Interactive video distribution systems – Access control or blocking
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-19
2004-08-31
Miller, John (Department: 2614)
Interactive video distribution systems
Access control or blocking
C725S028000, C725S027000, C725S058000, C725S085000, C725S100000, C725S139000, C386S349000, C386S349000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785901
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems and methods for altering locks on programming content. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for locking and unlocking programming content based on data including program ratings, content identifiers, channel and program.
2. The Prior State of the Art
A variety of programming is currently available to be received by and viewed on a home entertainment system. The use of an antenna allows for the reception of programming transmitted by local television stations. The channels carrying the programming from the local television stations carry such programming as news broadcasts, game shows, affiliated network television shows, local television shows, sporting events, etc.
While in many situations the use of an antenna is adequate for providing a variety of programming on a home entertainment system, viewers frequently desire an increased programming selection to be available on their home entertainment system. To obtain a wider selection of programming, a cable box can be connected to the home entertainment system, thereby providing an increased number of channels. Various packages of cable channels can be purchased from a cable provider to augment the reception of local channels, including all-sports channels, all-weather channels, all-movie channels, all-music channels, channels dedicated to classic television programming, channels dedicated to adult entertainment, channels carrying programming in a non-English language, community service channels, and the like. The reception of a cable programming depends on the type of package purchased from the cable provider.
Programming is also available on home entertainment systems through the use of satellite systems. While some satellite systems provide programming packages that can be purchased from a provider, other satellite systems receive programming that is not restricted. Thus, a viewer of a home entertainment system can have a plethora of channels and corresponding programming available to choose from on the home entertainment system through the use of satellite systems, cable boxes and other set top boxes.
While the use of a set top box increases the variety of programming available on the home entertainment system by providing an increased number of channels, viewers frequently desire to restrict the kind of programming that can be watched on their home entertainment system in order to, by way of example, protect children from viewing programming produced for adult audiences. As such, television manufacturers, cable television providers and satellite providers allow viewers to block identified channels in order to facilitate such viewer desires. The techniques for blocking channels include using a bypass filter to block out the frequencies corresponding to the undesired channels or by unselecting the undesired channels from the pool of channels scanned by the television.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to systems and methods for locking and unlocking programming content. Programming content may be received from multiple sources, including the Internet, satellite programming providers, cable programming providers, and local television programming providers. Programming content is often received through a set top box and is often described through the use of guide data. The guide data, which is usually presented to a user in a grid or table format, allows a viewer to view what is contained in the programming content and informs a user of many different characteristics of the programming content such as the start and end times of a program, the duration of a program, which programs are on which channels and the like.
Other types of guide data that is usually provided to the user include content descriptions that assist a user in evaluating the programming content. These content descriptions are usually relayed to the user through the use of ratings and content identifiers. The ratings and content identifiers associated with the programming content are intended to apprise the user about the content of the programming.
Another type of guide data is content identifiers, which more specifically describe the programming content. As a result, combining ratings information with content identifiers can provide a reasonably accurate representation of the programming content. For example, programming content with a rating of PG-13 suggests that the programming content is inappropriate for those under 13 years of age while a rating of PG-13 coupled with a content identifier of V (violence) indicates that the programming content is inappropriate for children under 13 years of age because of the violent content.
In accordance with the present invention, various sources or types of guide data are used to flexibly lock and unlock the programming content based on selected guide data which may include, but is not limited to, program duration, program title, program start time, program end time, program ratings, program content identifiers, and the like.
In addition to locking and unlocking programming content based on these types of factors, profile locks can also be created or unlocked based on user profiles. Thus, when a particular user accesses the programming content through a set top box, locks may or may not be activated according to the profile of the user. For example, a lock can be created that locks all adult programming when the age in the profile of a particular user is under 21. Because profile locks typically require a user to log on the set top box, all programming content is typically locked until a user identifies themselves to the set top box. Alternatively, a default amount of programming content may be available to all users, but in order to view or access additional programming content, a user is required to log on the set top box. By requiring a user to log on and identify themselves to the set top box, the profile locks can be effectively enforced.
Locks can also be temporarily disabled by a user. This is advantageous because the user is relieved from having to unlock a lock and then later recreate the lock. Rather, the lock is temporarily disabled until some event occurs. An exemplary event would be disconnecting the set top box from a power source. In this case, the lock is re-enabled when the set top box is later turned on.
Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by the practice of the invention. The features and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means of the instruments and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. These and other features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.
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Horiwitz Steven M.
Yaksick Jeff
Miller John
Shang Annan Q.
WEBTV Networks, Inc.
Workman Nydegger
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