Locking of Programs Against Fast Forwarding

Abstract

Speed of commercial playing is detected and used for determining whether program information can be played.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a program playing part that produces output from a user program, where said output from said user program includes both program parts and commercial parts;   said program playing part receiving information from playing of the commercial parts, and uses the information received as part of playing the program parts,   wherein said information received from playing the commercial parts is effective to enable complete playing of the program parts when the information is received by playing the commercial parts at normal speed and said information received from playing the commercial parts at faster than normal speed is not effective to complete playing of the program parts.   
     
     
         2 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said program parts include video parts that are played normally only when the information was received by playing the commercial parts at normal speed. 
     
     
         3 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes a decryption code for encrypted program parts. 
     
     
         4 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes a digital code that is read from the commercial parts. 
     
     
         5 . The system as in  claim 4 , wherein said digital code comprises a code that is effective to synchronize a clock to proper speed of playing of the commercial parts. 
     
     
         6 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes an unlock code that is obtained only when the commercial parts are played at said normal speed. 
     
     
         7 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information received from the playing of the commercial parts is based on a specified image part in the commercial part having been displayed for a specified amount of time. 
     
     
         8 . The system as in  claim 1 , further comprising a link to a commercial part, that is played as part of said program part, where said link is effective to automatically transfer control to playing the commercial part. 
     
     
         9 . The system as in  claim 1 , wherein said information includes an indication of a total amount of time that the commercial has been played. 
     
     
         10 . A method, comprising:
 producing output on a computer from a user program, where said output from said user program includes both program parts and commercial parts;   receiving information on the computer from playing of the commercial parts;   using the information received as part of playing the commercial parts, to play the program parts on the computer, wherein said information received from playing the commercial parts is effective to enable complete playing of the program parts when the information is received by playing the commercial parts at normal speed and said information received from playing the commercial parts at faster than normal speed is not effective to complete playing of the program parts.   
     
     
         11 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein said program parts include video parts that are played normally only when the information was received by playing the commercial parts at normal speed. 
     
     
         12 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein said information from the playing of the commercial parts includes a decryption code for encrypted program parts. 
     
     
         13 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein said said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes a clock code that is effective to synchronize a clock only when the commercial parts are played at said normal speed. 
     
     
         14 . The method as in  claim 10 , wherein said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes an unlock code that is obtained only when the commercial parts are played at said normal speed. 
     
     
         15 . The method as in  claim 10 , further comprising a link to a commercial part, that is played as part of said program part, where said link is effective to automatically transfer control to playing the commercial part. 
     
     
         16 . A system, comprising:
 a program playing part that produces output from a user program, where said output from said user program includes both program parts and commercial parts;   said program playing part receiving information from playing of the commercial parts, wherein said information received from playing the commercial parts is effective to enable complete playing of the program parts when the information is received by playing the commercial parts at normal speed and said information received from playing the commercial parts at faster than normal speed is not effective to complete playing of the program parts; and   wherein said program playing part displays a link to a commercial part, where selecting said link is effective to automatically transfer control to playing the commercial part.   
     
     
         17 . The system as in  claim 16 , 
       wherein said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes a decryption code for encrypted program parts. 
     
     
         18 . The system as in  claim 16 , wherein 
       said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes an unlock code that is obtained only when the commercial parts are played at said normal speed. 
     
     
         19 . The system as in  claim 16 , wherein 
       said information received from the playing of the commercial parts includes a clock code that is effective to synchronize a clock only when the commercial parts are played at said normal speed. 
     
     
         20 . The system as in  claim 16 , wherein said information includes an indication of a total amount of time that the commercial has been played.