Apparatus and method for protecting a memory

A signal processing apparatus, comprising:

• a first circuit board including first electronic circuitry, and second electronic circuitry for controlling at least one operation of the receiver;
• and
• a second circuit board operably coupled to the first circuit board via control lines, the second circuit board including a controller, coupled to the control lines, for generating first control signals in accordance with a first signal format in a first operational state and second control signals in accordance with a second signal format in a second operational state,
• the second electronic circuitry being placed in an unpowered state during the second operational state, the second electronic circuitry being coupled to means for preventing the first electronic circuitry from keeping the control lines at a low state when the second electronic circuitry is in the unpowered state, and
• the first and second electronic circuitry are coupled to the control lines, and the controller transmits the first control signals to the first electronic circuitry via the control lines without affecting the second electronic circuitry in the first operational state, and transmits the second control signals to the second electronic circuitry via the control lines without affecting the first electronic circuitry in the second operational state.

A method of operating a television signal receiver, the method comprising steps of:

• providing first and second circuit boards coupled via control lines, the first circuit board having a memory device and control circuitry included thereon and coupled to the control lines, the second circuit board having a controller included thereon and coupled to the control lines;
• transmitting via the control lines, first control signals in accordance with a first signal format from the controller on the second circuit board to the memory device on the first circuit board, without affecting the control circuitry, when the receiver is in a first operational state;
• and
• transmitting via the control lines, second control signals in accordance with a second signal format from the controller to the control circuitry on the first circuit board, without affecting the memory device, when the receiver is in a second operational state;
• and
• placing the memory device in an unpowered state during the step of transmitting the second control signals, the memory device being coupled to means for preventing the memory device from keeping the control lines in a low state when the memory device is placed in the unpowered state.