Method and apparatus for providing parental control using a playlist

摘要

A method for providing parental control via a playlist is disclosed. A playlist is received from a control server. One or more channel change control messages are sent to a client in accordance with a playlist. The one or more channel change control messages include tuning information for tuning to one or more programs or channels at times indicated in the playlist.;An apparatus for providing parental control via a playlist is disclosed. The apparatus may be a content delivery system headend. The content delivery system headend system may have a Switched Digital Video (SDV) manager for coordinating SDV sessions requested by subscribers over an access network. The headend may have an input for receiving content to be broadcast during the SDV sessions. The headend may also have a subscriber control unit for sending one or more channel change control messages to a client device in accordance with a playlist, the one or more channel change control messages including tuning information for tuning to one or more programs or channels at times indicated in the playlist.

主权项

1. A method for providing parental control via a playlist, the method comprising:
receiving, at a network device, a playlist from a control server, wherein the network device delivers content over a cable network to subscriber client devices; in response to the received playlist, the network device executing the playlist by:
generating one or more force tune channel change control messages for transmitting to a client device associated with the playlist; anddisabling, during times indicated in the playlist, the network device from executing channel changes not associated with the playlist when the network device receives a channel change request from the client device over the cable network; and sending the one or more force tune channel change control messages from the network device to the client device over the cable network, the one or more force tune channel change control messages including tuning information for tuning the client device to one or more programs or channels at times indicated in the playlist.