Systems and methods for enabling quick access to media options are provided. A display of a plurality of icons is generated, wherein each of the plurality of icons represents a different one of a plurality of applications. A user input is detected that identifies a first of the plurality of icons associated with a first of the plurality of applications. In response to determining that the user input corresponds to a quick access operation, first and second media asset identifiers and corresponding media options are retrieved from each of second and third applications. A menu that includes the retrieved first and second media asset identifiers is generated for display with the plurality of icons.

A method of controlling delivery of video programs from video distribution equipment to video receiver devices includes receiving messages at the video distribution equipment from a mobile terminal operated by a user. The messages contain user defined identifiers that are associated with equipment identifiers of different ones of the video receiver devices. The user defined identifiers are stored associated with the equipment identifiers in a subscriber account. Delivery of video programs from the video distribution equipment to the video receiver devices is controlled in response to commands received from the mobile terminal which request delivery of identified video programs to identified ones of the user defined identifiers. Related video distribution equipment and mobile terminals are disclosed.

Systems and methods according to the present invention provide sign on systems for devices, e.g., televisions, which balance ease of use with security and access control that is amenable to, e.g., household usage.

This application is directed to changing a TV operating mode based on a potential relationship among viewers of a connected TV. In some implementations, a method includes: determining viewer identities and identifying the potential relationship among the viewers or a subset of the viewers; in accordance with a determination that the potential relationship allows the viewers to share private information, placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a first operating mode that is unrelated to media content being displayed and allows personal information to be displayed on the connected TV; and in accordance with a determination that the potential relationship does not allow the viewers to share private information, placing or maintaining the connected TV in or into a second operating mode that is unrelated to the media content and does not allow personal information to be displayed on the connected TV.

A method and system for controlling viewing of multimedia content includes collecting viewing control profiles and associated viewing control passwords via an Internet-protocol television portal, a web portal, and a mobile portal. The viewing control profile may be usable to restrict access to certain multimedia programs. The viewing control may be applied using a unified storefront application, providing access to multimedia content via the Internet-protocol television portal, the web portal, and the mobile portal, to offer and provide controlled access to the multimedia assets.

Methods and systems that provide an interactive media guidance application having a locked mode for viewing media assets. In the locked mode, the interactive media guidance application may provide media assets suited to a certain audience. The interactive media guidance application may determine suitable media assets for the locked mode based on media assets viewed by other users having characteristics similar to the user of the interactive media guidance application. In the locked mode, the interactive media guidance application may allow access to only certain media assets and/or limit the time period for which the media assets are presented.

Methods and systems are described for storing content. The content may be divided into user-specific portions and common portions. One or more selection rules may be used to divide the content into the user-specific portion and the common portions. The one or more selection rules may be selected such that the common portion is not decodable without the user-specific portions. The user-specific portions or data indicating a location of the user-specific portion may be stored in user-specific storage. The user-specific storage may be used to determine content for playback to a user.

Methods, systems, and a remote control for sending emergency alert requests are disclosed. The methods and systems comprise receiving an emergency alert request from a user via a set-top box at a subscriber location. The emergency alert request is received from a remote control. A medical alert message is sent by the set-top box to a processing device, based on the received medical alert request, via a first network. The processing device sends an emergency alert instruction to provide emergency assistance to the subscriber location to an emergency assistance service provider, via a second network, based, at least in part, on the message. A request to provide medical assistance to the subscriber location may be sent to a medical assistance service provider, who may be a third party. Emergency alert requests for the police or fire department may be sent to a 9-1-1 service.

A system for locking a remote-control device blocks a remote-control device from sending signals related to user input until a code to unlock the remote-control device is received. The system for locking a remote-control device receives an indication that the remote-control device should be locked and locks the remote-control device. The system for locking a remote-control device receives user input and determines whether the user input included a predetermined code. Based on a determination that the user input included the predetermined code, the system for locking a remote-control device unlocks the remote-control device.

Systems and methods for authorizing operations associated with blocked media assets using two-factor authentication. In some aspects, a media guidance application (e.g., executed by a set-top box or other user equipment used to store and display media assets) prompts a user for a password (e.g., a personal information number) in order to unlock the content for viewing. In response to receiving a second request from the user to perform an operation related to the media asset (e.g., delete), the media guidance application prompts the user for an additional factor confirming his or her identity, consistent with two-factor authentication protocol. If the user's identity is authenticated as a user that has authority to perform the operation related to the media asset (e.g., delete the stored media asset), the media guidance application performs the operation related to the media asset (e.g., deletes the media asset).