Abstract:
A digital signal playback apparatus is disclosed that includes at least one digital signal input receiver, at least one digital signal output decoder, and a universal ratings manager. The universal ratings manager analyzes an incoming digital data signal to determine if the content rating for the signal is acceptable for decoding by the content rating received by the ratings manager from the user. The ratings manager is capable of analyzing multiple input signals and then outputting them simultaneously. The content rating may be based on the type of content acceptable by the user. This content includes sexual situations, language, violence, time of viewing, content author, and content source, among others.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to a method and system for displaying selected content in a digital multimedia stream and, more particularly, to a method and system for preventing viewing of objectionable content found within one or more digital multimedia input streams.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    Consumer video display systems are transitioning from analog transport to digital multimedia streams. The digital video devices utilize high speed interfaces, such as IEEE1394 or Firewire, to receive digital media streams. As the formats are digital, it is now possible for the same device to decode multiple streams from previously incompatible formats. Along with the advent of digital video technology, content control schemes have been proposed to allow end users to limit the types of material that are available on for replay on their multimedia systems. One type of control mechanism is known as V-Chip technology. V-Chip technology enables parents or guardians to restrict the content that may be viewed on a display. V-Chip technology has been mandated by the United States government to be included in all thirteen inch or larger televisions after Jul. 1, 1999, and all televisions after Jan. 1, 2000.  
           [0003]    The FCC has defined parental rating schemes for over the air broadcast; however, these rating systems are not applicable to recorded digital streams or local broadcast over a high speed interface. In addition, if two or more streams are decoded and displayed, each stream should have independent parental control capabilities such as when video display supports picture-in-picture viewing.  
           [0004]    V-Chip technology permits a device to be programmed to read the signal of a given program, compare it to the level preauthorized by the viewer/parent, and then either block or allow viewing of the program. The device incorporating the V-Chip technology is programmable to allow the viewer/parent to select from the available tolerance levels in each available classification category and should a program exceed those preset levels, the program will be blocked. When a program is blocked, program information is displayed on the screen identifying program title and ratings in each of the classification categories. If a user wants to remove the blocking function, it is done by entering an assigned personal identification number (PIN).  
           [0005]    In addition to using the rating system as a basis for television control, the V-Chip technology also allows a viewer to block the display of the television program on the basis of other parameters. These parameters include channel selection, time of day, maximum daily viewing time, and title of program. The V-Chip technology is also capable of providing a viewer with a list of program alternatives based upon preferences selected by the viewer.  
           [0006]    U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,584, entitled “Video and Audio Blanking System,” issued Nov. 19, 1985, discloses an auxilliary circuit for remote control television receiver blanking using digital code words transmitted as part of the video signal. The circuit detects and decodes the transmitted code and depending upon the code received, blanks either or both of the audio and video signals in the receiver. The television viewer has control over selecting which level of content is to be displayed. It is not apparent whether U.S. Pat. No. 4,554,584 may be modified to offer V-Chip technology.  
           [0007]    Limitations of the V-Chip technology as well as the above-referenced patent include being unable to handle picture-in-picture situations where each picture enforces a different rating system. Further, they are not compatible with input devices that have different parental control schemes, in example, digital video disc (DVD). Moreover, neither solution provides means for enforcing parental controls on devices without built-in parental enforcement.  
           [0008]    Accordingly, what is needed is a parental control method and system for multimedia displays that support differing technologies of parental enforcement as well as providing parental enforcement where none is available.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    In accordance with the present invention, a digital signal playback apparatus is disclosed that includes at least one digital signal input receiver, at least one digital signal output decoder, and a universal ratings manager. The universal ratings manager analyzes an incoming digital data signal to determine if the content rating for the signal is acceptable for decoding by the content rating received by the ratings manager from the user. The ratings manager is capable of analyzing multiple input signals and then outputting them simultaneously. The content rating may be based on the type of content acceptable by the user. This content includes sexual situations, language, violence, time of viewing, content author, and content source, among others.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another principle the present invention, a method for automatically screening incoming digital data input signals for content prior to output is also disclosed. The method comprises the following steps:  
           [0011]    Step 1—identifying an acceptable content rating for any digital data input signal to be processed,  
           [0012]    Step 2—analyzing the incoming digital data input signal for a content rating,  
           [0013]    Step 3—determining whether the content rating is acceptable in view of the identified content rating, and  
           [0014]    Step 4—if content rating is acceptable, decoding the digital data input signal for output.  
           [0015]    The step for defining an acceptable content rating is further defined by providing a user selected content rating, determining a time restriction for processing the digital data input signal, and identifying that the content rating rejects a known content author. The analyzing step further comprises identifying the author of the digital data input signal. The determining step further comprises determining if the author is banned from processing a subsequent signal decoding. The method further comprises the steps of: determining whether the content rating has been changed by the user; determining if the digital data input signal meets the changed content rating; and decoding the digital data input signal for output if that digital data input signal meets the changed content rating. The method also is capable of analyzing at least one additional incoming digital data input signal substantially simultaneously to the first incoming digital data input signal as per steps 2-4. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0016]    The above and further advantages of the invention may be better understood by referring to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system suitable for use with the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of the elements comprising a DVD system including a DVD drive and an accompanying computer with software components installed therein;  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the data flow that includes a registration packet according to the present invention;  
         [0020]    [0020]FIG. 4 is a flow chart illustrating the method for performing viewing authentication of an input stream according to the principles of the present invention;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the method steps for granting decoding access to the incoming data stream according to principles of the present invention;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 6 is a flow chart illustrating the method of performing additional control checks in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0023]    [0023]FIG. 1 illustrates the system architecture for a computer system  100  such as an IBM PS/2®, on which the invention may be implemented. The exemplary computer system of FIG. 1 is for descriptive purposes only. Although the description may refer to terms commonly used in describing particular computer systems, such as an IBM PS/2 computer, the description and concepts equally apply to other systems, including systems having architectures dissimilar to FIG. 1.  
         [0024]    Computer system  100  includes a central processing unit (CPU)  105 , which may be implemented with a conventional microprocessor, a random access memory (RAM)  110  for temporary storage of information, and a read only memory (ROM)  115  for permanent storage of information. A memory controller  120  is provided for controlling RAM  110 .  
         [0025]    A bus  130  interconnects the components of computer system  100 . A bus controller  125  is provided for controlling bus  130 . An interrupt controller  135  is used for receiving and processing various interrupt signals from the system components.  
         [0026]    Mass storage may be provided by diskette  142 , CD ROM or DVD  147 , or hard disc  152 . Data and software may be exchanged with computer system  100  via removable media such as diskette  142  and CD ROM  147 . Diskette  142  is insertable into diskette drive  141  which is, in turn, connected to bus  30  by a controller  140 . Similarly, CD ROM or DVD  147  is insertable into drive  146  which is, in turn, connected to bus  130  by controller  145 . Hard disc  152  is part of a fixed disc drive  151  which is connected to bus  130  by controller  150 . Drive  146  may also function as a DVD drive playback unit for playing DVD content on the computer system  100 .  
         [0027]    User input to computer system  100  may be provided by a number of devices. For example, a keyboard  156  and mouse  157  are connected to bus  130  by controller  155 . An audio transducer  196 , which may act as both a microphone and a speaker, is connected to bus  130  by audio controller  197 , as illustrated. It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art that other input devices, such as a pen and/or tabloid may be connected to bus  130  and an appropriate controller and software, as required. DMA controller  160  is provided for performing direct memory access to RAM  110 . A visual display is generated by video controller  165  which controls video display  170 . Computer system  100  also includes a communications adapter  190  which allows the system to be interconnected to a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), schematically illustrated by bus  191  and network  195 .  
         [0028]    Operation of the computer system  100  is generally controlled and coordinated by operating system software, such as the OS/2® operating system, available from International Business Machines Corporation, Boca Raton, Fla. The operating system controls the allocation of system resources and performs tasks such as processing, scheduling, memory management, networking, and I/O services, among other things. In particular, an operating system resident in system memory and running on CPU  105  coordinates the operation of the other elements of computer system  100 . The present invention may be implemented with any of a number of commercially available operating systems, including OS/2, UNIX, and DOS, etc. One or more applications such as Lotus Notes, commercially available from Lotus Development Corp., Cambridge, Mass., may execute on the computer system  100 . If the operating system is a true multitasking operating system, such as OS/2, multiple applications may execute simultaneously.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 2 illustrates conceptually the main components of a digital multimedia system  200  in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a ratings manager  210 , which connects to computer  100 . A DVD drive  202  is coupled to the ratings manager  210 . The use of DVD drive  202  with computer  100  should not be construed as a limitation of the invention, however, since other DVD systems, such as a DVD-VIDEO system, may be used with the ratings manager  210  in other types of multimedia devices, including television systems. Moreover, in one embodiment, the DVD drive  202  and ratings manager  210  can be integrated into the same system. In addition, the DVD drive  202  may also be a drive suitable for internal mounting in computer  100 .  
         [0030]    The DVD drive  202  receives a DVD disc containing compressed and encoded information which has been coded in accordance with the DVD 1.0 Specification for read-only discs, which preferably contain up to seventeen gigabytes of information. The computer  100  includes a driver (not shown) for enabling the operating system in the computer  100  to control and exchange information with the drive  202 . It also includes one or more input devices  204  that receive input from a user.  
         [0031]    The system  200  also includes a control and playback program shown schematically in FIG. 2 as having a navigation object  206  with logic for reading data from the drive. A presentation engine  208  includes decompressing and decoding routines for decoding the information on the disc  202  and routines for formatting the information for display. For example, the audio information may be compressed by means of conventional compression technique known as Dolby® AC-3® compression (also known as “Dolby® Digital” decompression). The video information may be compressed using a, compression technique known as MPEG-2 (Moving Picture Experts Group-2). The system  200  also includes an assortment of digital multimedia stream sources and a plurality of output devices, the digital stream sources include a digital media source  212 , which may represent any type of digital signal, such as a second DVD player, a cable modem, or a other alternative digital media sources. A high definition television (HDT) source is provided as is a digital satellite system source  216 . Lastly, a digital video capable source  218  may also be provided. The output devices can include, but are not limited, first and second video displays  220  as well as audio output  222 . Additional video displays and audio output connections are possible and are not limited to the number illustrated in FIG. 2. Each digital input source  212 - 218  connects to the ratings manager  210  and in a manner that allows two-way communication between the input sources and the ratings manager  210 .  
         [0032]    Ratings manager  210  prevents unauthorized content from being viewed and controls the final output of the input streams. These final outputs go to the output devices  220  and  222 .  
         [0033]    Digital versatile discs (DVDs) are information storage devices used for storing prerecorded audio information, movies and computer software. The storage and playback mechanism used in DVDs closely resembles the mechanism used in compact discs (CDs) and DVD players and software use the same laser technology as CD players. Briefly, both DVDs and CDs store information as a pattern of pits formed in a metallic substrate. The pit patterns form digital words and the digital words are read by shining a laser beam on the disc surface and detecting the reflected beam. However, the information storage capacity of a typical DVD is much higher than a CD. Presently available DVDs have a variety of capacities that depend on the technology used to manufacture the discs. Single-layer technologies can be either single or double-sided with capacities of 4.7 gigabytes and 9.4 gigabytes, respectively. Dual layer technologies are available which use single or double-sided capacities that hold approximately 8.5 gigabytes per side. This high information storage capacity makes DVDs suitable for storing not only audio information, but also video information and large amounts of computer data as well.  
         [0034]    DVD players have many CD player features, such as the ability to play selections in any order desired and the ability to read information from any point on the disc. However, DVDs can store information in several formats. For example, DVDs that are used to store video information (hereinafter called DVD-VIDEO discs) may use various known information compression algorithms, such as MPEG-2 for video compression/decompression. A DVD may also include high fidelity sound as well. In addition, a DVD may also store uncompressed linear Pulse Code Modulated data streams, which have sample rates between 48-96 kHertz and are sampled at 16 or 24 bits. Still other DVD versions (hereinafter called DVD-ROM discs) can store digital data for computer use, and the data may also be compressed on these discs.  
         [0035]    Each DVD-VIDEO disc contains a main directory denoted as a VIDEO_TS directory, which contains two types of files distinguished with the file extensions .IFO and .VOB. During playback, these files are sorted by a DVD video player to form video “title” sets, which are groupings of all files necessary to play a particular DVD video “title”, for example, a movie. Each video title set is composed of one .IFO file and one or more .VOB files.  
         [0036]    A file with the .VOB extension contains the actual multimedia data and is called a video object set. The location and format of the multimedia data stored in the video object set is defined by the associated .IFO file. In particular, .IFO files contain navigational data structures and a processor-independent interpreted language which specifies how the data structures are arranged.  
         [0037]    The data structures themselves are composed of various objects called “program chain objects”, “program objects”, and “cell objects”. Program chain objects link related program objects (or particular scenes) within a title and their data structures govern the playback of the program objects. For example, a simple title may contain only one program chain. However, complex titles may contain two or more program chains to allow random access to a variety of programs. The multiple program chain title can play programs linearly, randomly or in a “shuffle” mode. Program chains allow a particular program sequence to be changed during playback. Thus, it is possible to change the program content based on stored information. This type of operation is used in implementing “parental control” levels in which information content that parents might find inappropriate (such as extremely violent or sexual material) can be removed during playback and other material substituted without requiring several separate and complete programs.  
         [0038]    In an illustrative embodiment, the software elements of system  200  are implemented using object-oriented programming techniques. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) techniques involve the definition, creation, use and destruction of “objects”. These objects are software entities comprising data elements, or attributes, and methods, or functions, which manipulate the data elements. The attributes and related methods are treated by the software as an entity and can be created, used and deleted as if they were a single item. Together, the attributes and methods enable objects to model virtually any real-world entity in terms of its characteristics, which can be represented by the data elements, and its behavior, which can be represented by its data manipulation functions. In this way, objects can model concrete things like people and computers, and they can also model abstract concepts like numbers or geometrical designs.  
         [0039]    Objects are defined by creating “classes” which are not objects themselves, but which act as templates that instruct the compiler how to construct the actual object. A class may, for example, specify the number and type of data variables and the steps involved in the methods which manipulate the data. When an object-oriented program is compiled, the class code is compiled into the program, but no objects exist. Therefore, none of the variables or data structures in the compiled program exist or have any memory allotted to them. An object is actually created by the program at runtime by means of a special function called a constructor that uses the corresponding class definition and additional information, such as arguments provided during object creation, to construct the object. Likewise, objects are destroyed by a special function called a destructor. Objects may be used by using their data, attributes, or invoking their functions, or methods. When an object is created at runtime, memory is allotted and data structures are created.  
         [0040]    The principle benefits of object-oriented programming techniques arise out of three basic principles; encapsulation, polymorphism and inheritance. More specifically, objects can be designed to hide, or encapsulate, all, or a portion of, the internal data structure and the internal functions. More particularly, during program design, a program developer can define objects in which all or some of the attributes and all or some of the related functions are considered “private” or for use only by the object itself. Other data or functions can be declared “public” or available for use by other programs. Access to the private variables by other programs can be controlled by defining public functions for an object which accesses the object&#39;s private data. The public functions form a controlled and consistent interface between the private data and the “outside” world. Any attempt to write program code which directly accesses the private variables causes the compiler to generate an error during program compilation. The error stops the compilation process and prevents the program from being run.  
         [0041]    Polymorphism is a concept which allows objects and functions which have the same overall format, but which work with different data, to function differently in order to produce consistent results. For example, an addition function may be defined as variable A plus variable B (A+B) and this same format can be used whether the A and B are numbers, characters or dollars and cents. However, the actual program code which performs the addition may differ widely depending on the type of variables that comprise A and B. Polymorphism allows three separate function definitions to be written, one for each type of variable (numbers, characters and dollars). After the functions have been defined, a program can later refer to the addition function by its common format (A+B) and, at runtime, the program will determine which of the three functions is actually called by examining the variable types. Polymorphism allows similar functions which produce analogous results to be “grouped” in the program source code to produce a more logical and clear program flow.  
         [0042]    The third principle which underlies object-oriented programming is inheritance, which allows program developers to easily reuse pre-existing programs and to avoid creating software from scratch. The principle of inheritance allows a software developer to declare classes (and the objects which are later created from them) as related. Specifically, classes may be designated as subclasses of other base classes. A subclass “inherits” and has access to all of the public functions of its base classes just as if these function appeared in the subclass. Alternatively, a subclass can override some or all of its inherited functions or may modify some or all of its inherited functions merely by defining a new function with the same form (overriding or modification does not alter the function in the base class, but merely modifies the use of the function in the subclass). The creation of a new subclass which has some of the functionality (with selective modification) of another class allows software developers to easily customize existing code to meet their particular needs.  
         [0043]    In accordance with the principles of the present invention, player system  200  includes ratings manager  210 . Ratings manager  210  is used to authenticate a given stream from any of the input streams  212 - 218 . With reference to FIG. 3, a broadcast transmission packet  300  is shown comprising a pack header  302 , a packet header  304 , miscellaneous information  306 , and registration packet  308 . In the illustrative embodiment, pack header  302  may be implemented with fourteen bytes of digital information. Packet header  304  may be implemented with either nine or fourteen bytes of digital information while the miscellaneous information  306  may be implemented with as little as a single byte. The information stored in registration packet  308  includes the parental control configuration for the particular input source as well as the controls for the particular output sources.  
         [0044]    In accordance with the principles of the present invention, player system  200  proceeds to perform viewing authentication of a input stream according to the steps illustrated in the flow diagram of FIG. 4. Beginning in step  402 , the system proceeds to step  410  where each input device is attached to ratings manager  210 . Next, in step  412 , ratings manager  210  queries the capabilities of each and every input stream connected thereto. In step  414 , the ratings manager  210  sets the parental control defaults for all input streams based upon the capabilities queried in step  412 . Next, in step  416 , each input stream exchanges its ratings information with the ratings manager and then proceeds to step  418 . In step  418 , ratings manager  210  either grants or denies access for each input stream to the connected output streams. Information exchange between ratings manager  210  and the various input streams  212 - 218  occur by placing the desired information in registration packet  308 . During the querying of each input stream of step  412 , rating manager  210  attains the following capabilities. The first capability is whether the input stream provides UniqueIDSupport, which indicates if the stream has associated a unique ID and if the stream may only be authenticated by the unique ID. For example, VideoCD has no rating system so it must be authenticated via the unique ID. The next capability includes ParentalControl capabilities. ParentalControl indicates if the stream contains parental control features. The last capability includes any device specific parental control capabilities, such as, for example DVD or VCD classes. If the stream contains multiple parental control levels, ratings manager informs the input stream about the preferred parental controls. For example, if a DVD disc contains “PG-13” and “G” versions of the content and the DVD player was configured to enable PG-13 playback, it would send the PG-13 version. If ratings manager  210  had been configured for “G” content, ratings manager  210  would request that the G version be played instead of the PG-13 version.  
         [0045]    Each input video stream must register with the ratings manager before they are decoded within the DVD player  210 . Most of the information is stored in a 32-bit field where zero indicates no objectionable material and 0xFFFFFF indicates the highest concentration of potentially objectionable material. The registration process communicates the following information to the writings manager  210 :  
         [0046]    Violence level of the content  
         [0047]    Sexual level of the content  
         [0048]    Adult language of the content  
         [0049]    Country specific rating of content  
         [0050]    Rating country of origin (ISO 3166 code)  
         [0051]    Unique identifier  
         [0052]    Unique identifier name (typically the stream name or movie title)  
         [0053]    UniqueID only  
         [0054]    Output stream usage. Input stream indicates which output device it will use.  
         [0055]    Display time (used by time-based controls)  
         [0056]    Stream channel number (for broadcast video, this is the TV channel)  
         [0057]    Production crew [ ] an array of all companies and individuals involved with the content  
         [0058]    To grant access to the data stream for decoding and playback, the ratings manager  210  performs a series of checks against its own database as well as the ratings systems involved in either the data source or the data destination locations. FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrative of the method steps in granting decoding access to the incoming data stream. Beginning in step  502 , the system proceeds to step  510  where ratings manager  210  continues to check for each input stream returning its uniqueID. As the uniqueID is returned, and as depicted in step  514 , ratings manager  210  checks a database stored within a volatile memory section of the ratings manager  210  to determine if the unique identifier is approved for viewing. If approval is granted, then the stream is decoded and played on the known output devices as per step  512 . If the uniqueID is not approved, then it proceeds to the next step  516 .  
         [0059]    In step  516 , ratings manager  210  compares the parental settings currently in effect against the ratings of the uniqueID to determine whether there is correspondence. If there is correspondence, then approval is granted in step  512  so that the stream may be decoded and played on the known output devices. If the approval is denied, the ratings manager proceeds to step  518 .  
         [0060]    In step  518 , the rating manager  210  carries the input stream to determine if it supports alternative versions with different ratings. For example, the DVD disc may have multiple rating levels that have been implemented by the user. If the multiple ratings are enabled, the ratings manager attempts to find a compatible rating level in step  520 . If the alternative ratings have not been enabled, or the compatible rating levels do not grant access for decoding the video stream, the system proceeds to step  522 . In step  522 , ratings manager  212  denies access to play the video stream and returns a signal identifying the reasons why access has been denied on the output source. If a compatible level is found, the system then proceeds to step  512  to grant access to the stream for decoding and playback.  
         [0061]    Ratings manager  210  performs additional control checks as illustrated in the flow chart of FIG. 6 which is an illustrative representation of the method in accordance with the present invention. One element that is not provided for in any of the prior solutions is the ability to change the control level at any given time and have it effected on the decoding of the input data stream. Thus, starting in step  602 , the ratings manager proceeds to step  610  to determine whether a parental control level change has occurred. If a parental control level change has occurred, the system proceeds to step  612  to notify the output device performing the decoding of the data stream of the new change and to decode the appropriate content based on the new code rating. If the parental change has not occurred and once the new change has been performed, the system proceeds to step  614 . The ratings manager  210  evaluates whether a time restriction applies as to whether the stream is allowed to be decoded at that particular time noted (step  614 ). If no restriction applies, then the system proceeds to block  618 ; otherwise, the system proceeds to step  616 . In step  616 , the ratings manager  210  allows or blocks the plane of the content. In block step  618 , the ratings manager  210  determines whether a channel restriction applies to the particular data stream. Channel restrictions refer to the source channel of the incoming data stream. If a restriction does apply, the system proceeds to step  616 . If no restriction applies, the system proceeds to step  620 . In step  620 , ratings manager  210  determines whether the actual production source of the multimedia content is on a restriction list. This restriction can apply to the producer, the production, company, the director, as well as the actors or other indicia that the end user determines should be restricted. If a restriction does apply, the system proceeds to step  616 . If no restriction applies, the system proceeds to step  622  where approval is granted for the playing back of the content and its decoding for viewing on the video displays and the audio source.  
         [0062]    An assortment of pseudo-code descriptors is provided that describe the various operations of ratings manager  210 . They are provided as an example of a given embodiment of the present invention. It is apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to any of these pseudo-code representations to determine the ratings control level if acceptable by the user in decoding digital data streams. It is also apparent that this method and system applies to multiple data streams, each data stream being uniquely evaluated for access and decoding. The individual review of each data stream allows for multiple sources having multiple control settings to be viewed on the output devices.  
         [0063]    m_pInputStream: pointer to the input stream  
         [0064]    m_registrationvalues: structure for registration values  
         [0065]    m_reasonforfailure: contains specific error code why content is not playable  
         [0066]    typedef struct  
                                                                       {                ViolenceLevel           SexualLevel           LanguageLevel           CountryRating           RatingCountry           UniqueID           UniqueIDName           OutputDevicesUsed                }REG_VALUES;                      
 
         [0067]    AuthenticateNewStreamo  
         [0068]    purpose: authorize and display an input stream. Obtain capabilities of input stream via m_pInputStream-&gt;ReportCapabilities( )  
         [0069]    Check if input stream device is prohibited from decoding at the current time  
         [0070]    If device isn&#39;t currently usable, set m_display to FALSE  
         [0071]    Tell input stream about preferred Parental control setting  
         [0072]    M_pInputStream-&gt;SetRatingsPreferences( )  
         [0073]    Get the unique ID associated with the stream m_pInputStream-&gt;GetUniqueIDInfo( )  
         [0074]    Check if the ProductionCrew associated with the content is permissible  
         [0075]    If the ProductionCrew is not acceptable, set m_display to FALSE  
         [0076]    If device not prohibited from playing AND  
         [0077]    stream not authenticated AND  
         [0078]    Stream contains parental ratings AND  
         [0079]    no one from the ProductionCrew [ ] is on the prohibited list  
         [0080]    while stream not authenticated  
         [0081]    ValidateRatings( ) for the stream  
         [0082]    If stream not authenticated  
         [0083]    If stream enables multiple ratings  
         [0084]    Get the next rating m_pinputStream-&gt;ReportAlternativeLevels( )  
         [0085]    if there are no more levels  
         [0086]    exit while loop  
         [0087]    else  
         [0088]    exit while loop  
         [0089]    else  
         [0090]    set m_display member variable of m_pInputStream object to TRUE  
         [0091]    exit while loop  
         [0092]    if m_display member variable of m_pInputStream is TRUE  
         [0093]    Decode Input Stream DecodeStream (m_pInputStream)  
         [0094]    ValidateRatings( )  
         [0095]    purpose: returns stream authorization information using the active ratings settings.  
         [0096]    Obtain parental ratings of input stream via m_pInputStream-&gt;RegisterWithManager( )  
         [0097]    And store in m_registrationvalues  
         [0098]    if CheckRatingsDatabase( ) authorizes this stream  
         [0099]    report that this stream is playable  
         [0100]    CheckRatingsDatabase( )  
         [0101]    purpose: determines if a given stream is capable of being viewed.  
         [0102]    if input stream contains ratings  
         [0103]    Compare parental control values associated with the stream with the maximum acceptable values requested by the user.  
         [0104]    If content is acceptable, report that stream is approved  
         [0105]    else, report that stream is not approved  
         [0106]    else  
         [0107]    find matching unique id associated with the stream unique id found? 
         [0108]    Yes.  
         [0109]    No. Call GetUniqueIdInfo( )  
         [0110]    Report answer from GetUniqueIdInfo( )  
         [0111]    ListenforParentalChanges( )  
         [0112]    purpose: monitors dynamic changes in objectionable material settings  
         [0113]    If input stream (m_pInputStream) rating change occurs  
         [0114]    Call AuthenticateNewStream( ) with the new ratings.  
         [0115]    EnsureStreamStillValid(m pInputStream)  
         [0116]    purpose: enforce time-based restrictions on a given stream compare current movie time to restricted viewing times  
         [0117]    Is current time prohibited from displaying content? 
         [0118]    return FALSE (content not playable)  
         [0119]    Is current channel prohibited from displaying content at current time? 
         [0120]    return FALSE (content not playable)  
         [0121]    return TRUE(content playable)  
         [0122]    DecodeStream(m_pInputStream)  
         [0123]    purpose: decode stream and send to output devices route output to the appropriate decoder  
         [0124]    while TRUE  
         [0125]    Ensure still stream display is still valid (EnsureStreamStillValid( ))  
         [0126]    If display is not valid, exit loop and display error output stream  
         [0127]    Listen for modifications to objectionable materials in the stream (via ListenforParentalChanges( ))  
         [0128]    GetUniqueIDInfo( )  
         [0129]    purpose: examine unique id database to see if content is acceptable  
         [0130]    Ask the user if the content associated with the unique id can be played.  
         [0131]    Store answer in a database of unique ids.  
         [0132]    If user enables stream playback, report that stream must be authorized.  
         [0133]    Else, report that stream has not been authorized.  
         [0134]    The following pseudo-code describes the operation of an input stream:  
         [0135]    RegisterWithManager( )  
         [0136]    purpose: reports stream rating level information to the manager  
         [0137]    Does input stream contain rating levels? 
         [0138]    Yes.  
         [0139]    Input stream must map its internal rating level to the vendor neutral system describe in this disclosure. The following fields must be set:  
         [0140]    ViolenceLevel  
         [0141]    Sexual Level  
         [0142]    Language Level  
         [0143]    CountryRating  
         [0144]    RatingCountry  
         [0145]    UniqueID (not applicable)  
         [0146]    UniqueIDName (not applicable)  
         [0147]    OutputDevicesUsed: report the number of output devices used by the stream. return rating level data structure  
         [0148]    No.  
         [0149]    Obtain unique identifier.  
         [0150]    ViolenceLevel (not applicable)  
         [0151]    SexualLevel (not applicable)  
         [0152]    LanguageLevel (not applicable)  
         [0153]    CountryRating (not applicable)  
         [0154]    RatingCountry (not applicable)  
         [0155]    UniqueID: place stream unique identifier here  
         [0156]    UniqueIDName: attach a unique name (if it exists) here  
         [0157]    OutputDevicesUsed: report the number of output devices used by the stream.  
         [0158]    Return rating level data structure  
         [0159]    ReportCapabilities( )  
         [0160]    purpose: return stream capabilities to the manager  
         [0161]    report if stream contains a rating level (or multiple levels if applicable)  
         [0162]    report if stream support unique identifiers  
         [0163]    report the output devices (i.e. audio and video) that the stream requires.  
         [0164]    SetRatingsPreferences(preference)  
         [0165]    purpose: informs input stream of preferred parental control level  
         [0166]    if stream enables multiple ratings and if the parental control level requested by the caller exists in the stream  
         [0167]    Set internal active rating level to the level requested by the caller  
         [0168]    ReportAlternativeLevels(alternative option)  
         [0169]    purpose: reports stream rating level information to the manager for an alternate rating level  
         [0170]    if stream enables multiple ratings  
         [0171]    Set internal active rating level to the alternative option  
         [0172]    Call RegisterWithManager( ) with the new alternate rating level and report answer to the ratings manager.  
         [0173]    A software implementation of the above described embodiment(s) may comprise a series of computer instructions either fixed on a tangible medium, such as a computer readable media, e.g. diskette  142 , CD-ROM  147 , ROM  115 , or fixed disc  152  of FIG. 1, or transmittable to a computer system, via a modem or other interface device, such as communications adapter  190  connected to the network  195  over a medium  191 . Medium  191  either can be a tangible medium, including but not limited to optical or analog communications lines, or may be implemented with wireless techniques, including but not limited to microwave, infrared or other transmission techniques. The series of computer instructions embodies all or part of the functionality previously described herein with respect to the invention. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such computer instructions can be written in a number of programming languages for use with many computer architectures or operating systems. Further, such instructions may be stored using any memory technology, present or future, including, but not limited to, semiconductor, magnetic, optical or other memory devices, or transmitted using any communications technology, present or future, including but not limited to optical, infrared, microwave, or other transmission technologies. It is contemplated that such a computer program product may be distributed as a removable media with accompanying printed or electronic documentation, e.g., shrink wrapped software, preloaded with a computer system, e.g., on system ROM or fixed disc, or distributed from a server or electronic bulletin board over a network, e.g., the Internet or World Wide Web.  
         [0174]    Although various exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made which will achieve some of the advantages of the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It will be obvious to those reasonably skilled in the art that other components performing the same functions may be reliably substituted. Further, the methods of the invention may be achieved in either all software implementations, using the appropriate processor instructions, or in hybrid implementations which utilize a combination of hardware logic and software logic to achieve the same results. Hardware implementations may include a microprocessor in combination with various support circuitry, a single-chip microcontroller, hybrid circuits which employ packaging techniques other than plastic- or ceramic-encapsulated packaging, or application specific integrated circuits (ASICs). The ASICs may take the form of gate arrays, structured cell arrays, or full custom integrated circuits, for example. Further, aspects such as the size of memory, number of bits utilized to represent datum or a signal, data word size, the number of clock cycles necessary to execute an instruction, and the specific configuration of logic and/or instructions utilized to achieve a particular function, as well as other modifications to the inventive concept are intended to be covered by the appended claims.