Patent ID: 7540009
Filing Date: 2009-05-26
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for using pre-existing tagging in programming, that may include television programming, and establishing personalized tag alerts for said programming, comprising: accepting a plurality of first user inputs for selecting classes of objectionable content, wherein said selected classes of objectionable content may include objectionable images, objectionable suggestive solicitation, objectionable violence, objectionable adult content, and objectionable language; accepting a second user input for determining a desired action for each of said first user inputs, wherein said desired action includes at least one of: outputting a notice of an upcoming said tagged scene, playing a tagged scene, skipping said tagged scene, outputting a written alert prior to said tagged scene, displaying a warning icon for said tagged scene prior to said tagged scene, and altering content of said tagged scene, wherein a tagged scene may comprise a single frame; storing a mapping of said first user input to said second user input; calculating a valid forewarn range time based on data that may include the data transmission speed of the devices used and the time length of said tagged frames and said tagged scenes; prompting said user to choose a time interval based on said calculated forewarn range time; accepting a third user input for determining a desired time interval for outputting a notice of an upcoming said tagged scene prior to the playing of said tagged scene; reading said pre-existing tagging in said programming, wherein said reading is frame-by-frame or scene-by-scene; matching said pre-existing tags with one of said first user inputs; outputting a pre-review display to the user, performing said desired action with regard to said programming matched with said second user input, mapped in said database to said first user input, and matched to said pre-existing tag, wherein said tag alerts and said user inputs may be implemented through a device separate from a television set, including a remote controlled device, or with embedded software within a cable or satellite television hosting environment.