Abstract:
Example apparatus and methods concern selectively accepting or rejecting content based on ratings identifier information included in the content. Example apparatus and methods facilitate identifying a content fragment (e.g., f-MP4 fragment) to be rejected based on an identifier located in the fragment rather than information located in some external source (e,g., Event Information Table (EIT)). One example method includes identifying a fragment based on a ratings identifier encoded as a universally unique identifier (UUID) in the fragment and then selectively accepting or rejecting the fragment based on the rating. Rather than rely only on a predicted start time, a predicted end time, a predicted source, and a pre determined coarse-grained rating, example apparatus and methods may be better prepared to account for unanticipated start times, ending times, schedule changes, and source changes, and may provide finer grained user control based on ratings carried in content.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The amount and variety of content that is available on television, on the Internet, and via other delivery mechanisms continues to grow. Not all content may be appropriate for all audiences. A user (e.g., parent) may be interested in controlling what content another user (e.g., child) is allowed to see. Additionally, a user (e,g., consumer) may be interested in controlling the content to which they expose themselves. For example, a user may have preferences concerning violence, sex, subject matter, language, or other issues. Conventionally, a user may have relied on ratings information that describes content to decide whether to view content. This ratings information may have been provided in an external guide (e.g., weekly television guide), in a first portion of a stream (e.g., first minute of a movie), on a label (e.g., DVD (digital video disk) cover), or in other locations. Conventional ratings may have attempted to account for some of these issues through industry standard designations (e.g., NC17, R, PG, G). However, conventional ratings based control may have been too coarsely grained and may have been based on a combination of factors that may not have guaranteed desired discretion. Therefore, a user may not have been able to insure that they or their child would not be exposed to undesirable content. 
         [0002]    Conventional automated approaches to ratings based control may have employed V-Chip technology to analyze XDS (extended data services) ratings information. However; automated V-Chip approaches based on XDS ratings required the presence of a V-chip decoder in a receiving device or in some device in a reception stream. V-chip based control may have been inadequate because some reception devices, including televisions, smart phones, and other mobile devices may not have V-Chip decoders. V-chip refers to technology used in television receivers that allows blocking programs based on program ratings. V-chip technology may be based on the vertical blanking interval in the television signal. For example, V-Chip technology may rely on line 21 of a broadcast signal&#39;s vertical blanking interval. The vertical blanking interval can be used to transmit a code in the broadcast signal. The code may provide a score that may be compared to a ranking in a numerical rating system that considers, sex, violence, language, and other attributes. If the received content is outside the level configured by the user, then the content may be blocked. If the received content is inside the level configured by the user, then the content may be received. One example numerical rating system is the XDS protocol. The XDS protocol is codified in Electronic Industries Alliance standard CEA-608-E. The XDS protocol involves providing ancillary data (e.g., metadata) contemporaneously with content (e.g., analog television, NTSC (National Television System Committee) video signal). 
         [0003]    Traditional ratings based control solutions may have relied on ratings information provided in an electronic program guide and may have relied on content being delivered at the advertised time on the advertised channel or from an expected source. A time based system may have required adequate time synchronization between a content provider and a content receiver. Time synchronization may have been required so that when ratings information changes on program boundaries the content receiver will honor the ratings change instantly. Programming guide, time and channel based systems may have been subverted or simply frustrated when the time on a display device did not match the time of a providing device. Schedule changes and start/stop changes due, for example, to one program running long or short, may also have frustrated these approaches. A live program that ran over time and spilled over into an “allowed” time period may have exposed a viewer to undesired content. Some traditional approaches attempted to account for these time based frustrations using an event information table (EIT). However, some content may not have had an EIT available, and even if the EIT was available, clock drift or other time alignment issues may have frustrated these approaches. Other time alignment issues may be present in network DVR (digital video recorder) or other time-shifting scenarios where the consumer time does not match against provider time. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    This Summary is provided to introduce, in a simplified form, a selection of concepts that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter, 
         [0005]    Example apparatus and methods facilitate user discretion control using ratings data carried with content rather than relying on separately available data (e.g., ETI guide) or relying on time, channel, or source control. Example apparatus and methods may receive a fragmented MPEG-4 (f-MP4) fragment and determine whether to reject the fragment, or to allow the fragment to be received, to be displayed, or to be recorded based, at least in part, on the value of a ratings identifier associated with the f-MP4 fragment. In one embodiment, the MP14 ISO/IEC14496-12 box structure for a fragment may be configured to include a universally unique identifier (UUID) field that is configured to store a ratings identifier. The ratings identifier may be richer than conventional XDS score based systems. For example, the ratings identifier may have information concerning multiple attributes (e.g., sex, violence, language, subject matter). In embodiments, the ratings identifier may include multiple pieces or types of ratings information. For example, the ratings identifier may include MPM ratings, television ratings, international ratings, and other ratings. Example apparatus and methods may select fragments to accept or block using this ratings identifier. In one embodiment, rejection or acceptance may be determined solely based on the ratings identifier. For example, all content falling above a ratings threshold may be blocked and all content falling below the ratings threshold may be accepted. In other embodiments, rejection or acceptance may be determined based on the ratings identifier and a combination of other factors including, but not limited to, start time, stop time, and source. For example, content falling above a ratings threshold that is received during a certain time window may be blocked and content falling below a ratings threshold that is received during a certain time window may be accepted. In different examples, the methods may be practiced on apparatus including, but not limited to, televisions, digital video recorders, computers, laptop computers, tablet computers, personal electronic devices, and smart phones. In different examples, the methods may be practiced on the receiving device or may be provided as a service (e.g., cloud service). 
         [0006]    Example apparatus and methods facilitate controlling rejection or acceptance in real time or in delayed time. In one embodiment, a high bandwidth reception stream may be monitored for fragments that are streaming live and that have an allowed ratings identifier. In another embodiment, buffers in which fragments have been stored may be examined to locate acceptable fragments. The buffers may be examined inside or outside a predicted delivery time. In different embodiments, the buffers may be scanned in response to different actions. For example, buffers may be scanned in response to a user action, may be scanned periodically, may be scanned when a transition from a first ratings level to a second ratings level is detected, may be scanned as a scheduled event, or may be scanned in response to other events. 
         [0007]    Example apparatus and methods facilitate specific control or opportunistic control. In one embodiment of specific control, a specific program from a specific source with a specific rating is allowed during a target window period of time based on the ratings identifier. In this embodiment, a high bandwidth reception stream may be monitored for the desired content and receipt may be rejected or allowed as controlled by the ratings identifier. In one embodiment of opportunistic control, a specific program may be blocked from all available sources at all times based on the ratings identifier. In this embodiment, a low bandwidth reception stream may be monitored for acceptable or unacceptable content. When an acceptable ratings identifier is detected on the low bandwidth reception stream, a high bandwidth reception stream may be allowed to be tuned or recorded. In a different embodiment, when an unacceptable ratings identifier is identified on a lower bandwidth stream, then higher bandwidth streams may be prevented from being tuned or recorded. This embodiment may include verifying that the two different reception streams are synchronized on, for example, MP4 fragment boundary alignment, or otherwise. In different embodiments, being synchronized may include being received at the same time, or being received at known offset times. For example, corresponding fragments in a low-resolution stream may be 1 f-MP4, 100 ms, or some other intervals ahead of or behind fragments in a high-resolution stream. 
         [0008]    Analyzing data that is packaged or included with a fragment facilitates addressing time based frustrations that arise from propagation delay, DVR window sizes, clock drift, time zone, and other issues. Time zone information may be an increasing issue with the widespread use of mobile players where content is watched in a time zone other than the time zone for which the control was intended. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    The accompanying drawings illustrate various example apparatus, methods, and other embodiments described herein. It will be appreciated that the illustrated element boundaries (e.g., boxes, groups of boxes, or other shapes) in the figures represent one example of the boundaries. In some examples, one element may be designed as multiple elements or multiple elements may be designed as one element. In some examples, an element shown as an internal component of another element may be implemented as an external component and vice versa. Furthermore, elements may not be drawn to scale. 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example stream of fragments. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example method associated with content carried ratings based control. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example method associated with content carried ratings based control. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  illustrates example communication streams. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  illustrates an example apparatus configured to perform content carried ratings based control. 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  illustrates an example apparatus configured to perform content carried ratings based control. 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example cloud operating environment. 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example mobile computing device configured to perform content carried ratings based control. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates an example stream  100  of fragments. Stream  100  includes fragments  110 ,  120 ,  130 ,  140 ,  150 , and  160 . While six fragments are illustrated, a stream may include a much greater number (e.g., hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands) of fragments. Fragments may store, for example, two seconds of video content. In one example, corresponding fragments may include the same content but at different quality levels. 
         [0019]    Stream  100  may be received on, for example, an Ethernet connection  170 . While an Ethernet connection  170  is illustrated, stream  100  may be received on other connections. A connection may be configured to present content from a number of sources (e.g., television, FM radio, AM radio, satellite). Different sources may have different bandwidths. While multiple sources may be available, to accommodate bandwidth consumption constraints, Ethernet connection  170  may be configured to receive, at different points in time, content from less than all the available sources. The Ethernet connection  170  may be programmed by, for example, a receiving device  195 . The receiving device  195  may be, for example, a computer, a laptop computer, a personal electronic device, a tablet computer, a smart phone, or other device. Multiple sources may be available from, for example, a providing device  105 . 
         [0020]    Fragments  110  and  120  are associated with content whose ratings identifier is MPAA R. MPAA refers to Motion Picture Association of America. Fragments  110  and  120  illustrate this ratings identifier as being a field titled RatingsID. While RatingsID is illustrated, other fields with other names may be employed. Fragments  110  and  120  may represent “boundary” fragments, and therefore a number of fragments having the ratings identifier MPAA R may be received between fragments  110  and  120 . 
         [0021]    Similarly, fragments  130  and  140  are associated with content whose ratings identifier is MPAA G, and fragments  150  and  160  are associated with content whose ratings identifier is MPAA NC  17 . Receiving device  195  may be configured to receive content rated MPAA G and may be configured to reject anything rated higher (e.g., R, NC 17). Therefore, fragments  110  and  120  will not be accepted, fragments  130  and  140  will be accepted, and fragments  150  through  160  will be rejected. In one embodiment, fragments whose ratings identifiers do not match an acceptable threshold may be rejected. In another embodiment, even though fragments  130  and  140  may not begin and end at an expected start and stop time and may not appear from an expected source, fragments  130  and  140  may still be rejected. While MPAA ratings are illustrated, other, finger-grained ratings information may be provided, While a single ratings identifier is illustrated, two or more ratings identifiers may be carried by a fragment. 
         [0022]    Some portions of the detailed descriptions that follow are presented in terms of algorithms and symbolic representations of operations on data bits within a memory. These algorithmic descriptions and representations are used by those skilled in the art to convey the substance of their work to others. An algorithm is considered to be a sequence of operations that produce a result. The operations may include creating and manipulating physical quantities that may take the form of electronic values. Creating or manipulating a physical quantity in the form of an electronic value produces a concrete, tangible, useful, real-world result. 
         [0023]    It has proven convenient at times, principally for reasons of common usage, to refer to these signals as bits, values, elements, symbols, characters, terms, numbers, and other terms. It should be borne in mind, however, that these and similar terms are to be associated with the appropriate physical quantities and are merely convenient labels applied to these quantities. Unless specifically stated otherwise, it is appreciated that throughout the description, terms including processing, computing, and determining, refer to actions and processes of a computer system, logic, processor, or similar electronic device that manipulates and transforms data represented as physical quantities (e.g., electronic values). 
         [0024]    Example methods may be better appreciated with reference to flow diagrams. For simplicity, the illustrated methodologies are shown and described as a series of blocks. However, the methodologies may not be limited by the order of the blocks because, in some embodiments, the blocks may occur in different orders than shown and described. Moreover, fewer than all the illustrated blocks may be required to implement an example methodology. Blocks may be combined or separated into multiple components. Furthermore, additional or alternative methodologies can employ additional, not illustrated blocks. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  illustrates an example method  200  associated with ratings identifier based recording. Method  200  includes, at  210 , accessing a ratings identifier in a fragment. In one embodiment, the fragment may be a fragmented MPEG-4 (f-MP4) fragment. The fragment may be analyzed for selective acceptance or rejection based, at least in part, on a ratings identifier encoded as a universally unique identifier (UUID) in the fragment. While a conventional rating may be, for example, G, PG, R, NC-17, example ratings may not be so limited. Consider a 64 bit UUID. Eight bits may be allocated to describe violence (e.g., type, level, target), eight bits may be allocated to describe language (e.g., subject matter, profanity, tone), eight bits may be allocated to describe nudity (e.g., art-based, pornography-based), eight bits may be allocated to describe subject matter (e.g., war, documentary), and other bits may be allocated to describe other attributes of the content. Thus, a fine grained control may be exercised on one attribute or on a combination of attributes. Encoding the ratings information in the fragment facilitates mitigating disconnects between the information and the content. While a Universally Unique Identifier (UUID) is described, in embodiments other types of unique identifiers including statistically unique identifiers, substantially unique identifiers, and others, may be employed. 
         [0026]    Accessing a ratings identifier in a fragment at  210  may include examining fragments available on different streams or different connections. In one example, an identifier may be analyzed in an instance of a fragment available on an input stream from which the fragment is to be accepted or rejected. In another example, an identifier may be analyzed in an instance of a fragment available on a second input stream that is different from the input stream on which the fragment is to be accepted or rejected. For example, the fragment may be analyzed on a low bandwidth stream that does not sustain actually presenting or recording the received content. If the rating for the content analyzed on the low bandwidth stream is unacceptable, then corresponding content on higher bandwidth streams may be blocked. In another embodiment, if the rating for the content analyzed on the low bandwidth stream is acceptable, then the corresponding content may be allowed to be received on a higher bandwidth (e.g., video quality) stream. This embodiment may depend on the second input stream and the input stream being aligned or synchronized. For example, the streams may be synchronized with respect to f-MP4 fragment alignment. In different embodiments, being synchronized may include being received at the same time, or being received at known offset times. For example, corresponding fragments in a low-resolution stream may be 1 f-MP4, 100 ms, or other intervals ahead of or behind fragments in a high-resolution stream. 
         [0027]    Accessing a ratings identifier at  210  may also include examining things other than live input streams. For example, accessing and analyzing at  210  may include accessing the fragment in a data store. The data store may be used to buffer fragments to facilitate non-real-time processing. 
         [0028]    Method  200  also includes, at  220 , selectively rejecting or accepting an identified fragment. Accepting a fragment may include writing the fragment to a memory, to a disk drive, to a solid state drive, or to another device or location. Accepting a fragment may also include displaying the fragment or allowing the fragment to pass through to another device or process. In one embodiment, a fragment may be selectively rejected or accepted based, at least in part, on the ratings identifier. For example, fragments whose ratings identifier match a desired ratings profile may be accepted while fragments whose ratings identifier does not match the desired ratings profile will not be accepted. Matching a desired ratings profile may include making an exact match, or may include matching to within an acceptable tolerance. 
         [0029]    In different embodiments, a fragment may be identified based solely on its rating, on a combination of the rating and a time at which the fragment was received, on a combination of the rating and a source from which the fragment was received, on a combination of the rating, a time at which the fragment was received, and a source from which the fragment was received, and on other criteria or combinations of criteria. However, the different combinations will include the ratings identifier that is located in the fragment to be recorded. 
         [0030]    In different embodiments, method  200  may be performed on a device that is doing the identifying and accepting, or method  200  may be performed on a device other than the device that is doing the rejecting or accepting. Therefore, method  200  may include controlling devices including, but not limited to, a television, a digital video recorder, a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal electronic device, and a smart phone to identify and reject or accept the fragment. In another embodiment, method  200  may include controlling a service (e.g., cloud service) to identify the fragment and then controlling a device to reject or accept the fragment based, at least in part, on an identification or control signal provided by the cloud service. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  illustrates an example method  300  associated with content carried ratings based control. Method  300  includes accessing a ratings identifier at  310 . In one example, accessing the ratings identifier at  310  includes analyzing a fragmented MPEG-4 (f-MP4) fragment to determine a value of a ratings identifier encoded in a universally unique identifier (UUID) field in the fragment. Accessing the ratings identifier may involve examining a fragment in a first stream from which the f-MP4 fragment is to be received, in a second stream other than the stream from which the f-MP4 fragment is to be received, or in a data store. When a fragment is to be accepted from a stream other than the stream from which the fragment was initially received and analyzed, then the fragments may be received on sources having other quality levels that are aligned on fragment boundaries. The accessing and analysis can be performed on different devices. Thus, determining whether to accept the fragment may be decided on devices including, but not limited to, a television, a digital video recorder, a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal electronic device, a smart phone, a service, and a cloud-based service. 
         [0032]    Method  300  also includes, at  320 , identifying a start time. Identifying the start time may include receiving an input from a user, receiving an input from a service, process, or thread, analyzing a database or table or other data, and other actions. Rather than use the start time as a hard boundary at which time blocking will begin, the start time can be used as a recommendation or as a hint concerning when fragments are to be rejected and thus for when content carried ratings based scrutiny may be performed. For example, a stream may be examined starting at a recommended time and then selective blocking or acceptance may begin based on ratings identifiers. This may preserve processing resources during times when desired content is unexpected. Method  300  also includes, at  330 , identifying an end time. Identifying the end time may include receiving an input from a user, receiving an input from a service, process, or thread, analyzing a database or table or other data, and other actions. Once again, rather than using the end time as a hard boundary at which time fragments will once again be received, the end time can be used as a recommendation or as a hint concerning when fragments are to be accepted and thus for when content carried ratings based scrutiny may be halted. For example, a stream may be examined until a recommended end time or some other signal is received, and then selective blocking or acceptance may end. This may preserve processing resources during times when desired content is unexpected. 
         [0033]    Method  300  also includes, at  340 , identifying a source from which fragments are expected. A source may be, for example, a stream, a file, or other entity from which fragments can be received. Identifying the source may include receiving an input from a user, receiving an input from a service, process, or thread, analyzing a database or table or other data, and other actions. Identifying the source, start time, and end time, may facilitate allocating reception streams or allocating processes or threads to operate on certain reception streams. This may facilitate managing bandwidth consumption. 
         [0034]    Method  300  also includes, at  350 , selecting a source from which fragments are to be accepted. The source may be selected based on the identification made at  340 . Different sources may be selected as a function of bandwidth, cost, security, or other reasons. 
         [0035]    Method  300  also includes, at  360 , selectively accepting the fragment based, at least in part, on the ratings identifier encoded in the UUID field. In one example, accepting the fragment at  360  includes controlling a device (e.g., television, computer, laptop computer, tablet computer, personal electronic device, smart phone, a cloud-based service) to write the fragment to a storage device or data store. Accepting the fragment at  360  may also include displaying the fragment or allowing the fragment to pass through to another device. Whether a particular fragment is accepted may depend on a combination of the ratings identifier encoded in the UUID field, a time at which the fragment was received, and a source from which the fragment was received. 
         [0036]    While  FIG. 3  illustrates various actions occurring in serial, it is to be appreciated that various actions illustrated in  FIG. 3  could occur substantially in parallel. By way of illustration, a first process could access and analyze a ratings identifier, a second process could identify start/end time and source, and a third process could accept or reject a fragment. While three processes are described, it is to be appreciated that a greater or lesser number of processes could be employed and that lightweight processes, regular processes, threads, and other approaches could be employed. 
         [0037]    In one example, a method may be implemented as computer executable instructions. Thus, in one example, a computer-readable storage medium may store computer executable instructions that if executed by a machine (e.g., computer) cause the machine to perform methods described herein including methods  200  or  300 . While executable instructions associated with the above methods are described as being stored on a computer-readable storage medium, it is to be appreciated that executable instructions associated with other example methods described herein may also be stored on a computer-readable storage medium. In different embodiments the example methods described herein may be triggered in different ways. In one embodiment, a method may be triggered manually by a user. In another example, a method may be triggered automatically. 
         [0038]    “Computer-readable storage medium”, as used herein, refers to a medium that stores instructions or data. “Computer-readable storage medium” does not refer to propagated signals. A computer-readable storage medium may take forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media, and volatile media. Non-volatile media may include, for example, optical disks, magnetic disks, tapes, and other media. Volatile media may include, for example, semiconductor memories, dynamic memory, and other media. Common forms of a computer-readable storage medium may include, but are not limited to, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, a hard disk, a magnetic tape, other magnetic medium, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a compact disk (CD), other optical medium, a random access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a memory chip or card, a memory stick, and other media from which a computer, a processor or other electronic device can read. 
         [0039]      FIG. 4  illustrates example communication streams and aligned slots on those communication streams. The communication streams have different bandwidths. For example, stream  4050  may be able to deliver content at 10 Mbps, stream  4060  may be able to deliver content at 1 Mbps, stream  4070  may be able to deliver content at 100 Kbps, stream  4080  may be able to deliver content at 10 Kbps, and stream  4090  may only be able to deliver content at 1 Kbps. While stream  4090  may be unsuitable for receiving video content, stream  4090  may be adequate for receiving fragment metadata. Thus, content may be received on stream  4090  and the ratings identifier carried in the content may be used to control whether the corresponding fragment in the corresponding time slot will be rejected or accepted from a higher bandwidth stream (e.g., video quality stream  4050 ). By way of illustration, a fragment may be delivered during time slot  410 . The ratings identifier may indicate that the fragment is to be rejected. Thus the fragment may be ignored. The ratings identifier may have been identified using data acquired on stream  4090 . Another fragment may be delivered during time slot  420 . Once again, the ratings identifier may indicate that the fragment is to be rejected and the fragment will be discarded. Another fragment may be delivered during time slot  430 . This fragment may have a ratings identifier that indicates that the fragment is to be accepted. Therefore, the corresponding fragment present on stream  4050  may be accepted. Since fragments to be accepted are likely to appear in order, the next fragment received on stream  4050  during, for example, time slot  440 , may be examined for its ratings identifier and, if the ratings identifier matches a desired discretion threshold, then the fragment will also be accepted. While  FIG. 4  illustrates corresponding fragments being aligned in the same time slots, in embodiments the fragments may be synchronized without being aligned. For example, corresponding fragments on a high bandwidth stream may be delayed and offset from corresponding fragments on a lower bandwidth stream. 
         [0040]      FIG. 5  illustrates an apparatus  500  that includes a processor  510 , a memory  520 , a set  530  of logics, and an interface  540  that connects the processor  510 , the memory  520 , and the set  530  of logics. Apparatus  500  may be, for example, a television, a digital video recorder (DVR), a computer, a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a personal electronic device, a smart phone, or other device that receives content. 
         [0041]    In one embodiment, the apparatus  500  may be a general purpose computer that has been transformed into a special purpose computer through the inclusion of the set  530  of logics. The set  530  of logics may be configured to facilitate content carried ratings based control. In one embodiment, the methods described herein may be performed by apparatus  500 . Apparatus  500  may interact with other apparatus, processes, and services through, for example, a computer network. 
         [0042]    The set  530  of logics may include a first logic  532  that is configured to identify a fragment to reject or accept based on information located in the fragment. In one embodiment, the first logic  532  is configured to identify the rating based on a ratings identifier located in the fragment. The fragment may be, for example, a fragmented MPEG-4 fragment. 
         [0043]    The set  530  of logics may also include a second logic  534  that is configured to reject the fragment. In one embodiment, the second logic  534  may be configured to accept or reject the fragment from a communication source from which the first logic  532  initially received the fragment. In another embodiment, the second logic  534  may be configured to accept or reject the fragment from a communication source other than the communication source from which the first logic  532  received the fragment. 
         [0044]    In one embodiment, memory  520  may store fragments so that the fragments can be examined later. Thus, in one embodiment, the first logic  532  is configured to examine the memory  520  to identify fragments to reject or accept. The first logic  532  may act in response to different initiating actions. In one example, the first logic  532  is configured to examine the memory  520  in response to a user initiated action, a scheduled action, a periodic action, an event-driven action, or another action. 
         [0045]    In different embodiments, some processing may be performed on the apparatus  500  and some processing may be performed by an external service or apparatus. Thus, in one embodiment, apparatus  500  may also include a communication circuit that is configured to communicate with an external source to facilitate receipt or transmission of items including, but not limited to, identifiers of fragments to be accepted or acceptance control signals. In one example, the first logic  532  may be configured to identify fragments to accept or reject on the apparatus  500 . But in another example, the first logic  532  may be configured to request ratings analysis from a service located off the apparatus  500 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 6  illustrates an apparatus  600  that is similar to apparatus  500  ( FIG. 5 ). However, apparatus  600  includes an additional logic  636 . Third logic  636  may be configured to receive a control signal from a service  660  located external to the apparatus  600 . The third logic  636  may examine the signal and then control the second logic  634  to accept or reject the fragment based, at least in part, on the control signal. The service  660  may be, for example, a ratings identification service. 
         [0047]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example cloud operating environment  700 . A cloud operating environment  700  supports delivering computing, processing, storage, data management, applications, and other functionality as an abstract service rather than as a standalone product. Services may be provided by virtual servers that may be implemented as one or more processes on one or more computing devices. In some embodiments, processes may migrate between servers without disrupting the cloud service. In the cloud, shared resources (e.g., computing, storage) may be provided to computers including servers, clients, and mobile devices, over a network. Different networks (e.g., Ethernet, Wi-Fi, 802.x, cellular) may be used to access cloud services. Users interacting with the cloud may not need to know the particulars (e.g., location, name, server, database) of a device that is actually providing the service (e.g., computing, storage). Users may access cloud services via, for example, a web browser, a thin client, a mobile application, or in other ways. 
         [0048]      FIG. 7  illustrates an example ratings analysis service  760  residing in the cloud  700 . The ratings analysis service  760  may rely on a server  702  or service  704  to perform processing and may rely on a data store  706  or database  708  to store data. While a single server  702 , a single service  704 , a single data store  706 , and a single database  708  are illustrated, multiple instances of servers, services, data stores, and databases may reside in cloud  700  and may, therefore, be used by the ratings analysis service  760 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 7  illustrates various devices accessing the ratings analysis service  760  in the cloud  700 . The devices include a computer  710 , a tablet  720 , a laptop computer  730 , a personal digital assistant  740 , and a mobile device (e.g., cellular phone, satellite phone)  750 . The ratings analysis service  760  facilitates examining a ratings identifier located in a fragment and identifying the fragment as a fragment to be accepted or rejected. Thus, it is possible that different users at different locations using different devices may access the ratings analysis service  760  through different networks or interfaces. In one example, the ratings analysis service  760  may be accessed by a mobile device  750 . In another example, portions of ratings analysis service  760  may reside on a mobile device  750 . 
         [0050]      FIG. 8  illustrates an example mobile device  800 . Mobile device  800  includes a processor  802 , a memory  804 , a logic  808 , and an external interface  810  that may be connected by an interface  806 . Mobile device  800  may be, for example, a cellular telephone, a network telephone, a satellite telephone, or other device. Generally describing an example configuration of the mobile device  800 , the processor  802  may be a variety of various processors including dual microprocessor and other multi-processor architectures. The memory  804  may include volatile memory or non-volatile memory. Non-volatile memory may include, for example, read only memory (ROM), programmable ROM (PROM), and other memory. Volatile memory may include, for example, random access memory (RAM), dynamic RAM (DRAM), and other memory. The memory  804  can store an operating system that controls and allocates resources of the mobile device  800 . The memory  804  may also store fragments, ratings identifiers, or fragment identifiers. The ratings identifiers or fragment identifiers may be used to control whether a fragment is accepted or rejected. 
         [0051]    The interface  806  may be a single internal bus interconnect architecture or other bus or mesh architectures. While a single bus is illustrated, it is to be appreciated that the mobile device  800  may communicate with various devices, logics, and peripherals using other busses (e,g., PCIE, 1394, USB, Ethernet). The interface  806  can be types including, for example, a memory bus, a memory controller, a peripheral bus, an external bus, a crossbar switch, or a local bus. 
         [0052]    The mobile device  800  can operate in a network environment and thus may be connected to a network through network devices via the external interfaces  810 . The mobile device  800  may be logically connected to remote computers through the network and the network devices. Through the network, the mobile device  800  may also be connected to services (e.g., service  760 ,  FIG. 7 ) provided in the cloud (e.g., cloud  700 ,  FIG. 7 ). Networks with which the mobile device  800  may interact include, but are not limited to, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN), a telephony network, a telephony system, a cellular system, a satellite system, and other networks. 
         [0053]    Mobile device  800  may include a special purpose logic  808  that is configured to provide a functionality for the mobile device  800 . For example, logic  808  may provide a client for interacting with a service (e.g., service  760 ,  FIG. 7 ), or for performing ratings identifier analysis or acceptance/rejection control. 
         [0054]    The following includes definitions of selected terms employed herein. The definitions include various examples or forms of components that fall within the scope of a term and that may be used for implementation. The examples are not intended to be limiting. Both singular and plural forms of terms may be within the definitions. 
         [0055]    References to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “one example”, and “an example” indicate that the embodiment(s) or example(s) so described may include a particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element, or limitation, but that not every embodiment or example necessarily includes that particular feature, structure, characteristic, property, element or limitation. Furthermore, repeated use of the phrase “in one embodiment” does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it may. 
         [0056]    “Data store”, as used herein, refers to a physical or logical entity that can store data. A data store may be, for example, a database, a table, a file, a list, a queue, a heap, a memory, a register, and other physical repository. In different examples, a data store may reside in one logical or physical entity or may be distributed between two or more logical or physical entities. 
         [0057]    “Logic”, as used herein, includes but is not limited to hardware, firmware, software in execution on a machine, or combinations of each to perform a function(s) or an action(s), or to cause a function or action from another logic, method, or system. Logic may include a software controlled microprocessor, a discrete logic (e.g., ASIC), an analog circuit, a digital circuit, a programmed logic device, a memory device containing instructions, and other physical devices. Logic may include one or more gates, combinations of gates, or other circuit components. Where multiple logical logics are described, it may be possible to incorporate the multiple logical logics into one physical logic. Similarly, where a single logical logic is described, it may be possible to distribute that single logical logic between multiple physical logics. 
         [0058]    To the extent that the term “includes” or “including” is employed in the detailed description or the claims, it is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as that term is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim. 
         [0059]    To the extent that the term “or” is employed in the detailed description or claims (e.g., A or B) it is intended to mean “A or B or both”. When the Applicant intends to indicate “only A or B but not both” then the term “only A or B but not both” will be employed. Thus, use of the term “or” herein is the inclusive, and not the exclusive use. See, Bryan A. Garner, A Dictionary of Modem Legal Usage 624 (2d. Ed. 1995). 
         [0060]    To the extent that the phrase “one of, A, B, and C” is employed herein, (e.g., a data store configured to store one of, A, B, and C) it is intended to convey the set of possibilities A, B, and C, (e.g., the data store may store only A, only B, or only C). It is not intended to require one of A, one of B, and one of C. When the applicants intend to indicate “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C”, then the phrasing “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C” will be employed. 
         [0061]    To the extent that the phrase “one or more of, A, B, and C” is employed herein, (e.g., a data store configured to store one or more of, A, B, and C) it is intended to convey the set of possibilities A, B, C, AB, AC, BC, ABC, AA . . . A, BB . . . B, CC . . . C, AA . . . ABB . . . B, AA . . . ACC . . . C, BB . . . BCC . . . C, or . BCC . . . C (e.g., the data store may store only A, only B, only C, A&amp;B, A&amp;C, B&amp;C, A&amp;B&amp;C, or other combinations thereof including multiple instances of A, B, or C). It is not intended to require one of A. one of B, and one of C. When the applicants intend to indicate “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C”, then the phrasing “at least one of A, at least one of B, and at least one of C” will be employed. 
         [0062]    Although the subject matter has been described in language specific to structural features or methodological acts, it is to be understood that the subject matter defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific features or acts described above. Rather, the specific features and acts described above are disclosed as example forms of implementing the claims.