Content re-lock control

• US 20060098943A1
• Filed: 11/05/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: McEnroe, Elizabeth Rose, Scott, Samuel Thomas III, Carle, Kevin T., Chapman, Ann E., Guo, Qing T.
• Application Number:
  US10/982,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20060098943A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/261
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• 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 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08

Abstract

Content re-lock control is described. In an embodiment, restricted content is unlocked such that the restricted content can be rendered for a rendering duration. A user-selectable input is received that time-shifts the rendering duration of the restricted content, and an effective rendering duration of the restricted content can be determined from the rendering duration and a time-shift duration that corresponds to the time-shift.

Claims

1. A content re-lock control system, comprising:

restricted content that is locked from being rendered;

control logic configured to;

receive an input to unlock the restricted content such that the restricted content can be rendered for a rendering duration;

receive a user-selectable input that time-shifts the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determine an effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration and a time-shift duration.

2. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to determine when to re-lock the restricted content from the effective rendering duration.

3. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to re-lock the restricted content at a time that corresponds to an end of the effective rendering duration.

4. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the input to unlock the restricted content as a personal identification number.

5. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the input to unlock the restricted content as an input to start rendering the restricted content.

6. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content advance input that decreases the rendering duration of the restricted content.

7. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content advance input that decreases the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration minus the time-shift duration.

8. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 7, wherein the content advance input is a fast-forward command input.

9. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 7, wherein the content advance input is a skip-ahead command input.

10. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content replay input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content.

11. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content replay input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration plus the time-shift duration.

12. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 11, wherein the content replay input is a rewind command input.

13. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 11, wherein the content replay input is a skip-back command input.

14. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content suspend input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content.

15. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content suspend input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration plus the time-shift duration.

16. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 15, wherein the content suspend input is a pause command input to pause rendering the restricted content.

17. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 15, wherein the content suspend input is a stop command input to stop rendering the restricted content.

18. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to:

receive one or more additional user-selectable inputs that time-shift the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determine the effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration minus a first time-shift duration corresponding to a content advance input plus a second time-shift duration corresponding to a content replay input plus a third time-shift duration corresponding to a content suspend input.

19. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to determine the effective rendering duration of the restricted content from an equation:

effective rendering duration=rendering duration+sum{time-shift duration corresponding to one or more content replay inputs}+sum{time-shift duration corresponding to one or more content suspend inputs}−

sum{ time-shift duration corresponding to one or more content advance inputs}.

20. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1, wherein the control logic is further configured to receive the user-selectable input as a content suspend input, and re-lock the restricted content in an event that the content suspend input is maintained for a designated duration.

21. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 20, wherein the content suspend input is a pause command input to pause rendering the restricted content.

22. A content re-lock control system as recited in claim 20, wherein the content suspend input is a stop command input to stop rendering the restricted content.

23. A content provider configured to provide the restricted content to a client device, the content provider comprising the content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1.

24. A client device configured to receive the restricted content from a content provider, the client device comprising the content re-lock control system as recited in claim 1.

25. A method, comprising:

receiving an input to unlock restricted content such that the restricted content can be rendered for a rendering duration;

receiving a user-selectable input that time-shifts the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determining an effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration and a time-shift duration that corresponds to the time-shift.

26. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising determining when to re-lock the restricted content after determining the effective rendering duration.

27. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising re-locking the restricted content at a time that corresponds to an end of the effective rendering duration.

28. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein receiving the input to unlock the restricted content includes receiving a personal identification number.

29. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein receiving the input to unlock the restricted content includes receiving an input to start rendering the restricted content.

30. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving a content advance input that decreases the rendering duration of the restricted content.

31. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein:

receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving a content advance input that decreases the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determining the effective rendering duration of the restricted content includes determining the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration minus the time-shift duration.

32. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein receiving the content advance input includes receiving a fast-forward command input.

33. A method as recited in claim 31, wherein receiving the content advance input includes receiving a skip-ahead command input.

34. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving a content replay input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content.

35. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein:

receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving a content replay input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determining the effective rendering duration of the restricted content includes determining the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration plus the time-shift duration.

36. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein receiving the content replay input includes receiving a rewind command input.

37. A method as recited in claim 35, wherein receiving the content replay input includes receiving a skip-back command input.

38. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving a content suspend input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content.

39. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein:

receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving a content suspend input that increases the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determining the effective rendering duration of the restricted content includes determining the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration plus the time-shift duration.

40. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein receiving the content suspend input includes receiving a pause command input to pause rendering the restricted content.

41. A method as recited in claim 39, wherein receiving the content suspend input includes receiving a stop command input to stop rendering the restricted content.

42. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising receiving one or more additional user-selectable inputs that time-shift the rendering duration of the restricted content, and wherein determining the effective rendering duration of the restricted content includes determining the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration minus a first time-shift duration corresponding to a content advance input plus a second time-shift duration corresponding to a content replay input plus a third time-shift duration corresponding to a content suspend input.

43. A method as recited in claim 25, wherein determining the effective rendering duration of the restricted content includes determining the effective rendering duration from an equation:

44. A method as recited in claim 25, further comprising re-locking the restricted content in an event that the user-selectable input is received as a content suspend input that is maintained for a designated duration.

45. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving the content suspend input as a pause command to pause rendering the restricted content.

46. A method as recited in claim 44, wherein receiving the user-selectable input includes receiving the content suspend input as a stop command to stop rendering the restricted content.

47. One or more computer readable media comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct a content re-lock control system to:

process an input to unlock restricted content such that the restricted content can be rendered for a rendering duration;

process a user-selectable input that time-shifts the rendering duration of the restricted content; and

determine an effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration and a time-shift duration that corresponds to the time-shift.

48. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to determine when to re-lock the restricted content after the effective rendering duration is determined.

49. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to re-lock the restricted content at a time that corresponds to an end of the effective rendering duration.

50. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to process a personal identification number as the input to unlock the restricted content.

51. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to process a content advance input as the user-selectable input to decrease the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration minus the time-shift duration.

52. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to process a content replay input as the user-selectable input to increase the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration plus the time-shift duration.

53. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to process a content suspend input as the user-selectable input to increase the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration of the restricted content from the rendering duration plus the time-shift duration.

54. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to process one or more additional user-selectable inputs that time-shift the rendering duration of the restricted content, and determine the effective rendering duration from the rendering duration minus a first time-shift duration corresponding to a content advance input plus a second time-shift duration corresponding to a content replay input plus a third time-shift duration corresponding to a content suspend input.

55. One or more computer readable media as recited in claim 47, further comprising computer executable instructions that, when executed, direct the content re-lock control system to determine the effective rendering duration of the restricted content from an equation: