Video viewing censoring supervision system

• US 5,548,345 A
• Filed: 01/05/1995
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: U.S. Music Corporation (DCC PLC)
• Original Assignee: Protelcon, Inc.
• Inventors: Brian, James M., Jackson, Joseph N.
• Primary Examiner(s): Metjahic, Safet
• Assistant Examiner(s): Murrell, Jeffrey S.
• Application Number:
  US08/369,001
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 348/5.5, 348/731, 348/468, 348/734, 348/906, 348/569, 348/570, 348/725, 380/20, 380/23, 455/26.1, 455/4.2, 348/725, 345/113, 345/114, 345/115, 345/146, 345/173, 395/151, 395/156
• US Class Current: 725/27
• 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 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• 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 21/47 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 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/50 Tuning indicators; Automatic tuning control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A TV/video viewing supervision system that enables a supervisor, typically a parent controlling children'"'"'s viewing, to selectably preprogram the hours, programs and/or channels of television, VCR, cable TV, satellite TV and/or game viewing that are allowed and/or blocked from viewing. The system features a channel/time matrix that can be programmed with a keypad-controlled cursor of a hand-held remote unit to set up a viewing schedule for future time period, for example a coming week.

Claims

1. A TV/video viewing supervision system, connected in combination with a TV/video system including a viewing screen and video signal source means, for enabling an authorized user, to control viewing time of selected channels, by another, comprising:

a hand held remote control unit; and

a controller unit, controlled by said hand-held remote control unit, having;

a cable-compatible electrically controllable television tuner receiving input from the signal source means;

a microprocessor controlled from said hand held remote control unit controlling said tuner in a manner to enable said authorized user by entering commands on said remote control unit, to control allowance and blocking of viewing of one or more selected channels during a predetermined time period;

graphic display generating means in said controller unit operating in conjunction with a microcontroller enabling said authorized user to view time and channels displayed on the viewing screen as a two-dimensional matrix of set-up cells, said microprocessor and said remote control unit being made able to display in each cell a symbol indicating a commanded action chosen from a group including blocking, clearing or VCR recording and enabling a selected channel for a predetermined time interval.

2. A method for video viewing supervision using a remote control unit and a controller unit, both with a keypad, used for supervising viewing of video on a video displaying device during a supervised viewing mode, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a selection matrix on said video displaying device, said selection matrix having individual cells corresponding to time of the day and video tuning channel allowing a user to control viewing of selected time and channel;

transmitting supervision requests, said supervision requests being displayed on graphically displayed said selection matrix displayed on said video displaying device, said transmitting being performed by said remote control unit;

receiving supervision requests from said remote control unit as input through said graphically displayed selection matrix displayed on said video displaying device, said receiving being performed by said controller unit;

storing said supervision requests in said controller unit; and

controlling viewing of said video displaying device when said controller unit is in said supervised viewing mode.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of transmitting supervision requests comprises the step of transmitting supervision requests of blocking viewing of said video displaying device at one or more predetermined time, said supervision requests made by blocking out said individual cells corresponding to one or more time at which viewing is to be blocked.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of transmitting supervision requests comprises the step of transmitting supervision requests of blocking viewing of said video displaying device on one or more predetermined channel, said supervision requests made by blocking out said individual cells corresponding to one or more channel on which viewing is to be blocked.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of storing screen displays having said selection matrix, said storing performed by a storage device in said controller unit.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of storing commands corresponding to various user commands, said commands issued by a microprocessor in said controller unit, said commands being issued to a graphic generating means in said controller unit, said storing performed by a second storage device in said controller unit.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of displaying further comprises the step of issuing said commands to retrieve said screen displays from said storage device, said retrieval performed by said graphic generating means.

8. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of controlling further comprises the steps of:

interrupting reception of video signal if said supervision requests is for blocking viewing, and if said video viewing device is set to a channel at a time for which blocking was requested in said supervision requests, said interrupting performed by a RF switch in said controller unit; and

displaying a default screen stored in said storage device displaying a message indicating that viewing is being blocked.

9. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of controlling further comprises the steps of:

setting video viewing device to a channel requested in said supervision request at a requested time, if said supervision request is for showing a predetermined channel at a predetermined time, said setting performed by said controller unit; and

blocking viewing of any other channels, said blocking performed by said control unit.

10. A video viewing supervision system, connected in combination with a video system including a viewing screen and video signal source means, for enabling an authorized user, to control viewing time of selected channels by another comprising:

an input means for accepting inputs of the commands from said user for the system;

a cable-compatible electrically controllable tuner receiving input from the signal source means;

a microprocessor controlling said tuner in a manner to enable said authorized user by entering commands on said input means, to control allowance and blocking of viewing of one or more selected channels during a predetermined time period;

graphic display generating means in said controller unit operating in conjunction with a microcontroller enabling said authorized user to view time and channels displayed on the viewing screen as a two-dimensional matrix of set-up cells, said microprocessor and said remote control unit being made able to display in each cell a symbol indicating a commanded action chosen from a group including blocking, clearing or VCR recording and enabling a selected channel for a predetermined time interval.

11. A method for video viewing supervision using a remote control unit and a controller unit, both with a keypad, used for supervising viewing of video on a video displaying device during a supervised viewing mode, said method comprising the steps of:

displaying a selection matrix on said video displaying device, said selection matrix having individual cells corresponding to time of the day and video tuning channel allowing a user to control viewing of selected time and channel;

transmitting supervision requests, said supervision requests being displayed on graphically displayed said selection matrix displayed on said video displaying device, said transmitting being performed through the keypad;

receiving supervision requests from the keypad as input through said graphically displayed selection matrix displayed on said video displaying device, said receiving being performed by said controller unit;

storing said supervision requests in said controller unit; and

controlling viewing of said video displaying device when said controller unit is in said supervised viewing mode.