Customizing DVR functionality
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving identities of content items;
during times that a device is in a first operational mode, (a) preventing the device from presenting particular content items that are associated with the identities, while (b) allowing the device to obtain and store any of the particular content items;
during times that the device is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to schedule a recording of a first content item, determining whether the recording of the first content item will conflict with a previously scheduled recording of a second content item;
in response to determining that the recording of the first content item will conflict with the recording of the second content item, determining whether the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the device was not in the first mode; and
in response to determining that the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the device was not in the first mode, preventing the recording of the first content item from being scheduled.
9 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques described herein enable parents to establish a child-protective “kids zone” on a DVR. According to one technique, a DVR receives, from a parent, identities of content items that the parent does not want children to view. The DVR maps the identities to a kids zone. During times that the DVR is set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR prevents itself from presenting any content items that are associated with the identities. However, during these times, the DVR still may obtain and store these content items. At other times, during which the DVR is not set to operate in the kids zone operational mode, the DVR may allow itself to present the content items that are associated with the identities, including content items that the DVR obtained and stored during times that the DVR was set to operate in the kids zone operational mode.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving identities of content items; during times that a device is in a first operational mode, (a) preventing the device from presenting particular content items that are associated with the identities, while (b) allowing the device to obtain and store any of the particular content items; during times that the device is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to schedule a recording of a first content item, determining whether the recording of the first content item will conflict with a previously scheduled recording of a second content item; in response to determining that the recording of the first content item will conflict with the recording of the second content item, determining whether the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the device was not in the first mode; and in response to determining that the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the device was not in the first mode, preventing the recording of the first content item from being scheduled. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An apparatus comprising:
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a module for receiving identities of content items; and an operations module that, during times that the apparatus is in a first operational mode, (a) prevents the apparatus from presenting particular content items that are associated with the identities, while (b) allows the apparatus to obtain and store any of the particular content items; wherein the operations module, during times that the apparatus is in the first operational mode, in response to a command to schedule a recording of a first content item, determines whether the recording of the first content item will conflict with a previously scheduled recording of a second content item; wherein the operations module, upon determining that the recording of the first content item will conflict with the recording of the second content item, determines whether the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the apparatus was not in the first mode; and wherein the operations module, upon determining that the recording of the second content item was scheduled during a time that the apparatus was not in the first mode, prevents the recording of the first content item from being scheduled. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A method comprising:
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while a digital video recorder (DVR) is in a children'"'"'s mode, receiving a command to record of a television program; determining whether the recording of the television program will conflict with a previously scheduled recording; in response to determining that the recording of the television program will conflict with the previously scheduled recording, determining whether the previously scheduled recording was requested while the DVR was in an unrestricted mode; and in response to determining that the previously scheduled recording was requested while the DVR was in the unrestricted mode, and that the command was received while the DVR was in the children'"'"'s mode, preventing the recording of the television program from being scheduled.
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Specification