System and method for filtering broadcast communication based on viewing context

• US 9,032,431 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2007
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Card, John A. II
• Primary Examiner(s): FLYNN, RANDY A
• Application Number:
  US11/957,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20090158313A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,703 Days
• Field of Search: 725/25, 725 27- 29, 725 34- 35, 725/26
• US Class Current: 725/29
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306

Abstract

A video control system for displaying video products within a current viewing context is designed to receive, via a broadcast communication, a video product and product information for the video product. The product information includes an intended viewing context for the video product. The video control system processes the product information and filters the video product based on a comparison of the intended viewing context and the current viewing context.

Claims

1. A method of operating a video control system for displaying video products within a current viewing context, the method comprising:

receiving a video product via a broadcast communication at the video control system;

receiving product information for the video product at the video control system;

processing the product information at the video control system to determine an intended local viewing time for the video product based upon the product information, wherein the intended local viewing time indicates a time of day during which the video product is intended to be viewed as initially produced by a video producer that created a content rating for the video product; and

filtering the video product at the video control system based on a comparison of a first stringency of rating content at the intended local viewing time and a second stringency of rating content at a current time.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the intended local viewing time depends upon a time zone in which the video product is intended to be viewed and the current time depends upon a time zone in which the video control system is located.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the filtering of the video product based on the comparison of the first stringency of rating content at the intended local viewing time and the second stringency of rating content at the current viewing time includes blocking the video product if the intended local viewing time is a late in the day viewing hour and the current time is an earlier in the day viewing hour.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising filtering the video product based on a comparison of an intended viewing location determined based upon the product information and a current location.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the product information indicates a rating for the video product and wherein the method further comprises:

filtering the video product based on a comparison of the rating for the viewing product and a rating criteria.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the rating identifies a content label and an intended audience.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast communication comprises a satellite broadcast communication.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast communication comprises a cable broadcast communication.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the broadcast communication comprises a terrestrial broadcast communication.

10. A video control system comprising:

a receive interface configured to receive a video product via a broadcast communication, and to receive product information for the video product; and

a control interface configured to receive control commands from a user;

processing circuitry electrically coupled to the receive interface and the control interface, including filtering software and storage media, and configured to process the product information to determine an intended local viewing time for the video product, and to filter the video product based on a comparison of a first stringency of rating content at the intended local viewing time and a second stringency of rating content at a current time, and

wherein the intended local viewing time indicates a time of day during which the video product is intended to be viewed as initially produced by a video producer that created a content rating for the video product.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a transmit interface electrically coupled to the processing circuitry, configured to receive filtered video product from the processing circuitry and to send a video signal to a user.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the processing circuitry is also configured to block the video product if a current viewing context does not satisfy an intended viewing context indicated by the product information.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the intended viewing context comprises a region, wherein the current viewing context comprises a current location, and wherein the processing circuitry is also configured to block the video product if the current location is not within the region.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the product information indicates a rating for the video product and wherein the processing circuitry is also configured to filter the video product based on a comparison of the rating for the viewing product and a rating criteria.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein the rating identifies a content label and an intended audience.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the broadcast communication comprises a satellite broadcast communication.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the broadcast communication comprises a cable broadcast communication.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the broadcast communication comprises a terrestrial broadcast communication.

19. The system of claim 10 wherein the intended local viewing time depends on a time zone in which the video product is intended to be viewed and the current time depends on a time zone in which the video control system is located.

20. The system of claim 10 wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to block the video product if the intended local viewing time is a late in the day viewing hour and the current time is an earlier in the day viewing hour.