Apparatus and method for improved parental control of television use
First Claim
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1. A system for exercising access control over a television program comprising:
- a memory for storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;
a monitor for displaying some of the schedule information including program titles;
an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles for viewing a television program represented by the selected program title; and
a parental control circuit for blocking the selected television program from being viewed as a function of the television program schedule information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for parental control of television programs. Program schedule information including program titles are stored in a memory and displayed on a monitor. Compressed code is entered for the programs to be blocked. Alternatively, one or more program titles are selected from the displayed program schedule information for blocking by a parental control circuitry connected to a controller.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A system for exercising access control over a television program comprising:
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a memory for storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;
a monitor for displaying some of the schedule information including program titles;
an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles for viewing a television program represented by the selected program title; and
a parental control circuit for blocking the selected television program from being viewed as a function of the television program schedule information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for controlling access to television programs comprising the steps of:
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displaying television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs on a monitor;
marking a program title from the displayed schedule information; and
blocking a television program represented by the marked program title from being displayed on the monitor as a function of the television program schedule information for a selected title. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A system for exercising access control over a television program comprising:
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a memory for storing television schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;
a monitor for displaying some of the schedule information including program titles;
an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles for viewing a television program represented by the selected program title; and
a parental control circuit for blocking a plurality of program scenes from the selected television program from being viewed as a function of information retrieved from a television signal. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A method for controlling access to television programs comprising the steps of:
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storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;
displaying the television program schedule information including program titles on a monitor;
selecting a program title from the displayed schedule information; and
blocking a program scene from a television program represented by the selected program title from being displayed on the monitor as a function of the information retrieved from a television signal. - View Dependent Claims (17)
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Specification