Patent ID: 7921440
Filing Date: 2011-04-05
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for managing content viewing on a display in a television environment, comprising: receiving at a set top box an indication of values that correspond to a plurality of viewing budget parameters for program content available for viewing, the parameters including a time length of the content and a genre of the program content available for viewing, the indication of values being received from a headend device; receiving at the set top box budget allotment conditions including a restriction on access to content based on the genre of the content and a time allotment for the genre of the program content available for viewing; storing at the set top box the received viewing budget parameter values for use in offsetting against a viewing budget for a display device; and upon receiving an indication at the set top box that a selected content is requested for viewing on the display device, wherein the selected content is a program for presenting on a television,