Method of setting parental lock levels based on example content

• US 6,684,240 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goddard, Mark D.
• Primary Examiner(s): LIN, WEN TAI
• Application Number:
  US09/464,275
• Time in Patent Office: 1,504 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 709/217-229, 725/104, 725/10, 725/12, 725/30, 725/39, 725/52, 725/1, 725/25, 725/40, 725/27-29, 725/44, 707/3, 707/4-6, 707/9, 707/318, 707/513, 700/25, 700/87, 700/17
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2353 specifically adapted to content descriptors, e.g. coding, compressing or processing of metadata
• 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 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

A method of setting acceptable content rating parameters for filtering content in a ratings-enabled media wherein the acceptable content rating parameters delimit the threshold content ratings levels of content that may be accessed by an information appliance is provided. Employing the present method, a user may set the acceptable content rating parameters of a content control system by blocking or unblocking example content provided by the information appliance, in order to control future access to content similar to the example content. In this manner, specific knowledge of the content ratings scheme employed, or the meaning of specific content ratings used by such a scheme is not required.

Claims

1. A method of setting acceptable content rating parameters of a content control system based on example content of a media, wherein the acceptable content rating parameters provide a threshold rating for filtering content of at least one media provided by an information appliance, comprising:

presenting example content to a user, the example content having an associated content rating;

receiving user input to block or unblock future access to content similar to the example content; and

adjusting an acceptable content rating parameter of the content control system based on the content rating of the example content, wherein the information appliance compares the content rating of the example content to the acceptable content rating parameter and adjusts the acceptable content rating parameter based on the comparison so as to control future access to content similar to the example content.

2. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, further comprising allowing user input to unblock future access to content similar to the example content if the user has authority to unblock further access to such similar content.

3. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 2, wherein determining if the user has authority to unblock further access to content similar to the example content comprises receiving a user identification.

4. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, further comprising determining if the user has authority to block further access to content similar to the example content.

5. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 4, wherein determining if the user has authority to block further access to content similar to the example content comprises receiving a user identification.

6. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, wherein the acceptable content rating level comprises at least one user acceptable content rating level defining the content rating level acceptable for a particular user, further comprising adjusting the user acceptable content rating level for a particular user.

7. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, wherein the content rating is comprised of at least one content theme rating.

8. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, wherein the media comprises television and the content comprises television programs.

9. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, wherein the media comprises computer gaming and the content comprises computer games.

10. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, wherein the media comprises a network and the content comprises sites within the network.

11. The method of setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 1, wherein the media comprises music and the content comprises at least one of a song and a compilation of songs.

12. A program of instructions storable on a medium readable by an information appliance for causing the information appliance to execute steps for setting acceptable content rating parameters for filtering content in a ratings enabled media based on example content provided by the information appliance, the steps comprising:

presenting example content to a user;

receiving user input to block or unblock future access to content similar to the example content;

comparing the content rating of the example content to a corresponding acceptable content rating parameter, the acceptable content rating parameter being suitable for delimiting a threshold content rating of content that may be accessed via the information appliance; and

if the content rating of the example content differs from the acceptable content rating parameter, adjusting the acceptable content rating parameter to control future access to content similar to the example content.

13. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, further comprising determining if the user has authority to unblock access to content similar to the example content.

14. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 13, wherein determining if the user has authority to unblock further access to content similar to the example content comprises receiving a user identification.

15. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, further comprising determining if the user has authority to block access to content similar to the example content.

16. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 15, wherein determining if the user has authority to block further access to content similar to the example content comprises receiving a user identification.

17. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, wherein the acceptable content rating parameter comprises at least one user acceptable content rating parameter defining a threshold content rating level acceptable for a particular user, further comprising adjusting the user acceptable content rating parameter for a particular user.

18. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, wherein the content rating is comprised of at least one content theme rating.

19. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, wherein the media comprises television and the content comprises television programs.

20. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, wherein the media comprises computer gaming and the content comprises computer games.

21. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, wherein the media comprises a network and the content comprises sites within the network.

22. The program of instructions for setting acceptable content rating parameters according to claim 12, wherein the media comprises music and the content comprises at least one of a song and a compilation of songs.

23. An information appliance capable of setting acceptable content rating parameters for filtering content in a ratings-enabled media based on example content of the media, comprising:

a processor for executing a program of instructions on the information appliance;

at least one memory coupled to the processor for storing the program of instructions executable by the processor; and

a user input device suitable for receiving user input to block or unblock communication of content similar to example content by the information appliance;

the program of instructions being capable of configuring the information appliance for communicating the example content to a user, and upon receiving user input to block or unblock the example content, comparing the content rating of the example content with an acceptable content rating parameter and adjusting the acceptable content rating so as to control future access to content similar to the example content.

24. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the program of instructions further determines if the user has authority to unblock further access to content similar to the example content.

25. The information appliance according to claim 24, wherein the program of instructions requests entry of a user identification by the user.

26. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the acceptable content rating parameter comprises at least one user acceptable content rating parameter defining a threshold content rating level acceptable for a particular user, and wherein the program of instructions adjusts the user acceptable content rating parameter for a particular user.

27. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the content rating is comprised of at least one content theme rating.

28. The information appliance according to claim 23, further comprising a display for displaying the content.

29. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the media comprises television and the content comprises television programs.

30. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the media comprises computer gaming and the content comprises computer games.

31. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the media comprises a network and the content comprises sites within the network.

32. The information appliance according to claim 23, wherein the media comprises music and the content comprises at least one of a song and a compilation of songs.