Method and apparatus for controlling display of content signals

• US 6,636,607 B1
• Filed: 08/13/1999
• Issued: 10/21/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.), Maverick Specialized, LLC
• Original Assignee: ATI International SRL (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fridman, Anatoly, Morrison, Andrew, Yang, Ivan, Orr, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): HUYNH, AN SON PHI
• Application Number:
  US09/374,359
• Time in Patent Office: 1,530 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25-31, 380/241, 713/193, 713/194, 700/94, 381/2
• US Class Current: 381/2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4318 by altering the content in the rendering process, e.g. blanking, blurring or masking an image region image enhancement or restoration in general G06T5/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling display of content signals begins by receiving a content signal that includes video content and at least one associated content control indicator. The content signal may also include audio content associated with the video content. The processing continues by comparing the at least one associated content control indicator (e.g., a rating of mature subject matter of the content signal) with at least one content control setting (e.g., a parental setting based on allowable viewing of rated content signals). When the associated content indicator compares unfavorably to the content control setting, a video graphics processor scrambles the at least a portion of the video content. The scrambled video content is then provided to a video rendering device for subsequent display.

Claims

1. An audio system comprising:

an audio decoder with an input and an output;

an analog-to-digital converter having a first input coupled to the output of the audio decoder, and an output;

a scrambler having a first input coupled to the output of the analog-to-digital converter, and an output;

a digital-to-analog converter having a first input coupled to the output of the scrambler and an output;

a multiplexor having a first input coupled to the output of the audio decoder, a second input coupled to the output of the digital-to-analog converter, and an output; and

a multimedia audio output coupled to the output of the multiplexor, wherein the multimedia audio output is for providing an audio signal to an audio playback device.

2. The audio system of claim 1 wherein the audio decoder is a stereo decoder.

3. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the scrambler scrambles an audio signal by using a mask-type scrambler.

4. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the scrambler scrambles an audio signal by using a random sequence generator.

5. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the scrambler scrambles an audio signal by using a polynomial pseudo scrambler.

6. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio playback device is a speaker.

7. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio playback device is an amplifier.

8. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the audio playback device is an audio selector.

9. The audio system of claim 1, wherein the scrambler is coupled to and operatively responsive to a content control signal.

10. The audio system of claim 9, wherein the multimedia audio output corresponds to:

the output of the audio decoder when the content control signal is de-asserted; and

the output of the digital-to-analog converter when the content control signal is asserted.