Apparatus and method of transmitting broadcast program selection control signal and controlling selective viewing of broadcast program for video appliance

• US 6,005,598 A
• Filed: 11/25/1997
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Original Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation)
• Inventors: Jeong, Seok Hwa
• Primary Examiner(s): Kostak, Victor R.
• Application Number:
  US08/978,116
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 348/5.5, 348/7, 348/9, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/460, 380/20, 380/23
• US Class Current: 725/28
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

An apparatus and method for transmitting a broadcast program selection control signal, and controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance in which a viewing-restriction grade is set for a broadcast program and viewing of the broadcast program is restricted in accordance with the set viewing-restriction grade. According to the apparatus, the viewing-restriction grade of the broadcast program is determined and a control signal corresponding to the determined viewing-restriction grade is transmitted along with the broadcast program signal. In a television receiver, whether to admit the viewing of the received broadcast program is discriminated by comparing the viewing-restriction grade corresponding to the control signal with that predetermined by a user.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance, comprising:

a receiving section for receiving a broadcast program signal through a receiving antenna;

a control signal receiving section for receiving a broadcast program selection control signal simultaniously transmitted with the modulation broadcast program signal, the control signal representing a viewing-restriction grade;

a determining section for determining viewing-restriction grades, the determining section including a coding section for qualifying a particular user to determine the viewing-restriction grades, and a viewing grade determining and releasing section for the user'"'"'s determining and releasing of the viewing-restriction grade;

a discriminating section for discriminating the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program by comparing the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program with that determined by the determining section;

a control section for determining whether admit the viewing of the received broadcast program in accordance with a discrimination result from the discriminating section;

a video/audio output section for outputting the video and audio signals of the broadcast program under the control of the control section;

wherein the program selection control signal received through the control signal receiving section is a multi-step signal which is composed of a plurality of control signals which are combined in accordance with the viewing-restriction grades of the broadcast program; and

wherein said pluralty of control signals forming said multi-step signal include first, second, and third control signals that are combined in hierarchical manner according to view restriction grade such that;

only said first signal is appended when viewing is permitted for a first restriction grade;

said first and second signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a second restriction grade; and

all of said first second, and third signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a third restriction grade.

2. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first viewing restriction grade includes children, said second restriction grade includes juveniles, and said third restriction grade includes adults.

3. An apparatus for transmitting a broadcast program selection control signal for a video appliance, wherein the control signal represents a rating of video programs, comprising:

a programming and editing section for producing and editing a program to be broadcast by a broadcasting station;

a program control section for inserting the broadcast program selection control signal to the broadcast program produced and edited by the programming and editing section in accordance with predetermined view-restriction grades;

a signal synthesizing and modulating section for synthesizing and modulating the broadcast program signal and the control signal outputted from the program control section to be suitable for being transmitted; and

a transmitting section for transmitting the modulated broadcast program signal and control signal outputted from the signal synthesizing and modulating section through a transmitting antenna wherein said plurality of control signals which are combined include first, second, and third control signals that are combined in hierarchical manner according to viewing restriction grade such that;

only said first signal is appended when viewing is permitted for a first restriction grade;

said first and second signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a second restriction grade; and

all of said first, second, and third signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a third restriction grade.

4. The apparatus as claims in claim 3, wherein said first viewing restriction grade includes children, said second restriction grade includes juveniles, and said third restriction grade includes adults.

5. An apparatus for controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance, comprising:

a receiving section for receiving a modulated broadcast program signal through a receiving antenna;

a control signal receiving section for receiving a broadcast program selection control signal simultaneously transmitted with the modulated broadcast program signal, the control signal representing a viewing-restriction grade;

a determining section for determining viewing-restriction grades, the determining section including a coding section for qualifying a particular user to determine the viewing-restriction grades, and a viewing grade determining and releasing section for the user'"'"'s determining and releasing of the viewing-restriction grade;

a discriminating section for discriminating the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program by comparing the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program with that determined by the determining section;

a control section for determining whether to admit the viewing of the received broadcast program in accordance with a discrimination result from the discriminating section;

a video/audio output section for outputting the video and audio signals of the broadcast program under the control of the control section;

said program selection control signal received through the control signal receiving section is a multi-step signal which is composed of a plurality of control signals which are combined in accordance with the viewing-restriction grades of the broadcast program;

said control section is operable to compare the viewing-restriction grade represented by the broadcast program selection control signal with that determined by the determining section;

a display control section is provided for displaying through the video-audio output section a code determined through the coding section, and the viewing-restriction grades determined or released through the viewing grade determining and releasing section so that the user identifies the determined or released viewing-restriction grades;

a message generating section for notifying the user of the discrimination result from the discriminating section through the video-audio output section;

said viewing-restriction grades are determined in multiple steps through the determining section in accordance with a particular environment of culture or custom of a concerned country and in compliance with the user'"'"'s intention;

said plurality of control signals forming said multi-step signal include first, second, and third control signals that are combined in hierarchical manner according to viewing restriction grade such that;

only said first signal is appended when viewing is permitted for a first restriction grade;

said first and second signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a second restriction grade; and

all of said first, second, and third signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a third restriction grade.

6. An apparatus for controlling selective viewing of a broadcast program for a video appliance, comprising:

a receiving section for receiving a modulated broadcast program signal through a receiving antenna;

a control signal receiving section for receiving a broadcast program selection control signal simultaneously transmitted with the modulated broadcast program signal, the control signal representing a viewing-restriction grade;

a determining section for determining viewing-restriction grades, the determining section including a coding section for qualifying a particular user to determine the viewing-restriction grades, and a viewing grade determining and releasing section for the user'"'"'s determining and releasing of the viewing-restriction grade;

a discriminating section for discriminating the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program by comparing the viewing-restriction grade of the received broadcast program with that determined by the determining section;

a control section for determining whether to admit the viewing of the received broadcast program in accordance with a discrimination result from the discriminating section;

a video/audio output section for outputting the video and audio signals of the broadcast program under the control of the control section;

the program selection control signal received through the control signal receiving section is a multi-step signal which is composed of a plurality of control signals which are combined in accordance with the viewing-restriction grades of the broadcast program;

the viewing-restriction grades are determined in multiple steps through the determining section in accordance with a particular environment of culture or custom of a concerned country and in compliance with the user'"'"'s intention; and

the plurality of control signals forming the multi-step signal include first, second, and third control signals that are combined in hierarchical manner according to viewing restriction grade such that;

only the first signal is appended when viewing is permitted for a first restriction grade;

the first and second signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a second restriction grade; and

all of the first, second, and third signals are appended when viewing is permitted for a third restriction grade.