Patent Publication Number: US-2003237088-A1

Title: Use of two remote controllers in parental control

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
     [0001] This application is a continuation of co-pending Application Ser. No. 09/240,170, filed on Jan. 29, 1999, which claims the benefit of U.S. Application No. 60/073,145 filed Jan. 30, 1998, the disclosures of which are incorporated fully herein by reference.  
     [0002] The disclosures of the following applications are also incorporated fully herein by reference: Provisional Application No. 60/014,512 filed Apr. 1, 1996 entitled “User Programmable V-Chip System”; Provisional Application No. 60/022,210 filed Jul. 18, 1996 entitled “Parental Control Method and Apparatus”; Provisional Application No. 60/023,724 filed Aug. 8, 1996 entitled “Parental Control for Cable Input”; regular application Ser. No. 08/831,531 filed Apr. 1, 1997 entitled “Parental Control”; and regular application Ser. No. 08/584,578 filed Jul. 19, 1996 entitled “Improved Apparatus and Method for Use in Parental Control.” 
    
    
     
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003] A television control system automatically tunes a television set to receive and display a desired program telecast at a future time. This is done by keying in a PLUS CODE™ number defining the channel, time, day, and length (CTDL data) of the program or selecting the program from an on-screen program guide to capture the CTDL data from an EPG data base stored in memory. The CTDL data is stored in a stack memory until the time of the program. The microprocessor monitors the stack memory. The microprocessor tunes the television set to the channel on which the desired program is telecast and turns the television set on at the time of the desired program.  
       [0004] If the television set is already on at the time of the desired program, the television set is not turned off at the conclusion of the desired program, i.e., it remains on. However, if the television set is off at the time of the desired program, the television set is turned off again at the conclusion of the desired program. This results in the television set not being left on when the residents are away from home while the scheduled tuning feature is being used. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0005] The features of specific embodiments of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which:  
     [0006]FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a television system according to an embodiment of the invention; and  
     [0007]FIG. 2 is a flow diagram of the operation of a television system according to an embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A SPECIFIC EMBODIMENT  
     [0008] The described embodiment of the invention is only considered to be preferred and illustrative of the inventive concept; the scope of the invention is not to be restricted to such embodiment. Various and numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example,  
     [0009] In FIG. 1, a telecast television signal is coupled by a cable feed  10 , other signal distribution means, or over-the-air antenna to a frequency converter and tuner  12 , which selects a desired channel of the television signal for viewing. Parental control ratings are embedded in the VBI of the television signal. The output of tuner  12  is connected by a switch (SW)  14  to a television monitor (TV)  16 . Switch  14  is controlled by a microprocessor  20  that includes ROM and RAM memories and a real time clock not shown. The output of tuner  12  is also fed to a VBI decoder  22 , which recovers the ratings from the television signal and couples them to microprocessor  20 . What has been described to this point is a conventional parental control system.  
     [0010] An unrestricted remote control unit (RC 1 )  24  and a restricted remote control unit (RC 2 )  26  transmit commands to microprocessor  20 , preferably by means of an IR signal. As described in detail below, restricted remote control unit  26  is limited in the commands it can issue in accordance with parental control guidelines imposed by commands issued by unrestricted remote control unit  24 . Common commands, such as for example channel changing commands, from remote controllers  24  and  26  comprise a series of IR bursts having different preambles that are recognizable by microprocessor  20  so they are executed by microprocessor, or not executed, depending upon the controller that issued the command. In addition, to enable unrestricted control unit  24  to perform unique functions denied to restricted control unit  26 , unrestricted control unit  24  has more function keys than restricted control unit  26  to issue corresponding unique commands.  
     [0011] In operation, a person in possession of unrestricted remote control unit  24 , normally a parent or an adult, sends a unique command to microprocessor  20  to establish a desired parental control level, e.g., PG-13, preferably by means of a key not provided on restricted control unit  26 . Microprocessor  20  accepts and stores the desired level in RAM. VBI decoder  22  continuously strips from the VBI of the television signal the rating assigned to the program on the channel to which tuner  12  is set. The assigned rating of the program on the selected channel is continuously compared to the desired level.  
     [0012] When a channel changing command is issued by unrestricted control unit  24  or restricted control unit  26 , microprocessor  20  sets tuner  12  accordingly. The assigned rating is detected by decoder  22 . If the assigned rating is less objectionable than the desired level, microprocessor  20  closes switch  14  to send the signal on the selected channel to monitor  16 , regardless of which controller issued the channel changing command. If the assigned rating is more objectionable than the desired level, microprocessor  20  only closes switch  14  to send the signal on the selected channel to monitor  16 , if it senses that the preamble of unrestricted control unit  24  issued the channel changing command.  
     [0013] In an alternative embodiment, microprocessor  20  is configured so tuner  12  does not change channels or otherwise respond if restricted control unit  26  issues a command that violates the parental control standards. In this case, switch  14  is not needed.  
     [0014]FIG. 2 illustrates the override arrangement of application Ser. No. 08/831,531. The possessor of unrestricted control unit  24  can either block a channel that transmits a program less objectionable than the desired level, or unblock a channel that transmits a program more objectionable than the desired level. Preferably, unrestricted control unit  24  has a unique unblock key and a unique unblock key that send commands to microprocessor  20  to execute the override. Since the unique keys are not found on restricted control unit  26 , the possessor of restricted control unit  26  is not able to override. After the block or unblock key on unrestricted control unit  24  is pressed, the program to be overridden is identified by keying into a number keypad a compressed code (PLUS CODE™) representing channel, day, time, and length of the program as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,335,079, issued Aug. 2, 1996 for unattended future recording, followed by a key stroke that signifies the end of the PLUS CODE number. The &#39;079 patent is incorporated herein fully by reference. After decoding the PLUS CODE, the channel, day, time, and length of the overridden program are stored in a time ordered stack in RAM and monitored as the recording stack disclosed in the &#39;079 patent. The function, i.e., block or unblock is also stored with the channel, day, time, and length of the overridden program. If the unblock function was activated, at the time the overridden program occurs and tuner  12  is set to the channel of the overridden program, microprocessor  20  closes switch  14  to send the signal to monitor  16 , regardless of the assigned rating of the program. If the block function was activated, at the time the overridden program occurs and tuner  12  is set to the channel of the overridden program, microprocessor  20  opens switch  14  to prevent the signal from being sent to monitor  16 , regardless of the assigned rating of the program. In other words, when an override has been inputted for the program on the channel being selected by tuner  12 , microprocessor  20  ignores the assigned rating of the program and does not assess whether the assigned rating is above or below the inputted parental control level. In either of these cases, the possessor of restricted control unit  26  is not able to change the ability to display the program on monitor  16 .  
     [0015] To improve security, unrestricted control unit  24  could be configured to require that authorized users key a personal identification number (PIN) into a number key pad to activate the unit. The unit could remain activated for a prescribed period of time, after which the PIN would have to be reentered. Anyone could use restricted control unit  26 .  
     [0016] The described override system could be used for parental control of a VCR. With reference to FIG. 1, a VCR is substituted for monitor  16  and switch  14  blocks a future program selected by unrestricted control unit  24  from transmission to the VCR when such program is telecast.