Systems and methods for allowing a user to access blocked media

• US 10,095,876 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2016
• Issued: 10/09/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Harb, Reda
• Primary Examiner(s): DADA, BEEMNET W
• Application Number:
  US15/019,253
• Publication Number:
  US 20170228550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 973 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/436 Interfacing a local distribution network, e.g. communicating with another STB or one or more peripheral devices inside the home
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided herein for enabling a user to access a blocked media asset. These systems and methods allow a user to request that a parent, or another user, who can approve access to the blocked media asset approve access to the blocked media asset for viewing. The request may be transmitted as a notification to a mobile phone or another suitable device, such that the parent the other user can approve the request, even though they may be remote from the requesting user. Both the requesting user and the user whose approval is required to unblock the media asset (i.e., the approver), are identified by the system based on an identifier associated with each user. This informs the approver which user submitted the request. Additionally, this also adds a layer of security, since the approver must enter an identifier to authenticate their identity to the system before being able to unblock the program for the requesting user.

Claims

1. A method for allowing a user to access a blocked media asset, the method comprising:

receiving, from a first user equipment device, a first identifier associated with a first user;

receiving a request to allow the first user to access a media asset that is blocked for the first user;

determining, in a first profile associated with the first user, a second user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user;

in response to determining the second user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user;

transmitting a notification to the second user on a second user equipment device associated with the second user that the first user has requested access to the media asset that is blocked;

receiving, from one of the second user equipment device and another user equipment device associated with the second user, a second identifier associated with the second user;

determining the second identifier matches an identifier associated with a second profile;

in response to determining the second identifier matches the identifier associated with the second profile;

generating for display an option to unblock the media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment device; and

upon receiving a selection of the option to unblock the media asset, unblocking the blocked media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first profile associated with the first user includes a data structure storing at least one of:

an age of the first user;

a flag indicating whether the first user has authority to approve access to the media asset;

a social media account associated with the first user;

a phone number associated with the first user;

an email address associated with the first user;

a list of viewing preferences of the first user; and

a list of user profiles that have approver rights for said first user profile.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

comparing the first identifier to a plurality of identifiers associated with an account stored in an index data structure of user profiles; and

determining the first identifier matches an identifier associated with the first profile associated with the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, from the second profile associated with the second user, whether a user equipment device is associated with the second user;

in response to determining no user equipment device is associated with the second user;

determining, from the first profile associated with the first user, a third user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting the notification to the second user on the second user equipment device that the first user has requested to access the media asset that is blocked includes at least one of:

a genre of the media asset;

a rating of the media asset;

a link to a webpage associated with the media asset;

a preview associated with the media asset;

a personalized communication from the first user; and

an indication why the media asset was blocked.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first user can personalize the notification to include at least one of:

a written message;

a photo;

a video; and

an audio message.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining the second user is not available to respond to the notification;

determining, from the first profile associated with the first user, a third user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user;

determining, from a third profile associated with the third user, whether a third user equipment device is associated with the third user;

in response to determining a third user equipment device is associated with the third user;

transmitting a notification to the third user on the third user equipment device that the first user has requested access to the media asset that is blocked;

receiving, from the third user equipment device, a third identifier associated with the third user;

determining the third identifier matches an identifier associated with the third profile;

in response to determining the third identifier matches the identifier associated with the third profile, generating for display the option to unblock the media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment device; and

upon receiving a selection of the option to unblock the media asset, unblocking the blocked media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining the second user is not available to respond to the notification further comprises at least one of:

determining the second user has exceeded a threshold time to respond to the notification; and

determining the second user equipment device is unable to receive the notification.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the option to unblock the blocked media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment device further includes at least one of:

an option to communicate with the first user;

an option to approve the media asset for access during a predetermined period of time; and

an option to unblock a different version of the media asset.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, from the second user, a conditional allowance criterion to unblock the media asset if the allowance criterion is met by the first user;

storing, in the first user profile, the allowance criterion to unblock the media asset;

upon receiving the selection of the media asset by the first user, determining the media asset requires the allowance criterion to be met before unblocking the media asset;

generating for display the notification, wherein the notification identifies the allowance criterion;

receiving input from the first user that the allowance criterion has been fulfilled; and

in response to the receiving input that the allowance criterion has been fulfilled, unblocking the media asset for access by the first user.

11. A system for allowing a user to access a blocked media asset, the system comprising:

storage circuitry;

display circuitry; and

control circuitry configured to;

receive, from a first user equipment device, a first identifier associated with a first user;

receive a request to allow the first user to access a media asset that is blocked for the first user;

determine, in a first profile associated with the first user stored in storage circuitry, a second user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user;

in response to determining the second user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user;

transmit, via a communications network, a notification to the second user on a second user equipment device associated with the second user that the first user has requested access to the media asset that is blocked;

receive, from one of the second user equipment device and another user equipment device associated with the second user, a second identifier associated with the second user;

determine the second identifier matches an identifier associated with a second profile;

in response to determining the second identifier matches an identifier associated with the second profile;

generate for display, using display circuitry, an option to unblock the media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment device; and

upon receiving a selection of the option to unblock the media asset, unblock the blocked media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein storage circuitry storing the first profile associated with the first user includes a data structure additionally stores at least one of:

an age of the first user;

a flag indicating whether the first user has authority to approve access to the media asset;

a social media account associated with the first user;

a phone number associated with the first user;

an email address associated with the first user;

a list of viewing preferences of the first user; and

a list of user profiles that have approver rights for said first user profile.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

compare the first identifier to a plurality of identifiers associated with an account stored in an index data structure of user profiles stored in storage circuitry; and

determine the first identifier matches an identifier associated with the first profile associated with the first user.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

determine, from the second profile associated with the second user, whether a user equipment device is associated with the second user;

in response to determining no user equipment device is associated with the second user;

determine, from the first profile associated with the first user stored in storage circuitry, a third user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the notification to the second user generated for display by display circuitry on the second user equipment device that the first user has requested to access the media asset that is blocked includes at least one of:

a genre of the media asset;

a rating of the media asset;

a link to a webpage associated with the media asset;

a preview associated with the media asset;

a personalized communication from the first user; and

an indication why the media asset was blocked.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the first user can personalize the notification to include at least one of:

a written message;

a photo;

a video; and

an audio message.

17. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

determine the second user is not available to respond to the notification;

determine, from the first profile associated with the first user stored in storage circuitry, a third user who has authority to approve access to the media asset for the first user;

determine, from a third profile associated with the third user stored in storage circuitry, whether a third user equipment device is associated with the third user;

in response to determining a third user equipment device is associated with the third user;

transmit, via a communications network, a notification to the third user on the third user equipment device that the first user has requested access to the media asset that is blocked;

receive, from the third user equipment device, a third identifier associated with the third user;

determine the third identifier matches an identifier associated with the third profile;

in response to determining the third identifier matches the identifier associated with the third profile, generate for display using display circuitry the option to unblock the media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment device; and

upon receiving a selection of the option to unblock the media asset, unblock the blocked media asset for access by the first user on the first user equipment.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein determining the second user is not available to respond to the notification further comprises at least one of control circuitry configured to:

determine the second user has exceeded a threshold time to respond to the notification; and

determine the second user equipment device is unable to receive the notification.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the option to unblock the blocked media for access by the first user on the first user equipment device further includes display circuitry configured to generate for display at least one of:

an option to communicate with the first user;

an option to approve the media asset for access during a predetermined period of time; and

an option to unblock a different version of the media asset.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising control circuitry configured to:

receive, from the second user, a conditional allowance criterion to unblock the media asset if the allowance criterion is met by the first user;

store, in the first user profile stored in storage circuitry, the allowance criterion to unblock the media asset;

upon receiving the selection of the media asset by the first user, determine the media asset requires the allowance criterion to be met before unblocking the media asset;

generate for display, using display circuitry, the notification, wherein the notification identifies the allowance criterion;

receive input from the first user that the allowance criterion has been fulfilled; and

in response to the receiving input that the allowance criterion has been fulfilled, unblock the media asset for access by the first user.