Method and apparatus for controlling display of content signals

• US 6,976,265 B1
• Filed: 10/08/1998
• Issued: 12/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI International SRL (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Morrison, Andrew, Yang, Ivan, Orr, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): BUI, KIEU OANH T
• Application Number:
  US09/169,023
• Time in Patent Office: 2,623 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/10, 725/25, 725/31, 725/136, 725/139, 725/142, 380/210, 380/211, 380/212, 380200-203, 380/236, 380/237, 380/240, 713/200
• US Class Current: 725/31
• 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. A method for controlling display of content signals, the method comprises the steps of:

a) receiving a content signal in a graphics controller, the content signal includes at least one of video, audio, and text content and at least one associated content control indicator;

b) comparing the at least one associated content control indicator with at least one content control setting;

c) receiving the content signal in a tuner;

when the at least one associated content control indicator compares unfavorably to the at least one content control setting;

d) generating a scramble control signal in the graphics controller;

e) providing the scramble control signal to at least one of a video scrambler and an audio scrambler;

f) scrambling at least a portion of the at least one of video, audio, and text content to produce scrambled content in the graphics controller; and

g) providing the scrambled content to a content rendering device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

scrambling at least a portion of the audio content to produce scrambled audio content, wherein the content signal includes the audio content; and

providing the scrambled audio content to an audio rendering device.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprises attenuating the at least a portion of the audio content to produce the scrambled audio content.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

scrambling the text content to produce scrambled text content, wherein the content signal includes the text content; and

providing the scrambled text content to a display.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

interpreting the at least one associated content control indicator to determine copy restriction status; and

when copy restriction is enabled, preventing copying of the content signal.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

providing an audio scrambling signal to an audio processing module when the at least one associated content control indicator compares unfavorably to the at least one content control setting.

7. A content controller comprises:

a processing module; and

memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to (a) receive a content signal in a graphics control module, the content signal includes at least one of video, audio, and text content and at least one associated content control indicator;

(b) compare the at least one associated content control indicator with at least one content control setting (c) receive the content signal in a tuning module;

when the at least one associated content control indicator compares unfavorably to the at least one content control setting;

(d) generate a scramble control signal in the graphics control module;

(e) scramble at least a portion of the at least one of video, audio, and text content to produce scrambled content in the graphics control module; and

(e) provide the scrambled content to a content rendering device.

8. The content controller of claim 7, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

scramble at least a portion of the audio content to produce scrambled audio content, wherein the content signal includes the audio content; and

provide the scrambled audio content to an audio rendering device.

9. The content controller of claim 8, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to attenuate the at least a portion of the audio content to produce the scrambled audio content.

10. The content controller of claim 7, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

scramble at least a portion of the text content to produce scrambled text content, wherein the content signal includes the text content; and

provide the scrambled text content to the display.

11. The content controller of claim 7, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

interpret the at least one associated content control indicator to determine copy restriction status; and

when copy restriction is enabled, preventing copying of the content signal.

12. The content controller of claim 7, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

provide an audio scrambling signal to an audio processing module when the at least one associated content control indicator compares unfavorably to the at least one content control setting.

13. A video device comprises:

a tuner operably coupled to receive a content signal and to produce, therefrom, a digitized content signal;

a video decoder operably coupled to received the digitized content signal and to produce, therefrom, decoded video;

a graphics controller operably coupled to receive the decoded video and to provide, therefrom, a video output, wherein the graphics controller includes;

a processing module; and

memory operably coupled to the processing module, wherein the memory stores operational instructions that cause the processing module to (a) monitor at least one of the content signal, the digitized content signal, the decoded video, and the video output, wherein the at least one of the content signal, the digitized content signal, the decoded video, and the video output includes video content and at least one associated content control indicator;

(b) compare the at least one associated content control indicator with at least one content control setting;

when the at least one associated content control indicator compares unfavorably to the at least one content control setting;

(c) generating a scramble control signal in the graphics controller;

(d) providing the scramble control signal to at least one of a video scrambler and an audio scrambler in the graphics controller;

(e) control scrambling of at least a portion of the digitized content signal or the decoded video to produce scrambled video content; and

(f) provide the scrambled video content as the video output.

14. The video device of claim 13 further comprises an audio decoder operably coupled to the tuner, wherein the audio decoder decodes digital audio of the content signal to produce decoded audio, and wherein the memory further includes operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

control scrambling of at least a portion of the digital audio or the decoded audio to produce scrambled audio content, such that the scrambled audio content is provided to an audio rendering device.

15. The video device of claim 14, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to control attenuation of the at least a portion of the digital audio or the decoded audio to produce the scrambled audio content.

16. The video device of claim 15 further comprises at least one of:

a scramble module and an attenuation module operably coupled to the audio decoder.

17. The video device of claim 13, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

control scrambling at least a portion of caused captioned content to produce scrambled closed captioned content, wherein the content signal includes the closed captioned content; and

provide the scrambled closed captioned content as part of the video output.

18. The video device of claim 13, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

interpret the at least one associated content control indicator to determine copy restriction status; and

when copy restriction is enabled, preventing copying of the video content.

19. The video device of claim 13, wherein the memory further comprises operational instructions that cause the processing module to:

provide an audio scrambling signal to an audio processing module when the at least one associated content control indicator compares unfavorably to the at least one content control setting.

20. The video device of claim 13 further comprises at least one of:

a display and a recorder, wherein the display and the recorder are operably coupled to receive the video output.

21. The video device of claim 13 further comprises a scramble module operably coupled to scramble, when enabled, the at least a portion of the digitized content signal or the decoded video.

22. The video device of claim 13, wherein the graphics control further comprises a scramble module operably coupled to scramble, when enabled, the at least a portion of the digitized content signal or the decoded video.