Viewing limit controls
First Claim
Patent Images
1. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising:
- identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a first type of video on demand (VOD) programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days;
identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the first type of programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation;
counting a number of viewings of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day and the second portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days;
determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the applicable viewing limit, wherein a viewing of the first type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the first type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation;
preventing further viewings of the first type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation, wherein;
a second program is of a second type that is different from the first type,a third viewing limit is associated with the second type, andthe first and second viewing limit allocations are each different from the third viewing limit.
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Abstract
A system for controlling the viewing of programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices. The system comprises a viewing control system, which is adapted to count a number of viewings of a program during a time period, determine whether the number of viewings exceeds a viewing limit for the time period, and prevent further viewings of the program if the number of viewings exceeds the viewing limit for the time period.
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Citations
36 Claims
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1. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising:
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identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a first type of video on demand (VOD) programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the first type of programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; counting a number of viewings of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day and the second portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the applicable viewing limit, wherein a viewing of the first type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the first type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation; preventing further viewings of the first type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation, wherein; a second program is of a second type that is different from the first type, a third viewing limit is associated with the second type, and the first and second viewing limit allocations are each different from the third viewing limit. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 30, 36)
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12. A system for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, comprising:
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a program distribution system adapted to provide video programs to one or more viewing devices at a user location; and a viewing control system in communication with the program distribution system and the viewing devices, said viewing control system adapted to; identify a first viewing limit allocation for a type of video on demand (VOD) programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identify a second viewing limit allocation for the type of VOD programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; count a number of viewings of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day and the second portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determine whether the number of viewings exceeds the applicable viewing limit, wherein a viewing of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation; and prevent further viewings of the type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day if the number of viewings for the second portion of the day exceeds the second viewing limit allocation. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 31, 32)
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29. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for monitoring the viewing of the video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising steps of:
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identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a first type of video on demand (VOD) programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the type of VOD programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; counting a number of viewings of a plurality of programs of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the first viewing limit allocation; preventing further viewings of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation; counting a second number of viewings of a second plurality of programs of the type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day over the at least the subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the second number of viewings exceeds the second viewing limit allocation, wherein a viewing of the type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation; and preventing further viewings of the type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day if the second number of viewings exceeds the second viewing limit allocation.
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33. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising:
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identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a type of subscription programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the type of subscription programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; counting a number of viewings of the type of subscription programming during the first portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the first viewing limit allocation; preventing further viewings of the type of subscription programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation; counting a second number of viewings of the type of subscription programming during the second portion of the day over the at least the subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the second number of viewings exceeds the second viewing limit allocation, wherein a viewing of the type of subscription programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the type of subscription programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation; and preventing further viewings of the type of subscription programming during the second portion of the day if the second number of viewings exceeds the second viewing limit allocation.
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34. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising:
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identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a subscription tier of programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the subscription tier of programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; counting a number of viewings of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day and the second portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the applicable viewing limit, wherein a viewing of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the subscription tier of programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation; and preventing further viewings of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation, wherein; the subscription tier is of a first type of programming, a second program is of a second type that is different from the first type, the first and second viewing limit allocations are associated with the first type, a second viewing limit is associated with the second type, the first and second viewing limit allocations are different from the second viewing limit, the system includes a plurality of programming tiers, the view limit corresponds to a first tier of the plurality of programming tiers, and the second view limit corresponds to a second tier of the plurality of programming tiers.
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35. In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising:
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identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a subscription tier of programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the subscription tier programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; counting a number of viewings of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the first viewing limit allocation; and preventing further viewings of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation; counting a second number of viewings of the subscription tier of programming during the second portion of the day over the at least the subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the second number of viewings exceeds a the second viewing limit allocation, wherein a viewing of the subscription tier of programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation; and preventing further viewings of the subscription tier of programming during the first portion of the day if the second number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the second viewing limit allocation.
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Specification