Television schedule system with access control

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.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A method of exercising television access control, the method comprising:
 receiving a viewer request to schedule a television program for recording, wherein the television program is scheduled for transmission on a channel;   receiving a viewer request to block the channel;   displaying a warning, in response to receiving the viewer request to block the channel, to warn the viewer that the television program is scheduled for recording on the channel to be blocked; and   blocking the channel in response to receiving the viewer request to block the channel, wherein the blocking does not block the scheduled recording of the television program.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the blocking occurs after the warning has been displayed for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 unblocking the channel when the television program is scheduled for transmission;   tuning to the unblocked channel; and   recording the program.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising reblocking the channel when the recording has finished. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 defining a password;   receiving a viewer request to schedule a second television program for recording, wherein the second television program is scheduled for transmission on the blocked channel;   prompting a viewer to enter a password in response to receiving the viewer request to schedule the second television program for recording;   receiving a viewer input in response to the prompting; and   scheduling the second television program for recording if the viewer input matches the defined password.   
     
     
         7 . A system for exercising television access control, the system comprising:
 a display screen;   an input device configured to receive a viewer request to schedule a television program for recording, wherein the television program is scheduled for transmission on a channel, and to receive a viewer request to block the channel;   a display processor configured to display a warning, in response to receiving the viewer request to block the channel, to warn the viewer that the television program is scheduled for recording on the channel to be blocked; and   a processor configured to block the channel in response to receiving the viewer request to block the channel, wherein the blocking does not block the scheduled recording of the television program.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to block the channel after the warning has been displayed for a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         9 . The, system of  claim 7 , wherein the processor is further configured to unblock the channel when the television program is scheduled for transmission. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a tuner configured to tune to the unblocked channel; and   a recording device configured to record the program.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to reblock the channel when the recording has finished. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the processor is further configured to define a password;   the input device is further configured to receive a viewer request to schedule a second television program for recording, wherein the second television program is scheduled for transmission on the blocked channel;   the display processor is further configured to display a prompt to the viewer to enter a password in response to receiving the viewer request to schedule the second television program for recording; and   the processor is further configured to receive a viewer input in response to the prompting and to schedule the second television program for recording if the viewer input matches the defined password.