Broadcast channel lock system

• US 5,699,104 A
• Filed: 12/13/1994
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Yoshinobu, Hitoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gregory, Bernarr E.
• Application Number:
  US08/355,383
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 380/20, 380/23, 380/49, 380/5, 380/7, 380/10, 348/5.5
• US Class Current: 725/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/08 Systems for the simultaneous or sequential transmission of more than one television signal, e.g. additional information signals, the signals occupying wholly or partially the same frequency band , e.g. by time division H04N7/007 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A broadcasting channel lock system including a broadcasting device for transmitting a broadcasting signal via one or more of a plurality of channels, and a receiving device for receiving the broadcasting signal. The receiving device is provided with a locking device for limiting reception of video and/or audio via a specific one or more of the channels. A screen saver is incorporated as a part of the locking device for limiting the video reception so as to allow the user to partially view the video in the specific channel, thereby stimulating the interest of the user to the contents in the specific channel.

Claims

1. A broadcasting channel lock system comprising:

broadcasting means for transmitting a broadcasting signal via one of a plurality of available channels;

receiving means for receiving said broadcasting signal and including a video display, a controller and memory for providing a screen saver for display, and a video signal merge processor for superimposing the screen saver on a video image, wherein

said broadcasting signal includes a control signal for controlling said receiving means to display the screen saver superimposed on the video image so as to prevent or lock a selected channel from being fully intelligible.

2. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 1, wherein control of said receiving means by said control signal is performed according to ID code information contained in said control signal.

3. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 2, wherein said receiving means for includes means for displaying said screen saver on a display screen.

4. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 3, wherein said screen saver is displayed on said display screen so as to make said video hardly visible or partially visible.

5. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 2, wherein said receiving means for sets a degree of unintelligibility of an audio portion of said broadcasting signal to a plurality of levels ranging from a completely audible condition to a completely inaudible condition.

14. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 3, wherein said degree of unintelligibility is set according to a setting information signal contained in said broadcasting signal.

6. A broadcasting channel lock system comprising:

broadcasting means for transmitting a broadcasting signal via one of a plurality of available channels, said broadcasting signal including a control signal; and

receiving means for receiving said broadcasting signal, said receiving means including channel locking means for limiting reception of video or audio on a specific one of said channels to be locked by displaying a screen saver to prevent said specific channel from being fully intelligible, said locking means being responsive to said control signal.

7. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 6, wherein said locking means is responsive to ID code information contained in said control signal. invisible condition.

8. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 7, wherein said locking means for limiting said video includes means for displaying said screen saver on a display screen.

9. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 8, wherein said screen saver is selected from a plurality of kinds of screen savers.

10. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 8, wherein said screen saver is displayed on said display screen so as to overlay said video in said specific channel to be locked.

11. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 10, wherein said locking means sets a degree of unintelligibility of said video according to a setting information signal contained in said broadcasting signal.

12. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 8, wherein said screen saver is displayed on said display screen so as to make said video hardly visible or partially visible.

13. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 6, wherein said locking means for limiting reception of video or audio sets a degree of unintelligibility of said video to a plurality of levels ranging from a completely visible condition to a completely invisible condition.

15. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 6, wherein said locking means for limiting said audio sets a degree of unintelligibility of said audio to a plurality of levels ranging from a completely audible condition to a completely inaudible condition.

16. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 15, wherein said degree of unintelligibility of said audio is set according to a setting information signal contained in said broadcasting signal.

17. A broadcasting channel lock system comprising:

broadcasting means for transmitting a broadcast signal via one of a plurality of available channels, said broadcasting signal including control signal information and said broadcasting means including means for generating said control signal information; and

a receiver for receiving said broadcasting signal comprising;

channel locking means responsive to said control signal information;

first storage means for storing screen saver information;

second storage means for storing a preset ID code; and

a comparator for comparing said control signal information received from said broadcasting means with said preset ID code stored in said second storage means, wherein

said channel locking means includes means for displaying on a display device a screen saver video represented by said screen saver information stored in said first storage means when said comparator determines that said control signal information and said preset ID code stored in said second storage means are not identical.

18. A broadcasting channel lock system according to claim 17, wherein said control signal information includes ID code information.

19. A receiver for receiving a broadcast signal comprising:

channel locking means responsive to control signal information broadcast from a broadcasting means;

first storage means for storing screen saver information;

second storage means for storing a preset ID code; and

a comparator for comparing said control signal information received from said broadcasting means with said preset ID code stored in said second storage means, wherein

said channel locking means includes means for displaying on a display device a screen saver video represented by said screen saver information stored in said first storage means when said comparator determines that said control signal information and said preset ID code stored in said second storage means are not identical.

20. A receiver for receiving a broadcast signal according to claim 19, wherein said channel locking means is selectably controllable to limit a degree to which said screen saver video is displayed on said display device.

21. A receiver for receiving a broadcast signal according to claim 19, wherein said broadcast signal is received via a cable.