Intelligent and user friendly channel up/down control
First Claim
1. A method of selectively inhibiting television receiving apparatus from displaying those channels which are not authorized for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- storing channel authorization codes associated with channels that are receivable by said television receiving apparatus, said authorization codes indicating whether television programs transmitted on a channel are authorized to be received by said television receiving apparatus;
selecting a next channel to display a television program that is received on said next channel in response to a user input;
reading the authorization code associated with said next channel to determine if said next channel is authorized for viewing;
inhibiting said television receiving apparatus from displaying the television program on said next channel and automatically selecting another channel that is authorized for viewing if it is determined that said next channel is not authorized for viewing, and displaying the television program on said other channel; and
displaying the television program on said next channel if it is determined that said next channel is authorized for viewing.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A technique for selectively inhibiting television receiving apparatus from displaying those television channels which are not authorized for viewing, such as unsubscribed television channels and channels with programs which satisfy predetermined content ratings criteria. Television channel information associated with television channels that are receivable by the television receiving apparatus, such as rating data representing the contents of the programs on the television channel, is obtained. A rating code representing the content ratings criteria of those channels which a viewer wishes to inhibit from being displayed also is obtained. When either channel up or channel down buttons are operated by the viewer, the rating data associated with the next television channel is compared with the rating code to determine if that television channel satisfies the predetermined content ratings criteria. If so, the channel is blocked and another channel having rating data which do not satisfy the predetermined content ratings criteria then is selected and the program broadcast thereon is displayed to permit the viewer to watch channels broadcasting acceptable television programs.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. A method of selectively inhibiting television receiving apparatus from displaying those channels which are not authorized for viewing, comprising the steps of:
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storing channel authorization codes associated with channels that are receivable by said television receiving apparatus, said authorization codes indicating whether television programs transmitted on a channel are authorized to be received by said television receiving apparatus; selecting a next channel to display a television program that is received on said next channel in response to a user input; reading the authorization code associated with said next channel to determine if said next channel is authorized for viewing; inhibiting said television receiving apparatus from displaying the television program on said next channel and automatically selecting another channel that is authorized for viewing if it is determined that said next channel is not authorized for viewing, and displaying the television program on said other channel; and displaying the television program on said next channel if it is determined that said next channel is authorized for viewing. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Apparatus for selectively inhibiting a television receiving device from displaying those channels which are not authorized for viewing, comprising:
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means for storing channel authorization codes associated with channels that are receivable by said television receiving device, said authorization codes indicating whether television programs transmitted on a channel are authorized to be received by said television receiving device; means for selecting a next channel to display a television program that is received on said next channel in response to a user input; means for reading from the storing means the authorization code associated with said next channel to determine if said next channel is authorized for viewing; means for displaying the television program on said next channel if it is determined that said next channel is authorized for viewing; and means for inhibiting said television receiving device from displaying the television program on said next channel and for operating the selecting means to automatically select another channel that is authorized for viewing if it is determined that said next channel is not authorized for viewing, and causing the displaying means to display the television program on said other channel. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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Specification