SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING SELECTED BROADCAST PROGRAMMING

• US 20100169931A1
• Filed: 12/29/2009
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Echostar UK Holdings Ltd (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Eldon Technology Limited (Dish Network Corporation)
• Inventors: Mountain, Dale
• Application Number:
  US12/648,789
• Publication Number:
  US 20100169931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• 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 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• 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 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• 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 21/8355 involving usage data, e.g. number of copies or viewings allowed

Abstract

Systems, apparatus and methods are described for presenting selected broadcast programming in response to information received from an RFID or other tag associated with a viewer. Such a system may include a television receiver, a set top box, and a user interface, such as a remote control, that enables a user to select a program to be viewed. The set top box is coupled to a detector arranged to interrogate and read personal tags identifying the individual with whom they are associated or the rights assigned to those individuals. The information obtained from the tag may be processed in any manner.

Claims

1. A system to present broadcast programming on a presentation device, the system comprising:

a receiver configured to receive and process the broadcast programming;

a user interface configured to enable a user to select a program for presentation on the presentation device;

a detector configured to receive information from a personal tag; and

a control device configured to direct the presentation of the selected program on the presentation device based upon the information received from the personal tag.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to direct the detector to interrogate the personal tag for the information whenever a program selection is made by way of the user interface.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the control device is configured to direct the detector to interrogate the personal tag for the required information only when programs of types or categories to be controlled are selected.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal tag is a passive, non-powered inductive tag.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal tag is an inductive tag.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the detector comprises an inductive detector configured to transmit interrogatory commands to the inductive tag and to receive and process a response from inductive tag.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal tag is a RFID tag, and wherein the detector comprises a RFID detector.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the personal tag is incorporated in one of the group consisting of:

a card that is configured to be carried by the user, an item of personal ornament, and a personal object configured to be carried or worn by the user.

9. The system of claim 1 wherein the control device is configured to prevent the presentation of the selected program on the presentation device based upon the information received from the personal tag.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the control device is configured to allow the presentation of the selected program on the presentation device based upon the information received from the personal tag.

11. A method for presenting selected broadcast programming, the method comprising:

receiving the broadcast programming;

receiving a user selection indicating a selected program from the broadcast programming for presentation;

reading information from a personal tag associated with the user; and

providing the selected program to a presentation device for presentation based upon the information from the personal tag associated with the user.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the reading comprises interrogating the personal tag in response to the user selection.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the reading comprises interrogating the personal tag only when the selected program is of a particular type or category.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing comprises preventing the presentation of the selected program on the presentation device based upon the information received from the personal tag.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the providing comprises allowing the presentation of the selected program on the presentation device based upon the information received from the personal tag.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal tag is an inductive tag, and wherein the reading comprises transmitting interrogatory commands to the inductive tag and receiving a response from inductive tag.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the personal tag is a RFID tag.

18. A method for restricting access to selected broadcast programming, the method comprising:

receiving broadcast programming;

receiving a user selection indicating a selected program from the broadcast programming for presentation;

reading information from a personal tag associated with the user; and

providing the selected program for presentation on the presentation device if the information from the personal tag indicates that the user is authorized to view the selected program.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the personal tag is an inductive tag, and wherein the reading comprises transmitting interrogatory commands to the inductive tag and receiving a response from inductive tag.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the personal tag is a RFID tag.