Systems and methods for media detection and filtering using a parental control logging application

• US 9,204,193 B2
• Filed: 05/14/2010
• Issued: 12/01/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Luong, Shiang
• Primary Examiner(s): IDOWU, OLUGBENGA O
• Application Number:
  US12/780,656
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283311A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,027 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 21, 725/25
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/414 Specialised client platforms, e.g. receiver in car or embedded in a mobile appliance
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/4542 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time

Abstract

Systems and methods for accessing parental control features are provided in accordance with various embodiments. Log entries associated with a set of media assets are retrieved from a log data store. Each log entry defines an attempt to access a media asset and includes information identifying the media asset. The log entries may be presented on a display screen and a user selection of a log entry may be received. In response to the user selection, parental control settings assigned to the media asset associated with the selected log entry may be determined. A user may be allowed to modify the parental control settings assigned to the media asset associated with the selected log entry, and the modified parental control settings may be stored in a parental control data store.

Claims

1. A method for accessing parental control features, comprising:

retrieving a plurality of log entries for a device associated with a plurality of media assets from a log data store, wherein a first log entry of the plurality of log entries defines an unsuccessful attempt to access a first media asset of the plurality of media assets and includes information identifying the first media asset, and a second log entry of the plurality of log entries defines a completed successful attempt to access a second media asset of the plurality of media assets and includes information identifying the second media asset;

generating for display a user interface that presents the plurality of log entries for the device to a user;

receiving a first user selection of a first selectable option corresponding to the second log entry of the plurality of log entries to access parental control settings of the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry of the plurality of log entries;

determining parental control settings assigned to the second media asset based on receiving the first user selection;

generating for display a second selectable option to modify the parental control settings;

receiving a second user selection of the second selectable option; and

applying the parental control settings as modified based on the second user selection, wherein the applying comprises storing the modified parental control settings in a parental control data store and wherein the modified parental control settings restrict access to the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry in the future.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of media assets has one of a plurality of different media types, wherein the plurality of different media types comprises a television program, a program listing, internet content, video content, audio content, an interactive game, a mobile application, and an advertisement.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

identifying, other media assets related to the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry based on receiving a third user selection; and

applying the modified parental control settings to the other media assets.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein identifying other media assets related to the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry comprises identifying only other media assets that have a same media type as the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the parental control data store comprises parental control information associated with a plurality of restricted users;

each of the plurality of log entries further includes information identifying one of the plurality of restricted users associated with an attempt to access a media asset of the plurality of media assets;

the parental control settings are determined from the parental control information associated with the restricted user identified in the second log entry; and

applying the modified parental control settings comprises updating the parental control information associated with the restricted user identified in the second log entry to incorporate the modified parental control settings.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

identifying, in response to a third user selection, one or more of the plurality of restricted users other than the restricted user identified in the second log entry; and

updating the parental control information associated with the one or more restricted users in the parental control data store to incorporate the modified parental control settings.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising allowing the user to monitor activities of one or more restricted users in real time.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein allowing the user to monitor the activities of the one or more restricted users in real time comprises generating a display of a video stream of media assets currently accessed by the one or more restricted users.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein allowing the user to monitor the activities of the one or more restricted users in real time comprises providing an alert each time the one or more restricted users attempts to access a restricted media asset.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first log entry of the plurality of log entries further includes information identifying access restrictions imposed during the unsuccessful attempt to access the first media asset, and wherein the user interface further presents the imposed access restrictions together with the first log entry.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the information identifying the first or second media asset includes at least one of a title, an artist, an album, a rating, a genre, a theme, a category, a keyword, a metadata term, a channel, an owner, a link, a unique identification code, a graphic, cover art, a trailer, an audio or video clip, and a sponsor.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the parental control settings include at least one of a setting to block the second media asset, a setting to permit the second media asset, a setting to filter the second media asset, a setting to flag the second media asset, a setting to provide an alert when an attempt is made to access the second media asset, and a setting to require approval to access the second media asset.

13. A parental control system comprising:

a log data store that includes a plurality of log entries for a device associated with a plurality of media assets, wherein a first log entry of the plurality of log entries defines an unsuccessful attempt to access a first media asset of the plurality of media assets and includes information identifying the first media asset, and a second log entry of the plurality of log entries defines a completed successful attempt to access a second media asset of the plurality of media assets and includes information identifying the second media asset;

a parental control data store that includes parental control information, wherein the parental control information restricts access to the plurality of media assets; and

processing circuitry configured to;

generate for display a user interface that presents the plurality of log entries for the device to a user, wherein the log entries are retrieved from the log data store;

receive a first user selection of a first selectable option corresponding to the second log entry of the plurality of log entries to access parental control settings of the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry of the plurality of log entries;

determine parental control settings assigned to the second media asset based on receiving the first user selection, wherein the parental control settings are received from the parental control data store;

generating for display a second selectable option to modify the parental control settings;

receiving a second user selection of the second selectable option;

and

apply the parental control settings as modified based on the second user selection, wherein applying the modified parental control settings comprises storing the modified parental control settings in the parental control data store and wherein the modified parental control settings restrict access to the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry in the future.

14. The parental control system of claim 13, wherein each of the plurality of media assets has one of a plurality of different media types, wherein the plurality of different media types comprises a television program, a program listing, internet content, video content, audio content, an interactive game, a mobile application, and an advertisement.

15. The parental control system of claim 14, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

identify other media assets related to the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry based on receiving a third user selection; and

apply the modified parental control settings to the other media assets.

16. The parental control system of claim 15, wherein the processing circuitry identifies only other media assets that have a same media type as the second media asset corresponding to the second log entry.

17. The parental control system of claim 13, wherein:

the parental control information comprises parental control information associated with a plurality of restricted users;

each of the plurality of log entries further includes information identifying one of the plurality of restricted users associated with an attempt to access a media asset of the plurality of media assets;

the processing circuitry determines the parental control settings from the parental control information associated with the restricted user identified in the second log entry; and

the processing circuitry applies the modified parental control settings by updating the parental control information associated with the restricted user identified in the second log entry to incorporate the modified parental control settings.

18. The parental control system of claim 17, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

identify, in response to a third user selection, one or more of the plurality of restricted users other than the restricted user identified in the second log entry; and

update the parental control information associated with the one or more restricted users in the parental control data store to incorporate the modified parental control settings.

19. The parental control system of claim 13, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to allow the user to monitor activities of one or more restricted users in real time.

20. The parental control system of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry allows the user to monitor the activities of the one or more restricted users in real time by generating a display of a video stream of media assets currently accessed by the one or more restricted users.

21. The parental control system of claim 19, wherein the processing circuitry allows the user to monitor the activities of the one or more restricted users in real time by providing an alert each time the one or more restricted users attempts to access a restricted media asset.

22. The parental control system of claim 13, wherein the first log entry of the plurality of log entries further includes information identifying access restrictions imposed during the unsuccessful attempt to access the first media asset, and wherein the user interface further presents the imposed access restrictions together with the first log entry.

23. The parental control system of claim 13, wherein the information identifying the first or second media asset includes at least one of a title, an artist, an album, a rating, a genre, a theme, a category, a keyword, a metadata term, a channel, an owner, a link, a unique identification code, a graphic, cover art, a trailer, an audio or video clip, and a sponsor.

24. The parental control system of claim 13, wherein the parental control settings include at least one of a setting to block the second media asset, a setting to permit the second media asset, a setting to filter the second media asset, a setting to flag the second media asset, a setting to provide an alert when an attempt is made to access the second media asset, and a setting to require approval to access the second media asset.