JPH1066049A - Lock and limit setting controller and television receiver - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent contents of default lock and limit setting from being relaxed more than all other contents of lock and limit setting. SOLUTION: When non-default set contents are revised, whether or not the non-default set contents after revision are tighter than the default set contents is discriminated. In the case that is it discriminated that the the non-default set contents after revision are tighter than the default set contents, the default set contents are automatically revised so that all the non-default set contents are not tighter than the default set contents.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a lock and limit setting control device for setting a program that cannot be viewed without inputting a password, and a television receiver.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In the DSS (Digital Satellite Broadcasting System) put into practical use in the United States, a large number of channels of 150 or more are prepared, and a large number of programs are provided. In this system, guide information of a currently broadcasted program and a program to be broadcasted in the future is transmitted at predetermined time intervals together with original program data. The user side terminal has a function of displaying a program guide screen (program guide table) based on the program guide information and other various setting functions.

One of the setting functions provided on the user side terminal is lock and limit (“LOCK & LIMI”).
There is a setting function called “T”). This means that a program that cannot be viewed without entering a password is set by the following various methods. A program set as a program that cannot be performed is referred to as a viewing-prohibited program.

[0004] The setting method of the program for which viewing is prohibited includes, for example,
There are the following methods. (1) A viewing prohibited program is set by a channel number. (2) A viewing prohibited program for a pay program is set according to the fee. If a program is higher than the price you set,
It becomes a viewing prohibited program. (3) Each program is assigned a rating number in advance according to the degree of extremity. The higher the rating number, the higher the extremity. Therefore, the viewing prohibited program is set by the rating number. A program whose rating number is higher than the set rating number is a viewing-prohibited program.

[0005]

The user who has obtained the password (hereinafter referred to as the main user)
For example, there is a case where it is desired to change the setting of the program for which viewing is prohibited for oneself and for children. To make such a case possible, a plurality of types of lock and limit settings may be set in advance, and one of the lock and limit settings may be made valid according to the situation.

When a plurality of lock and limit settings are set in advance and one of the lock and limit settings is made valid according to the situation, a default lock and limit that is made valid when the power is turned on is set. It is necessary to set the contents of the setting to be more strict than the contents of all other lock and limit settings.

The present invention provides a lock and limit setting control device and a television receiver in which the contents of default lock and limit settings do not become looser than all other lock and limit settings. The purpose is to:

[0008]

A lock-and-limit setting control device according to the present invention is a lock-and-limit setting control device for setting a program that cannot be viewed without inputting a password. Switching to non-default settings is possible,
When the non-default setting is changed in the lock and limit setting control device in which the default setting is enabled when the power is turned on, whether the setting after the change of the non-default setting is stricter than the setting of the default setting is determined. Means for determining, and when it is determined that the setting content after the change of the non-default setting is stricter than the setting content of the default setting, the setting content of all the non-default settings is not stricter than the setting content of the default setting. A means for automatically changing the setting content of the default setting.

Means for determining whether the setting input for the default setting is less loose than any of the non-default setting contents when there is a setting input for the default setting; Means for changing the setting contents of the default setting based on the setting input for the default setting only when it is determined that the setting input of the default setting is not looser than any of the setting contents of the non-default setting Is preferred.

[0010] Programs that cannot be viewed without entering a password include, for example, channel numbers, fees for paid programs,
It is set by data related to the degree of extremity.

[0011] A television receiver according to the present invention includes the above-described lock and limit setting control device.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a DSS (Digital Satellite Broadcasting System) practically used in the United States will be described below with reference to the drawings.

[0013] Programs provided in DSS include DS.
There are free programs that can be viewed for free if a system usage fee such as a fee for joining S and a basic fee are paid, and paid programs that are charged separately from the system usage fee. Pay programs are purchased in advance in units of channels and those that are charged only when viewed (PPV: pay
per view). In order to view a PPV program, it is necessary to perform a purchase procedure on a television screen before the program starts or when the program is being broadcast.

[1] Description of Configuration of User Terminal

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of the user terminal.

As the user terminal, a combination of a television receiver and a program guide display control device, or a television receiver incorporating a program guide display control circuit is used. The user terminal includes a CPU 6 for controlling the entire user terminal. CPU6
Is provided with a storage device 9 for storing the program and necessary data. The operation unit 5 including a remote controller and the like is connected to the CPU 6. CPU6
Controls the tuner 2 to display the program selected by the operation unit 5 and the program guide image generation circuit 4 for generating a program guide image.

The input terminal 1 receives a high-frequency signal from a parabolic antenna (not shown). The signal input to the input terminal 1 is sent to the tuner 2. In the tuner, processes such as frequency conversion and QPSK demodulation are performed, and a digital video signal stream is generated. The output of the tuner 2 is sent to the video processing circuit 3.

In the video processing circuit 3, the stream output from the tuner 2 is MPEG-decoded, and an analog video signal, such as an NTSC signal, to be displayed on a display 8 such as a CRT is generated. This video signal is sent to the display 8 via the multiplexer 7 to be displayed on the display 8.

Further, the video processing circuit 3 extracts program guide information and time information indicating the current time from the output of the tuner 2 and supplies them to the CPU 6. The program guide information and the time information supplied to the CPU 6 are stored in the storage device 9. The storage device 9 further stores in advance menu screen information for displaying a menu screen and setting screen information for displaying various setting screens, as well as information on a purchased PPV program,
Information about the PV program and the like are stored.

The program guide information sent to the user terminal includes, for example, guide information of each program for all channels from the current time to a time 24 hours ahead. The program guide information of one program includes the title name, PP
In the case of a V program, it is composed of the fee (spending), category (sports, music, drama, news, etc.), degree of extremity (rating number), start and end times, and the like.

The program guide image generation circuit 4 has a display memory (not shown). The program guide image generation circuit 4 creates a menu image, various setting images, and a program guide image on the display memory based on the menu screen information, various setting screen information, program guide information, and the like stored in the storage device 9. You. Then, the images created on the display memory are sequentially read out, and are displayed via the multiplexer 7 on the display 8.
Is displayed on the display 8 by being sent. The multiplexer 7 is based on a control signal from the CPU 6
One of the output of the video processing circuit 3 and the output of the program guide image generation circuit 4 is selected and supplied to the display 8.

The operation unit 5 includes a menu key 11 for displaying a menu screen and four cursor movement keys 12 for moving a cursor in the left-right direction and the up-down direction.
L, 12R, 12U, 12D, a select key 13 for performing a selection input, a channel UP / DOWN key 14U for changing a channel upward or downward,
14D and the like are provided.

[2] Description of lock and limit setting

The lock and limit setting means that a program that cannot be viewed without inputting a password is set by various methods. By lock and limit setting,
A program set as a program that cannot be viewed unless a password is input is referred to as a viewing-prohibited program. Usually, only one representative user (hereinafter referred to as a main user) has acquired the password.

When a user selects a program to be viewed in order to view the program, the program is not immediately selected and a password input guide screen is displayed. When a password is input to the password input guidance screen and the input password is a legitimate password, the viewing-inhibited program is selected and broadcast. Therefore, when the lock-and-limit setting is performed, users other than the main user who knows the password cannot view the view-inhibited program.

FIG. 2 shows an example of the menu screen.

FIG. 2 shows only setting items related to the lock and limit setting. Setting item "ROC"
After moving the cursor to "K &LIMIT", pressing the select key 13 displays a guidance screen for inputting a password. When the operator inputs a password, it is checked whether the input password is correct. If the entered password is correct, a user setting screen is displayed as shown in Fig. 3. That is, only the user having the password, usually the main user, can perform the lock and limit setting.

In this example, on the user setting screen, as selection items, first to fourth users (USER1 to USER) are displayed.
4) exists. That is, in this example, the first to fourth
Lock and limit can be set for each of the users (USER1 to USER4). The first user (USER1) is a default user. The second to fourth users are provided for performing three types of lock and limit settings in addition to the default settings.

Whether the setting contents for any of the second to fourth users (USER2 to USER4), which are non-default users, are to be validated is determined by selecting the setting item "user designation" from the menu screen of FIG. May be selected, and a valid user may be specified using the user ID. However, when the power is turned on, the settings for the default user are automatically enabled. The setting and change of the user ID will be described later.

When the operator moves the cursor to the first user "USER1" on the user setting screen in FIG. 3 and presses the select key 13, the limit setting screen for the default user as shown in FIG. 4 is displayed. Is displayed.

On the limit setting screen, "spending limit", "ratin"
g limit "and" CH. LOCK "exists.

Selection item "spending limit"
“t” is selected when the viewing-prohibited program is set according to the fee. The selection item “spending lim” is selected.
If "it" is selected, the charge setting screen (not shown)
Is displayed, the operator sets the fee. A pay program whose fee is higher than the set fee is a viewing-prohibited program.

Selection item "rating limit"
Is selected when a viewing-prohibited program is set by a rating number. Here, the rating number is
This is a number indicating the degree of extremity of the program, and is assigned in advance to each program child. The higher the rating number, the higher the extremity. When the selection item "rating limit" is selected, a rating number setting screen (not shown)
Is displayed, the operator sets a rating number. A program whose rating number is higher than the set rating number is a viewing-prohibited program.

The selection item "CH.LOCK" is selected when a viewing-inhibited program is set by a channel number. When the selection item “CH.LOCK” is selected, a channel number setting screen (not shown) is displayed, and the operator sets a channel number. The program of the set channel becomes the viewing prohibited program.

On the user setting screen, when the operator moves the cursor to a non-default user (USER2 to USER4) other than the default user (USER1) and presses the select key 13, the non-default as shown in FIG. The limit setting screen for the user is displayed.

This limit setting screen is similar to the limit setting screen for the default user shown in FIG.
nding limit "," rating limit
t "and" CH. In addition to the selection item of "LOCK", the selection item for setting and changing the user ID "
user ID "exists.

The selection item "user ID" is selected when a user ID for the user selected on the user setting screen is set or when the user ID for the user is changed. As described above, the user ID is used to specify a valid user from the second to fourth users. Selection item "userI"
When "D" is selected, a user ID setting screen (not shown) is displayed, and the operator sets the user ID.

[2-1] Description of Limit Setting Process for Non-Default User

FIG. 6 shows a limit setting procedure for a non-default user. FIG. 6 shows selection items “spending limit” and “ratin” from the limit setting screen for the non-default user shown in FIG.
g limit "and" CH. LOCK ”
This shows a limit setting procedure when one is selected and limit conditions are input.

The operator inputs limit conditions ("fee", "rating number" or "channel number") for the non-default user (step 1), and when there is an end input of the limit setting (step 2), When the limit condition for the default user is updated, the updated limit condition is changed to the default user (U
It is determined whether the limit conditions set for SER1) are stricter (step 3).

For example, when the “fee” is updated, if the updated “fee” is smaller than the “fee” set for the default user, the updated limit condition is set for the default user. Is determined to be stricter than the set limit condition.

When the “rating number” is updated, the updated “rating number” is set for the default user.
When it is smaller, it is determined that the updated limit condition is stricter than the limit condition set for the default user.

When the "channel number" is updated, a channel number which is not included in the "channel number" set for the default user exists in the updated "channel number". In this case, it is determined that the updated limit condition is stricter than the limit condition set for the default user.

If it is determined that the updated limit condition is not stricter than the limit condition set for the default user (NO in step 3), the limit setting process for the non-default user ends.

If the updated limit condition is determined to be stricter than the limit condition set for the default user (YES in step 3), the limit set for all non-default users is set. The settings set for the default user are automatically changed so that the conditions are not stricter than the limit conditions set for the default user (step 4).

If the "fee" is updated in step 2 and "YES" in step 3, the "fee" set for the default user is automatically replaced with the "fee" input in step 2. It is changed to. Step 2
"Rating number" is updated in step 3 and Y in step 3
In the case of ES, the "rating number" set for the default user is automatically changed to the "rating number" input in step 2.

If the “channel number” is updated in step 2 and “YES” in step 3, the “channel number” set for the default user is included in the updated “channel number”. Unassigned channel numbers are added to the default user's "channel number".

That is, if it is determined that the updated limit condition is more severe than the limit condition set for the default user, the setting contents for the non-default user are updated and the setting contents for the default user are updated. The content is also updated.

[2-2] Explanation of Limit Setting Process for Default User

FIG. 7 shows a limit setting procedure for a default user. FIG. 7 shows the selection items “spending limit” and “rating” from the limit setting screen for the default user shown in FIG.
limit "and" CH. LOCK "is selected, and a limit setting procedure is performed when a limit condition is input.

In this case, when limit conditions ("fee", "rating number" or "channel number") are input by the operator (step 11), the input limit conditions are changed to the non-default user (USER2). ~
It is determined whether the limit condition is not looser than the limit condition set for USER4) (step 12).

For example, in the case where the “fee” is input by the operator and the input “fee” is equal to or less than the minimum value of the “fee” set for the non-default user, the input limit is set. It is determined that the condition is not looser than the limit condition set for the non-default user.

When the operator inputs a "rating number" and the input "rating number" is equal to or less than the minimum value of the "rating number" set for the non-default user,
It is determined that the input limit condition is not looser than the limit condition set for the non-default user.

The "channel number" is set by the operator.
Is entered, the entered "channel number" is set for the non-default user.
When all channel numbers are included, it is determined that the input limit condition is not looser than the limit condition set for the non-default user.

When it is determined that the input limit condition is not looser than the limit condition set for the non-default user (YE in step 12).
S) When the operator inputs an end of the setting (step 13), the contents of the lock and limit setting for the default user are changed to the setting contents according to the inputted limit condition (step 1).
4).

If it is determined that the input limit condition is less strict than the limit condition set for the non-default user (NO in step 12), the process returns to step 1 to wait for input of the limit condition. Become.

In the above embodiment, the lock and limit settings for the default user do not become looser than the lock and limit settings for the non-default user.

[0058]

According to the present invention, the content of the default lock and limit setting does not become looser than the content of all other lock and limit settings.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a user terminal.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a menu screen.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a user setting screen.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a limit setting screen for a default user.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a limit setting screen for a non-default user.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a limit setting processing procedure for a non-default user.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a limit setting procedure for a default user.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Tuner 3 Video processing circuit 4 Program guide image generation circuit 5 Operation unit 6 CPU 7 Multiplexer 8 Display 9 Storage device

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A lock and limit setting control device for setting a program which cannot be viewed unless a password is input, wherein a lock can be switched between a default setting and at least one non-default setting. In the lock and limit setting control device in which the setting is valid, when the setting content of the non-default setting is changed, a means for determining whether the setting content after the change of the non-default setting is stricter than the setting content of the default setting If it is determined that the setting contents after the change of the non-default setting are stricter than the setting contents of the default setting, the default setting is performed so that all the setting contents of the non-default setting are not stricter than the setting contents of the default setting. Means to automatically change the settings of Lock and limit setting control device, characterized in that. 2. When there is a setting input for a default setting, the setting input for the default setting is:
Means for determining whether or not less than any of the non-default settings, and only when it is determined that the setting input for the above default settings is not less than any of the non-default settings, 2. The lock and limit setting control device according to claim 1, further comprising: means for changing a setting content of the default setting based on a setting input for the default setting. 3. A program which cannot be viewed unless a password is input is set by a channel number.
3. The lock and limit setting control device according to any one of claims 2 and 3. 4. A program which cannot be viewed unless a password is input is set by a fee of a pay program.
3. The lock and limit setting control device according to any one of claims 2 and 3. 5. The lock and limit setting control device according to claim 1, wherein a program which cannot be viewed unless a password is input is set by data relating to the degree of extremeness. 6. A television receiver comprising the lock-and-limit setting control device according to any one of claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5.