Patent ID: 6125259
Filing Date: 2000-09-26
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
A method of selectively inhibiting television receiving apparatus from displaying those channels which are not authorized for viewing, comprising the steps of:storing channel authorization codes associated with channels that are receivable by said television receiving apparatus, said authorization codes indicating whether television programs transmitted on a channel are authorized to be received by said television receiving apparatus;selecting a next channel to display a television program that is received on said next channel in response to a user input;reading the authorization code associated with said next channel to determine if said next channel is authorized for viewing;inhibiting said television receiving apparatus from displaying the television program on said next channel and automatically selecting another channel that is authorized for viewing if it is determined that said next channel is not authorized for viewing, and displaying the television program on said other channel; anddisplaying the television program on said next channel if it is determined that said next channel is authorized for viewing.