transport stream within said single IC chip from de-encrypted parallel MPEG signals from said POD module; video encoding a video signal component of said serial MPEG transport stream to generate an encoded video signal; and sending said encoded video signal to a device for further processing and/or display.   
   
   
       17 . In an interactive broadband set-top box receiving broadband signals from a headend, a method to facilitate communications with an installed card within said set-top box using a single IC chip processing said broadband signals, said method comprising:
 configuring said single IC chip to a PCMCIA PC-card mode;   detecting the presence of said installed card interfacing to said single IC chip;   identifying said installed card as a PC card or a POD module; and   reconfiguring said single IC chip from said PCMCIA PC-card mode to a POD mode, if said installed card is identified as said POD module.   
   
   
       18 - 31 . (canceled)