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Television schedule system with access control

  • US 9,414,119 B2
  • Filed: 10/25/2011
  • Issued: 08/09/2016
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1996
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method of limiting a number of times viewers must enter passwords when applying parental controls that control access to television programs, the method comprising:

  • receiving, via a data stream, television schedule information for a plurality of television programs;

    generating for display, on a television, television program listings based on the television schedule information for the plurality of television programs;

    receiving, via an input device, a viewer request to schedule a television program for automatic, unattended recording, wherein the television program is scheduled for transmission on a channel;

    after receiving the viewer request to schedule the television program for automatic, unattended recording, receiving, via the input device, a viewer request to block the channel;

    in response to receiving the viewer request to block the channel, storing a record of a block on the channel;

    without further user input, comparing the record to television schedule information for the television program to determine that the channel on which the television program is scheduled for automatic, unattended recording is blocked; and

    without requiring a viewer to enter a password to confirm the automatic, unattended recording of the television program, not blocking the scheduled recording of the television program.

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