DVR Program Title Filtering for Parental Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital video recorders (DVRs) face parental control challenges as inappropriate program titles are visible to all household members, despite rating limits, which do not effectively prevent access to objectionable content.
Innovation Solution
A DVR system that selectively lists programs by allowing users to tag and omit or restrict certain programs from the main listing, using a processor to manage program selection, tagging, and authorization, ensuring only suitable titles are displayed based on user-defined criteria.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If program titles are listed in menus for consumer convenience, then consumers can easily find and choose desired programming, but inappropriate or objectionable program titles become visible to all household members, creating parental control problems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts inappropriate program titles from the visible menu listing by implementing a filtering mechanism. The system separates programs into different categories (appropriate and inappropriate) and only displays the appropriate ones in the main menu, effectively removing the harmful element while preserving the useful function of program selection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary filtering layer between the program database and the menu display. This intermediary component evaluates program titles against predefined criteria and selectively permits or blocks their display, acting as a mediator that protects users from inappropriate content while maintaining access to suitable programs.
2Reliability
If rating limits are used to block access to programs, then some inappropriate content can be prevented, but programs with appropriate ratings containing potentially objectionable subject matter are not effectively blocked, and titles still appear in listings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extends the control parameter from simple rating-based filtering to a more comprehensive title analysis system. By changing the filtering parameter to include subjective evaluation of program titles against multiple criteria (not just ratings), the system achieves more reliable and versatile parental control that can identify and block inappropriate content regardless of its rating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary filtering of program titles before they are displayed in the menu listing. By evaluating and filtering titles in advance, the system prevents inappropriate programs from appearing in the first place, rather than relying solely on access blocking at the playback stage. This preliminary action enhances both reliability and versatility of parental control.
Data Source
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Figure 1C
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AI summary
The disclosed methods and systems provide for selectively including programs in listings of programs available though a digital video recorder (DVR). The method involves receiving a selection of a program available through the DVR. The received selected program is then tagged. The tagged program can then be selectively included in a listing of programs available through the DVR. This can involve omitting selected programs or only including selected programs from the display of the list of available programs.