Image display control device for restricting display of...

Interactive video distribution systems – Access control or blocking

Reexamination Certificate

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Details

C725S028000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06263500

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION:
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image display control device for video data which can be viewed on a TV receiver, wherein the image display control device prevents or permits viewing of video scenes included in the video data in accordance with contents thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Data broadcast to TV receivers may have a good or bad influence on the development of children who view that data. Recently in the US, in consideration of the healthy growth and education of children, legislation has been introduced to make compulsory the provision of a function for automatically preventing the viewing of video scenes regarded as inappropriate for the growth and education of children (for instance, video scenes of extreme violence, sexual nature, or the like) for the period of their broadcast during certain programs broadcast on TV receivers with screen-width of 13-inches or above.
The XDS (eXtended Data Service) is provided in North America and Canada The XDS now offers the information included program information (i.e. station ID and Network and Program Name), time information, a weather forecast, and so on. XDS data is multiplexed on the 21st horizontal tracking period of the vertical retrace of a video signal transmitted from a TV broadcasting station or a video signal played-back on a VCR or the like, and has same structure with the caption standard on the XDS.
More specifically, the above-mentioned function is realised by using 1 XDS data (program rating) for text display and the like which is multiplexed on the video signal.
When preventing viewing of video scenes regarded as inappropriate for moral (i. e. the growth and education of children) while viewing a certain program on a TV receiver, the broadcasting station sends numerous types of restrict data which are multiplexed onto the 21H of the vertical retrace period so that viewing can be permitted or prevented in accordance with the level of appropriateness. The restrict data is extracted from the video signal and decoded, and viewing of the TV image is prevented (for instance, the whole screen displays a predetermined color) in accordance with the decoded result.
However, the restrict level determined by the broadcasting station is not necessarily the same as the restrict level desired by viewers who view the broadcast pictures on TV receivers. In other words, there are cases where the broadcasting station wishes to restrict viewing but a viewer does not, or vice versa. However, with conventional technology, image display is restricted only according to a restrict level set by the broadcasting station, and the wishes of the viewer are not reflected.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is the aim of the present invention to provide an image display control device capable of comparing the display restrict level of video signals such as those regarded as inappropriate for children, said video signals broadcast from a broadcasting station, with a restrict level set by a viewer, and permitting or preventing viewing of the video scene based on the result of this comparison.
In order to achieve the above and other objectives, the present invention comprises an image display control device for preventing viewing of video scenes regarded as educationally inappropriate. These video scenes are included in video data capable of being viewed on a television, while said image display control device comprises: an extractor for extracting from a video signal first restrict data which has been multiplexed in a predetermined vertical retrace period of the video signal, said first restrict data representing any one of a plurality of display restrict levels ranging from a strict display restrict level for preventing viewing of video scenes regarded as educationally inappropriate to a lenient display restrict level; a register in which is set second restrict data representing any one of the plurality of display restrict levels; and a display control for comparing display restrict levels of the first restrict data and the second restrict data, prohibiting display of the video data on a television display when a display restrict level of the first restrict data is stricter than a display restrict level of the second restrict data, and permitting display of the video data on a television display when the display restrict level of the first restrict data is more lenient than the display restrict level of the second restrict data.
In the present invention, the broadcast receiver can set second restrict data and can control the display of video data on the television by comparing the second restrict data with first restrict data multiplexed on a video signal which is actually broadcast.
In other words, according to the present invention, when preventing the viewing on a television of video scenes regarded as inappropriate for the growth or education of children, a comparison is made between a first restrict level set by the transmission source, namely the television broadcasting station, and a second restrict level set by the television users, including parents and guardians of children. Performance of a display restrict operation is controlled based on the result of the comparison.
In another aspect of the present invention, the display controller further comprises a comparator for comparing the first restrict data with the second restrict data and an on-screen circuit for displaying a predetermined display color on a display-screen when the output of the comparator has indicated that the display restrict level of the first restrict data is stricter than the display restrict level of the second restrict data.
Furthermore, in another aspect of the present invention, the display controller further comprises a muting circuit for muting the audio output of the television when the output of the comparator has indicated that the display restrict level of the first restrict data is stricter than the display restrict level of the second restrict data.
When displayed video data is of a level regarded as educationally inappropriate, the corresponding audio output is very often similarly inappropriate. Therefore, viewing of educationally inappropriate broadcasts can be reliably restricted by muting the audio output together with the video data displayed on the display-screen in accordance with a display restrict level.
In another aspect of the present invention, the image display control device further comprises a restrict level display controller for controlling the on-screen circuit in order to display the difference between the display restrict level of the second restrict data and the display restrict level of the second restrict data, based on a comparison between first and second restrict data performed by the comparator.
Another further aspect of the present invention also comprises a register, in which data representing a first, color is set when the display restrict level of the first restrict data is stricter than the display restrict level of the second restrict data, and in which data representing a second color differing from the first color is set when the display restrict level of the first restrict data is more lenient than the display restrict level of the second restrict data; and wherein, based on contents of the register, the on-screen display displays a relative relation between the display restrict level of the first restrict data and the display restrict level of the second restrict data using colors on the display-screen.
Furthermore, in yet another aspect of the present invention, when the display restrict level of the first restrict data does not match the display restrict level of the second restrict data, the restrict level display controller controls the ON-SCREEN CIRCUIT to display a predetermined display on the display-screen.
In a still farther aspect of the present invention, when the display restrict level of the first restrict data does not match the display restrict level of the second restrict data, the restrict level display controller controls the ON-SCR

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