Customizing DVR functionality

• US 20070214473A1
• Filed: 03/01/2007
• Published: 09/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TiVo Solutions Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: TiVo Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Beach, Brian, Barton, James, Glennon, Shelly, Schmidt, Margret, Poniatowski, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/28
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/005 Reproducing at a different information rate from the information rate of recording for television signals H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• 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 21/42646 for reading from or writing on a non-volatile solid state storage medium, e.g. DVD, CD-ROM
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44016 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for substituting a video clip
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• 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 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• 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
• 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 21/488 Data services, e.g. news ticker systems specially adapted for using meteorological information in broadcast systems H04H60/71
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 : on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 : on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 : by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/7921 : for more than one processing mode
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 : involving data reduction

Abstract

Techniques described herein enable parents to establish a child-protective “kids zone” on a DVR. According to one technique, a DVR receives, from a parent, identities of content items that the parent does not want children to view. The DVR maps the identities to a kids zone. During times that the DVR is set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR prevents itself from presenting any content items that are associated with the identities. However, during these times, the DVR still may obtain and store these content items. At other times, during which the DVR is not set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR may allow itself to present the content items that are associated with the identities, including content items that the DVR obtained and stored during times that the DVR was set to operate in the kids zone operational mode.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving identities of content items; and

during times that a device is in a first operational mode, (a) preventing the device from presenting particular content items that are associated with the identities, while (b) allowing the device to obtain and store any of the particular content items.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the identities are titles or unique identifiers of viewable content items.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

allowing the device to present the particular content items during times that the device is in a second operational mode that differs from the first operational mode.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein allowing the device to obtain and store the particular content items comprises:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, (a) allowing the device to record any of the particular content items while (b) preventing the device from playing recorded instances of any of the particular content items.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein preventing the device from presenting the particular content items comprises:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, preventing the device from sending, to a display, broadcast signals that represent any of the particular content items.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, preventing the device from scheduling a recording of content that has not already been scheduled, and during times that the device is not in the first operational mode, allowing the device to schedule a recording of content that has not already been scheduled.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to tune to a particular channel, determining whether a particular content item currently being presented on the particular channel satisfies restriction criteria that are associated with the first operational mode, and if the particular content item does not satisfy the restriction criteria, then, instead, tuning to a different channel on which a content item that satisfies the restriction criteria is currently being presented.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein tuning to the different channel comprises tuning to the different channel without identifying the different channel to a viewer of the channel and without revealing that the device did not tune to the particular channel in response to the command to tune to the particular channel.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to present program guide information, preventing display, in the program guide information, of information that pertains to subject matter that fails to satisfy restriction criteria that are associated with the first operational mode.

10. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to present information regarding content items that are stored on the device, presenting a list of stored content items that satisfy restriction criteria that are associated with the first operational mode;

wherein the list does not identify stored content items that do not satisfy the restriction criteria;

wherein the list identifies a subset of the content items that are stored on the device.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

presenting a list of content items from which a user can select one or more allowable content items; and

in conjunction with at least one content item in the list, presenting a rating that is based on information received from a party other than the user.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to schedule a recording of a first content item, determining whether the recording of the first content item will conflict with a previously scheduled recording of a second content item;

in response to determining that the recording of the first content item will conflict with the recording of the second content item, determining whether the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the device was not in the first mode; and

in response to determining that the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the device was not in the first mode, preventing the recording of the first content item from being scheduled.

13. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, determining whether a channel to which the device is currently tuned is currently providing a particular content item that does not satisfy restriction criteria that are associated with the first mode; and

in response to determining that the channel to which the device is currently tuned is currently providing a particular content item that does not satisfy the restriction criteria, preventing the device from presenting the particular content item, and preventing the device from presenting any information about the content item.

14. A method comprising:

receiving a set of criteria;

receiving identities of content items; and

during times that a device is in a first operational mode, (a) preventing the device from presenting first content items that (1) have attributes that satisfy the set of criteria and (2) are not associated with any of the identities, while (b) allowing the device to present second content items that (1) have attributes that satisfy the set of criteria and (2) are associated with at least one of the identities.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, wherein the at least one of the identities is an identity of a specific episode of a multiple-episode series, wherein at least one of the first content items is a different episode of the multi-episode series, and wherein at least one of the second content items is the specific episode of the multi-episode series.

16. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

receiving recommended suggestions that were specified by an entity other than an owner or post-purchase operator of the device;

determining a set of suggested content items based on the recommended suggestions; and

during times that the device is in the first operational mode, allowing the device to present suggested content items in the set of suggested content items.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

receiving, from an operator of the device, input that indicates the operator'"'"'s selection of the entity from a set of suggestion-recommending entities; and

obtaining the recommended suggestions that were specified by the entity in response to the operator'"'"'s selection of the entity.

42. An apparatus as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

a module for receiving, from an operator of the apparatus, input that indicates the operator'"'"'s selection of the entity from a set of suggestion-recommending entities; and

a module for obtaining the recommended suggestions that were specified by the entity in response to the operator'"'"'s selection of the entity.

18. A method comprising:

receiving input that indicates user selection of a viewer category; and

during times that a device is in a first operational mode, (a) preventing the device from presenting particular content items that do not satisfy criteria that are mapped to the viewer category, while (b) allowing the device to obtain and store the particular content items.

19. A method as recited in claim 18, wherein the criteria that are mapped to the viewer category are specified by an entity other than an owner or post-purchase operator of the device.

20. A method comprising:

placing a digital video recorder (DVR) into a children'"'"'s mode;

receiving identities of content items;

identifying content items that are viewable by a specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode using the received identities; and

displaying only content items that are viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein the specific age range is determined by a user.

22. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising:

recording only content items that are viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising:

displaying a recorded content item that is viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode when there are no content items being currently broadcast that are viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode.

24. A method as recited in claim 20, wherein information contained within the received identities regarding whether a content item is viewable to a certain age range are determined by a trusted party.

25. A method as recited in claim 24, wherein a user instructs the DVR to receive the trusted party'"'"'s content item identities.

26. An apparatus comprising:

a module for receiving identities of content items; and

an operations module that, during times that the apparatus is in a first operational mode, (a) prevents the apparatus from presenting particular content items that are associated with the identities, while (b) allows the apparatus to obtain and store any of the particular content items.

27. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the identities are titles or unique identifiers of viewable content items.

28. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

a module for allowing the apparatus to present the particular content items during times that the apparatus is in a second operational mode that differs from the first operational mode.

29. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, (a) allows the apparatus to record any of the particular content items while (b) prevents the apparatus from playing recorded instances of any of the particular content items.

30. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, prevents the apparatus from sending, to a display, broadcast signals that represent any of the particular content items.

31. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, prevents the apparatus from scheduling a recording of content that has not already been scheduled, and during times that the apparatus is not in the first operational mode, allows the apparatus to schedule a recording of content that has not already been scheduled.

32. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to tune to a particular channel, determines whether a particular content item currently being presented on the particular channel satisfies restriction criteria that are associated with the first operational mode, and if the particular content item does not satisfy the restriction criteria, then, instead, tunes to a different channel on which a content item that satisfies the restriction criteria is currently being presented.

33. An apparatus as recited in claim 32, wherein the operations module tunes to the different channel without identifying the different channel to a viewer of the channel and without revealing that the apparatus did not tune to the particular channel in response to the command to tune to the particular channel.

34. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to present program guide information, does not display in the program guide information, information that pertains to subject matter that fails to satisfy restriction criteria that are associated with the first operational mode.

35. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to present information regarding content items that are stored on the apparatus, presents a list of stored content items that satisfy restriction criteria that are associated with the first operational mode, wherein the list does not identify stored content items that do not satisfy the restriction criteria, and wherein the list identifies a subset of the content items that are stored on the apparatus.

36. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

a module for presenting a list of content items from which a user can select one or more allowable content items and presents a rating that is based on information received from a party other than the user for at least one content item in the list.

37. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to schedule a recording of a first content item, determines whether the recording of the first content item will conflict with a previously scheduled recording of a second content item, wherein the operations module, upon determining that the recording of the first content item will conflict with the recording of the second content item, determines whether the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the apparatus was not in the first mode, and wherein the operations module, upon determining that the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the apparatus was not in the first mode, prevents the recording of the first content item from being scheduled.

38. An apparatus as recited in claim 26, wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, determines whether a channel to which the apparatus is currently tuned is currently providing a particular content item that does not satisfy restriction criteria that are associated with the first mode, and wherein the operations module, upon determining that the channel to which the apparatus is currently tuned is currently providing a particular content item that does not satisfy the restriction criteria, prevents the apparatus from presenting the particular content item and any information about the content item.

39. An apparatus comprising:

a module for receiving a set of criteria;

a module for receiving identities of content items; and

an operations module that, during times that the apparatus is in a first operational mode, (a) prevents the apparatus from presenting first content items that (1) have attributes that satisfy the set of criteria and (2) are not associated with any of the identities, while (b) allows the apparatus to present second content items that (1) have attributes that satisfy the set of criteria and (2) are associated with at least one of the identities.

40. An apparatus as recited in claim 39, wherein the at least one of the identities is an identity of a specific episode of a multiple-episode series, wherein at least one of the first content items is a different episode of the multi-episode series, and wherein at least one of the second content items is the specific episode of the multi-episode series.

41. An apparatus as recited in claim 39, further comprising:

a module for receiving recommended suggestions that were specified by an entity other than an owner or post-purchase operator of the apparatus;

a module for determining a set of suggested content items based on the recommended suggestions; and

a module for allowing the apparatus to present suggested content items in the set of suggested content items during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode.

43. An apparatus comprising:

a module for receiving input that indicates user selection of a viewer category; and

an operations module that, during times that the apparatus is in a first operational mode, (a) prevents the apparatus from presenting particular content items that do not satisfy criteria that are mapped to the viewer category, while (b) allows the apparatus to obtain and store the particular content items.

44. An apparatus as recited in claim 43, wherein the criteria that are mapped to the viewer category are specified by an entity other than an owner or post-purchase operator of the apparatus.

45. An apparatus comprising:

a module for placing a digital video recorder (DVR) into a children'"'"'s mode;

a module for receiving identities of content items;

a module for identifying content items that are viewable by a specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode using the received identities; and

a module for displaying only content items that are viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode.

46. An apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein the specific age range is determined by a user.

47. An apparatus as recited in claim 45, further comprising:

a module for recording only content items that are viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode.

48. An apparatus as recited in claim 47, further comprising:

a module for displaying a recorded content item that is viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode when there are no content items being currently broadcast that are viewable by the specific age range related to the children'"'"'s mode.

49. An apparatus as recited in claim 45, wherein information contained within the received identities regarding whether a content item is viewable to a certain age range are determined by a trusted party.

50. An apparatus as recited in claim 49, wherein a user instructs the DVR to receive the trusted party'"'"'s content item identities.