Apparatus and method for improved parental control of television use

Abstract

An apparatus and method for parental control of television programs. Program schedule information including program titles are stored in a memory and displayed on a monitor. Compressed code is entered for the programs to be blocked. Alternatively, one or more program titles are selected from the displayed program schedule information for blocking by a parental control circuitry connected to a controller.

1. A system for exercising access control over a television program comprising:
 a memory for storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;  
 a monitor for displaying some of the schedule information including program titles;  
 an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles for viewing a television program represented by the selected program title; and  
 a parental control circuit for blocking the selected television program from being viewed as a function of the television program schedule information.  
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  wherein the television program schedule information comprises a telecast channel, a telecast time and a length of telecast for each of the television programs, and wherein the control circuit acquires control of a channel of a television signal corresponding to a telecast channel of one of the television programs when a telecast time of the television program equals current time, and blocks the channel for a duration equal to the length of the telecast of the television program. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein the control circuit further comprises a second memory for storing the television program schedule information for the selected program title. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the television program schedule information for the selected program title are stored in a second memory in temporal order. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a blocking circuit for blocking a plurality of program scenes from being viewed wherein, an indication of a program scene to be blocked is retrieved from a television signal. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1  further comprising blocking circuit for blocking the display of schedule information on the display monitor for a blocked channel. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6  wherein the input device comprises a remote controller having at least a first key for selectively positioning a cursor on a television program displayed on the monitor, and a second key for selecting the displayed program title. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 1  further comprising a vertical blanking interval decoder for extracting the television program schedule information from a vertical blanking interval portion of a television signal and storing the television program schedule information to the memory. 
     
     
       9. A method for controlling access to television programs comprising the steps of:
 displaying television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs on a monitor;  
 marking a program title from the displayed schedule information; and  
 blocking a television program represented by the marked program title from being displayed on the monitor as a function of the television program schedule information for a selected title.  
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of blocking a plurality of program scenes from being viewed wherein, an indication of a program scene to be blocked is retrieved from a television signal. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  wherein the marking step further comprises the step of selectively positioning a cursor on a displayed television title, and activating an input device for entering the marked program title into a memory. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of extracting the television program schedule information from a vertical blanking interval portion of a television signal and storing the extracted television program schedule information in a memory. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 9  further comprising the step of selectively tuning to a channel of a television signal, and wherein the blocking step further comprises the step of controlling a tuner to block the selectively tuned channel from the monitor. 
     
     
       14. A system for exercising access control over a television program comprising:
 a memory for storing television schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;  
 a monitor for displaying some of the schedule information including program titles;  
 an input device for selecting one of the displayed program titles for viewing a television program represented by the selected program title; and  
 a parental control circuit for blocking a plurality of program scenes from the selected television program from being viewed as a function of information retrieved from a television signal.  
 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 14  further comprising a vertical blanking interval decoder for retrieving information from a vertical blanking interval portion of the television signal and storing the retrieved information in the memory. 
     
     
       16. A method for controlling access to television programs comprising the steps of:
 storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;  
 displaying the television program schedule information including program titles on a monitor;  
 selecting a program title from the displayed schedule information; and  
 blocking a program scene from a television program represented by the selected program title from being displayed on the monitor as a function of the information retrieved from a television signal.  
 
     
     
       17. The method of  claim 16  further comprising the step of extracting the information for blocking program scenes from a vertical blanking interval portion of the television signal and storing the extracted television program schedule information in a memory. 
     
     
       18. A system comprising:
   a television tuner that supplies video signals to a video display; and        a processor configured to block the television tuner from supplying video signals of television programs that meet one or more user selected program content rating criteria to the video display;        said processor being further configured to allow a user to override the blocking of the video signals of television programs that meet the user selected program content rating criteria until the system is shut off.     
     
     
       19. The system of  claim 18  wherein the one or more user selected program content rating criteria comprise a plurality of program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       20. The system of  claim 19  wherein the processor is configured to override the blocking of one or more of the plurality of program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       21. The system of  claim 18  wherein the processor is configured to override the blocking of the display of television programs that meet the user selected program content rating criteria if the user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       22. The system of  claim 18  further comprising:
   a memory in which is stored television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;    
   wherein the processor is configured to block the television tuner based on the television schedule information stored in the memory.   
 
     
     
       23. The system of  claim 18  further comprises a filter wherein the processor is configured to block the television tuner by controlling the operation of the filter. 
     
     
       24. A system comprising:
   a television tuner that supplies video signals to a video display; and        a processor configured to block the television tuner from supplying video signals of television programs that meet one or more of a plurality of user selected program blocking criteria to the video display;        said processor being further configured to allow a user to override the plurality of user selected blocking criteria from being used to block the display of television programs until the system is shut off.     
     
     
       25. The system of  claim 24  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises ratings criteria. 
     
     
       26. The system of  claim 24  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises channels. 
     
     
       27. The system of  claim 24  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises combinations of time and channel. 
     
     
       28. The system of  claim 24  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises combinations of time, channel and length. 
     
     
       29. The system of  claim 24  further comprising:
   a memory in which is stored television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;    
   wherein processor is configured to block the television tuner based on comparisons between the user selected blocking criteria and the television schedule information stored in the memory.   
 
     
     
       30. The system of  claim 24  wherein the processor is configured to override the blocking of the display of television programs that meet the plurality of user selected blocking criteria if the user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       31. The system of  claim 24  further comprises a filter wherein the processor is configured to block the television tuner by controlling the operation of the filter. 
     
     
       32. A system comprising:
   one or more memories that store television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs and one or more viewing restrictions;        a display generator that supplies signals for a display of information for at least one of the television programs from the program schedule information to a video display; and        a processor configured to accept selections of displayed television program information, determine if one or more of the viewing restrictions is met for the selected television program and block the display of the selected television program based on the determination;        said processor being further configured to allow a user to override the blocking of the display of television programs based on one or more of the viewing restrictions and subsequently allowing the user to restore the blocking of the display of television programs based on the overridden viewing restrictions.     
     
     
       33. The system of  claim 32  wherein processor is configured to subsequently allow the user to restore the blocking of the display of television programs by the system being shut off. 
     
     
       34. The system of  claim 32  wherein processor is configured to subsequently allow the user to restore the blocking of the display of television programs by pressing one or more predetermined button on control. 
     
     
       35. The system of  claim 32  wherein at least one of the viewing restrictions comprise one or more television programs selected by a user. 
     
     
       36. The system of  claim 32  wherein at least one of the viewing restrictions comprise program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       37. The system of  claim 32  wherein the processor is configured to override the blocking of the display of television programs if the user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       38. A system comprising:
   means for supplying selective video signals to a video display; and        means for blocking the means for supplying from supplying video signals of television programs that meet one or more user selected program content rating criteria to the video display; and        means for overriding the blocking by the means for blocking of the video signals of television programs that meet the user selected program content rating criteria until the system is shut off.     
     
     
       39. The system of  claim 38  wherein the one or more user selected program content rating criteria comprise a plurality of program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       40. The system of  claim 39  wherein the means for overriding further comprise means for the blocking of one or more of the plurality of program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       41. The system of  claim 38  wherein the means for overriding further comprises means for overriding the blocking of the display of television programs that meet the user selected program content rating criteria if a user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       42. The system of  claim 38  further comprising:
   means for storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;    
   wherein the means for blocking blocks the means for supplying based on the television schedule information stored in the memory.   
 
     
     
       43. A system comprising:
   means for supplying selective video signals to a video display;        means for blocking the means for supplying from supplying video signals to the video display of television programs that meet one or more of a plurality of user selected program blocking criteria; and        means for overriding the blocking by the means for blocking of the video signal of television programs that meet the plurality of user selected blocking criteria from being used to block the display of television programs until the system is shut off.     
     
     
       44. The system of  claim 43  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises ratings criteria. 
     
     
       45. The system of  claim 43  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises channels. 
     
     
       46. The system of  claim 43  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises combinations of time and channel. 
     
     
       47. The system of  claim 43  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises combinations of time, channel and length. 
     
     
       48. The system of  claim 43  further comprising:
   means for storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;    
   wherein the means for blocking blocks the means for supplying based on the television schedule information stored in the memory.   
 
     
     
       49. The system of  claim 43  wherein the means for overriding the display of television programs that meet the plurality of user selected program content rating criteria overrides if a user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       50. A system comprising:
   means for storing television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs and one or more viewing restrictions;        means for generating a display of information for at least one of the television programs from the program schedule information for display on a video display;        means for accepting selections of displayed television program information, determining if one or more of the viewing restrictions is met for the selected television program and blocking the display of the selected television program based on the determination; and        means for overriding the blocking of the display of television programs based on one or more of the viewing restrictions and subsequently allowing the user to restore the blocking of the display of television programs based on the overridden viewing restrictions.     
     
     
       51. The system of  claim 50  wherein the means for overriding further subsequently allows the restoration of the blocking of the display of television programs by the system being shut off. 
     
     
       52. The system of  claim 50  wherein the means for overriding further subsequently allows the restoration of the blocking of the display of television programs by pressing one or more predetermined button on control. 
     
     
       53. The system of  claim 50  wherein at least one of the viewing restrictions comprise one or more television programs selected by a user. 
     
     
       54. The system of  claim 50  wherein at least one of the viewing restrictions comprise program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       55. The system of  claim 50  wherein the means for overriding further comprises means for overriding the blocking of the display of television programs that meet the user selected program content rating criteria if a user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       56. A method comprising:
   supplying selective video signals to a video displays;        blocking the supplying of video signals to the video display of television programs that meet one or more user selected program content rating criteria;        overriding the blocking of television programs that meet the user selected program content rating criteria until the shutting off of a system that displays the television programs.     
     
     
       57. The method of  claim 56  wherein the one or more user selected program content rating criteria comprise a plurality of program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       58. The method of  claim 57  wherein the overriding further comprise blocking of one or more of the plurality of program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       59. The method of  claim 56  wherein the overriding is performed after a user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       60. The method of  claim 56  further comprising:
   storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;    
   wherein the blocking blocks the supplying based on the television schedule information stored in the memory.   
 
     
     
       61. A method comprising:
   supplying selective video signals to a video displays;        blocking the supplying video signals to the video display of television programs that meet one or more of a plurality of user selected program blocking criteria to the video display; and        overriding the blocking of television programs that meet the plurality of user selected blocking criteria from being used to block the display of television programs until the shutting off of a system that displays the television programs.     
     
     
       62. The method of  claim 61  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises ratings criteria. 
     
     
       63. The method of  claim 61  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises channels. 
     
     
       64. The method of  claim 61  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises combinations of time and channel. 
     
     
       65. The method of  claim 61  wherein the program blocking criteria comprises combinations of time, channel and length. 
     
     
       66. The method of  claim 61  further comprising:
   storing television program schedule information including program titles for a plurality of television programs;    
   wherein the blocking blocks the supplying based on the television schedule information stored in the memory.   
 
     
     
       67. The method of  claim 61  wherein the overriding is performed after a user enters a predetermined code. 
     
     
       68. A method comprising:
   storing television program schedule information for a plurality of television programs and one or more viewing restrictions;        generating a display of information for at least one of the television programs from the program schedule information for display on a video display;        accepting selections of displayed television program information, determining if one or more of the viewing restrictions is met for the selected television program and blocking the display of the selected television program based on the determination;        overriding the blocking of the display of television programs based on one or more of the viewing restrictions and subsequently allowing the user to restore the blocking of the display of television programs based on the overridden viewing restrictions.     
     
     
       69. The method of  claim 68  wherein the overriding further subsequently allows the restoration of the blocking of the display of television programs by the shutting off of a system that performs the displaying television programs. 
     
     
       70. The method of  claim 68  wherein the overriding further subsequently allows the restoration of the blocking of the display of television programs by pressing one or more predetermined button on a control. 
     
     
       71. The method of  claim 68  wherein at least one of the viewing restrictions comprise one or more television programs selected by a user. 
     
     
       72. The method of  claim 68  wherein at least one of the viewing restrictions comprise program content rating criteria. 
     
     
       73. The method of  claim 68  wherein the overriding is performed after a user enters a predetermined code.