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  Apparatus and method for preventing switching from a channel during an advertisement displayUSPTO Application #: 20060070095Title: Apparatus and method for preventing switching from a channel during an advertisement display Abstract: An apparatus (270) and method is disclosed for preventing a viewer from switching from a channel when an advertisement is being displayed on the channel. The apparatus (270) and method comprises an advertisement controller (270) in a video playback device (150) that (1) prevents a viewer of a direct (non-recorded) broadcast from switching channels when an advertisement is displayed, and (2) prevents a viewer of a recorded program from fast forwarding the recorded program in order to skip past advertisements that were recorded with the program. A viewer may either watch the advertisements or pay a fee in order to be able to change channels or fast forward when the advertisements are being displayed. (end of abstract) Agent: Philips Intellectual Property & Standards - Briarcliff Manor, NY, US Inventors: Philip Steven Newton, Declan Patrick Kelly USPTO Applicaton #: 20060070095 - Class: 725027000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Interactive Video Distribution Systems, Access Control Or Blocking, Of Specific Channel The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060070095. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention is generally directed to video image display systems, and, in particular, to an apparatus and method for preventing a viewer from switching from a channel when an advertisement is being displayed. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] A wide variety of video playback devices are available in the marketplace. Most people own, or are familiar with, a video cassette recorder (VCR). A video tape recorder (VTR) is another type of video playback device. More recently, video recorders that use computer magnetic hard disks rather than magnetic cassette tapes to store video programs have appeared in the market. For example, the ReplayTVJ recorder and the TiVOJ recorder digitally record television programs on hard disk drives using, for example, MPEG-2 compression. Additionally, some video playback devices may record on a readable/writable digital versatile disk (DVD) rather than a magnetic disk. [0003] Often when a viewer is watching a video program that has been recorded on a video playback device, the viewer will give the video playback device a "fast forward" command to cause the video playback device to skip past the advertisements that have been recorded with the program. In those cases where a viewer is watching a direct (non-recorded) broadcast of a program with advertisements the viewer will often switch to another channel when an advertisement is being displayed. [0004] This is undesirable for program broadcasters because the advertisements that are broadcast with the programs pay for the programs. Advertisers pay the program broadcasters to broadcast advertisements in order to deliver the advertisements to the viewing public. The program broadcasters therefore have an interest in seeing that the advertisements are viewed and not ignored. [0005] There is therefore a need in the art for a video display system that is capable of preventing a viewer of a direct (non-recorded) broadcast from switching from a first channel to a second channel when an advertisement is displayed on the first channel. There is also a need in the art for a video display system that is capable of preventing a viewer of a recorded program from fast forwarding the recorded program in order to skip past advertisements that were recorded with the program. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] To address the above-discussed deficiencies of the prior art, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide, for use in a video display system that is capable of displaying a video program and advertisements, an apparatus and method that prevents a viewer from switching channels when an advertisement is being displayed. [0007] It is also a primary object of the present invention to provide, for use in a video display system that is capable of displaying a video program and advertisements, an apparatus and method that prevents a viewer from fast forwarding a recorded program to skip past advertisements in the recorded program. [0008] In one advantageous embodiment, the present invention comprises an advertisement controller and advertisement control software in a video playback device. The advertisement controller executes advertisement control software to activate a first Multimedia Home Platform (MHP) application. The first MHP application detects a first control signal in a broadcast that requests exclusive control of the channel switching function of the video playback device. The first MHP application notifies the viewer that the advertisements must be viewed in order to view the content of the program. If the viewer does nothing for a selected period of time, the viewer is deemed to have accepted the requirement that the advertisements be viewed in order to view the program content. [0009] The first MHP application then takes exclusive control of the channel switching function. Any attempt by the viewer to switch channels during an advertisement is then disregarded. At a later time the first MHP application detects a second control signal requesting the first MHP application to release the exclusive control of the channel switching function. The first MHP application then releases control and returns to the viewer the ability to switch channels during advertisements. [0010] The first MHP application operates similarly in the case of a recorded program. For a recorded program the exclusive control is over the fast forwarding function of the video playback device. [0011] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the advertisement controller may also comprise a second MHP application that is capable of preventing the first MHP application from obtaining exclusive control of the channel switching function or the fast forwarding function. [0012] According to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention, the advertisement controller may also comprise a third MHP application that is capable of sending a payment authorization from a viewer to a program broadcaster to authorize the viewer to switch channels during a display of an advertisement in a broadcast video program and fast forward a recorded video program during a display of an advertisement in the recorded video program. [0013] The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention so that those skilled in the art may better understand the detailed description of the invention that follows. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter that form the subject of the claims of the invention. Those skilled in the art should appreciate that they may readily use the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest form. [0014] Before undertaking the DETAILED DESCRIPTION, it may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used throughout this patent document: [0015] the terms "include" and "comprise," as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation; the term "or," is inclusive, meaning and/or; the phrases "associated with" and "associated therewith," as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like; and the term "controller" means any device, system or part thereof that controls at least one operation, such a device may be implemented in hardware, firmware or software, or some combination of at least two of the same. It should be noted that the functionality associated with any particular controller may be centralized or distributed, whether locally or remotely. In particular, a controller may comprise one or more data processors, and associated input/output devices and memory, that execute one or more application programs and/or an operating system program. Definitions for certain words and phrases are provided throughout this patent document, those of ordinary skill in the art should understand that in many, if not most instances, such definitions apply to prior uses, as well as to future uses, of such defined words and phrases. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0016] For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like numbers designate like objects, and in which: [0017] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary prior art digital television broadcast system; [0018] FIG. 2 illustrates a television receiver and a video playback device according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [0019] FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram showing a more detailed view of the video playback device in FIG. 2 according to an advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [0020] FIG. 4 illustrates advertisement control software for use in one advantageous embodiment of the present invention; [0021] FIG. 5 illustrates a flow diagram of the operation of a method of one advantageous embodiment of the present invention for obtaining exclusive control over a channel switching function; Continue reading... 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