The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 31, 2004
Filed:
May. 19, 2000
Steven M. Horiwitz, Los Altos, CA (US);
Jeff Yaksick, Sunnyvale, CA (US);
WEBTV Networks, Inc., Mountain View, CA (US);
Abstract
The present invention provides systems and methods for flexible locking and unlocking programming content. Programming content and the content of the programming content is often described by electronic program guide (EPG) data or guide data. Using the guide data, a user is able to create, alter and unlock locks on the programming content. Locking and unlocking the programming content can be based on characteristics of the programming content such as the duration of the programming content, start times of the programming content, end times of the programming content, content descriptors and ratings of the programming content and the like. The ability to create and unlock locks is flexible and can be directed specifically to particular programs within a channel or to specific channels. The ability to create and unlock locks can further be based on user profiles such that the programming content provided to particular users is determined by the user's profile. The ability to alter locks on programming content enable a user to determine the programming content that will be accessible in a highly configurable manner.