CN1856774A - Digital media cartridge system and method - Google Patents

Abstract

A digital media cartridge contains both a controller and memory where the memory stores a digital representation of video and sound in compressed, encrypted form. In one embodiment, the controller reads the digital representation, decompresses and decrypts it, converts it into analog video and audio and outputs the analog video and audio to a host device into which the cartridge is inserted. The analog video and audio output are displayed on the screen of the host device and reproduced by speakers or headphones of the host device, respectively, without further processing of the video and audio signals being necessary by the host device. Besides video and audio, the digital media cartridge can also store and execute games that use the user input and display screen of the host device.

Description

Digital media cartridge system and method

Summary of the invention

Digital media cartridge comprises controller and storer, and wherein storer is with compression, the form store video of encrypting and the numeral of sound.In one embodiment, controller reads numeral, with its decompression and deciphering, be converted to analog video and audio frequency and export analog video and audio frequency in the host apparatus that has wherein inserted this box.This analog video and audio frequency output are displayed on the screen of host apparatus, and respectively by the loudspeaker or the headphone reproduction of host apparatus, need not the further processing of the necessary video and audio signal of host apparatus.

This new box for example can be inserted into Game Boy Advance unit, and the controller in the bypass GameBoy Advance unit, and uses the display of Game Boy Advance unit and video and the audio frequency that loudspeaker is exported by box with demonstration.Digital media cartridge can and have any connector with the manufacturing of Any shape factor, to allow them to be connected to have the various devices of screen and loudspeaker, to convert these devices to image karaoke device.

The advantage of some embodiment of digital media cartridge is, because comprising all vision signals, it creates hardware and software, new technology can be embedded in the box version subsequently, is inserted into slot and/or circuit on wherein the device that has screen and needn't change box.Like this, standard television may comprise slot digital media cartridge--the manufacturing of this slot and related hardware is very cheap to receive.At the beginning, the video that has only production to be stored in the single-definition on these boxes is economical, but along with development of technology, comprise the decline of improved compress technique and storer and other assembly cost, produce that to export the become video box of economy or production standard sharpness of the box of high definition video more cheap.Needn't make a change the TV that has fixed slot to utilize all to be included in new technology in the box, export the same resolution as long as TV screen can show with the video from digital media cartridge.In addition,, can produce the new box that uses brand-new encryption technology immediately, so that the loss that cracks of encrypting can be reduced to minimum just in case encryption technology is cracked or divulged a secret.In addition, can use different slightly encryption technologies, so that accurate encryption technology is unique to the box that comprises particular video program or film.Like this, if to the cryptocompromise of a specific program or film, same decryption technology just can not be used to be stored in the different content on this box.

Description of drawings

Fig. 1 has illustrated typical known handheld portable game player.

Fig. 2 is the block diagram of exemplary handheld portable game player.

Fig. 3 is the block diagram of digital media cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 is the block diagram of the asic chip of digital media cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows the process flow diagram of interactional process between the game machine and digital media cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is the block diagram of the decryption portion of digital media cartridge according to an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 is the block diagram that the user imports digital media cartridge control, that have intermediate sleeve that has according to the embodiment of the invention.

Embodiment

Fig. 1 shows the overall arrangement of embodiments of the invention.Game machine 10 is portable, battery operated computer installations, and the permission user plays any one recreation in a large amount of recreation that are stored on the various different boxes 20.Game machine 10 comprises slot 30, to wherein can insert the box of being selected by the user 20 from the box 20a-20 of any amount.Game machine 10 comprises screen 40, and game machine 10 shows recreation thereon, and comprises and allow the user to provide to be input to recreation with mutual and " objects for appreciation " keyboard 50 of playing thus.Although the present invention can be applied to any portable game machine or other has the device of screen, in a preferred embodiment, game machine 10 is GameBoy Advance of Nintendo (GBA).Game Boy and Nintendo are the trade marks of NOA company.

Fig. 2 shows the more detailed but general general introduction of GBA architecture.GBA has CPU100.Processor among the GBA is the arm processor that operates in about 17MHz.CPU comprises lcd controller 105.Lcd controller is connected to lcd screen 110 by lcd driver 115.In GBA, lcd screen 110 is to have 32, but 240 * 160TFT color LCD of 768 kinds of display colors.Lcd driver receives rgb signal from CPU 100.CPU comprises VRAM 120, and it is the video-ram that is used to store the numeral of screen, and based on this screen, RGB outputs to lcd driver.CPU also comprises CPU core 125, the inner WRAM 135 of system ROM 130, CPU, peripheral circuit 140 and prefetch buffer 145.Peripheral circuit 140 connects CPU to controller (keyboard) 150 and sound intensifier 155, otherwise sound intensifier drives loudspeaker 160 and earphone jack 165.Prefetch buffer is a little memory buffer unit, be used for through the data between bus 170 conversion recreation boxes 20 and the CPU 100, bus 170 comprises being connected between card edge type connector (the card edge connector) (not shown) of multiconductor slot and the box 20 of playing in the GBA (not shown).Game cartridge 20 comprises storer, and storer had both comprised typically that mask rom (can not write) (MROM) also comprised flash memory.Conceptive, storer separates between versabus storage space 175 and AD bus storage space 180 (in order to use with the Game Boy version before the GBA, storage space afterwards is not included in the Game Boy box).

One embodiment of the present of invention comprise and are used for the digital media cartridge (DMC) 20 ' that uses with GBA.With reference to figure 3, the critical piece of DMC 20 ' is ASIC 200.As argumentation in more detail hereinafter, ASIC (special IC) the 200th, the chip of customization, it especially comprises processor and storer.ASIC 200 is connected to the multiconductor on the card edge type connector 205.These contacts are connected to combination of address/data bus 210 and the control line 215 of ASIC.The power supply that the card edge type connector also comprises from GBA connects 230.Power supply is by power circuit 220.In one embodiment, DMC 20 ' also comprises the audio headphone jack 225 of himself.

Fig. 4 shows a more detailed block diagram of the architecture of ASIC 200.Be different from traditional game cartridge, ASIC 200 comprises processor 230.In one embodiment, processor 230 is RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) processors.Processor 230 is connected at processor 230 and read-only mask rom (MROM) 240 and can writes the memory controller 235 that connects between the local storer 245.Digital media content is stored on the MROM 240.Digital media content can any kind audio/visual, text or graphics media content, but in a preferred embodiment, digital media content is the complete moving image with sound accompaniment.For can relatively little, typically come across for space and economic reasons in the storer in the game cartridge, the sufficient video of quality of storage sufficient amount, Voice ﹠ Video is all with the compressed format stored digital.In one embodiment, used H.264 compress technique.Though it is possible utilizing software and general processor 230 to decompress in real time and using the video data of H.264 compression,, to compare with the game cartridge of the present invention of common economy and size reasonable, it has taken more processor ability usually.Therefore, in a further embodiment, ASIC 200 comprises and is used for H.264 the decode circuit of (H.264 accelerator 250) of real-time hardware.Similarly, in one embodiment, use MPEG-4ACC to encode compressed audio, and in optional embodiment, ASIC comprise hardware MPEG-4ACC decoding circuit 255.The ACC decoding circuit is connected to the buffer zone amplifier 265 that drives earphone 270 by DAC (converter of digital to analogy) 260.DAC260 comprises volume control circuit, uses volume control circuit rather than the control of the volume on the main frame GBA of DAC 260.In audio frequency and/or video playback process, the audio/video data of decompression is sent to GBA through fifo buffer 275.Yet during the guiding of GBA, data are delivered to GBA from MROM 240.This is because MROM 240 except the storage digital media data, goes back the boot of storage running on the GBA processor, directly controls screen and the audio frequency output of GBA with the RSIC processor on the permission DMC.

In one embodiment, ASIC comprises the MROM that has comprised all digital audio/video data (in the total implementation examples).

In another embodiment, ASIC comprises a littler MROM, and it stores boot, rather than digital audio/video data.In this embodiment, except the connector that is connected to GBA, DMC has second connector, is used for ASIC 200 is connected to digital media data among the MROM of sub-box, and wherein said sub-box can remove from the main DMC that comprises processor (sub-box embodiment).In the embodiment of this sub-box embodiment, connector is multimedia card (MMC) socket that is connected to MMC interface 285.Perhaps, this sub-box can be any existing form factor and their connectors separately, for example, and pcmcia card, smart card, safe digital (SD), smart media, compact flash memory or memory stick.In addition, sub-box can be with form factor not too general or that be not developed as yet and connector manufacturing.

One of sub-box embodiment may advantage be, the cost of sub-box may be lower with the price of the integrated DMC of the storer that has digital audio/video data than comprising processor.On the other hand, wherein the digital audio/video data advantage that directly is stored in the embodiment among the MROM on the ASIC identical with processor is, from MROM, there is not the directly lead-in wire (lead) of exposure, this MROM comprises and may allow someone to attempt this system of reverse engineered more simply, and attempts the directly Digital Media of the digital audio/video data of replicating original compression from MROM.In addition, it prevents to use Game Boy emulator or other hardware unit with the data in the electronic download storer, because they must pass through the processor of ASIC to arrive storer, this will stop this type of visit.Another advantage of single-chip ASIC system is, different with box (adapter) with sub-cassette system, hardware (for example, processor, audio frequency and/or Video Decoder) can change between the chip of different editions, and does not influence the operation that is produced in the present invention DMC before.Therefore, need the better compress technique of storer still less can be applied among afterwards the DMC, saved the cost that must be contained in the MROM size among the ASIC the video of same length.Similarly, it is available that new technology can become, and for example, high-definition television wherein can be used to make the DMC of the more high-resolution video of generation, and can not influence existing box by any way to the change of processor, Video Decoder etc.

ASIC uses system PLL from main frame GBA as clock.Yet in the GBA initial boot process, GBA does not provide this type of clock for the box in the boxlike slot of Game Boy.Therefore, the memory controller among the ASIC must not have under the situation of external clock by the GBA boot sequence.

Fig. 5 shown with GBA alternately to finish the employed process of DMC during display video on the LCD display of GBA.In step 300, along with DMC20 ' is connected to cartridge socket among the GBA, GBA powers up and GBA finishes its standard boot sequence.This boot sequence comprises: in step 310, it is legal with authentication GBA box to carry out the DMC authentication.In step 320, the GBA program that DMC will be stored in via bus 170 among the MROM of DMC is loaded in the working storage of GBA.In step 330, GBA is operation uploading from DMC then.This program impels the GBA processor that the data that have right instructions on the bus 170 are directly delivered to the VRAM 120 of GBA, does any processing and can't help the GBA processor, does not postpone thus.Program also can impel GBA that any user's input that is received from controller 150 is directly delivered to DMC processor 230, and user's input is not taken any action.Next process user input of DMC processor 230, and carry out the program control response of importing for these users, such as broadcast, time-out, F.F., rewinding, menu, selection and cursor control.

Forward Fig. 6 to, in optional embodiment, used encryption technology.Fig. 6 has shown DMC20 ', ASIC 200 and has been shown as the block diagram of MROM 240 of the part of ASIC 200.As mentioned above, although MROM 249 can independent chip or or even independent sub-box from ASIC200 in realize.MROM comprises encrypted digital media data (content of encryption) 400 and is loaded into GBA and is used the program of 410 operations by GBA CPU 100, GBA.GBA uses and comprises decruption key 420.ASIC comprises the decoding processor 430 of hardware encoding, wherein uses 410 GBA CPU 100 by operation GBA, transmits decruption key 420 to decoding processor 430.Alternatively, decoding processor is embodied as the RSIC processor that has operating software (being stored among the MROM) or firmware (for example, microcode).GBA use do not comprise any about being embedded in the information of the decipherment algorithm in the decoding processor 430, thereby key from when enabling decryption of encrypted content 400 to not help of hacker.Alternatively, key does not pass to GBA as the part that GBA uses, but is stored in respectively in MROM 240, firmware or the hardware among the ASIC, and directly offers decoding processor, and never is exposed to GBA bus 170.

In the total implementation example of risc processor in comprising same DMC and MROM, comprise the slightly different decoding algorithm that is embedded in the decoding processor for each title ASIC of video content.Like this, even a decoding processor is reversed through engineering approaches, the knowledge of being obtained is otiose utilizing this key to be used for any other title when deciphering this title.In addition, along with new encryption technology or method are developed, these technology or method can realize in title issue in the future, because as incorporate box, decoding hardware before DMC is needn't back compatible any, this technology with similar DVD is different, wherein in the DVD technology, do not have to propose can not be former DVD player play new DVD the time, decoding scheme can not be changed.

DMC is not limited to output audio and video.In optional embodiment, the MROM of DMC comprises by risc processor 230 executable softwares, as recreation.This embodiment is worth an example of expectation to be, if the processor among the GBA or other hardware can not be finished some function, or is not sufficiently can not move a certain Games Software by screen 110 and the operating key 150 that uses GBA soon.As utilizing above-described audio/video embodiment, DMC obtains the control of GBA screen by direct loading data in GBA VRAM, and has been transmitted all GBA operating keys and pressed.

In another optional embodiment, the MROM of DMC comprises game system emulation software.When this software is during by risc processor 230 operation, DMC then shows fully as another games system.For example, the original nintendo entertainment system (NES) of game system emulation software energy emulation, this entertainment systems is the first games system of introducing based on box in 1985, this games system is not of portable form and does not comprise its oneself screen, but is connected to TV and uses external power source.When risc processor operation NES simulation software, utilize screen 110 and the controller 250 of GBA, the DMC that has a GBA moves with original NES system just the same.MROM also comprises the software of one or more original or new NES recreation.So GBA/DMC allows the user to play real NES recreation as they can be in the NES system.

In sub-box optional embodiment, DMC comprises and accepts the slot that other comprises the box of NES system games.Together describe as above-mentioned and sub-box embodiment, sub-box can be Any shape factor and the connector that can use any kind, such as the slot that is connected to MMC interface 285.The example of another sub-box is a slot, because the size of slot, slot is connected to DMC by cable or wireless link, and acceptance is used for the original box by the games system of DMC emulation.Like this, if there is the people still to have original NES box, they can be connected and play being inserted on the NES emulator DMC box of GBA.

Though the foregoing description has been discussed about portable game machine, this system is not limited to by this.On the contrary, for video content, system can be applied to had screen, the user imports and allow DMC to be linked into any system of the connector of screen and user's input.Same, for being audio content, system can be applied to had loudspeaker, the user imports and allow DMC to be linked into any system of the connector of loudspeaker and user's input.

For example, it is cheap making televisor have slot, can be connected directly to provide video to arrive screen of TV set by this slot DMC.Typically, do not need or adjunct circuit that needs are considerably less.In such system, need not DVD player or the video-tape player is watched the video content of prerecording.Yet, be different from DVD and video-tape, DVD and video-tape must work together with requisite technology when product goes on the market for the first time, and DMC is because they comprise all video developing stage electronic equipments, the quality of specific DMC and technical merit be based on that DMC produced the time available techniques and available economic conditions, or even after introduce at DMC many years.For example, because memory cost, compress technique and other factors are produced DMC than the present possibility of production high definition (HD) quality video and uneconomical.(high-definition television is at present in U.S. definition, have perpendicular line, the staggered scanning (1080i) of 1080 resolution or have 720 resolution perpendicular line, (720p) lines by line scan).Thus, having slot will be with any quality (resolution and the frame rate) display video that is produced by that specific DMC sale room with the TV with HD ability of accepting DMC.When cost of memory and technical development when producing the particular moment of the real HD quality video signal of output, the same TV with HD ability will show the video that is produced by new DMC with the HD quality.Unique restriction will be the quality of the TV video that can reproduce.Alternatively, the DMC slot can be in office what provides in its consumer devices, including, but not limited to VCR, DVD player, DVD recorder, digital video recorder or cable or satellite set top box.

A GBA embodiment and a for example difference between the TV embodiment are the video format by DMC output.As mentioned above, in GBA embodiment, video passes bus 170, outputs to VRAM 120 with digital form, and VRAM 120 drives lcd screen 110.With regard to TV or similar device, DMC may comprise digital to analog converter (D/A converter) (not shown), be used for and convert base band video to by the digital video of processor and/or H.264 accelerator generation, and pass through the analog video signal of the connector output of DMC such as NTSC.Really, many TVs and other home entertaining assembly comprise the input of (major part is simulated) device front end.It is a cheap products that also comprises jack, and this jack comprises that identical analog video connector and power supply, user's input by (passthrough), also comprise clock signal in certain embodiments.

Except the cost problem, another makes DMC output analog video but not the reason of digital video is a guard against piracy.Use existing family recording technology, the record analog signal has reduced the quality of video, is slight at least and is significant in some cases.The DMC output digital video emitting be detected or the connection between DMC and TV in the danger of being duplicated with the perfection of the video that obtains DMC output by intercepting.In addition, existing VCR and DVD recorder comprise such circuit and/or software, and promptly described circuit and/or software can detect for being placed on the video-tape prerecorded, DVD wittingly and some prevent that vision signal is by the modification of the analog video signal in the broadcast TV program of efficient recording.In one embodiment, DMC inserts these and is modified to a part of handling as D/A in the vision signal.

Except the game machine that can equip the DMC slot and other embodiment the TV including, but not limited to: personal digital assistant (PDA), e-book, mobile phone, push mail device, desktop and kneetop computer, vehicle video system, projector, video cameras, digital camera, video game control desk and any other such as palm or portable PC operating system device comprise the current or following product of screen and user input apparatus.

When the device that has ID number with similar mobile phone or other or be connected to wide area network used, decryption processing can be more healthy and stronger.As the embodiment that is discussed in Fig. 6, key is delivered to host apparatus, mobile phone for example, but not GBA.Yet, because mobile phone is connected to wide area network, carry out with network on authentication server authentication and/or from the distribution of second key of authentication server, allow to use the known encryption of many types, including, but not limited to public keys, private key encryption method.In an alternatives, the operation of DMC or the output of DMC change according to the ID in the host apparatus and/or by the key that network returns.For example, watermark on video or the audio frequency output energy mark.Watermark can be used for determining which type of device whether video or audio frequency output can be replicated, how to be replicated and to copy to.If mark the video of watermark or audio frequency duplicated inadequately and distributed, the initial host apparatus that uses just can be detected.

In optional embodiment, DMC 20 ' comprises MROM 240 and flash memory (not shown).This embodiment allows to download and storage (at DMC after host apparatus removes) has been described to be stored in any data the MROM 240, for example audio/video content, recreation, game system emulation software or other software.Can further store for any operation that moves by risc processor 230 or the repairing and the renewal of system software.When using sub-box embodiment, audio frequency and/or video content, recreation or any other data or software can download to the flash memory from sub-box, remove the back at sub-box from DMC and allow to enjoy this content.When the embodiment that is connected to wide area network with host apparatus wherein used, audio frequency and/or video content, recreation or any other data or software can be downloaded on wide area network and store in the flash memory.When with having host apparatus such as I/O (I/O) port of USB or 1394 ports when using, audio frequency and/or video content, recreation or any other data or software can be downloaded and be deposited in the flash memory from the device of the I/O port that is connected to host apparatus.

In optional embodiment, DMC comprises their user input apparatus, as keyboard or such as some infrared radio input device or such as the RF of bluetooth.

Forward Fig. 7 to, similar optional embodiment comprises the host apparatus 500 with display screen 510 and comprises and can be embodied as any device of accepting DMC 20 ' as mentioned above.Host apparatus can be that televisor or any other have the device of display screen, and wherein this device does not comprise the appropriate users input.Host apparatus 500 comprises that acceptance comprises the slot of user's input cartridge 520 of operating key 530.User's input cartridge 520 also comprises the slot of accepting DMC 540.Except providing signal alarm DMC 540 identification control keys to press, user's input cartridge unhinderedly transmits signal usually between DMC540 and host apparatus.DMC 540 is identical with DMC 20 ' usually and operate equally with DMC 20 '.Because DMC 20 ' is arranged, DMC 540 can store and output audio/video frequency program, in the case, operating key is carried out the function such as broadcast, time-out, F.F. and rewinding and/or operation video-game or simulation games system, and operating key is carried out the function of game console in the case.

Only there is the DMC of audio frequency to use, by DMC slot the DMC directly loudspeaker or the head-telephone of access device with for example MP3 player, cassette tape recorder, audio frequency CD player, earphone, head-telephone, note amplifier or the audio receiver of having equipped the DMC slot.

In another optional embodiment, except the physical slot and the card edge type connector that use as the GBA system, the communication between DMC and display or the audio reproducing apparatus is wireless connections, such as infrared, RF, microwave or any other wireless communication technology.In to this embodiment possibility, wireless adapter can be used for connecting the DMC that has display based on slot, and perhaps equipment is used for the audio reproducing apparatus of wireless receiving DMC output.

In another optional embodiment, the form factor of DMC is different.DMC is applicable to and is packaged into any existing form factor and their connectors separately, as pcmcia card, smart card, multimedia card (MMC), safe digital (SD), smart media, compact flash memory or memory stick, rather than use GBA box form and card edge type attachment unit interface.Therefore, DMC can be implemented as form factor more not general or untapped mistake still and connector.When utilizing DMC to use with GBA, the DMC that realizes with any of these form factor comprises decompressing and the integrated box of decryption processor or the associating of box and sub-box, in the associating of box and sub-box, box comprises processor, and sub-box comprises the digital audio/video data after the compression.In a box-sub-box was realized, box embedded form of sleeve so that an end is suitable for the slot of particular form factor, and the other end comprises the slot of the sub-box that is used to accept same form factor.In one embodiment, sub-box may be selectedly to have with the standard of the form factor of the digital of digital video data of thereon compression of standard mode storage, encryption, ready-made memory card.In another embodiment, form factor DMC comprises little audio output jack, preferred at one end or at one end away from the connector of box.Alternatively, DMC has transmitting set (for example, infrared or RF), and the vision signal that produces with the sound signal that respectively DMC produced and/or DMC sends to the display and/or the loudspeaker/earphone of radio installation.

The example of the specific possibility of various optional embodiment and institute's combination has been described.Yet, should be appreciated that each optional embodiment almost completely may combine with one or more other embodiment, and even without each of a large amount of combinations is discussed especially, all these are in conjunction with expectations all and want.Present invention has been described and be illustrated with respect to its embodiment, it should be understood that this is not so limited because the change of being done therein and revise all as the scope of all expections of the present invention of hereinafter claims in.

Claims (9)

1, the external electric that a kind of box of using with the main frame display device of being used for, described main frame display device comprise video display and be connected to described video display connects, and described box comprises:

Be electrically connected to outside connector;

The storer through the numeral of ciphered compressed and the computer code that will carry out by described main frame display device of stored video signal;

Be connected to the decompression processor of described storer;

Be connected to the decryption processor of described storer; And

Be connected to the interface processor of described storer, described decompression processor, described decryption processor and described connector;

Wherein said interface processor is uploaded described computer code to described main frame display device, to indicate described main frame display device via described connector, transmits vision signal and outputs to described video display; And

Wherein said decompression processor, decryption processor and described interface processor are converted to the vision signal that outputs to described main frame display device via described connector with the numeral through ciphered compressed of described vision signal.

2, box according to claim 1, wherein single integrated circuit comprises described decompression processor, described decryption processor and described interface processor.

3, box according to claim 1, wherein single integrated circuit comprises described storer, described decompression processor, described decryption processor and described interface processor.

Employed encryption key when 4, box according to claim 1, the described decryption processor of wherein said memory stores are decrypted the numeral through ciphered compressed of vision signal.

5, box according to claim 4, wherein said decryption processor comprises the part of decipherment algorithm at least.

6, box according to claim 5, wherein said encryption key are only just effective when the decipherment algorithm of the described part in being included in described decryption processor uses.

7, box according to claim 1, wherein single processor comprise two or more in described decryption processor, decompression processor and the described interface processor.

8, box according to claim 1 is wherein received through described connector by described interface processor by user's input that described main frame display device receives.

9, box according to claim 1 also comprises the audio decoder that is connected to described storer and described deciphering and decompression processor and is connected to audio output jack.

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