INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM WITH TITLE AND DESCRIPTION BLOCKING
A system is provided in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment. Potentially objectionable material such as the titles and descriptions of adult programs may be blocked. When adult program listing blocking is invoked, the program guide replaces adult program listings with unobjectionable material such as a blank region, a generic unobjectionable program listing, or an unobjectionable title based on the channel being blocked. The user may invoke blocking of titles, descriptions, or both titles or descriptions. Blocking may be based on the rating of the program listings. Access may be provided to blocked program listings by entering a parental control code. The user may temporarily disable adult program listing blocking. The user may also set parental control locks for any type of potentially objectionable programming and may temporarily disable such locks.
1 - 74 . (canceled)
75 . A method for using an interactive television program guide system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment of a user, comprising:
providing program listings to the interactive television program guide, wherein at least some of the program listings contain potentially objectionable program listings information for programs; and
replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information for the programs using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the potentially objectionable program listings information, wherein the unobjectionable program listings information for each of the programs includes a generic unobjectionable title or generic unobjectionable description for that program.
76 . The method defined in claim 75 wherein the potentially objectionable program listings information includes adult program titles and wherein replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide comprises replacing the adult program titles in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the adult program titles.
77 . The method defined in claim 75 wherein the potentially objectionable program listings information includes adult program descriptions and wherein replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide comprises replacing the adult program descriptions in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the adult program descriptions.
78 . The method defined in claim 75 wherein the potentially objectionable program listings information includes adult program titles and descriptions and wherein replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide comprises replacing the adult program titles and descriptions in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the adult program titles and descriptions.
79 . The method defined in claim 75 further comprising receiving the potentially objectionable program listings information and the unobjectionable program listings information from a remote facility.
80 . An interactive television program guide system in which an interactive television program guide is implemented on user television equipment of a user, comprising:
means for providing program listings to the interactive television program guide, wherein at least some of the program listings contain potentially objectionable program listings information for programs; and
means for replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information for the programs using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the potentially objectionable program listings information, wherein the unobjectionable program listings information for each of the programs includes a generic unobjectionable title or generic unobjectionable description for that program.
81 . The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 80 wherein the potentially objectionable program listings information includes adult program titles and wherein the means for replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide comprises means for replacing the adult program titles in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the adult program titles.
82 . The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 80 wherein the potentially objectionable program listings information includes adult program descriptions and wherein the means for replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide comprises means for replacing the adult program descriptions in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the adult program descriptions.
83 . The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 80 wherein the potentially objectionable program listings information includes adult program titles and descriptions and wherein the means for replacing the potentially objectionable program listings information in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide comprises means for replacing the adult program titles and descriptions in the program listings with unobjectionable program listings information using the interactive television program guide so that when the interactive television program guide displays the program listings the unobjectionable program listings information is displayed in place of the adult program titles and descriptions.
84 . The interactive television program guide system defined in claim 80 further comprising means for receiving the potentially objectionable program listings information and the unobjectionable program listings information from a remote facility.