Patent Publication Number: US-2015067717-A1

Title: Video player censor settings

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Video service providers provide video content to users that may be received and displayed at multiple different types of devices. In some instances, the video content may be provided to the devices within a home network, such as set top boxes, personal computers, etc. In other instances, the video content provider may provide video content to mobile devices via mobile networks (e.g., long term evolution (LTE) networks, wireless networks) in public spaces. 
     Video content delivered to the user device in a public space may be susceptible to unwanted viewing by persons in a vicinity of the user of the mobile device that receives the video content. The video content may include scenes or sequences that have varying levels of objectionable content, which the user may not wish to display or have other people view. For example, some scenes may include graphic violence, nudity, etc. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exemplary network in which systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented; 
         FIGS. 2A and 2B , respectively, are exemplary user interfaces illustrating video player censor settings according to implementations described herein; 
         FIG. 3  is a diagram of an exemplary display device in which methods and systems described herein may be implemented; 
         FIG. 4  is a block diagram of exemplary components of a device that may correspond to one of the devices of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is a functional block diagram of a video player censor client device according to an implementation described herein; 
         FIG. 6  is an exemplary user interface including video player censor elements according to an implementation described herein; 
         FIG. 7  is a functional block diagram of the video censor server of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a flow chart of an exemplary process for providing video player censor according to an implementation described herein; and 
         FIG. 9  is a flow chart of another exemplary process for providing video player censor according to an implementation described herein. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numbers in different drawings may identify the same or similar elements. Also, the following detailed description is exemplary and explanatory only and is not restrictive of the invention, as claimed. 
     Systems and/or methods described herein may provide video player censor for a user device that receives video content. The video content may include acceptable content, which a user of the user device may approve of others viewing and objectionable content, which the user may not approve of others viewing. The objectionable content may include content that is not fit for the particular place, such as nudity, graphic violence, etc. The systems may provide a capability for the user device that receives video content to substantially obscure the video content based on the detection of objectionable content. 
     The system may include video censor controls that allow a user to provide instructions to the user device to enter a “censor mode” in which the user device substantially obscures (e.g., partially obscures or fully blocks) a substantial portion of the video content when objectionable content is detected. In one embodiment, the systems may provide video censoring components, including graphical elements and/or video censor graphical effects that may be used to obscure the objectionable content. For example, the system may use the video censor graphical effects to pixelate, obfuscate, block, blur or otherwise reduce the distinguishability of the objectionable content. The video censoring components may be used to protect the privacy of the video content and prevent unwanted parties from viewing content on the user device (e.g., when the user is in a public place or other persons are in a vicinity of the user). The video content that is not obscured may be regarded as in a “public mode”. 
     Consistent with embodiments described, the system herein may include a video censor toggle on the user device or an interface on (or associated with) the user device. The video censor toggle may allow the user to manually provide input to switch to or from (i.e., toggle) the censor mode (from or to the public mode) with a substantially minimal predetermined input. In some implementations, this toggle to a particular mode may last indefinitely until removed by the user. The video censoring components may block or obscure scenes or sequences of a video program in a manner that allows a user to monitor for changes in the scene. For example, the video censoring components may blur out the video content displayed on the screen of the user device so that someone without previous context or an audio stream would be unable to ascertain what is happening on the screen, while the user may be able to detect scene transitions from objectionable content to acceptable content. 
     Consistent with embodiments described herein, the systems and methods may provide different settings that obscure the objectionable video content along a continuum or based on a set of discrete settings, such as a low, medium and high. The obscuring or blocking of the content may take up the entire screen or the majority of the screen depending upon the setting. If the user chooses a high setting from the discrete settings, the screen may be totally blocked (e.g., blacked out) for a substantial majority of the screen with a sufficient but limited portion of the screen unblocked or partially obscured (e.g., a square in one of the corners) so the user may determine that the scene has changed and provide input to exit the censor mode. 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary network  100  in which systems and/or methods described herein may be implemented. As illustrated, network  100  may include a video service provider system  102  and user devices  170 , which may receive a video service from video service provider system  102 . Video service provider system  102  may include video content management system (VCMS)  110 , a data center  120 , a profile server  130 , a billing server  140 , a video censor server  150 , a customer support system  160 , user devices  170 , a private network  180 , and a public network  190 . The particular arrangement and number of components of network  100  shown in  FIG. 1  are illustrated for simplicity. In practice there may be more VCMSs  110 , data centers  120 , profile servers  130 , billing servers  140 , video censor servers  150 , customer support systems  160 , user devices  170 , and/or networks  180 / 190 . Components of network  100  may be connected via wired and/or wireless links. 
     User devices  170  may enable a user to receive video content (i.e., an online video session, cable TV service) from video service provider system  102 . User devices  170  may include, for example, set top box, a gaming console, a personal communications system (PCS) terminal (e.g., a smartphone that may combine a cellular radiotelephone with data processing and data communications capabilities), a tablet computer, a personal computer, a laptop computer, an Internet television, or other types of computation or communication devices. 
     In implementations described herein, user device  170  may include machine readable instructions that implement video censor controls that allow a user to control the application of video censoring components to video content to block or obscure objectionable video content as described herein. 
     Video service provider system  102  may be part of a core network that provides online video service. Video service provider system  102  may be affiliated with a service provider entity (e.g., a commercial video service provider). Video service provider system  102  may provide video content that includes video programs which have a mix of sequences of acceptable content and objectionable content to user devices  170 . For example, the objectionable content may include graphic violence, nudity or age inappropriate content. 
     VCMS  110  may aggregate content, process content, and distribute content. In one implementation, VCMS  110  may include a content delivery server  112  and a digital rights management (DRM) server  114 . VCMS  110  may aggregate content and transcode content into a digital format suitable for consumption on particular user devices  170 . For example, VCMS  110  may include a transcoding device to convert an audio, video, multimedia or graphic file from one format to another (e.g., from one bit rate to another bit rate, from one resolution to another, from one standard to another, from one file size to another, etc.). VCMS  110  may also encrypt data and communicate with user devices  170  through DRM server  114  to enforce digital rights. 
     Content delivery server  112  may deliver digital content from a backend server to user devices  170 . In one implementation, content delivery server  112  may include a streaming server that provides streaming data packets (e.g., via a streaming uniform resource locator (URL)) to user devices  170  (e.g., via public network  190 ). In one implementation, a streaming URL may be session-based, such that each URL can be used only once for one user device  170  for security purposes. 
     DRM server  114  may issue, validate, and/or enforce DRM licenses to a mobile client, such as an application running on one of user devices  170 . In implementations described herein, DRM server  114  may communicate with user device  170  to validate an authorization token in issuing a license for an application residing on user device  170 . 
     Data center  120  may manage the authorization, selection, and/or purchase of multimedia content by a user of user device  170  (i.e., based on input associated with the user received from user device  170 ). As shown in  FIG. 1 , data center  120  may include a catalog server  122  and an application server  124 . In one implementation, user devices  170  may access data center  120  via public network  190 . 
     Catalog server  122  may provide a catalog of content for users (e.g., of user devices  170 ) to order/consume (e.g., buy, rent, or subscribe). In one implementation, catalog server  122  may collect and/or present listings of content available to user devices  170 . For example, catalog server  122  may receive digital content metadata, such as lists or categories of content, from VCMS  110 . Catalog server  122  may use the content metadata to provide currently available content options to user devices  170 . Catalog server  122  may provide the content metadata to user device  170  directly or may communicate with user device  170  via application server  124 . 
     Application server  124  may provide a backend support system for applications residing on user devices  170 . For example, application server  124  may permit user device  170  to download an application that enables a user to control video player censor or play downloaded or streaming content. Application server  124  may provide digital content in association with VCMS  110 . In one implementation, the interactions between application server  124  and user device  170  may be performed using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) or secure HTTP (HTTPS) via public network  190 . In one implementation, all HTTP transport may be over secure sockets layer (SSL) or transport layer security (TLS). Application server  124  may provide authentication of user devices  170  and secure delivery of credit card information. 
     Profile server  130  may store user profile information for users (e.g., users of user devices  170 ). The user profile information may include various information regarding a user, such as login information (e.g., a user identifier and a password), billing information, address information, types of services or lists of content that the user has subscribed, purchased, or rented, a user device identifier (e.g., a media player identifier, a mobile device identifier, an application identifier) for user device  170 , or the like. Profile server  130  may also store video censor preferences for the user that may control the application of video censoring components to video content on user devices associated with the user. 
     Billing server  140  may manage charging users for services provided via video service provider system  102 . Billing server  140  may include, for example, a payment processing component, a billing component, and/or a settlement component. In some implementations, billing services may be performed by servers external to video service provider system  102  (e.g., billing servers for a partner entity). 
     Video censor server  150  may provide support for video player censor controls on user devices  170 , such as described hereinbelow with respect to  FIG. 8 . For example, video censor server  150  may enable video censor controls that manage the application of video censoring components in conjunction with user device  170 , such as described with respect to  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 . Video censoring components may include video censor graphical elements and video censor graphical effects that obscure the video content. Video censor server  150  may also provide video player censor applications and define video censor graphical elements and video censor graphical effects in association with application server  124 . Video censor server  150  may use the user profile information from profile server  130  to provide video censoring components based on the user&#39;s preferences. 
     Customer support system  160  may solicit and/or receive user feedback, questions, or credit/billing-related requests. 
     Private network  180  may include, for example, one or more private IP networks that use a private IP address space. Private network  180  may include a local area network (LAN), an intranet, a private wide area network (WAN), etc. In one implementation, private network  180  may implement one or more Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for providing communication between, for example, any of VCMS  110 , data center  120 , profile server  130 , billing server  140 , video censor server  150 , and/or customer support system  160 . Private network  180  may be protected/separated from other networks, such as public network  190 , by a firewall. Although shown as a single element in  FIG. 1 , private network  180  may include a number of separate networks. 
     Public network  190  may include a LAN, a WAN, such as a cellular network, a satellite network, a fiber optic network, a private WAN, or a combination of the Internet and a private WAN, etc., that is used to transport data. Although shown as a single element in  FIG. 1 , public network  190  may include a number of separate networks that function to provide services to user devices  170 . 
     In implementations described herein, video player censor controls may be provided to allow a user to provide input to apply video censoring components to partially obscure or totally block objectionable content. The video player censor controls may be supported by video censor server  150  and other devices in network  100 . The video player censor controls may include a video censor toggle on user device  170 . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  are exemplary user interfaces,  200  and  250  respectively, illustrating video player censor settings according to an implementation described herein. As shown in  FIGS. 2A and 2B , the user interfaces may include a display  202 , a video player  204 , and a video censor controller  220 . Video player  204  may include a play button  206 , a (fast) forward button  208 , a rewind button  210  and an (associated) video position bar  212 . Video censor controller  220  may include a video censor toggle  222 , video censor settings  224 , censor message  226 , and mute button  228 . Although user interfaces  200  and  250  are shown with particular components arranged in a particular configuration, it should be understood that more, fewer or differently arranged components may be used in other implementations to provide video player censor. Further, although the video censor is described with respect to network  100 , in some implementations, video censor may be implemented as a stand-alone application on user device  170 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2A , video player  204  may provide a capability for the user to input instructions to control the playback of video content. The video content may be received from video service provider system  102  and processed and played. Alternatively, the video content may be stored on user device  170 . 
     Video player  204  may play video content or pause playing of video content on user device  170  based on input  240  received from a user (e.g., a finger on a touch screen of user device  170 ) to play/pause button  206 . Video player  204  may also fast forward (fast forward button  208 ) or rewind (rewind button  210 ) the video content based on input  240  received from the user. 
     The video content may include sequences of potentially objectionable content and/or sequences of acceptable content. For example, the video content may be an R (Restricted) rated movie that includes nudity and/or graphic violence. The potentially objectionable video content may be determined to be objectionable based on manual assessment by the user of user device  170 . Alternatively, the potentially objectionable video content may be determined to be objectionable based on information provided by video censor server  150 , including aggregated assessments of objectionable video content by other users of user devices  170  that are fed back to video censor server  150 . 
     Video censor controller  220  may allow the user to control the application of video censoring components to provide censor and obscure objectionable video content. While watching the video content in a public place, the user may determine that objectionable content is not fit to be displayed in a particular setting (e.g., based on being public, the presence of minors, etc.). The video censoring components may substantially obscure the video content in a manner that a person without previous context of the video content will be unable to determine activities depicted in the video content. In one implementation, the video censoring components may blur out the screen so that someone without previous context or an audio stream may be unable to ascertain what is happening in the video content. The video censoring components may be applied indefinitely until removed by the user. 
     Video censor toggle  222  may provide a signal for user device  170  to apply the video censoring components or to remove the video censoring components. Video censor toggle  222  may be implemented as a button on a touchscreen as shown in  FIG. 2A . Alternatively, video censor toggle may be implemented as a dedicated button on the player itself, as a combination of key strokes, or by a particular motion detectable by motion detectors associated with user device  170 . 
     Video player censor setting  224  may provide a link to a range of options for implementing video censor on user device  170  based on a user preference for application of video censoring components to the objectionable video content. The video content may include different types of objectionable content. For example, the video content may include violence, nudity, etc. Video player censor setting  224  may allow the user to select from a menu of options which may be displayed in censor message  226 . For example, censor message  226  may state “please select censor mode” and provide a menu of different options for censor mode on user device  170 . These options may include a set of discrete values for video censor such as none, indicating no video censoring components to be added, low, medium or high, indicating an increasing range of censor and obscuring the video content by applying video censoring components that increasingly obscure the objectionable video content. In another embodiment, the settings for video censor may increase along a continuum that increasingly obscures the objectionable video content. 
     According to an embodiment, video censor settings may include additional settings that determine particular types of objectionable content that is to be obscured. For example, video censor settings may identify the objectionable video content as nude content or graphic violence content. Video censor settings may also identify a particular type of video censor protecting component to be automatically applied to particular types of objectionable content. For example, the video censor settings may include an option to automatically have nudity totally blocked while only partially obscuring graphical violence or allowing the user to manually block the graphical violence. 
     As shown in  FIG. 2B , a censor mode screen  252  may include the video censor protecting component applied as a blurring effect that covers all or a substantial part of the video content (in this instance objectionable content). The underlying objectionable video content may be distinguishable to the user based on colors in a particular scene and other recognizable shared aspects of the obscured objectionable video content with the unblocked objectionable video content (i.e., the user may be able to identify that there is a person in the obscured objectionable video content but may be unable to identify what the person is doing). 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of an exemplary device  300  in which methods and systems described herein may be implemented. Although illustrated as a tablet or touch screen device, device  300  may include any of the following devices: an electronic notepad, a tablet computer, a laptop, and/or a personal computer; a set top box; a gaming device or console; or another type of computational or communication device. 
     In this implementation, device  300  may take the form of a tablet computer. As shown in  FIG. 3 , device  300  may include a speaker  302 , a touchscreen display  304 , control button  306 , a microphone  310 , sensors  312 , a front camera  314 , and a housing  316 . Speaker  302  may provide audible information to a user of device  300 . Although device  300  is shown with particular components and a particular configuration, device  300  may include fewer, more or different components, such as additional sensors, input devices, and may include associated devices (e.g., a stylus) etc. 
     Display  304  may provide visual information to the user, such as an electronic program guide, video censor controls, video images, or pictures. In addition, display  304  may include a touchscreen for providing input to device  300 . Display  304  may provide hardware/software to detect the coordinates of an area that is touched by a user. For example, display  304  may include a display panel, such as a liquid crystal display (LCD), organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, and/or another type of display that is capable of providing images to a viewer. Display  304  may include a transparent panel/surface for locating the position of a finger or an object (e.g., stylus) when the finger/object is touching or is close to display  304 . 
     Control button  306  may permit the user to interact with device  300  to cause device  300  to perform one or more operations, such as place or receive a telephone call, input data to device  300 , manipulate user interface elements, etc. In some implementations, control buttons  306  may include a telephone keypad (not shown) or an alphanumeric keyboard. Microphone  310  may receive audible information from the user. 
     According to an implementation, sensors  312  may collect and provide, to device  300 , information (e.g., acoustic, infrared, etc.) that is used to aid the user in applying video player censor controls based on providing information related to the presence of other individuals in a proximity of the user (e.g., motion detectors for peripheral motion), capturing images or in providing other types of information (e.g., a distance between a user and device  300 , a position and/or proximity of additional persons with regard to the device). Front camera  314  may enable a user to view, capture and store images (e.g., pictures, video clips) of a subject in front of device  300 . Housing  316  may provide a casing for components of device  300  and may protect the components from outside elements. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of exemplary components of a device  400 . Each of VCMS  110 , content delivery server  112 , DRM server  114 , data center  120 , catalog server  122 , application server  124 , profile server  130 , billing server  140 , video censor server  150 , customer support system  160 , or user device  170  may include one or more devices  400 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , device  400  may include a bus  410 , a processing unit  420 , a memory  430 , an input device  440 , an output device  450 , and a communication interface  460 . 
     Bus  410  may permit communication among the components of device  400 . Processing unit  420  may include one or more processors or microprocessors that interpret and execute instructions. In other implementations, processing unit  420  may be implemented as or include one or more application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), or the like. 
     Memory  430  may include a random access memory (RAM) or another type of dynamic storage device that stores information and instructions for execution by processing unit  420 , a read only memory (ROM) or another type of static storage device that stores static information and instructions for the processing unit  420 , and/or some other type of magnetic or optical recording medium and its corresponding drive for storing information and/or instructions. 
     Input device  440  may include a device that permits an operator to input information to device  400 , such as a keyboard, a keypad, a mouse, a pen, a microphone, one or more biometric mechanisms, and the like. Output device  450  may include a device that outputs information to the operator, such as a display, a speaker, etc. 
     Communication interface  460  may include a transceiver that enables device  400  to communicate with other devices and/or systems. For example, communication interface  460  may include mechanisms for communicating with other devices, such as other devices of network  100 . 
     As described herein, device  400  may perform certain operations in response to processing unit  420  executing machine-readable instructions contained in a computer-readable medium, such as memory  430 . A computer-readable medium may include a non-transitory memory device. A memory device may include space within a single physical memory device or spread across multiple physical memory devices. The machine-readable instructions may be read into memory  430  from another computer-readable medium or from another device via communication interface  460 . The machine-readable instructions contained in memory  430  may cause processing unit  420  to perform processes described herein. Alternatively, hardwired circuitry may be used in place of or in combination with machine-readable instructions to implement processes described herein. Thus, implementations described herein are not limited to any specific combination of hardware circuitry and machine-readable instructions. 
     Although  FIG. 4  shows exemplary components of device  400 , in other implementations, device  400  may include fewer components, different components, differently arranged components, or additional components than depicted in  FIG. 4 . As an example, in some implementations, input device  440  and/or output device  450  may not be implemented by device  400 . In these situations, device  400  may be a “headless” device that does not explicitly include an input or an output device. Alternatively, or additionally, one or more components of device  400  may perform one or more other tasks described as being performed by one or more other components of device  400 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an exemplary functional block diagram of video censor client device  500 . Device  500  may comprise software, hardware, or a combination of hardware and software used to provide video censor on user device, such as user device  170  described above. As shown, video censor client device  500  may include a video player censor control module  510 , a video player censor effects module  520 , a video player censor network module  530  and a detection module  540 . The configuration of components of video censor client device  500  illustrated in  FIG. 5  is for illustrative purposes only. Other configurations may be implemented. Therefore, video censor client device  500  may include additional, fewer and/or different components than those depicted in  FIG. 5 . 
     Video player censor control module  510  may provide interface elements and controls to select video player censor settings for applying video censoring components to objectionable content. For example, video player censor control module  510  may render a graphical representation of video censor controller  220  in an interface of user device  170 . Video player censor control module  510  may receive instructions based on user interaction with the graphical representation of video censor controller  220 . For example, video player censor control module  510  may allow the user to toggle from a censor mode, in which video censoring components are applied to objectionable content, to a public mode (i.e., an uncensored mode). Video player censor control module  510  may allow the user to define or implement a range of modes (including intermediate modes) for the applying the video censoring components in the private mode. 
     Video player censor control module  510  may implement the video censor toggle via physical or touchscreen input keys associated with user device. Alternatively, the video censor toggle may be implemented via motion sensor, speech recognition or other mechanisms that do not require physical contact with the user device. 
     According to one embodiment, video player censor control module  510  may allow the user to select from a range of age groups settings, such as older adult, young adult, family setting, children under age 13, etc., to automatically apply video censoring components to different types of objectionable content. 
     Video player censor effects module  520  may implement the application of the selected video censoring components to objectionable content. Video player censor effects module  520  may provide different effects to obscure the objectionable content (e.g., video censor effects may blur, fade, shade, obfuscate, veil, etc., the objectionable content) in different combinations based on different types of objectionable content and different types of environments in which the user operates user device  170 . 
     According to one implementation, video player censor effects module  520  may also implement audio censor effects on accompanying audio streams (e.g., the volume may be reduced or filtered to background noise). Video player censor effects module  520  may synchronize the application of the video censoring components to the objectionable content with correlated obscuring effects on the close captioning and/or audio. 
     According to another implementation, video player censor effects module  520  may provide a video censor effect of (temporarily) lowering a level of video censoring components (i.e., reducing the censor blocking) at scene changes. This may allow the user to momentarily assess whether to completely remove the video censoring components. 
     Video player censor network module  530  may communicate with video player censor server  150  to send and receive video censor metadata that may be used in applying video censoring components to objectionable video content. Video censor metadata may include information identifying a time in a video program at which each instance of objectionable content is identified, a duration of the objectionable content, a particular type of objectionable content, and a demographic of the persons who identify particular objectionable content. The video censor metadata may be collected from other users that identify objectionable video content in video programs selected by the user of user device  170 . Each instance in which the user manually identifies objectionable video content may be sent to video player censor server  150 . 
     According to one embodiment, video player censor network module  530  in conjunction with video player censor control module  510  may provide an estimate of a percentage of particular types of objectionable content in a particular video program. For example, video player censor control module  510  may receive an estimate of a percentage of particular types of objectionable content in a video program selected by the user. The user may then choose whether to view the video program based on a percentage of objectionable content in the video program (e.g., if there is more than ten percent of objectionable content in a movie, the user may choose not to watch that movie in a venue where video censor would be required). 
     Detection module  540  may detect external conditions to user device  170  that may indicate the presence of additional persons and may be used as a factor in the implementation of video censor. For example, detection module  540  may detect a location of user device  170  or the presence or proximity of other persons (i.e., different people around the user device and user) to the user. Video player censor control module  510  may provide video censoring components based on the detected presence or proximity of the other person (e.g., video player censor control module  510  may provide or increase the level of the video censoring components based on a closer proximity of the other person to user device  170 ). Video player censor control module  510  in conjunction with detection module  540  may increase a level of video censor in particular physical settings or if other persons are detected within a particular proximity of the user device  170 . Detection module  540  may detect a type of network that user device  170  is connected to and the presence of other networks. Video player censor control module  510  may select a highest level of censor when the user receives video content via a public network. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an exemplary video interface  600  including video censoring components. Video interface  600  may include a display  202 , a video player censor interface icon  602 , a partial obscuring video censor component  604 , a scene monitor area  606 , a video censor toggle  222 , a censor level selector  614  and a tag event  616 . Video interface  600  may be accessed via user device  170 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , video content may be received and displayed at display  202 . The video content may include objectionable video content. Video player censor interface icon  602  may indicate that the display of the objectionable video content may be managed using video censor control. 
     Partial obscuring video censor component  604  may be overlaid over the objectionable video content. Partial obscuring video censor component  604  may obscure the objectionable content in a manner that shows enough detail of the objectionable video content for the user to track whether a particular scene is ongoing or whether there is a change in the video content, for example from objectionable content to acceptable content. 
     Scene monitor area  606  may allow the user to directly monitor an area of the objectionable video content without an overlying partial obscuring video censor component  604 . Scene monitor area  606  may be limited in size to prevent persons in the vicinity of the user without prior knowledge from determining what is occurring in the underlying scene (i.e., objectionable video content) while at the same time allowing the user to monitor for scene changes to acceptable video content. In other words, scene monitor area  606  may provide a keyhole effect. 
     Video censor toggle  222  may provide a capability to apply or remove partial obscuring video censor component  604  in a similar manner as described above with respect to  FIG. 2A . 
     Censor level  614  may allow the user to set a level of video censor (i.e., obscuring of the objectionable video content) that partial obscuring video censor component  604  is to provide. If the user chooses a “high” level, partial obscuring video censor component  604  may block the objectionable video content completely with the exception of scene monitor area  606  so that the user may easily determine that the screen has changed and provide instructions to exit the censor mode. In some implementations, the partial obscuring video censor component  604  applied for “high” level of censoring may totally block the covered area of the objectionable content. A “medium” level may allow the user to view the objectionable content underlying the partial obscuring video censor component  604 . 
     According to one embodiment, censor level  614  may allow the user to select from a plurality of different types of video censoring components to apply to each type of objectionable content. The objectionable content may be identified based on video content censor metadata received from video censor server  150 . 
     Tag event  616  may allow the user to identify video censor events. The user may access a menu of different video censor events (e.g., from a “drop down” box) to tag (occurrences of) objectionable video content with an event type. The video censor event types may identify a type of objectionable content associated with each application of partial obscuring video censor component  604 . For example, the video censor event types may identify the objectionable content as nudity, graphic violence, nudity and graphic violence, etc. User device  170  may store video content censor metadata associated with applications of partial obscuring video censor component  604  (video censor events) and report the video content censor metadata to video censor server  150 . 
     According to one embodiment, each event may be tagged by users so the video censor events can be identified prior to the start of the potentially objectionable content and the user can make the decision as to whether or not to enable the censor setting. Prior to the automated event, a user nay receive a notification that identifies a type of video censor event and request input whether to implement video censoring components. For example, user device  170  may receive and display a message that says ‘Mild violence, enable censor setting y/n?’ or ‘Nudity, enable y/n’? 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram of exemplary functional components of video censor server  150 . In one implementation, the functions described in connection with  FIG. 7  may be performed by one or more components of device  400  ( FIG. 4 ). As shown in  FIG. 7 , video censor server  150  may include censor events module  710 , a censor elements module  720 , and a personal censor module  730 . 
     Censor events module  710  may identify video censor incidents. For example, censor events module  710  may receive video content censor metadata from user devices  170  associated with customers of the service provider. The video content censor metadata may identify instances in each video program at which objectionable content was identified. The identification of the video censor events may include a time, duration, and type of objectionable content associated with the video censor event. Censor events module  710  may aggregate video censor events associated with a same video program from multiple different persons (i.e., crowd sourced identification of video censor events) and determine video content censor metadata to provide via automatic video censor settings. Censor events module  710  may continuously analyze the times in which the video censor events for different users in a same video program overlap and determine start times for video censor events based on this information. 
     According to one embodiment, censor events module  710  may take the earliest start time for a particular video censor event and subtract a predetermined time (which may represent a reaction time and/or a “cushion” between the start of the video censor event and the application of the video censoring components (e.g., 3 seconds, assuming the start of the scene promoted the event). Censor events module  710  may provide the identification of the video censor event, including the adjusted start time, to user devices  170  that request video content censor metadata. Video censor client device  500  may automatically apply the video censoring components based on the adjusted start time for the video censor events and ensures that the scenes containing objectionable content are fully obscured (e.g., blurred, blocked, etc.). Similarly, censor events module  710  may provide an end time for the video censor event based on adjusting the time that a user removes the video censoring components. 
     In some implementations, censor events module  710  may receive feedback from user devices  170  if a particular censor event was erroneously applied. For example, a user may send an explicit feedback form that states that the particular video censor event is incorrect or the users (e.g., multiple different users) may consistently remove the video censoring components in a manner (e.g., from a same scene) that suggests that the user does not think that video censoring components were warranted for the particular sequence of video content (e.g., the user may leave video censoring components in place for other scenes but remove for the particular scene). An incorrect video censor event may include a wrong type of objectionable content, an incorrect designation of the video content as objectionable content, etc. According to another example, censor events module  710  may poll the user regarding scenes (i.e., objectionable content) that were missed by the system. 
     Censor elements module  720  may determine censor elements to be applied to provide video censor in conjunction with particular objectionable video content. For example, Censor elements module  720  may provide a first type of video censoring components to be applied for video censor in conjunction with a first type of objectionable content and a second type of video censoring components to be applied for video censor in conjunction with a second type of objectionable content. 
     Personal censor module  730  may allow the user to select censor levels and different censor protection elements based on a user profile, network on which the user device is located, live feedback from the user device and/or user. Personal censor module  730  may provide personalized settings in conjunction with demographic and user profile information received from/stored in profile server  130 . 
     According to one implementation, personal censor module  730  may identify different types of objectionable content based on user demographics. Personal censor module  730  may receive a request for video content censor metadata from a requesting user device  170  and identify a requesting user demographic associated with the requesting user device  170  (e.g., based on information received form profile server  130 ). Personal censor module  730  may provide video content censor metadata identifying at least one of the different types of objectionable content to the requesting user device  170  based on the requesting user demographic. 
     In some implementations, personal censor module  730  may generate and or provide video content censor metadata to user devices  170  that may enable or enhance implementation of video content censor features. The video content censor metadata may be associated with particular video content on a scene by scene basis (e.g., the video content censor metadata may identify particular objectionable video content) or with the entire video content (e.g., the video content censor metadata may indicate that the video content includes objectionable video content). 
       FIG. 8  is a flow chart of an exemplary process  800  for implementing video player censor controls according to implementations described herein. In one implementation, process  800  may be performed by video censor client device  500 . In another implementation, some or all of process  800  may be performed by another device or group of devices, including or excluding video censor client device  500 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 8 , video censor client device  500  may provide a video censor interface that includes a video censor toggle (block  802 ). For example, video censor client device  500  may provide the video censor interface in response to user device  170  accessing a video application. The video censor interface and associated video censor application may be implemented in conjunction with the video application on user device  170 . The video censor toggle may include a capability to provide video censoring components based on receipt at the user device  170  of a predetermined input by the user. 
     At block  804 , video censor client device  500  may receive video content, e.g., as a video system, a downloaded film, etc. The user may request a video program from content delivery server  112 . Video censor client device  500  may identify the video program. 
     Video censor client device  500  may receive input identifying objectionable content (block  806 ). For example, the user may provide input requesting video censoring components. The user may provide the input based on manual identification of objectionable content. 
     At block  808 , video censor client device  500  may provide video censoring components based on the objectionable content. For example, video censor client device  500  may provide video censoring components that obscure or block the objectionable content. 
     According to one implementation, video censor client device  500  may apply a blurring effect to the objectionable content. Within applications of the blurring effect (or prior to application of the blurring effect), video censor client device  500  may allow the user to implement different settings (e.g., low, medium, and high, indicating increasing levels of video censor) that provide different levels of video censor based on a particular setting. For example, the user may want to choose a “high” setting while in close quarters (e.g., on an airplane as part of an airplane mode for the user device  170 ), but “low” setting while in a public setting, but not sitting elbow to elbow with other persons. 
     Video censor client device  500  may report the video censor event to video censor server  150  (block  810 ). The video censor event may identify the video program, the time at which the video censor event occurred and a type of video censor protecting component that was selected to block or obscure the objectionable content. 
     According to one implementation, video censor client device  500  may also identify a type of objectionable content (e.g., the user may select a particular type of objectionable content from a menu of different types of objectionable content when applying the video censoring components to the video content). Video censor client device  500  may provide a selectable list of tags that identify a plurality of different types of objectionable content. Video censor client device  500  may receive an indication of at least one of the tags. Video censor client device  500  may associate (e.g., store the type of objectionable content in a database table linked with the video content) the type of video content identified by the tag with the objectionable content. 
     Video censor client device  500  may receive video content censor metadata associated with a video program received at user device  170  (block  812 ). For example, video censor client device  500  may send a request for the video content censor metadata included in (or in conjunction with) a request for a video program. Alternatively, the video content censor metadata may be provided automatically with the video program. 
     At block  814 , video censor client device  500  may apply video censoring components based on video content censor metadata. For example, video censor client device  500  may use the video content censor metadata to identify times in the video program at which objectionable content appears and automatically apply the video censoring components to block or obscure the video content. 
       FIG. 9  is a flow chart of an exemplary process  900  for implementing video player censor controls according to implementations described herein. In one implementation, process  900  may be performed by video censor server  150 . In another implementation, some or all of process  900  may be performed by another device or group of devices, including or excluding video censor server  150 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , video censor server  150  may receive a notification of a video censor event from a user device  170  (block  902 ). For example, video censor server  150  may receive notification of the video censor event when a user provides input requesting video censoring components while watching a video program. User device  170  may send a signal to video censor server  150 , for example, via public network  190 . In some implementations, user device  170  may send a single notification that includes all video censor events associated with a single video program when the user device  170  completes or pauses receipt of the video program (e.g., the user stops watching a movie). 
     Video censor server  150  may identify a video program associated with the notification (block  904 ). For example, video censor server  150  may match metadata associated with the notification with cataloged video programs (e.g., from catalog server  122 ). 
     Video censor server  150  may determine a time of the video censor event in the video program (block  906 ). For example, video censor server  150  may match a time stamp associated with the video censor event to a time at which the video program was provided to the user device  170 . Video censor server  150  may determine a beginning time, an end time and a duration of the video censor event. 
     At block  908 , video censor server  150  may determine a type of event associated with the video censor event. For example, video censor server  150  may receive an indication that the objectionable content was a particular type of video content (e.g., nudity, graphic violence) from the user device  170 . 
     Video censor server  150  may identify demographics of a user associated with the video censor event (block  910 ). For example, video censor server  150  may identify demographics and other user profile information in conjunction with profile server  130 . 
     At block  912 , video censor server  150  may determine video content censor metadata for the video program based on the video censor event. For example, video censor server  150  may match the identified time and other information for each censor event identified by the user device  170  with similar information provided by other users. Video censor server  150  may average or perform additional analysis of the video censor events from all users (or a subgroup of users, sorted, e.g., based on demographics or other user profile information) for a video program to determine video content censor metadata for each video program. 
     According to one implementation, video censor server  150  may analyze the video program to detect scene transitions (or scene changes) and combine this information with video censor event times received from user devices  170  to determine times at which the video censoring components are to be applied to obscure or block objectionable content. 
     Video censor server  150  may provide video content metadata to requesting user devices  170  in association with the video program (block  914 ). For example, video censor server  150  may provide the video content censor metadata to a requesting user device  170  to be implemented concurrently with a video program that is currently being received (or played) by the user device  170 . 
     Systems and/or methods described herein may allow for video censor based on application of video censoring components to block or obscure objectionable content. The video censoring components may allow the user to manually determine transitions in the video content from objectionable content to acceptable content while sufficiently disguising or blocking the objectionable content. The systems and methods may provide a personal censor for a user to control content displayed on a user device. 
     In the preceding specification, various preferred embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense. For example, while series of blocks have been described with respect to  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the order of the blocks may be modified in other implementations. Further, non-dependent blocks may be performed in parallel. 
     It will be apparent that different aspects of the description provided above may be implemented in many different forms of machine-readable instructions, firmware, and hardware in the implementations illustrated in the figures. The actual machine-readable instructions or specialized control hardware used to implement these aspects is not limiting of the invention. Thus, the operation and behavior of these aspects were described without reference to the specific machine-readable instructions—it being understood that machine-readable instructions and control hardware can be designed to implement these aspects based on the description herein. 
     Further, certain portions of the invention may be implemented as a “component” or “system” that performs one or more functions. These components/systems may include hardware, such as a processor, an ASIC, or a FPGA, or a combination of hardware and machine-readable instructions. 
     To the extent the aforementioned embodiments collect, store or employ personal information provided by individuals, it should be understood that such information shall be used in accordance with all applicable laws concerning protection of personal information. Additionally, the collection, storage and use of such information may be subject to consent of the individual to such activity, for example, through well known “opt-in” or “opt-out” processes as may be appropriate for the situation and type of information. Storage and use of personal information may be in an appropriately secure manner reflective of the type of information, for example, through various encryption and anonymization techniques for particularly sensitive information. 
     No element, act, or instruction used in the present application should be construed as critical or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Also, as used herein, the article “a” and “one of” is intended to include one or more items. Further, the phrase “based on” is intended to mean “based, at least in part, on” unless explicitly stated otherwise.