System and method for managing access to TV channels and shows
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsCary L. Bates, Gilford F. Martino, John M. Santosuosso, Vincent T. Timon III
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system and method is provided for controlling selection of channels and shows for viewing. A program selection device, such as a set top box, is programmed to maintain a channel list and a show list, with the channel list containing for each of a plurality of channels the allowed and actual time of viewing and the show list containing for each show the allowed and actual time of viewing. The show list may also include a rating value for each show. The channel list and show list are accessed for selectively controlling whether or not a particular channel or show is to be presented for viewing by a user.
Claims41
A method for controlling viewing of channels and shows, comprising the steps of:
- maintaining in a channel list for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- maintaining in a show list for each of plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual show viewing time;
- and
- responsive to selection of a channel by a viewer, accessing said channel list and said show list for selectively inhibiting viewing of the show being presented on said channel.
A method for selecting channels for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel switch event, switching channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- and
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A method for selecting shows for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel switch event, switching channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A method for selecting channels and shows for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel switch event, switching channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A method for selecting channels for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel change event, selectively incrementing or decrementing channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- and
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A method for selecting shows for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel change event, selectively incrementing or decremeting channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A method for selecting channels and shows for viewing, comprising the steps of:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel change event, selectively incrementing or decrementing channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
System for controlling viewing of channels and shows, comprising:
- a television display;
- programmable apparatus for selecting television channels for viewing and including a channel list and a show list;
- said channel list for maintaining for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- said show list for maintaining for each of plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual show viewing time;
- and
- programmable controls responsive to selection of a channel by a viewer for accessing said channel list and said show list for selectively inhibiting viewing of a show being presented on said channel.
A set top box system for controlling viewing of channels and shows, comprising:
- a television display;
- a timer;
- a channel list;
- a show list;
- programmable apparatus for selecting television channels for viewing and including a channel list and a show list;
- said programmable apparatus being operable for initializing said channel list to include for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time;
- said programmable apparatus being operable for initializing said show list to include for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time;
- said programmable apparatus being operable responsive to a channel change event for selectively incrementing or decrementing channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- said programmable apparatus being operable responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list for incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer;
- and
- said programmable apparatus being operable responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list for incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for controlling viewing of channels and shows, said method steps comprising:
- maintaining in a channel list for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- maintaining in a show list for each of plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual show viewing time;
- and
- responsive to selection of a channel by a viewer, accessing said channel list and said show list for selectively inhibiting viewing of the show being presented on said channel.
A computer program product or computer program element for controlling viewing of channels and shows according to method steps comprising:
- maintaining in a channel list for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- maintaining in a show list for each of plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual show viewing time;
- and
- responsive to selection of a channel by a viewer, accessing said channel list and said show list for selectively inhibiting viewing of the show being presented on said channel.
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for selecting channels for viewing, said method steps comprising:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel switch event, switching channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- and
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for selecting shows for viewing, said method steps comprising:
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel switch event, switching channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for selecting channels and shows for viewing, said method steps comprising:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel switch event, switching channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for selecting channels and shows for viewing, said method steps comprising:
- initializing a channel list including for each of a plurality of channels allowed channel viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- initializing a show list including for each of a plurality of shows allowed show viewing time and actual channel viewing time;
- starting a timer;
- responsive to a channel change event, selectively incrementing or decrementing channels from a past channel to a new channel;
- responsive to said past channel being included in said channel list, incrementing said actual channel viewing time by the current value of said timer;
- and
- responsive to the show viewed on said past channel being included in said show list, incrementing said actual show viewing time by the current value of said timer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.