Abstract:
A dynamic rating for content, such as video games, movies and music, is determined in accordance with profiles of users that access the content and provide evaluations of the content. The user&#39;s profile information and their evaluations are aggregated to determine a community based rating for the content. The rating may be accessed by users within the community, and content being accessed by a user in the community may be restricted or adjusted in response to profile data of the user and the corresponding rating of the content. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates generally to rating of content and, more particularly, to dynamically rating content. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Growth of the entertainment industry has introduced new challenges for the industry in trying to ensure that appropriate content is available to different categories of individuals. For example, certain content, such as violent or sexual content, may be considered inappropriate for segments of a community, such as children, but may be considered appropriate if adults desire the content. 
         [0003]    One solution to limiting access to certain types of content is to provide a rating system that identifies the type of content, and the members of the community for which the particular content is deemed acceptable. The motion picture industry has long employed such a rating system, where movies are classified as suitable for everyone, a rating of “G”, or only suitable for individuals over seventeen years of age, a rating of “R”, etc. This type of rating system is effective for the motion picture industry where it is possible to regulate who enters the theater and is able to view the content. But, this type of rating system is less effective when content is viewed at home, such as pay to view movies, or video games. 
         [0004]    The entertainment software industry has attempted to address regulation of content by establishing an Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) system. The ESRB ratings are designed with the goal of providing the community accurate and objective information about the content in computer and video games. The hope is that the ESRB will allow the public to make an informed purchase decision. 
         [0005]    While the ESRB rating provides some guidance as to the content of computer and video games, it is a static rating system. That is, the ESRB members will review the content as submitted, or originally distributed, to establish a corresponding rating. However, electronic content can be changed after it is distributed. For example, a customer may purchase a video game with a rating that is appropriate for their child, but while the child is playing the game, they may go on-line and download new content for the game that is not appropriate. 
         [0006]    In like manner the Motion Picture Association of America (MPM) recommends ratings for movies. In some environments is may be advantageous to provide alternate content for sections not suitable for children. For example, in-flight viewing of premium movies provides entertainment for travelers on long journeys. In this environment, movies selected by an airline should contain no content that could be offensive to parents, or inappropriate for young travelers. It would be advantageous to provide versions of movies that have been edited, to delete or modify portions of content. In this regard, it would be important to rate scenes of a movie individually. 
         [0007]    Thus, there is a need for an improved, more efficient, rating system for content. The present invention satisfies this need. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    In accordance with the invention methods and apparatus for dynamic rating and enforcement of content is provided. In one embodiment, user profile information and feedback about the content or a portion of the content from a group of clients within a community is received. The profile information and feedback is aggregated into corresponding rating information of the content for the community. The rating information is then provided to members in the community. 
         [0009]    Examples, of content include a video game, a movie, music, or other types of entertainment content. Collecting the feedback may be performed on-line. Also, aggregating the feedback may include weighting the feedback in accordance with a source of the feedback. For example, the weighting may take into account the length of time the source has been associated with the community, or if the source is a provider of the content. In addition, the ratings may be adjusted based upon, for example, the geographical location of the community, or cultural features of the community. 
         [0010]    In another embodiment of dynamic rating of content, profile information about a user and evaluation information about the content, provided by the user, is collected. The profile information and their feedback or “rating data” is communicated to one or more servers. Examples of types of user profile information that may be collected include a user&#39;s age, a user&#39;s gender, and a user&#39;s geographic location. The profile information and rating data may be communicated to the server(s) over a network. The content may include a video game, a movie, or other types of entertainment content. 
         [0011]    In yet another embodiment of dynamic rating of content, rating data for sections of the content are received. Profile information of a user that wants access to the content is collected. Access to the content is allowed based on the profile information. In a further embodiment, the content provided to the user is adjusted in response to the profile information and rating corresponding to the section of content being accessed by the user. Examples of adapting the content provided to the user includes eliminating a section of content, or providing an alternative section of content. 
         [0012]    In an embodiment, a user terminal may include a console configured to provide a user access to content and to receive rating data relative to the content. The user terminal may also include at least one input device configured to collect profile information about a user, and an output device configured to provide the content to the user, wherein the content is adapted in response to the rating data and profile information. Examples of input devices include a keyboard, mouse, image sensor, and audio sensors. 
         [0013]    In still another embodiment one of a plurality of servers may include a network connection configured to receive user profile information and feedback data collected from a group of clients within a community, the feedback data may include rating information about entertainment content evaluated by the group. The server may also include a processor configured to aggregate the user data and provide feedback into a corresponding rating of the content for the community. The network connection may then provide rating information to the community. 
         [0014]    Another embodiment includes a communication network with at least one server configured to receive user profile information and feedback about a source of content from a group of users within a community, wherein the server aggregates the feedback into a rating for the content. The communication network also includes a user terminal configured to collect and communicate the user profile information and feedback to the server and to receive the rating from the server. The user terminal adjusts the content accessed by the user in response to the rating and user profile. 
         [0015]    These and other features and advantages of the present invention will be appreciated from review of the following detailed description of the invention, along with the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
     
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    Various embodiments of the present invention taught herein are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary system configured for dynamic rating of content; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary user terminal configured for dynamic rating of content; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment for providing user feedback or use in dynamic rating of content; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating another embodiment for providing user feedback for use in dynamic rating of content; 
           [0021]      5   FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment for determining a rating of content dynamically; 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of using a dynamic rating to adapt content; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating another embodiment of using a dynamic rating to adapt content and 
           [0024]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating yet another embodiment of using a dynamic rating to adapt content. 
       
    
    
       [0025]    It will be recognized that some or all of the figures are schematic representations for purposes of illustration and do not necessarily depict the actual relative sizes or locations of the elements shown. The figures are provided for the purpose of illustrating one or more embodiments of the invention with the explicit understanding that they will not be used to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    In the following paragraphs, the present invention will be described in detail by way of example with reference to the attached drawings. While this invention is capable of embodiment in many different forms, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail specific embodiments, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an example of the principles of the invention and not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiments shown and described. That is, throughout this description, the embodiments and examples shown should be considered as exemplars, rather than as limitations on the present invention. Descriptions of well known components, methods and/or processing techniques are omitted so as to not unnecessarily obscure the invention. As used herein, the “present invention” refers to any one of the embodiments of the invention described herein, and any equivalents. Furthermore, reference to various feature(s) of the “present invention” throughout this document does not mean that all claimed embodiments or methods must include the referenced feature(s). 
         [0027]    The explosive growth in the entertainment industry has introduced new challenges to ensure that appropriate content is available to different categories of individuals. To address this need methods and apparatuses for dynamically rating content are described. In one example, video games, are currently rated by the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) and given a rating, such as “M” or “G” based upon the existing, or static, content of the game. Fundamentally, this is a single “combined” rating for the entire game, that is determined by a very small number of people, the people on the ESRB board. 
         [0028]    Network connectivity changes the notion of “static content.” Content, such as games, may no longer be constrained to the static information originally distributed by the manufacturer. For example, a game manufacturer may burn content onto a disc, or CD, but that content can be modified later. With network connectivity, a user can download updates to the original game from the game manufacturer, or third party developers, making the static rating provided by the ESRB board a limited, or even misleading, rating. 
         [0029]    Dynamic rating of content empowers users, such as parents and people actually playing the games, to review and rate different parts of the content. Rating by members of the community is preferable to a rating determined by a small group such as the ESRB because it provides the people most affected by the content, such as the parents of children who play the game, input into the rating of the content. 
         [0030]    Dynamic rating also supports providing ratings to sections of the content rather than the entire content as a whole. For example, a game may have graphic “cut-scenes”, such as a “blood and gore in a zombie scene”, that might cause the entire game to be rated Mature, or “M”, by the ESRB rating system. But, using dynamic rating the community may decide that only the “blood and gore scene” of the game is offensive and deserving of the “M” rating with the remainder of the game suitable for everyone, a “G” rating. Using dynamic rating, the game, or a user terminal or game console, can download aggregated user feedback information from a central server, and for a given community declare a section to be rated “M”. Then, based upon a profile of a person playing the game, it may decide to skip a section or omit a feature. For example, if a child is playing a game, then sections of the game that are dynamically rated “M” by the community can be skipped, or modified, so that only appropriate material is presented to the child. In addition, features may be omitted or modified, such as video chat, if the members of the community have identified these features as being inappropriate for children. 
         [0031]    By enabling the community with the ability to determine ratings for content, the rating can be self-policing based on the standards for that community. A community based rating system is preferred, in some respects, because different communities may consider different content inappropriate for its members. For example, what is considered violent in the United States may be different than what is considered violent in Japan. Countries may have different laws and regulations regarding content appropriate for different age groups. 
         [0032]    Additionally, different regions of a country may have different standards. Dynamic rating of content allows for the content to have a rating based on the targeted communities own standards and opinions of what is appropriate content. Examples of some characteristics of a community that can be considered in determining a rating targeted to that community include geographic location where the targeted audience resides or associates itself with, the ethnic makeup of the community, as well as other cultural and demographic features of the community. 
         [0033]    Other characteristics of a community that may help determine a rating can include religious beliefs and guidelines, group or club affiliations, the age or sex of the members of a community, or lists of explicit preferences of an individual or community. 
         [0034]    Thus far the discussion has used video games as example content for using dynamic rating. It is envisioned that many other types of content can use dynamic rating. For example, movies, pay-per-view movies, music, audio files, downloaded video and image files, other types of entertainment content, and the like. Another type of content that may benefit from the dynamic rating of content methods provided herein may include content in multi-user chat rooms. Multi-user chat rooms are online cites where users gather to discuss different topics. Based on the preferences of the individual participants, certain filters may be invoked. For example, an adults only chat room may have no filters. In contrast, chat rooms appropriate for underage children may have significant vulgarity filters applied. 
         [0035]    Entertainment feeds, such as television, may additionally benefit from dynamic rating of content. In one embodiment of the present invention individual preferences may cause an intervention such as a message displayed on the individual&#39;s screen that the content may not be suitable to their preferences. Certain groups of clubs may share common standards and wish to have similar ratings on content. For example, a viewer who is a member of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) may decide that content related to the food processing industry is offensive. When a live or pre-recorded program, is scheduled, a message such as “this program may contain content that may not be suitable for the viewer”, can be displayed on screens of individuals that have decided not to receive this type of content. In one embodiment of the present invention the content provider may seed the meta-data of content with information suitable for rating determinations to be made. 
         [0036]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an exemplary system configured in accordance with one embodiment for dynamic rating of content. As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the system  100  includes at least one user  102 . Typically, when gathering rating information from a community there would be many users  102  in the system. The system  100  also includes server  104  and network  106 . Network  106  may comprise a wireless network  106 , a local area network  106 , a metropolitan area network  106  a wide area network  106 , or any other network  106  such as the Internet. Network  106  provides connectivity between users  102  and server  104 . A network  106  as described herein may be a distributed network  106  in that a number of servers  104  may be used in the network  106 . This embodiment has the advantage of scalability as the number of users  102  grows, the network  106  may add additional servers  104 . 
         [0037]    As used herein the terms “wireless network” may include, but are not limited to, long range wireless networks like cellular networks that may involve wireless data transfer technologies similar to General Packet Radio Services (GPRS) and Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE). Additional examples of longer range wireless technologies may include, but are not limited to, wireless metropolitan area network technologies like WiMax, which is currently based on the IEEE 802.16 standard. The terms “wireless network” may additionally refer to Wireless Local Area Network (WLAN) technologies such as those based on the IEEE 802.11 family of standards. Further, the term “wireless network” may also include Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) technologies such as those specified by the BLUETOOTH special interest group, or alternatively Ultra Wideband. Additionally, it is anticipated that a “wireless network” as described herein may employ a number of communications technologies. It shall be understood that the specific wireless network technologies mentioned herein are merely exemplars of different wireless network technologies. The present invention is not limited with respect to the specific technology or combination of technologies employed by a wireless network. 
         [0038]    As described further below rating information about the content, or portions thereof, is sent from users  102  to server  104 . Server  104  collects profiles about the various users  102  along with the user  102 &#39;s rating of the various portions of the content. This rating may vary across different portions of the entire content. Server  104  may then aggregate the profile and rating information and determine a community based rating for individual portions of content. Server  104  may then forward the aggregate rating to users  102  in the corresponding targeted communities. Client devices  200  of users  102  in the respective communities may use the aggregate rating to modify, or adjust, the content in response to the rating and the profile of the individual that is currently accessing the content. One feature of this embodiment is that one community may rate a portion of content differently than another community. 
         [0039]    Communities may be significantly diverse. These communities may be based on location, or may be based on ethnicity, national origin, or job. Content available to a military community may be different than content available to a civilian community. In like manner content available to prisoners may be different than content available to school children. Additionally, the suitability of the content across these different communities may vary widely with the age of the users  102  that make up the community. Another feature of the present invention is it allows content to be rated for locality. For example, content suitable for viewing in a private residence may not be suitable for viewing in a public or government building or on a public transportation vehicle such as an airplane. This suitability may be independent of the profile information of any specific user  102 . 
         [0040]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an exemplary user  102  client device  200  configured for dynamic rating of content consistent with one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 2 , client device  200  may include console  202 , and display  204 . The client device  200  may optionally include a manual input device  206 , an image sensor  208 , and a speaker and microphone  210 . In one embodiment, the console  202 , display  204 , manual input device  206 , image sensor  208 , and speaker and microphone  210  are all combined into a single unit. In other embodiments some, or all, of the devices may be separate. The console  202  may also include a network interface  212 . The network interface allows information to be exchanged between the user terminal  200  and server  104 . 
         [0041]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment for providing user feedback for use in dynamic rating of content. In this embodiment, a user may be using a client device  200  as described in  FIG. 2 , Flow begins a block  300 . Flow continues to block  302  where user profile information is collected. User profile information may be collected in many different ways. For example, the user may manually input data about themselves, or the data can be obtained from analysis of audio or imagery data of the user collected by the user terminal. Additionally, profile information may be collected from the user  102 &#39;s history of content access. In another embodiment, the user  102  may provide explicit preferences that may be included in the profile information. 
         [0042]    Flow continues to block  304  where the user evaluates content. The user may provide evaluations for multiple portions of the content. For example, the user may evaluate individual scenes of the content and provide a separate rating for each of the scenes. Likewise, the user may evaluate the content and only provide a rating for a scene if the user desires, and provide no rating for other scenes. Flow continues to block  306  where the user&#39;s profile and rating data are sent to a server. Flow continues to block  308  where flow stops. 
         [0043]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating another embodiment for providing user feedback for use in dynamic rating of content. Flow begins in block  400 . Flow continues to block  402  where a user&#39;s profile is set. For example, the user profile may be set that the user is a “parent” from “Japan.” Flow continues to block  404  where the user plays a game. Flow continues to block  406  where the user rates sections of the game. Then in block  408  the ratings and the associated user profile data is sent to a server. Flow stops in block  410 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 5  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment for determining a rating of content dynamically. Flow beings in block  500 . In block  502  rating and profile data from users are received. For example, a server  104  connected to a network  106  may collect rating and profile data from multiple users  102  that are also on the network  106 . Flow continues to block  504  where the information is categorized according to a desired criteria. For example, the data may be categorized according the content evaluated, user  102  profile data, such as age of user  102 , location of user  102 , nationality of user  102 , religion of user  102 , group affiliation of user  102 , club affiliation of user  102  etc. In block  506  the categorized information is aggregated and a rating developed for the content. The rating may be to individual portions, such as specific scenes, of the content. Also, aggregating the feedback may include weighting the feedback in accordance with a source of the feedback. For example, the weighting may be adjusted in response to the length of time the source has been associated with the community, or is the source is a provider of the content. 
         [0045]    In block  508  the ratings are provided to the users  102 . The rating can be provided to all users  102 , or to a subset of users  102 , for example, based upon the community where the user  102  is a member. For, example, all users  102  in a particular location, such as country or region of a country, may receive one set of rating and users in a different location may receive a different set of ratings. Other locations where ratings could be different may include a military installation, a government building, a prison, a school, a public transportation vehicle, and a private residence. Alternatively, ratings to different groups of users may be based upon other characteristics of a community, such as ethnic background, age, gender, and the like. 
         [0046]    In addition, if a particular user  102  has provided ratings for particular content, then that user  102  may receive ratings based upon their individual input rather than a community based rating. For example, if a particular user  102  rated scenes in a particular game as inappropriate for a child, then that user  102  could receive a rating based upon their individual input, even if the community as a whole believes that the scenes were appropriate for children. In this way an individual user  102  may control their unique rating and not be forced to accept a community rating. Flow continues to block  510  and stops. 
         [0047]      FIG. 6  is a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of the present invention using a dynamic rating to adapt content. Flow begins in block  600 . In block  602  rating information is received for portions of content. For example, a user  102  at a client device  200 , such as described in  FIG. 2 , may receive ratings for scenes of content, such as games, that are on the client device  200 . The ratings received may be for multiple different contents, such as ratings for all of the games that are on the user&#39;s client device  200 . The ratings may be received from a server via a network. 
         [0048]    Flow continues to block  604 . In block  604 , the ratings are stored in the client device  200 . The ratings may update a local copy of a previous rating for content, if the rating has changed from a previous rating. Again, the ratings for multiple different contents may be updated, such as, all of the different contents on the user&#39;s client device or all of the different contents available from a particular manufacturer, or a particular developer or al content of a particular rating that may be available for purchase on network  106 . For example, ratings for all of the games on a user&#39;s client device  200  may be updated, or ratings for all games made by a particular manufacturer, or game developer, may be updated. 
         [0049]    In block  606  user  102  profile information is collected. User  102  profile information may be collected in many different ways. For example, the user  102  may manually input information about themselves, or the information can be obtained from analysis of audio or imagery data of the user  102  collected by the client device  102 . 
         [0050]    In block  608  the content provided to the particular user  102  is adapted, or modified, in response to the user  102  profile and the rating information corresponding to the content being provided. After the content has been adapted, or modified, and provided to the user  102 , flow stops in block  610 . Adaptation or modification may take place in a myriad of ways, including removal of objects or scenes, muting audio profanity, scrambling text, covering sexual images, replacement of audio, text, graphics, etc. 
         [0051]      FIG. 7  is a flow chart illustrating another embodiment of using a dynamic rating to adapt content. In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , a user  102  profile is set in block  702 . For example, the user  102  profile may indicate the age of the user  102 , such as a child under  10 , and the country they are in, such as Japan. Flow continues to block  704 . In block  704 , the user  102  accesses the content. For example, the user  102  may play a game. In block  704 , aggregated data form server  104  is retrieved from block  706 . The aggregated data may be retrieved from data stored on server  104  at block  708 . 
         [0052]    Flow continues from block  704  to block  710 . In block  710 , it is determined if a particular section of content is appropriated based upon the user  102  profile information and rating corresponding to the particular section of content. In the example of  FIG. 7 , it is determined if the section of content is appropriate for a child from Japan. If the content is appropriate for the user  102 , a positive outcome, flow continues to block  712 . In block  712  the user  102  is allowed access to the content. For example, a cut-scene may be played, or a specific map level may be accessed, or a new piece of content may be downloaded. Flow then continues to block  714  and the user  102  moves to the next section of the content. 
         [0053]    Returning to block  710 , if the content is not appropriate for user  102  then flow continues to block  716 . In block  716 , user  102  is denied access to the content, or user  102  is allowed access to a different version of the content. Flow then continues to block  714  and user  102  moves to the next section of the content. From block  714 , flow continues to block  704  and user  102  continues accessing the content. 
         [0054]      FIG. 8  is a flow chart illustrating yet another embodiment of using a dynamic rating to adapt content. Flow begins in block  800 . In block  802  user  102  profile information and rating information is received. As discussed, user  102  profile information may be collected in many ways, such as manual input, or analysis of audio or image data of user  102 . Flow continues to block  804  where content to be provided to user  102  is retrieved. Flow continues to block  806 . 
         [0055]    In block  806  it is determined if the content has a rating appropriate for user  102  accessing the content based upon the user  102  profile information and the rating of the content. If the content is appropriate, a positive outcome, flow continues to block  808  and the content is provided to user  102 . Flow continues to block  804  and the next section of content to be provided to user  102  is retrieved. 
         [0056]    Returning to block  806 , if it is determined that the content has a rating that is inappropriate for user  102  flow continues to block  812 . In block  812  it is determined if there is alternative content with an appropriate rating that is available to replace the inappropriate content. If there is alternative content available, a positive outcome, flow continues to block  812  and the alternative content is provided to user  102 . Returning to block  810 , if it is determined that there is no alternative content available, a negative outcome, flow continues to block  814  and the content is skipped, and not provided to user  102 . Flow from blocks  812  and  814  then continues to block  804  and the next section of content to be provided to user  102  is retrieved. 
         [0057]    Thus, it is seen that apparatus&#39; and methods for dynamic rating of content are provided. One skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the above-described embodiments, which are presented in this description for purposes of illustration and not of limitation. The specification and drawings are not intended to limit the exclusionary scope of this patent document. It is noted that various equivalents for the particular embodiments discussed in this description may practice the invention as well. That is, while the present invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications, permutations and variations will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is intended that the present invention embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims. The fact that a product, process or method exhibits differences from one or more of the above-described exemplary embodiments does not mean that the product or process is outside the scope (literal scope and/or other legally-recognized scope) of the following claims.