Viewing limit controls

• US 20030124973A1
• Filed: 11/19/2002
• Published: 07/03/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: SVOD LLC
• Inventors: Beyler, John C., Sie, John J., DePrez, Gregory R., Casaubon, Jean Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,464,392 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/2.01
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0226 Incentive systems for frequent usage, e.g. frequent flyer miles programs or point systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0241 Advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/74 of satellite networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/78 CATV [Community Antenna Television] systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/82 using signals not modulated onto a carrier
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2407 Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2543 Billing , e.g. for subscription services payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; e-commerce G06Q30/00; arrangements for billing for the use of broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25435 involving characteristics of content or additional data, e.g. video resolution or the amount of advertising
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/258 Client or end-user data management, e.g. managing client capabilities, user preferences or demographics, processing of multiple end-users preferences to derive collaborative data arrangements for services using the result on the distributing side of broadcast systems H04H60/66; profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/30
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 : for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 : Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 : involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8355 : involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17336 : Handling of requests in head-ends
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17363 : at or near the user terminal

Abstract

A system for controlling the viewing of programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices. The system comprises a viewing control system, which is adapted to count a number of viewings of a program during a time period, determine whether the number of viewings exceeds a viewing limit for the time period, and prevent further viewings of the program if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

Claims

1. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising:

counting a number of viewings of a program during a time period;

determining whether the number of viewings exceeds a viewing limit for the time period; and

preventing further viewings of the program if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the programs comprise programs selected from group including pay per view video on demand (VOD) programs, near VOD programs and subscription VOD.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the time period can be based on years, months, weeks, days, portions of days, or hours.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the portions of days comprise morning, afternoon, evening, night and prime time viewing period.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the viewing limit can be different for different types of programs.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of counting a number of viewings comprises counting a viewing after a predetermined amount of time of the program is viewed.

7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the predetermined amount of time of the program comprises a preview of the program.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more viewing devices is a device selected from the group comprising a television set, a set-top box, a personal video recorder (PVR), a computer, a PDA, a cellular phone, or any combination of these devices.

9. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising the step of providing a user interface that shows the number of viewings available to the user for one or more time periods.

10. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of providing a user interface comprises providing a message on a programming menu stating the number of viewings available to the user for the one or more time periods.

11. The method as recited in claim 9, wherein the step of providing a user interface comprises providing an icon on a programming menu indicating the number of viewings available to the user for the one or more time periods.

12. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of counting a number of viewings comprises counting a number of viewings viewed using all of the one or more viewing devices, and wherein the step of preventing further viewings comprises preventing further viewings for all of the one or more viewing devices if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

13. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of counting a number of viewings comprises counting a number of viewings viewed by each of the one or more viewing devices separately, and wherein the step of preventing further viewings comprises preventing further viewings for each of the one or more viewing devices separately if the number of viewings for the one or more viewing devices exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

14. A system for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, comprising:

a program distribution system adapted to provide video programs to one or more viewing devices at a user location; and

a viewing control system in communication with the program distribution system and the viewing devices, said viewing control system adapted to;

count a number of viewings of a program during a time period;

determine whether the number of viewings exceeds a viewing limit for the time period; and

prevent further viewings of the program if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the program distribution system comprises a cable programming transmission network.

16. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the program distribution system comprises a satellite programming transmission network.

17. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the program distribution system comprises video server connected to the Internet.

18. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing control system comprises a server located at a program service provider.

19. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing control system is configured with the program distribution system.

20. The system as recited in claim 14, where in the viewing control system comprises a computing device at the user location in communication with a server located at a program service provider.

21. The system as recited in claim 20, wherein the computing device comprises a device selected from the group including a set-top box, a personal video recorder (PVR), a video server, a television having set-top box and/or PVR functionality built therein, and a personal computing device.

22. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the programs comprise programs selected from group including pay per view video on demand (VOD) programs, near VOD programs and subscription VOD.

23. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the time period can be based on years, months, weeks, days, portions of days, or hours.

24. The system as recited in claim 23, wherein the portions of days comprise morning, afternoon, evening, night and prime time viewing period.

25. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing limit can be different for different types of programs.

26. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing control system is adapted to count a viewing after a predetermined amount of time of the program is viewed.

27. The system as recited in claim 26, wherein the predetermined amount of time of the program comprises a preview of the program.

28. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the one or more viewing devices is a device selected from the group comprising a television set, a set-top box, a personal video recorder (PVR), a computer, a PDA, a cellular phone, or any combination of these devices.

29. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing control system is further adapted to provide a user interface that shows the number of viewings available to the user for one or more time periods.

30. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the user interface comprises a message on a programming menu stating the number of viewings available to the user for the one or more time periods.

31. The system as recited in claim 29, wherein the user interface comprises an icon on a programming menu indicating the number of viewings available to the user for the one or more time periods.

32. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing control system is adapted to:

count a number of viewings viewed using all of the one or more viewing devices; and

prevent further viewings for all of the one or more viewing devices if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

33. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein the viewing control system is adapted to:

count a number of viewings viewed by each of the one or more viewing devices separately; and

prevent further viewings for each of the one or more viewing devices separately if the number of viewings for the one or more viewing devices exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

34. A system for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, comprising:

means for distributing video programs to one or more viewing devices at a user location;

means for counting a number of viewings of a program during a time period;

means for determining whether the number of viewings exceeds a viewing limit for the time period; and

means for preventing further viewings of the program if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.

35. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for monitoring the viewing of the video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising steps of:

counting a number of viewings of a program during a time period;

invoking business rules based on the number of viewings counted.