Method and apparatus for controlling display of content signals

inn iiiiiii Hi mi Iiiii Iiijiii Ijijiii inn inn mi mi mi

(12) United States Patent

Yang et al.

(io) Patent No.: US 6,976,265 Bl (45) Date of Patent: Dec. 13,2005

(54) METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR

CONTROLLING DISPLAY OF CONTENT
SIGNALS

(75) Inventors: Ivan Yang, Markham (CA); Stephen Orr, Markham (CA); Andrew Morrison, Toronto (CA)

(73) Assignee: ATI International Sri, Christchurch (BB)

( * ) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this patent is extended or adjusted under 35 U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.

(21) Appl. No.: 09/169,023

(22) Filed: Oct. 8, 1998

(51) Int. CI.7 H04N 7/167; H04N 7/16

(52) U.S. CI 725/31; 725/136; 725/139;

725/142

(58) Field of Search 725/9,10, 25,

725/31, 136, 139, 142; 380/210, 211, 212, 380/200-203, 236, 237, 240; 713/200

A method and apparatus for controlling display of content signals begins by receiving a content signal that includes video content and at least one associated content control indicator. The content signal may also include audio content associated with the video content. The processing continues by comparing the at least one associated content control indicator (e.g., a rating of mature subject matter of the content signal) with at least one content control setting (e.g., a parental setting based on allowable viewing of rated content signals). When the associated content indicator compares unfavorably to the content control setting, a video graphics processor scrambles the at least a portion of the video content. The scrambled video content is then provided to a video rendering device for subsequent display.

22 Claims, 5 Drawing Sheets

U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS

6,052,506 A * 4/2000 Fukushima et al 386/46

6,067,401 A 5/2000 Abecassis

6,072,872 A * 6/2000 Chang et al.

6,078,666 A 6/2000 Murakami

6,091,822 A * 7/2000 Mellows et al 380/210

6,115,057 A * 9/2000 Kwoh et al 725/25

6,216,228 Bi * 4/2001 Chapman et al.

6,226,794 Bl 5/2001 Anderson, Jr. et al.

6,337,947 Bl 1/2002 Porter et al.

6,347,400 Bl * 2/2002 Ohkura et al 725/60

6,381,332 Bl 4/2002 Glaab

6,477,179 Bl * 11/2002 Fujii et al 370/466

6,529,526 Bl * 3/2003 Schneidewend 370/486

6,636,607 Bl * 10/2003 Yang et al 381/2

OTHER PUBLICATIONS

"V-Chip Solutions-Parental Guide", Copyright 1998, Parental Guide.

* cited by examiner