Selective delivery of programming for interactive televideo system
DCFirst Claim
1. In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, a method of selectively delivering programming to a selected viewer station, comprising:
- identifying a predetermined characteristic of programming available from the interactive televideo system;
identifying a selected viewer associated with the selected viewer station and a personal programming service level assigned to the selected viewer;
comparing the predetermined characteristic of the available programming to the personal programming service level assigned to the selected viewer; and
delivering the available programming to the selected viewer station only if the predetermined characteristic of the available programming conforms to the personal programming service level assigned to the selected viewer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention includes a method of selectively delivering programming to a viewer station on an interactive television or televideo (IT) system. Determinations as to whether programming is to be delivered are based upon the content or service level of the programming. With reference to content-based delivery of programming, the IT system identifies predetermined characteristics of the available programming. Each viewer at a selected viewer station is assigned a personal programming service level. The personal programming service level of each viewer is related to the particular characteristics and distinguishes appropriate and inappropriate programming for the viewer. The IT system compares the predetermined characteristics of the programming available at a time with the appropriate programming service level. The IT system delivers to the viewer station the available programming with predetermined characteristics that conform to the appropriate viewer service level.
330 Citations
16 Claims
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1. In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, a method of selectively delivering programming to a selected viewer station, comprising:
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identifying a predetermined characteristic of programming available from the interactive televideo system; identifying a selected viewer associated with the selected viewer station and a personal programming service level assigned to the selected viewer; comparing the predetermined characteristic of the available programming to the personal programming service level assigned to the selected viewer; and delivering the available programming to the selected viewer station only if the predetermined characteristic of the available programming conforms to the personal programming service level assigned to the selected viewer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, a method of selectively delivering programming to a selected viewer station, comprising:
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identifying a predetermined characteristic of programming available from the interactive televideo system; identifying a default programming service level assigned to the selected viewer station; comparing the predetermined characteristic of the available programming with the default programming service level assigned to the selected viewer station; delivering to the viewer station the available programming with predetermined characteristic that conform to the default viewer programming service level assigned to the selected viewer station. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, plural viewers being associated with a selected viewer station, a memory associated with the interactive televideo system, comprising:
a personal programming service level stored in the memory for each of the viewers associated with the selected viewer station, the personal programming service levels corresponding to the programming available to the viewers. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. In an interactive televideo system having a central control node in bidirectional communication with plural viewer stations that include video display sets operably coupled to interactive station controllers, the central control node delivering programming over multiple channels to the plural viewer stations and receiving information from the interactive station controllers, a method of delivering programming information to a selected viewer station, comprising:
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identifying predetermined content characteristics of programming available from the interactive televideo system, the predetermined content characteristics being represented by multiple classes; receiving from a viewer a programming characterization request relating to at least a class and the programming available from the interactive televideo system; and providing the viewer a programming characterization of the programming available from the interactive televideo system relating to at least the class. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
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Specification