KR20000028162A - Method for locking channel according to grade of program - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: A method for locking channel according to grade of a program is provided to prevent children watching channel for adults and violent programs, to set up passwords corresponding to each grade of program, by subdividing the grade of program. CONSTITUTION: A method for locking channel according to grade of a program comprises the steps of: allocating grade of program having predetermined numbers in proportion to ages, storing passwords corresponding to the grade, and displaying a predetermined OSD(On Screen Display) screen for receiving the grade of program and the passwords when TV is operated; comparing a preset password with an inputted password corresponding to the grade of program, when the grade of program and the passwords are inputted; controlling as OSD characters that the password is not the same, when the inputted password and the preset password are not the same, and setting up a lowest rate as a presently grade of program; setting up an inputted grade of program as the presently grade of program when the password is the same; reading information on a locking channel inserted among broadcasting signals, and outputting the broadcasting signals received on the basis of the presently grade of program.

Description

METHOD FOR PRTECTING FROM ADULT CONTENT BY RATINGS LEVEL IN A TELEVISION

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a parental control method according to a rating on a television. In particular, in the case of receiving and processing pornographic and violent broadcast programs whose viewing rating is limited when watching a television broadcast, a password is input in response to a rating set for each user The present invention relates to a method for restricting viewing according to a grade in a television such that when a password inputted by a request and a preset password match, only a broadcast program having a grade lower than a corresponding grade level can be processed and output.

In general, there are sensational or violent broadcasting programs that limit the viewing of young children and adolescents in television broadcasting, and the graded broadcasting programs are selectively processed so that children or adolescents who are under grade can be indiscriminately broadcasted. There is a need for a way to prevent watching programs.

In order to restrict the viewing, conventionally, when the broadcasting station is loaded with the restriction information on the broadcast signal, the television reads the restriction information contained in the received broadcast signal and inputs a predetermined password in the case of a broadcast program for adults only. Therefore, the adult broadcast program can be viewed only when the password entered and the preset password match.

Meanwhile, the class restriction information is provided by a broadcasting system that provides an extended data service (EDS). For example, the KBPS (Korea Broadcasting Program System) provides data for broadcast programs and scheduled recording, standard time data, and broadcasting on a broadcast signal. By converting the program information and the above-described class restriction information data into a digital signal and inserting it into any one line of the video vertical blanking interval (VBI) of the broadcast signal, the KBPS decoder on the video receiving device side transmits the program information. This signal can be demodulated to perform functions such as reserved viewing, automatic time correction and grade-limited viewing.

On the other hand, in recent years, when adolescents include pornographic and violent screens or words among broadcast programs broadcasted by air or cable broadcasts, the programs are subdivided into screens or blocks on the screen to improve the overall flow of the broadcast program. Violence-Chip has been developed to allow viewing only limited viewing elements (picture and sound) without interruption.

Therefore, by using these V-chips, in order to prevent adolescents from watching the programs if they contain pornographic or violent screens or languages among the broadcasting programs broadcasted by airwaves or cable broadcasting, the passwords are classified by subdivided grades. After setting up the password, a method of processing the screen or sound output based on the current viewable grade is required.

However, in the conventional parental control method using a password, the user can watch an adult broadcast program, or if only one of the two is selected, or if a parent or an adult is watching television for children or adolescents, When a character is displayed on the screen, it has a problem such that children or adolescents cannot watch the graded broadcast program, and thus cannot use all of the above-described V-chip segmentation functions. .

Therefore, in the present invention, a plurality of grades (for example, A, B, C, D, E, F grades) are classified by age to subdivide the parental level, and a password for each grade level is set and input. Then, the user enters the password for the grade assigned to them, and allows them to watch eligible broadcast programs for all grades below the grade to which they belong. I would like to propose a scheme that allows users to watch programs that are eligible for their ratings using only numbers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is a parental control method for preventing children or teenagers from indiscriminately watching pornographic and violent broadcasting programs, and for determining a rating of a television. Set the password corresponding to each rating level by subdividing by the number, and enter the password of the corresponding rating, and if it matches the preset password, only the broadcasting program below the level corresponding to the input password can be watched. It is intended to provide a method of restricting viewing depending on the rating in a television.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a television employed in accordance with the present invention;

2 is a flowchart illustrating a parental control process according to a rating in a television according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

<Explanation of symbols for main parts of drawing>

10: key input unit 20: microcomputer

30: tuner unit 40: viewing grade information detection unit

50: video signal processor 60: audio signal processor

70: V-CHIP circuit unit 80: speaker

90: OSD unit 100: Monitor

According to the present invention, a method for restricting viewing according to a rating in a television is a method for restricting viewing for each rating in a television, and assigns a predetermined number of viewing ratings proportionally by age, and respectively corresponds to the assigned rating. Setting, storing, and displaying a predetermined OSD screen for receiving a rating and a password when the TV is turned on; and when a rating and a password are input, a preset password corresponding to the input rating is set. Comparing the inputted password, controlling the OSD to display that the password does not match if the entered password and the preset password do not match, and setting the lowest rating to the current rating. If the password matches the preset password, the entered rating is set to the current rating. Characterized reads the viewing restriction information is inserted into the step, and a broadcast signal determined to yirueojim including the step of outputting to process the broadcast signal received based on the current rating level.

The above objects and various advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the preferred embodiments of the invention described below with reference to the accompanying drawings by those skilled in the art.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a schematic block diagram of a television employed in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, which includes a key input unit 10, a microcomputer 20, a tuner unit 30, a viewing grade information detecting unit 40, and an image signal processing unit. 50, an audio signal processor 60, a V chip circuit 70, a speaker 80, an OSD unit 90, and a monitor 100.

In this configuration, the key input unit 10 is provided with a plurality of keys for performing the operation of the television outputs a key signal corresponding to the user's key operation, using a remote control that can normally be input from a remote location, The key signal carried on the infrared carrier from the detector is detected and output to the microcomputer 20 described later.

In addition, the microcomputer 20 controls the overall operation of the television by controlling each component based on the key signal from the key input unit 10, and in particular, based on a predetermined key signal from the key input unit 10 (A, B, C, D, E, F) Store and set the password in the internal memory (not shown) and control the OSD unit 90 when the television is activated based on the power-on key signal from the key input unit 10. Display the OSD text screen for receiving the grade and password, and the grade and password corresponding to the password applied from the key input unit 10, the preset key signal and the secret corresponding to the preset grade stored in the memory. If the numbers are compared and matched, the television is set to the input viewing grade, and will be described later on the basis of the viewing grade information from the viewing grade information detecting unit 40 which describes the processed video and audio. To control the V-chip circuit 70, thereby processed to fit the set parental.

On the other hand, the tuner 30 is tuned to a channel corresponding to the control of the microcomputer 20, and outputs a broadcast signal received through the channel.

In addition, the audience rating information detector 40 reads the audience rating information inserted in an arbitrary horizontal line section in the vertical blanking section of the broadcast signal to be applied to the microcomputer 20.

The video signal processor 50 detects and demodulates and amplifies the video signal VIF from the broadcast signal applied from the tuner 30 under the control of the microcomputer 20.

The audio signal processor 60 detects the demodulated and amplified audio signal SIF from the broadcast signal applied from the tuner 30 under the control of the microcomputer 20, and outputs the demodulated and amplified signal.

On the other hand, the V chip circuit unit 70 is a means for viewing restriction, the image signal applied from the image signal processing unit 50 and the audio signal processing unit 60 based on the control from the microcomputer 20, that is, the viewing grade information and The audio signal is subjected to signal processing (e.g., blanking a sensational scene exceeding the rating and muting the audio) corresponding to the rating, and outputs the restricted video signal to the OSD unit 90, and output-limited audio. The signal is output to the speaker 80.

In addition, the OSD (on screen display) unit 90 is a means for expressing a character on a television screen, and reads a character font corresponding to the control of the microcomputer 20 to form a character signal, V chip circuit unit 70 The synthesizer outputs the synthesized video signal to the monitor 100 by synthesizing it to a video signal applied thereto or by synthesizing it to its own blue back signal.

Next, a view-limiting process according to a rating in a television according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a television including the above-described component will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying flowchart of FIG. 2.

First, a parent who is an administrator who can watch all the grades assigns a rating to a family, each user, according to age, and for each grade (A, B, C, D, E, F in the preferred embodiment of the present invention). The password is stored in the TV.

That is, when a predetermined key of the key input unit 10 is manipulated to input each password for each rating, the microcomputer 20 recognizes this and displays a predetermined OSD text screen for setting passwords for each rating. ) And display the microcomputer 20 in the internal memory when the parent inputs each password by operating a predetermined key provided in the key input unit 10.

Next, when the password is set, the microcomputer 20 of the television first determines whether the television is powered on (step 200).

At this time, when the power of the television is turned on, the microcomputer 20 controls the OSD unit 90 to display a predetermined OSD text screen for receiving a rating and a password (step 202).

Then, the user inputs the rating and password assigned to the user by manipulating predetermined keys provided in the key input unit 10, and thus the microcomputer 20 displays the rating and password from the key input unit 10. It is determined whether there is a key input (step 204).

At this time, if there is a key input corresponding to the viewer rating and password, the microcomputer 20 reads the preset password corresponding to the viewer rating stored in the internal memory (not shown) corresponding to the input viewer rating and inputs the secret. The number is compared (step 206).

Next, if the comparison result (step 208) does not match the password, i.e., if the preset password and the input password for the entered parental level are not the same, the OSD control displays that the password is inconsistent (step 210, the current rating is set to the lowest rating A (step 212).

On the contrary, if the preset password and the input password are the same with respect to the input rating, the microcomputer 20 sets the input rating to the current rating (step 214).

Next, if the current password of the television is set in the above-described steps 212 or 214, the video and audio signals are limited to be viewed and output in accordance with the set current password (step 218).

In detail, the audience rating information detection unit 40 detects and applies the audience rating information (viewing restriction information) inserted into any horizontal line section within the vertical blanking period of the broadcast signal to the microcomputer 20. 20) controls the V chip circuit unit 70 based on the applied audience rating information.

Then, the V chip circuit unit 70 performs a blanking process on an image screen portion that exceeds the corresponding level in the image signal processed and applied from the image signal processing unit 50 based on the parental control information of the microcomputer 20 to display the OSD unit ( 90, the signal is processed to be output to the monitor 100, and the audio signal processed and applied from the audio signal processor 60 is over the corresponding audio portion to be output to the speaker 80 by muting. .

In addition, in the rating limit according to the current viewing rating, if the current viewing rating is set to the lowest rating A, the viewing restriction on the A rating is released to process the video and audio, and the current viewing rating is C If it is set as a rating, it removes the restriction of viewing for A, B, and C grades to process video and audio. If the current grade is set as the last grade, F, A, B, C, D, By removing the viewing restrictions on the E and F grades, the video and audio signals are processed and output without the viewing restrictions.

That is, each viewer can watch a broadcast program of a grade that is suitable for him or her even if there is no parent or an adult when he / she knows only a password of a rating level assigned to him or her at any time.

In addition, although not illustrated, the currently set viewing grade may be changed by manipulating a predetermined key provided in the key input unit 10. When such a key signal is applied to the microcomputer 20, the microcomputer 20 proceeds to step 202 described above. You can go back and reset your current rating.

On the other hand, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

As described above, according to the present invention, after setting a rating for each user and setting a password for each rating in a TV having a V-chip, the TV is turned on or changed for the current rating. If there is a key input, it is determined whether or not a password matches the input rating, the current rating is set, and based on the set rating, the parental control is not available. Even in this case, each viewer can conveniently view all the broadcasting programs below the rating assigned to them by inputting the password for the rating assigned to them, thereby effectively limiting the viewing. .

Claims (1)

As a way to restrict viewing in each rating on television, Allocating a predetermined number of ratings proportionally by age, setting and storing a password corresponding to the assigned ratings, and displaying a predetermined OSD screen for receiving a rating and a password when the TV is turned on. Wow; Comparing the input password with a preset password corresponding to the input viewing rating when the viewing rating and the password are input; If the input password and the preset password do not match, displaying and controlling the OSD by not matching the password and setting the lowest rating to the current viewing rating; Setting the inputted viewing rating to the current viewing rating if the input password matches the preset password; And reading out the parental level information inserted in the broadcast signal and processing and outputting the broadcast signal received based on the current parental level.