Patent ID: 7464392

Claim:
In a system for delivering video programs to end users, a method for controlling the viewing of video programs at a user location having one or more viewing devices, the method comprising: identifying a first viewing limit allocation for a first type of video on demand (VOD) programming for a first recurring portion of a day over a plurality of days; identifying a second viewing limit allocation for the first type of programming for a second recurring portion of a day over the plurality of days, the second viewing limit allocation different from the first viewing limit allocation; counting a number of viewings of the type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day and the second portion of the day over at least a subset of the plurality of days; determining whether the number of viewings exceeds the applicable viewing limit, wherein a viewing of the first type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day depletes the first viewing limit allocation at a faster rate than the viewing of the first type of VOD programming during the second portion of the day depletes the second viewing limit allocation; preventing further viewings of the first type of VOD programming during the first portion of the day if the number of viewings for the first portion of the day exceeds the first viewing limit allocation, wherein: a second program is of a second type that is different from the first type, a third viewing limit is associated with the second type, and the first and second viewing limit allocations are each different from the third viewing limit.