Patent ID: 8171508

Claim:
A parental control method, comprising: receiving a channel selection command from a user to select a channel from a plurality of TV channels, wherein the selected channel has programming content in a plurality of timeslots, including a first timeslot including programming content within a first defined category having a higher need for parental control than the programming content in other of the plurality of timeslots; receiving a plurality of event information values including an event information code associated with a parental control rating of the programming content of the selected channel for each of the plurality of timeslots; ascertaining whether the selected channel was selected within the first timeslot or within another timeslot wherein all of the programming content is within one or more defined categories with a lower need for parental control than the programming content within the first defined category, and (a) if the selected channel was selected within the first timeslot, delaying play of the programming content after receipt of the channel selection while either (i) checking the event information code for the selected channel in the first timeslot to determine if the event information code corresponds to a predetermined parameter and, if it does, displaying a request for entry of a parental control code and awaiting entry of a parental control code, or (ii) displaying a request for entry of a parental control code and awaiting entry of a parental control code; and (b) if the selected channel was selected within the other timeslot, allowing play of the programming content on the selected channel after receipt of the channel selection without a delay to check the event information code for the selected channel in the other timeslot and, after the programming content has started playing, checking the event information code for the selected channel in the other timeslot to determine if the event information code corresponds to a predetermined parameter and, only if it does, stopping play of the programming content on the selected channel, displaying a request for entry of a parental control code and awaiting entry of a parental control code.