Programmable channel regulating cable television controller

• US 5,465,113 A
• Filed: 12/13/1993
• Issued: 11/07/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/13/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: American Telephone & Telegraph Company (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gilboy, Christopher P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey, David E.
• Application Number:
  US08/165,623
• Time in Patent Office: 694 Days
• Field of Search: 348/5.5, 348/460, 348/473, 348/906, 348/5, 348/6, 348/10, 455/26.1, 455/3.1, 455/6.2
• US Class Current: 725/29
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 7/10 Adaptations for transmission by electrical cable H04N7/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/167 Systems rendering the television signal unintelligible and subsequently intelligible

Abstract

The programmable cable controller in accordance with the invention is adapted to accept a time limit and a time period which are input by a viewer. A channel timer is provided to track the display time of the cable television channel and, upon reaching the preset time limit, display of the cable channel is blocked. The channel timer is reinitialized upon expiration of the preset time period. The programmable cable controller is also adapted to receive cable television programming listings and a viewer'"'"'s programming preferences and to store them in memory. The viewer'"'"'s programming preferences are applied to the cable television programming listings to produce a redacted listing of television programming which may be displayed on the television set.

Claims

1. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller, comprising:

means for setting a time limit to be applied to the display of a cable television channel designated by a user and selected from a plurality of available cable television channels on a remotely located television set;

means for setting a time period during which said time limit is to be applied;

a channel timer for storing the amount of time available for display of said user designated cable television channel;

means for decrementing said channel timer in accordance with the amount of time said cable television channel is displayed;

means for disabling the display of said user designated cable television channel on said remotely located television set and for displaying a message for the viewer when said amount of time available for display reaches zero without disabling any other of said plurality of available cable television channels;

means for reininitializing said channel timer upon expiration of said time period; and

means for simultaneous display of a channel number associated with said user designated cable television channel, said time limit and said time period on said remotely located television set.

2. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1 further comprising means to prevent unauthorized changes in said time limit, said time period and said user designated cable television channel.

3. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for setting an activation time for said channel timer.

4. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying a message on said remotely located television set indicating that said time available for display has reached zero.

5. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1, wherein said time limit may be applied to a plurality of said available cable television channels.

6. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for storing said amount of time available for display of said user designated cable television channel in a memory.

7. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1, further comprising means for displaying said time available for display on said remotely located television set.

8. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 1 further comprising

means for receiving cable television programming listings from a source of cable television programming listings, said cable television programming listings;

means for entering a plurality of keywords corresponding to a viewer'"'"'s programming preferences;

a memory for storing said cable television programming listings, said plurality of keywords and said viewer'"'"'s programming preferences;

means for matching said plurality of keywords with said cable television programming lightings to generate a redacted listing of cable television programming reflecting said viewer'"'"'s programming preferences; and

means for displaying said redacted listing on a television set.

9. A programmable channel regulating cable television controller according to claim 8, wherein said means for entering a plurality of keywords corresponding to a viewer'"'"'s programming preferences further comprises means for sequencing through the alphabet to create said plurality of keywords.