IP Library › Granted Patent US 8,245,250
Granted Patent B2
US 8,245,250 · App. 10/898,025 · Granted Aug 14, 2012

Television schedule system with access control

View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,245,250
App. No.
10/898,025
Granted
Aug 14, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

The present invention is directed to a television schedule system with a user interface which allows a user to control access to television programs by time, rating, content, and/or channel. Furthermore, the user may set a limit on pay-per-view (PPV) spending to limit the purchase of PPV programs.

Claims (72)

1. A method of exercising access control over programs comprising:

receiving a user request, with an input device, to schedule a program for recording at a future time;

entering, with the input device, a criterion for blocking programs; and

determining, with a processor, that the program scheduled for recording meets the blocking criterion;

wherein:

if a program that meets the blocking criterion has been scheduled for recording before the entering of the blocking criterion, the program that meets the blocking criterion is not blocked; and

if a program is to be scheduled for recording after the entering of the blocking criterion and meets the blocking criterion, the program to be scheduled that meets the blocking criterion is blocked.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering a criterion comprises:

displaying on a display screen a list of criteria; and

selecting, with the input device, the criterion to enter from the list of criteria.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering a criterion comprises:

storing, in the processor, a first password;

displaying on a display screen a prompt to the viewer to enter a password;

displaying on the display screen a list of criteria if the viewer inputs a password that matches the first password responsive to the prompt;

selecting, with the input device, the criterion to enter from the list of criteria;

removing the list of criteria from the display screen after the criterion has been entered; and

preventing selection of another criterion until a matching password is input.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering a criterion comprises entering, with the input device, a program rating.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering a criterion comprises entering, with the input device, a channel identification.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising displaying a lock symbol next to the channel identification in program listings.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering a criterion comprises entering, with the input device, a time period.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein entering a criterion comprises entering, with the input device, a spending limit for pay-per-view programs.

9. A parental control system comprising:

a display screen;

an input device for receiving a user request to schedule a program for recording and for entering a criterion for blocking programs; and

a processor for determining that the program scheduled for recording meets the blocking criterion;

wherein:

if a program that meets the blocking criterion has been scheduled for recording before the entering of the blocking criterion, the program that meets the blocking criterion is not blocked; and

if a program is to be scheduled for recording after the entering of the blocking criterion and meets the blocking criterion, the program to be scheduled that meets the blocking criterion is blocked.

10. The system of claim 9 , in which a display processor displays on the display screen a list of criteria and the processor processes a selected criterion from the list of criteria.

11. The system of claim 9 , in which:

a display processor displays on the display screen a list of criteria; and

the processor stores a first password, processes a selected criterion from the list of criteria, and prevents selection of another criterion until a password matching the first password is entered.

12. The system of claim 9 , in which the input device enters a program rating as a criterion.

13. The system of claim 9 , in which the input device enters a channel identification as a criterion.

14. The system of claim 13 , in which a display processor displays a lock symbol next to the channel identification in program listings.

15. The system of claim 9 , in which the input device enters a time period as a criterion.

16. The system of claim 9 , in which the input device enters a spending limit for pay-per-view programs as a criterion.

17. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing, with the processor, a password;

receiving, with the input device, a viewer request to schedule a second program for recording, wherein the second program meets the blocking criterion;

prompting, with the display processor, the viewer to enter a password in response to receiving the viewer request to schedule the second program for recording;

receiving, with the input device, a viewer input in response to the prompting; and

scheduling, with the processor, the second program for recording if the viewer input matches the defined password.

18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising blocking, with the processor, programs that meet the blocking criterion in response to the entering of the criterion.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the blocking does not block the recording of the program scheduled for recording.

20. The method of claim 18 , wherein the blocking occurs after the warning has been displayed for a predetermined period of time.

21. The system of claim 9 , wherein:

the processor further defines a password;

the input device further receives a viewer request to schedule a second program for recording, wherein the second program meets the blocking criterion;

a display processor displays a prompt to the viewer to enter a password in response to receiving the viewer request to schedule the second program for recording; and

the processor further receives a viewer input in response to the prompting and schedules the second program for recording if the viewer input matches the defined password.

22. The system of claim 9 , in which the processor blocks programs that meet the blocking criterion in response to the entering of the criterion.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the blocking does not block the recording of the program scheduled for recording.

24. The system of claim 22 , in which the processor blocks the programs after the warning has been displayed for a predetermined period of time.

25. A method of exercising access control over television programs comprising:

receiving a user request, with an input device, to schedule a program for recording at a future time;

receiving, with the input device, a criterion for blocking programs; and

determining, with a processor, that the program scheduled for recording meets the blocking criterion;

wherein:

if a program that meets the blocking criterion has been scheduled for recording before the entering of the blocking criterion, the program that meets the blocking criterion is not blocked; and

if a program is to be scheduled for recording after the entering of the blocking criterion and meets the blocking criterion, the program to be scheduled that meets the blocking criterion is blocked.

26. A parental control system comprising:

a display screen;

an input device for receiving a user request to schedule a program for recording at a future time and for receiving a criterion for blocking programs; and

a processor for determining that the program scheduled for recording meets the blocking criterion;

wherein:

if a program that meets the blocking criterion has been scheduled for recording before the entering of the blocking criterion, the program that meets the blocking criterion is not blocked; and

if a program is to be scheduled for recording after the entering of the blocking criterion and meets the blocking criterion, the program to be scheduled that meets the blocking criterion is blocked.

27. The method of claim 1 , wherein blocking a program that meets the blocking criterion and is scheduled for recording after the blocking criterion is entered comprises requesting a viewer to input a password before recording the program.

28. The method of claim 1 , wherein blocking a program that meets the blocking criterion and is scheduled for recording after the blocking criterion is entered comprises requesting a viewer to input a password before displaying the program.

29. The method of claim 1 , further comprising displaying, with a display processor, a warning to warn a viewer that the program scheduled for recording meets the blocking criterion.

Assignments (8)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
MERGER Recorded Jan 6, 2015
From: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034642/0246 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2012
From: CASEMENT, MARCY; BURGESS, ANDREW; FOLKER, DAVID
To: STARSIGHT TELECAST, INCORPORATED
Reel/Frame 028978/0404 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →