Automatic "Spoiler" Prevention
AssigneeEldon Technology Limited
InventorsKevin Thornberry, Peter Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Control of output of programme content from an apparatus including a receiver for receiving programme content and an output includes storing one or more dependencies and determining whether a programme to be output by the apparatus has any dependencies associated with it. The dependencies may be indicative of whether the content of a given programme is dependent upon the content of one or more other programmes. If the programme to be output by the apparatus has any dependencies associated with it, the output of the programme content by the apparatus may impaired based on the dependencies. A corresponding apparatus and computer programme are also provided.
Claims20
A method for controlling the output of programme content from an apparatus comprising a receiver for receiving programme content and an output, the method comprising the steps of:
- storing at least one dependency, the at least one dependency being indicative of whether the content of a given programme is dependent upon the content of at least one other programme;
- determining whether a programme to be output by the apparatus has any dependencies associated with it;
- and
- if the programme to be output has any dependencies associated with it, impairing the output of the programme content by the apparatus based on the dependencies.
An apparatus for outputting programme content, the apparatus comprising:
- at least one input for receiving programme content;
- at least one output for providing programme content to a display device;
- a memory for storing dependencies indicative of whether content of a given programme is dependent upon content of at least one other programme;
- a processor configured to determine whether a programme to be output by the apparatus has any dependencies associated with it;
- and
- a restriction circuit for impairing the output of programme content based on the dependencies associated with the programme to be output.
A computer program product, comprising:
- a first set of instructions, stored in at least one non-transitory storage medium, executable by at least one processing unit to store at least one dependency, the at least one dependency being indicative of whether the content of a given programme is dependent upon the content of at least one other programme;
- a second set of instructions, stored in the at least one non-transitory storage medium, executable by the at least one processing unit to determine whether a programme to be output by the apparatus has any dependencies associated with it;
- and
- a third set of instructions, stored in the at least one non-transitory storage medium, executable by the at least one processing unit to if the programme to be output has any dependencies associated with it, impair the output of the programme content by the apparatus based on the dependencies.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.