Content filtering for a digital audio signal

An article, comprising:

• a storage medium having stored thereon instructions that when executed by a machine result in the following:
• receiving an original digital audio block associated with a television signal and one of a plurality of content providers;
• translating the original digital audio block into a set of words, each word being associated with an offset value and a duration value;
• determining that at least one of the words is included in a set of prohibited words, wherein the determining is based on the one of a plurality of content providers, and
• wherein each of plurality of content providers is associated with a respective set of prohibited words;
• and
• facilitating removal of the prohibited word from the original digital audio block using the offset value and the duration value, wherein said facilitating includes, based on the offset value and the duration value, replacing a portion of the original digital audio block with a plurality of consecutive replacement portions, each replacement portion having a pre-defined duration and the number of replacement portions being based on the duration value, to create a modified digital audio block.

An apparatus, comprising:

• an input line to receive an original digital audio block associated with a television signal and one of a plurality of content providers;
• a translating unit to convert the original digital audio block into a set of words, each word being associated with an offset value and a duration value;
• and
• a content filter processing unit to (i) determine that at least one of the words is included in a set of prohibited words, wherein the determining is based on the one of a plurality of content providers, and wherein each of plurality of content providers is associated with a respective set of prohibited words and (ii) facilitate removal of the prohibited word from the original digital audio block using the offset value and the duration value, wherein said removal includes, based on the offset value and the duration value, replacing a portion of the original digital audio block with a plurality of consecutive replacement portions, each replacement portion having a pre-defined duration and the number of replacement portions being based on the duration value, to create a modified digital audio block.

A system, comprising:

• an input line to receive an original digital audio block associated with a television signal and one of a plurality of content providers;
• a translating unit to convert the original digital audio block into a set of words, each word being associated with an offset value and a duration value;
• a content filter processing unit to (i) determine that at least one of the words is included in a set of prohibited words, wherein determining is based on the one of a plurality of content providers, and wherein each of plurality of content providers is associated with a respective set of prohibited words and (ii) facilitate removal of the prohibited word from the original digital audio block using the offset value and the duration value, wherein said removal includes, based on the offset value and the duration value, replacing a portion of the original digital audio block with a plurality of consecutive replacement portions, each replacement portion having a pre-defined duration and the number of replacement portions being based on the duration value, to create a modified digital audio block;
• a digital output line to provide a digital television signal;
• and
• an analog output line to provide an analog television signal.