Patent ID: 8006260

Claim:
A method of exercising access control over a television program, said method comprising the steps of: receiving, at a viewer input device, a password for entering into a master mode of operation; in the master mode, for a first mode of operation different from the master mode: receiving, at the viewer input device, a blocking criterion for blocking a television program from being accessed by a user in the first mode of operation based on content of the television program, and receiving, at the viewer input device, an unblocking criterion for unblocking a television program that meets the blocking criterion to permit, without providing the password, access to the blocked program by the user in the first mode of operation if the blocked program meets the unblocking criterion, wherein the unblocking criterion unblocks the television program based on the content of the television program without uniquely identifying the television program; and in the master mode, for a second mode of operation different from the master mode and the first mode: allowing the selection, at the viewer input device, of one or more programs based on titles of the programs for access by a user in the second mode of operation, and a processor permitting only the selected programs to be accessed in the second mode without providing the password, to the exclusion of all other programs being telecast.