Microsoft has filed a patent application for a system that leverages Kinect as a darker and more Orwellian version of 1984’s telescreen.
"A content presentation system and method allowing content providers to regulate the presentation of content on a per-user-view basis," Microsoft described the system in the patent application.
The new system takes advantage of Kinect’s image processing capabilities to count the number of people watching and charge them automatically or turn the TV off if the number of viewers exceeds the license they paid for.
"Content is distributed an associated license option on the number of individual consumers or viewers allowed to consume the content. Consumers are presented with a content selection and a choice of licenses allowing consumption of the content. The users consuming the content on a display device are monitored so that if the number of user-views licensed is exceeded, remedial action may be taken."
The system is also able to detect the viewers’ ages and enforce age restrictions.