Extensible downloadable content advisory system

A region rating table includes a number of rating dimensions and a number of rating levels. The rating dimensions may be identified by an index. Also, one or more rating level tags are added to the rating levels. The rating level tags identify each rating level within a rating dimension uniquely. The rating region table may be downloaded to the receiver for the user to set blocking preferences. A content advisory description may be specified. When content is received, it is analyzed to determine if it should be blocked based on the dimension index and the rating level tag. If the content is acceptable, it is not blocked, and if it is not acceptable, then it is blocked. Using the rating level tag to identify a rating level within a dimension allows changes to be made to the region rating table without creating unwanted blocking behavior and viewer confusion.

BACKGROUND

Particular embodiments generally relate to content advisory systems.

In digital and video broadcast, a content advisory system may be used to block what is considered to be objectionable content. A user may define preferences to block content based on ratings provided for the content. A “rating table” may be used that defines the ratings for a given country or geographic region. Such a regionalized rating table is called a Rating Region Table (RRT), or a region rating table. A rating table may be considered to have columns representing rating “dimensions,” where each dimension represents a different characteristic of the program content. Examples of rating dimensions include the amount and intensity of violence or sexual content, or the minimum age of the viewer. Each dimension may have a number of different rating “levels,” so that, for example, a number of different levels of violent content can be represented. For a violence dimension, rating levels could be “mild violence,” “moderate violence,” and “extreme graphic violence.”

A user may set preferences to block content by defining which ratings are acceptable. For example, a user may want to block any content that is age-rated at an age of 13 or above. The blocking limits are set using an index value that points to the column and row in the rating table. For example, the index value of (2, 1) corresponds to the rating defined by the column number2and row number2. This index may correspond to an age of 13 or above in the rating table. At some point, the rating table may be changed in which dimensions or levels may be added or deleted. For example, the row of the age of 13 or above may be shifted to the index (2, 2) because a new age of 10 is added at index (2, 1). Because the user sets the preferences as a hard code to an index value, the content blocked is still at (2, 1), which is not age 13 or above. For example, it may now be a newly added level of age 10 or above.

SUMMARY

Particular embodiments generally relate to content advisory systems. In one embodiment, a region rating table is generated. The region rating table includes a number of rating dimensions, each with one or more rating levels. The rating dimensions may be considered columns of the table and the rating levels may be found in the rows of the table. Different dimensions may correspond to different parameters, such as violence, age, sexual content, etc. The rating level may be an indication of the level of how much of the parameter is included in the content, examples of those being mild, medium, excessive, or other level ratings such as age.

The rating dimensions may be identified by an index. For example, the columns of the dimensions may be identified in a sequential order. Also, one or more rating level tags are added to the rating levels. The rating level tags identify each rating level within a rating dimension uniquely. For example, for an age dimension, the age of 10 may be identified by a first tag and the age of 13 may be identified by a second tag. A rating region table is then generated.

A rating region table may be hard-coded in the firmware of the receiver. The receiver may be able to access and download a new rating region table for the user to use to set blocking preferences. A content advisory description may be specified for any given program. For example, a user may use a user interface to specify different blocking preferences: the dimension may be specified along with a rating level for that dimension. The index for the dimension may be saved along with the rating level tag for the level. When a given piece of content is received, it is analyzed to determine if it should be blocked based on the saved dimension index and the rating level tag. If the content is acceptable, it is not blocked, and if it is not acceptable, then it is blocked.

Using the rating level tag to identify a rating level within a dimension allows changes to be made to the region rating table. For example, if an index was used, such as the index of (2,1) to indicate a rating level in the table at the column #2 and row #1, if another row was added into the region rating table to shift the rows down or up, the index (2,1) may block the wrong content. The rating level tags may always be associated with the desired rating level even if the rating levels are moved in the table. Thus, using the rating level tag, the correct rating level within a dimension may be identified and the correct content is blocked without creating unwanted blocking behavior and viewer confusion.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1depicts an example of a content advisory system100according to one embodiment. As shown, a receiver102, content deliverer104, and display device106are provided. It will be understood that many content deliverers104, receivers102and display devices106may be appreciated along with other components of a content delivery system.

In one embodiment, receiver102may be a set-top box, personal computer, media gateway, or other computing device that can receive content. Receiver102may include a decoder/encoder that is able to receive content and display it on display device106. Display device106may be any device that can display content, such as a television, monitor, cellular phone, personal computer, etc.

Content deliverer104may be configured to deliver content to receiver102. Content deliverer104may be part of a service provider network that delivers video to receivers102. For example, content deliverer104may be part of an internet protocol television (IPTV) network or any other network for digital delivery of content. The content delivered may be video-on-demand (VOD), streaming video, etc.

A region rating table (RRT)108is used to define ratings for content. These ratings may be used by a user to define which content should be blocked. For example, a V-chip technology may be used to apply blocking preferences. In one example, television shows, movies, video games, and other content can be blocked. Region rating table108may be further described below.

A content control system110is configured to use region rating table108to allow users to set preferences that can block content. A user may set a content blocking description using ratings found in region rating table108. When content is received, it includes a content advisory descriptor (CAD) that assigns a rating to the content. Based on the rating in the content advisory descriptor, content control system110may block the content. For example, a user may set blocking preferences to block any content that is rated at age 13 or above. If the CAD for the content indicates it is rated at age 13 or above, it can be blocked.

Region rating table108defines those elements that can be rated for content and the possible amounts of those elements that might be present in content. System100supports a number of tables108. For example, different rating regions correspond to different geographic areas, such as different countries may have different region rating tables.

FIGS. 2A and 2Bdepict different versions of region rating tables108according to one embodiment. Region rating table108may be structured as a two-dimensional array. Although region rating table108is shown as a 2-dimensional array, it will be understood a data structure underlying the table may be represented in different forms. The data in region rating table108is used to construct a user interface that allows a user to select blocking preferences.

Columns202may be rating dimensions that correspond to a parameter that can be rated. For example, the parameters may be violence, sexual content, age, MPAA movie rating, or other parameters. Rows204define rating levels that correspond to a different amount of the parameter of the type indicated by the corresponding dimension. For example, for a violence dimension, three different rating levels may be provided: mild, medium, and excessive violence.

Receivers102download region rating table108. The aspect of downloadability refers to an attribute of construction of the region rating table that allows receiver102to create a meaningful and functional user interface for that region rating table by processing the content of the region rating table. For example, different syntaxes of a data structure for region rating table108may be used. These structures define the two-dimensional array containing data such as the example shown inFIGS. 2A and 2B.

Conventionally, receivers102identified content by an index as defined by the columns and rows of region rating table108. For example, a reference of (2, 1) indicates that an age dimension in column202-2and the 13-age or above rating level in row204-1has been specified. Conventionally, the index value is hard coded when a user selected the blocking level. For example, when content is received, the blocking of the content is determined based on the index of (2, 1) in region rating table108. Once a user establishes a blocking level, receiver102keeps track of the setting by storing the index value for each dimension for region rating table108. If changes are made to region rating table108and the change were to involve shifting one of the rating levels up or down, the settings in receiver102for the blocking level would not track the shift and the index value would end up pointing at a different table entry than it did with the previous version of region rating table108. This may present problems when changes to region rating table108occur. As a change to region rating table108is made, a new version may be downloaded to receiver102.FIG. 2Ashows a version0of region rating table108that includes the age dimension as having levels 7, 13, 16, and 18 years of age. As shown inFIG. 2B, a change is made to region rating table108, resulting in a version1, which defines age levels 7, 10, 13, 16, and 18 years of age. After the new region rating table108is downloaded, the index of (2, 1) is for age 10 or above and the age levels of 13, 16, and 18 have been shifted down. If a user set preferences that were stored as the index value of (2, 1), content rated at age 10 or above would be blocked; however, a user wants to block only age 13 or above.

Particular embodiments provide rating tags206that allow rating levels in rating dimensions to be uniquely identified. For example, a rating tag206-1is used to identify the rating level of age 13 or above in the age dimension. Thus, when the age level of 10 is added and the index changes, age level13can still be identified. It avoids the user having to alter the user preferences for blocking when changes to region rating table108occur.

Tags206are unique to rating levels in each dimension. Thus, tags can follow the rating levels even if changes to the rating levels are made in table108. Receiver102can track rating tags206and thus block the correct content using the tag value rather than the index. For example, a user may set a preference for blocking age 13 or above content. Receiver102records this preference as index 2 for the dimension and tag206-1. Tags may also be used to designate dimensions instead of using index numbers. However, new dimensions may be added at the end of the table and not in the middle of the table such that using the index positions is sufficient. In contrast, it is more likely that rating levels are inserted in between other levels because of continuity (i.e., age 10 naturally goes in between age 7 and 13 in a sequence). When version1of the table is downloaded, index 2, tag206-1still points to age 13 or above even though the rating level has been shifted down to index (2, 2). The proper rating level is thus still blocked and a user does not need to reconfigure the blocking settings.

FIG. 2Cshows an example for a region rating table108. As shown, a dimension202of index=2 is provided. Different rating level204index values are also provided for each rating level. The abbreviated rating value210is shown. This is an abbreviation of the rating level and may be used by an interface to display the ratings. The rating value text212describes the rating level. This text may be used to describe the rating levels in an interface to allow a use to select a level in his/her blocking preferences. Each rating level includes a value for a rating level tag206. As seen, each rating level has a unique value within the dimension.

FIG. 2Dshows an example of a data structure for a region rating table108. As shown, a newly-added level of a rating value of “10” has been added in row204-1. This newly-added row has pushed rating levels 13, 16, and 18 down to a level index of 2, 3, and 4 respectively. If the conventional way of blocking content was used with an index of (2, 1), then rating value 10 would be blocked. This blocks content for ages 10 or older. However, if instead the rating level tag of 0xB1 is used to identify the level, the rating level of 13 can be identified, which blocks content for age 13 or older.

FIG. 3discloses a more detailed embodiment of content control system108according to one embodiment. As shown, a blocking level set-up determiner302, a content blocker304, and a database306are provided. Blocking level set-up determiner302is configured to allow a user to set up blocking levels for content. A user interface312may be provided to a user that allows the user to select different ratings. For example, blocking level set-up determiner302may use a region rating table108that has been downloaded to database306to output a set of blocking choices to a user. Information may be displayed on user interface312and the user may specify which content blocking preferences are desired. For example, the user may specify different dimensions and rating levels that should be used to block content. In one example, content that is rated with an age of 13 or above can be specified.

When preferences are set, blocking level set-up determiner302generates a content blocking description that stores the user's preferences. For example, the index value for the dimension is saved along with the rating level tag value. Instead of the index value for the row, the tag value is saved instead. The index value for the row may also be saved in another embodiment.

Content blocker304is configured to block content based on the content blocking description. Content is received from content deliverer104. The content may include a content advisory descriptor (CAD). The content advisory descriptor describes ratings that have been applied to the content. For example, the content may be rated at age 13 or above. The CAD may reference columns and rows in the region rating table. For the dimension, it may reference the index value of the dimension. For the rating value within the dimension, it may reference the rating level tag.

Content blocker304applies the content blocking description to the content advisory descriptor to determine if the content should be blocked or not. For example, if the content advisory descriptor includes a dimension and rating level tag associated with content that should be blocked, then the content is blocked. For example, if the content includes the dimension of 2 and a rating level tag of 0xB1, then the content is blocked. Accordingly, no changes in the rows of region rating table108affect whether or not the correct content is blocked. Because the rating level tag is unique to each dimension, the correct rating level that the user set preferences for can be identified. Thus, user preferences do not need to be reset when changes to region rating table108are provided. This is convenient for a user because continually readjusting the preferences is undesirable, and may not cause confusion if the user had no changes to the rating level the user had selected (e.g., age 13 or above).

FIG. 4depicts a simplified flowchart400of a method for generating a content blocking description according to one embodiment. In step402, receiver102receives a region rating table108. In step404, receiver102outputs a user interface312to allow a user to provide preferences for content blocking. The user may then interact with the interface to determine which settings should be applied to blocked content.

In step406, receiver102receives content blocking information from user interface312. The content blocking information may include a dimension and also a rating level tag that defines a blocking level that the user desires.

In step408, receiver102generates a content blocking description. The content blocking description defines the dimension and tag for the rating level that has been defined by the user. In step410, the content blocking description is stored.

FIG. 5depicts a simplified flowchart500of a method for blocking content according to one embodiment. In step502, receiver102receives content with a content advisory descriptor. In step504, receiver102determines the content advisory descriptor associated with the content. In step506, the content blocking description is applied to the content advisory descriptor for the content. For example, it is determined if the content is in the rating level that should be blocked. In step508, it is determined if the dimension and tag apply to the content advisory descriptor. If so, step510blocks the content. If not, step512allows the content to be displayed.

Although the description has been described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, these particular embodiments are merely illustrative, and not restrictive. Although a region rating table is described, it will be understood that any data structure defining dimensions and rating levels may be used.