Method and apparatus to select content

• US 6,831,570 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2001
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Barile, Steven E., Bell, Genevieve, Mainwaring, Scott D., Brooke, Timothy L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Horabik, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Nam V
• Application Number:
  US09/957,055
• Publication Number:
  US 20030052794A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,182 Days
• Field of Search: 340/825.69, 340/825.72, 340/825.22, 340/825.24, 340/825.29, 348/734, 348/6, 348/10, 348/12, 348/13, 348/563, 348/564, 348/906, 725/42, 725/40, 725/39, 725/51, 725/52, 345/327, D13/168
• US Class Current: 340/12.28
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47211 for requesting pay-per-view content payment schemes payment architectures or payment protocols G06Q20/00, G07F
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A remote control device is configured to select predetermined content prior to providing the remote control device to a media consumer, and provided to the media consumer such that the media consumer associates the remote control device with the predetermined content. In one embodiment, the remote control device is configured to select at least one predetermined content and has a form that identifies the predetermined content for the media consumer.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

forming a special purpose remote control device, such that the appearance of the special purpose remote control device functions to identify predetermined content to a consumer; and

configuring the remote control device to select and cause the rendering of only the predetermined content when activated by the consumer, the remote control device being operable for only a predetermined number of uses.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the special purpose remote control device to select the predetermined content further comprises:

configuring the special purpose remote control device with logic to select at least a portion of one of pay-per-view content and pay-by-time content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the special purpose remote control device to select predetermined content further comprises:

configuring the special purpose remote control device with logic to select at least one of a musical selection, a television program, a movie, a musical concert, a sporting event, a preview video clip, a trailer video clip, and an advertisement.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the special purpose remote control device to select predetermined content further comprises:

configuring the special purpose remote control device with logic to select a section of DVD content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the special purpose remote control device to select predetermined content further comprises:

configuring the special purpose remote control device with logic to configure a receiving device to record the predetermined content instead of rendering the predetermined content.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein configuring the special purpose remote control device to select predetermined content further comprises:

configuring the special purpose remote control device with logic to configure a receiving device to select predetermined content available on a computer network.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the special purpose remote control device is formed in the shape of a character good identifying the predetermined content to the consumer.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a special purpose remote control device configured to select predetermined content and be operable for only a predetermined number of uses, and whose appearance functions to identify the predetermined content to a consumer,

wherein activation of the special purpose remote control device by the consumer causes the rendering of only the predetermined content for perception by the consumer.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the special purpose remote control device is configured to be operable for only a single use by the consumer.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the special purpose remote control device is formed in the shape of a character good identifying the predetermined content to the consumer.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the special purpose remote control device is formed in the shape of an object identifying the predetermined content to the consumer.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the special purpose remote control device comprises a single control, which when activated, causes the rendering of only the predetermined content for perception by the consumer.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the special purpose remote control device is programmed to select, when activated, the predetermined content prior to distribution to the consumer and the special purpose remote control device is non-programmable by the consumer.

14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

logic to select at least a portion of one of pay-per-view content and pay-by-time content.

15. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

logic to select at least one of a musical selection, a television program, a movie, a musical concert, a sporting event, a preview video clip, a trailer video clip, and an advertisement.

16. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

logic to select a section of DVD content.

17. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

logic to configure a receiving device to record the predetermined content instead of rendering the predetermined content.

18. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising:

logic to configure a receiving device to select predetermined content available on a computer network.