KR20090074616A - Method of limiting a watching program - Google Patents

Abstract

A method of limiting a watching program is provided to transmit information per each user logged in a digital television to a master having a setting right about the digital television. When matched login information exists, a controller outputs a watchable broadcasting program linked to the login information(314). A short message transmitting unit converts the login information and login time information into a short message. The short message transmitting unit transmits a signal of requesting that the short message is transmitted to a wireless terminal corresponding to a wireless terminal number to a short message providing system(316). The controller stores watching information in a data storage unit(318). The controller receives a watching information request(320). The controller outputs each login information watching information stored in the data storage unit(322).

Description

How to restrict parental control {METHOD OF LIMITING A WATCHING PROGRAM}

The present invention relates to a method of restricting viewing of a television, and more particularly, to a method of restricting viewing of a television remotely.

In general, anyone can watch a video or audio output on a television screen by turning on the TV. For this reason, minors often watch video or audio such as adult or violent materials that are undesirable for education. If the guardian is located next to the television can be stopped by turning off the power key immediately or by changing the broadcast channel, but if there is no guardian, there is a problem that the above limitation is difficult.

On the other hand, the television (TV: television) currently distributed in the market receives a radio broadcasting signal transmitted from a broadcasting station, a satellite broadcasting signal through a satellite, and a cable broadcasting signal transmitted from a cable broadcasting station. In addition to the function, it is equipped with a personal computer (PC) or an interface interworking with the Internet, and has a function of receiving video and audio signals provided from a PC or the Internet and outputting them through a TV display. A digital TV is commercially available.

Such digital television includes a parental control function that can restrict viewing of a broadcast program, such as a method of restricting access of a specific user from a computer. A typical broadcast program parental control technique is, for example, a rating classified for each broadcast program. There is a rating limiting technique that restricts viewing based on information.

In the above-described rating limiting technique, a separate password including rating information for restricting viewing of a broadcast program is registered for each user (for example, a parent, a minor, etc.) and each user logs in with a registered password, that is, a television. A method of selectively limiting the viewing of a graded broadcast program is used in such a manner as to input a password when turning it on or to require a viewer to input a password when broadcasting a program of a parental level.

Therefore, as described above, in the case of using the conventional parental control method, the registered user password is compared with the input password to check the grade of the broadcast program that is allowed to the viewer, and thereby, the user can watch the broadcast program for each user. It can be selectively limited to protect minors from harmful broadcasts (e.g., broadcasts of adult content, explosives, etc.).

However, as described above, the conventional parental control method using a password is no longer harmful to the minors when the parent or adult (hereinafter, simply referred to as 'guardian') password is known (such as adult content, bombs, etc.). There is a problem that it is difficult to protect from.

Moreover, there is a problem in that the guardian cannot protect the minor from harmful broadcasting due to the leakage of the password of the guardian without the guardian being near the minor.

In addition, there is a problem that the harmful environment as described above can be maintained because the guardian does not know the leak of the password.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention for solving the above problems is to provide a parental control method that can transmit information for each user logging in to a digital television as a message to a master having a setting authority for the digital television.

According to the present invention for achieving the above object, in a parental control method applied to a digital television, the control unit of the digital television receives and stores master information, login information for each user, and broadcast program information that can be viewed for each login information. step; Requesting input of login information by the controller, when the viewing request signal is input, analyzing the input login information and previously stored information and outputting a broadcast program that can be viewed as the login information; And transmitting, by the controller, a signal for requesting to transmit the login information to the master's wireless terminal to a short message providing system.

The present invention transmits the use status information of the digital television to the wireless terminal of the master even when the master is not at home, and the master can return home to view the viewing information for each login information stored in the digital television directly. By doing so, there is an excellent effect that the master can monitor the use of digital television anytime, anywhere.

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

1 is a configuration diagram of a digital broadcasting system to which a parental control method according to the present invention is applied.

Due to the proliferation of high speed internet and the advent of digitalized broadcasting program production environment, digital broadcasting system using digital television which can provide various additional contents as well as functions of existing TV has been developed.

As one of such digital broadcasting systems, a digital broadcasting system using an Internet Protocol (hereinafter, simply referred to as 'IP') network is used. A digital broadcasting system using an IP network refers to a service that can provide various contents delivered through an IP-based communication network through a television. The digital television using an IP network is an MPEG-2 or MPEG- 4 Functions to display digital information compressed and transmitted. Digital television using the IP network as described above can provide a variety of additional services, such as Internet search, watching movies, home banking, short message service (SMS) and reservation services.

In addition, a television (recording function television) equipped with a personal video recorder (PVR) function that automatically records and plays back a broadcast in an internal storage unit (HDD: hard disk drive) is also a digital television. It is widely spread in recent years. Since the recording function television as described above includes a storage unit (HDD), not only a broadcast program but also various contents such as EPG and schedule information can be stored, so that the user can obtain various information from the digital television.

That is, the digital television not only provides various information to the user through the Internet, but also stores and provides various contents to the user.

As shown in FIG. 1, a digital broadcasting system to which a parental control method according to the present invention is applied is a broadcasting station that transmits various broadcast programs, such as an over-the-air broadcast program, a cable broadcast program, a satellite broadcast program, an Internet broadcast program, and a cable broadcast program. The system 100, a digital television 400 which outputs a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcasting station system and outputs only a broadcast program set for each login information, and the digital television sends the login information to a master who has authority to set the digital television. A short message providing system 200 for transmitting the short message to the master using wireless communication and a wireless terminal used by the master to receive the short message when a request is made to transmit a short message; 300 It is configured to hereinafter.

The broadcasting station system 100 is a system for providing broadcast programs as described above, and may be variously operated according to its type.

The digital television 400 not only performs a basic function of outputting a broadcast program transmitted from a broadcasting station system, but also registers and stores login information and corresponding viewable program information for each user, and can be viewed for each login information. Perform a function that provides only a program. In addition, the digital television may receive and store wireless terminal information of a master having a setting authority of the digital television, and transmit a short message to the wireless terminal when user login information is input. In addition, the digital television stores a user's login information, program information viewed according to the login information, viewing information such as the time watched according to the login information, and outputs when the master requests. Can be done.

The short message providing system 200 receives a short message request signal transmitted from a digital television through a wire and receives a function of transmitting a short message to a corresponding wireless terminal. The content of the short message may include a user's login information and a login time.

The wireless terminal 300 is a terminal used by the master of the digital television, and any terminal capable of receiving a short message may be used.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the digital television shown in FIG. 1.

As shown in FIG. 2, the digital television to which the parental control method according to the present invention is applied includes a channel tuning unit 410, a signal processing unit 420, a display unit 430, a speaker 440, and a data storage unit 450. ), An interface 460, a user selector 470, a short message transmitter 480, and a controller 490.

The channel tuning unit 410 may include one or more tuners for tuning a broadcast signal received through an antenna, and a demodulator for outputting the tuned signal in a transport stream form through a demodulation process and an error correction process. The broadcast signal having a frequency band corresponding to the tuning control signal of the controller is tuned.

The signal processor 420 processes a broadcast signal of a channel tuned through the channel tuner and displays the same on the display. In addition, the signal processing unit processes not only the broadcast signal received through the channel tuning unit but also an image signal of an electronic program guide (EPG) (hereinafter, simply referred to as 'EPG') stored in the data storage unit. It can also be indicated in the unit. An EPG refers to organization information of a broadcast program individually received from a broadcasting station or a second broadcast service provider, and is stored and managed in a data storage unit.

The display unit 430 performs a function of outputting a video signal decoded by a signal processor from a broadcast signal of a selected channel so that a user can view it, and may include digital light processing (DLP), liquid crystal display (LCD), and PDP ( Various types of display modules such as Plasma Display Penal) may be applied.

The speaker 440 performs a function of outputting the audio signal decoded by the signal processor among the broadcast signals of the selected channel so that a user can hear it.

The data storage unit 450 is composed of a hard disk drive and the like, and stores a broadcast signal and EPG information received from the channel tuning unit. The data storage unit stores login information for each user and information on broadcast programs that can be viewed for each login information. The data storage unit may further include information such as login information of a user input for viewing digital television, program information viewed according to the login information, and time viewed according to the login information (hereinafter, simply referred to as 'viewing information for each user'). On the other hand, the number of the wireless terminal registered by a user (hereinafter simply referred to as a "master") who has the authority to set digital television is stored.

The interface 460 is connected to a network and a computer (PC) to perform various functions of receiving broadcast signals and information.

The user selector 470 includes various buttons for controlling the controller, and the buttons include a button for inputting login information of each user and a button for registering a specific broadcast program.

The short message transmitting unit 480 is configured to transmit a short message to the short message providing system by configuring the login information and the current time information input for the digital television viewing to the wireless terminal number stored in the data storage unit under the driving of the control unit. Perform the function.

The controller 490 is implemented as a CPU or a microcomputer. The controller 490 not only outputs a broadcast program among the broadcast signals transmitted through the channel tuning unit, but also stores the broadcast signal in the data storage unit. It may be. In particular, the control unit applied to the present invention outputs a signal for requesting input of login information to the display unit when a digital television viewing request signal is input through the user selection unit, and only a broadcast program matching the input login information. Function to output to the display. The controller may control the short message transmitter to transmit the login information input together with the digital television viewing request signal and the time information inputted to the login information to the master wireless terminal stored in the data storage unit. can do.

On the other hand, according to the present invention, the digital television having the above-described configuration receives only the login information when the digital television viewing request signal is input in the standby mode, and provides only the broadcast program matching the login information. In order to transmit the login information to the wireless terminal of the master, hereinafter, the parental control method according to the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 3.

3 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a parental control method according to the present invention.

In order to apply the parental control method according to the present invention, first, information of a master must be stored in the data storage unit (302). The master is a user having a function of setting and managing all the functions of the digital television applied to the present invention, and in the case of a general home with a minor, the parent, that is, the guardian, may be the master. The master inputs the master login information (which may be a password) through the user selection unit using the master setting menu among various menus provided by the digital television, and the wireless terminal number capable of receiving a short message or an e-mail from the digital television. Is entered through the user selection unit. The controller ends the master information storing process by storing the input master login information and the wireless terminal number in the data storage unit.

Subsequently, each user who wants to watch a broadcast program using a digital television inputs login information through a user selection unit by using a user login information input menu among various menus provided by the digital television, and the controller inputs the input login information. Store in data storage. Thereafter, the controller outputs a master information input request message through the display unit, and when the master information is input, the controller outputs a menu for setting a viewable broadcast program through the display unit. That is, when each user enters his or her login information, the master sets the information on the broadcast program that the user can watch after undergoing a master authentication process. At this time, the information on the broadcast program that the user can watch may be variously set by the master. For example, when the user is a youth younger than 15 years old, the master may set only a broadcast program that the user can watch under 15 years of age as the user's viewable broadcast program. In addition, when the user is a high school student, the master may set only a broadcast program provided by an education broadcasting station system (for example, EBS) as the viewable broadcast program of the user. In addition, as described above, the master may not only set the viewable broadcast programs of the users for each broadcast program or broadcast station system but also for each day and time. The viewable broadcast program information input through the above process is matched with the login information and stored in the data storage unit (304).

Since the login information for each user and the viewable broadcast program information for each login information as described above are stored in the data storage, the setting process for viewing restriction is terminated. Each user can then watch the broadcast program via the digital television by inputting the digital television viewing request signal through the user selector in the standby mode state of the digital television (306). The standby mode of a digital television refers to a state in which only minimal power is supplied to receive various control signals through a user selector. The standby state of the digital television is not supplied to the channel tuning unit, the signal processing unit, the display unit, and the speaker. Say.

When the viewing request signal is input through the user selector in the standby mode as described above (308), the controller activates the display unit and outputs a login information input request message to the display unit (310).

When the login information is input through the user selection unit after outputting the login information input request message, the controller compares the input login information with the login information stored in the data storage unit and analyzes whether there is a matching login information (312).

If there is no login information matching the input login information among the login information stored in the data storage unit, the controller outputs a message requesting to re-enter the login information together with an error message, and has matching login information. In operation 314, the viewable broadcast program information linked to the login information is extracted, and the viewable broadcast program is output through the display unit (314). That is, as described above, the viewable broadcast program is set for each broadcast program, broadcast station system, or broadcast time, and the controller selects and outputs the viewable broadcast program.

The control unit extracts the input login information, the login time information, and the master's wireless terminal number and transmits them to the short message transmitter. The short message transmitter converts the login information and the login time information into a short message form and converts the short message. A signal for requesting transmission to the wireless terminal corresponding to the wireless terminal number is transmitted to the short message providing system (316). The short message providing system receiving the request transmits the short message to a wireless terminal corresponding to the wireless terminal number. Meanwhile, the short message is transmitted to the wireless terminal of the guardian who is the master of the digital television. Therefore, the master guardian can check who is currently watching the digital television by reading the login information included in the short message. . In other words, if a master guardian is sending her login information or another guardian's login information that is not currently in the situation of being watched through a short message, who is currently calling home and watching digital television? You can check. Thus, the guardian, who is a master, knows when and when a user who is a minor or a student is watching digital television with his or her login information even when he is not at home, thereby preventing a minor user from being exposed to harmful broadcasting programs. can do. On the other hand, it has been described that the short message is transmitted to the wireless terminal, but the present invention is not limited thereto. Therefore, in addition to the short message, the information may be transmitted to the wireless terminal in various forms such as mail.

In operation 318, the controller stores viewing information such as the login information, the login time, and the broadcasting program information, the broadcasting station system information, and the viewing time output through the display unit after the login, in the data storage unit. The viewing information stored through the above process is for the master to read later. That is, the master can read which user watched what program and when and for what time through the viewing information viewing menu of the digital television while returning home.

For example, when the digital television is in the standby mode 306, the master passes through the user authentication process 310 after the viewing request signal input 308 in the standby mode and then displays the viewing information viewing menu provided by the digital television. By selecting, the viewing information may be requested, and the control unit 320 having received the viewing information request outputs the viewing information for each login information stored in the data storage unit through the display unit (322). On the other hand, when the digital television is already in use, the master may immediately select the viewing information viewing menu, and when the viewing information viewing menu is selected, the controller outputs a signal requesting to input the master login information to the display unit. Done. When the login information input through the user selection unit is determined to be master login information, the controller outputs viewing information for each login information stored in the data storage unit through the display unit.

As described above, the present invention transmits the use status information of the digital television to the wireless terminal of the master even when the master is not at home, while the master returns to the home and views information for each login information stored in the digital television directly. It has the feature of making it possible to read.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the technical spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the technical scope of the present invention should not be limited to the contents described in the detailed description of the specification but should be defined by the claims.

1 is a configuration diagram of a digital broadcasting system to which a parental control method according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of the digital television shown in FIG.

3 is a flowchart of one embodiment of a parental control method according to the present invention;

<Description of Major Symbols in Drawing>

410: channel tuning unit 420: signal processing unit

430: display unit 440: speaker

450: data storage unit 460: interface

470: user selection unit 480: short message transmission unit

490: control unit

Claims (3)

In the parental control method applied to digital television, A control unit of the digital television receiving and storing master information, login information for each user, and broadcast program information for viewing by each login information; Requesting input of login information by the controller, when the viewing request signal is input, analyzing the input login information and previously stored information and outputting a broadcast program that can be viewed as the login information; And And transmitting, by the control unit, a signal for requesting to transmit the login information to the master's wireless terminal to a short message providing system. The method of claim 1, Storing, by the controller, the login information and the viewing information provided as the login information; And And the control unit outputting the viewing information when the viewing information viewing request signal is input as the login information of the master. The method of claim 1, And the information transmitted to the short message providing system is transmitted to the wireless terminal in the form of a short message or a mail.

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