Abstract: The present invention is a controller for selectively blocking cable television programming provided by a cable converter that is contained within the controller. The cable converter downconverts an input signal and provides one or more channels as an output to a viewing screen. The controller includes an input unit that transmits at least one command and a transmitter that transmits at least one remote control signal to the cable converter. The controller further includes a processor coupled to the input unit and the transmitter. The processor is adapted to block viewing of at least one selected channel when configured to operate in a first state. The processor controls the transmitter to transmit the at least one remote control signal to the cable converter to change from a first channel to a second channel in response to said at least one command from said input unit when said processor is configured to operate in a second state.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus of determining a biorhythmic using a processor-based system. The apparatus comprises a housing and a control panel enclosed within the housing that has a plurality of function keys for entering information related to a biorhythmic cycle. The apparatus further comprises a memory that stores instruction sequences and a processor coupled to the memory, for executing the stored instruction sequences. The stored instruction sequences cause the processor to: to compute a period of a month corresponding to a biorhythmic cycle in progress and to compute a corresponding period for a predetermined number of following months. A display is coupled to the processor, the memory and the control panel. The display displays a calendar showing days in the period of the month, each day being marked to indicate the biorhythmic cycle in progress. The display is scrollable to display the corresponding period for the predetermined number of following months.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus of predicting fertility using a processor-based system. The apparatus comprises a housing and a control panel enclosed within the housing that has a plurality of function keys for entering information related to a fertility cycle. The apparatus further comprises a memory that stores instruction sequences and a processor coupled to the memory, for executing the stored instruction sequences.

Abstract: A TV/video viewing supervision system that enables a supervisor, typically a parent controlling children's viewing, to selectably preprogram the hours, programs and/or channels of television, VCR, cable TV, satellite TV and/or game viewing that are allowed and/or blocked from viewing. The system features a channel/time matrix that can be programmed with a keypad-controlled cursor of a hand-held remote unit to set up a viewing schedule for future time period, for example a coming week.

Abstract: Programmable television receiver controllers which may be manually programmed by a user to select or to limit the viewing selections for random times, typically in one-half hour intervals, throughout a predetermined time period such as a one week time period. Program selections may be made by setting suitable controls for the day, AM or PM, the half hour of the day and the channel desired, and entered into a memory by a push-button control. Thereafter a digital control clock automatically selects the pre-entered information at the appropriate times and provides a control signal which may be used to automatically select the identified channels to the exclusion of all others. Alternatively, the signal may be used to exclude the selected channel from selection manually.

Abstract: Programmable television receiver controllers which may be manually programmed by a user to select or to limit the viewing selections for random times, typically in one-half hour intervals, throughout a predetermined time period such as a one week time period. Program selections may be made by setting suitable controls for the day, AM or PM, the half hour of the day and the channel desired, and entered into a memory by a push-button control. Thereafter a digital control clock automatically selects the pre-entered information at the appropriate times and provides a control signal to the channel selector of the television receiver. This signal may be used to automatically select the identified channels to the exclusion of all others, or in the alternative, to exclude the selected channel from selection manually at the receiver. Alternate embodiments include means for controlling other functions such as the ON-OFF function of the receiver.