System and method for facilitating and controlling selection of TV programs by children

• US 20030066075A1
• Filed: 10/02/2001
• Published: 04/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Digeo Incorporated (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bahn, Catherine, Novak, Robert E.
• Application Number:
  US09/969,741
• Publication Number:
  US 20030066075A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages on a television screen optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/066; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4586 Content update operation triggered locally, e.g. by comparing the version of software modules in a DVB carousel to the version stored locally deployment, distribution, installation, update of software G06F8/65; error detection or correction of the data by redundancy during software upgrading G06F11/1433; arrangements for updating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/25
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8146 involving graphical data, e.g. 3D object, 2D graphics
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system for an electronic program guide comprises a regular guide subsystem and a child-oriented guide subsystem. The system may periodically download child-friendly graphics, animation, and audio for display by the child-oriented guide subsystem. A child-oriented remote control that has fewer and larger buttons may be used to provide commands to the child-oriented guide subsystem. The system may include a text-to-speech conversion module utilized by the child-oriented guide subsystem to produce audible speech renderings of selective text information. A ratings-based blocking module under parental control may be used for automatically blocking objectionably-rated broadcast programs from being viewable by way of the child-oriented guide subsystem.

Claims

1. A system for providing an electronic guide to television programs, the system comprising:

a regular guide subsystem for providing schedule information for available broadcast programs; and

a child-oriented guide subsystem for providing schedule information for child-appropriate broadcast programs,

wherein the child-oriented broadcast programs are a subset of the available broadcast programs.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem displays the schedule information in a larger font size than a font size used to display the schedule information by the regular guide subsystem.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem displays program-specific child-friendly graphics correlated with the schedule information.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem further displays program-specific child-friendly animation correlated with the schedule information.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the program-specific child-friendly graphics and animation are periodically downloaded by the system from a remote source.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem provides audio-feedback in reaction to selective button presses on a remote control.

7. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a parental control module to customize a configuration of the child-oriented guide subsystem by changing (adding or deleting) specific programs presented by the child-oriented guide subsystem.

8. The system of claim 1 comprising:

a parental control module to customize a configuration of the child-oriented guide subsystem by restricting time periods during which the child-oriented guide subsystem may be activated.

9. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a child-oriented remote control for activating the child-oriented guide subsystem and for providing commands to the child-oriented guide.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the child-oriented remote control includes fewer and larger buttons than a regular remote control for the system.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem displays child-appropriate advertising which differs from advertising displayed by the regular guide subsystem.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem displays time slots in relation to the current time while the regular guide subsystem displays time slots in terms of the time of day.

13. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a text-to-speech module utilized by the child-oriented guide subsystem to produce audible speech renderings of selective text information displayed by the child-oriented guide subsystem.

14. The system of claim 1 wherein the child-oriented guide subsystem displays child-friendly background graphics and audio that differs from the background graphics and audio displayed by the regular guide subsystem.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the child-friendly background graphics and audio are periodically downloaded by the system from a remote source.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein the schedule information for available broadcast programs and the schedule information for the child-appropriate broadcast programs are downloaded periodically by the system from a remote source of schedule information.

17. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a pre-teen-oriented guide subsystem for providing schedule information for pre-teen-oriented broadcast programs,

wherein the pre-teen-oriented broadcast programs are a subset of the available broadcast programs.

18. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a teen-oriented guide subsystem for providing schedule information for teen-oriented broadcast programs,

wherein the teen-oriented broadcast programs are a subset of the available broadcast programs.

19. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a ratings-based blocking module under parental control for automatically blocking objectionably-rated broadcast programs from being viewable by way of the child-oriented guide subsystem.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein the system is implemented using a set top box and software therein.

21. A processor-readable memory, the memory comprising:

processor-readable instructions for providing a regular electronic program guide to schedule information for available broadcast programs; and

processor-readable instructions for providing a minor-oriented electronic program guide to schedule information for minor-appropriate broadcast programs,

wherein the minor-appropriate broadcast programs are a subset of the available broadcast programs.

22. The memory of claim 21 further comprising:

processor-readable instructions for periodically downloading minor-appropriate graphics and animation for display by the minor-oriented electronic program guide.

23. The memory of claim 21 further comprising:

processor-readable instructions for receiving commands from a minor-oriented remote control and for applying the commands to control and navigate within the minor-oriented electronic program guide.

24. The memory of claim 21 further comprising:

processor-readable instructions for text-to-speech conversion to produce audible speech renderings of selective text information displayed in the minor-oriented electronic program guide.

25. The memory of claim 21 further comprising:

processor-readable instructions for blocking objectionably-rated broadcast programs from being viewable by way of the minor-oriented electronic program guide.

26. The memory of claim 21 wherein the memory is located within a client device from the group of client devices including a set top box and an advanced television.

27. An electronic program guide for providing schedule information on broadcast programs, the electronic program guide comprising:

a regular guide portion for providing schedule information on a full range of available broadcast programs; and

a minor-oriented guide portion for providing schedule information on a narrower range of minor-appropriate broadcast programs.

28. The electronic program guide of claim 27 wherein the electronic program guide periodically downloads minor-appropriate graphics and animation for display by the minor-oriented guide portion.

29. The electronic program guide of claim 27 wherein the minor-oriented guide portion is configured to be activated and controlled by a separate remote control, apart from the regular remote control.

30. The electronic program guide of claim 27 wherein the minor-oriented guide utilizes text-to-speech conversion to produce audible speech renderings of selective text information displayed in the minor-oriented guide portion.

31. The electronic program guide of claim 27 wherein the minor-oriented guide utilizes ratings-based blocking for blocking objectionably-rated broadcast programs from being viewable.

32. The electronic program guide of claim 27 wherein the electronic program guide is configured for use with a client device the group of client devices including a set top box and an advanced television.

33. A method for facilitating and controlling a child'"'"'s selection of a television program for viewing from among available television programs, the method comprising:

activation of a child-oriented electronic program guide which displays schedule information for child-appropriate television programs and hides schedule information for other television programs;

display of the child-oriented electronic program guide which includes child-friendly graphics and audio; and

navigation of the child-oriented electronic program guide to select a particular child-appropriate television program for viewing by the child.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein child-friendly graphics and animation are periodically downloaded from a remote source.

35. The method of claim 33 wherein activation and navigation of the child-oriented electronic program guide is accomplished by receiving commands from a child-oriented remote control that is separate from a regular remote control.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

converting selective text information to audible speech renderings to facilitate the navigation of the child-oriented electronic program guide.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising:

utilization of ratings-based blocking to eliminate objectionably-rated broadcast programs from the child-oriented electronic program guide.

38. A system for providing an electronic guide to television programs, the system comprising:

regular guide means for providing schedule information for available broadcast programs; and

child-oriented guide means for providing schedule information for child-appropriate broadcast programs,

wherein the child-oriented broadcast programs are a subset of the available broadcast programs.

39. A system for facilitating and controlling a child'"'"'s selection of a television program for viewing from among available television programs, the system comprising:

means for activating a child-oriented electronic program guide which displays schedule information for child-appropriate television programs and hides schedule information for other television programs;

means for displaying the child-oriented electronic program guide which includes child-friendly graphics and audio; and

means for navigating the child-oriented electronic program guide to select a particular child-appropriate television program for viewing by the child.

40. An electronic program guide for providing schedule information on broadcast programs, the electronic program guide comprising:

a regular guide portion for providing schedule information on a full range of available broadcast programs; and

a minor-oriented guide portion for providing schedule information on a narrower range of minor-appropriate broadcast programs,

wherein the electronic program guide periodically downloads minor-appropriate graphics and animation for display by the minor-oriented guide portion,

wherein the minor-oriented guide portion is configured to be activated and controlled by a separate remote control, apart from the regular remote control, and

wherein the electronic program guide is configured for use with a client device the group of client devices including a set top box and an advanced television.