Quick accessibility profiles

• US 10,051,331 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2017
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/11/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Shintani, Peter, Candelore, Brant, Nejat, Mahyar
• Primary Examiner(s): Teitelbaum, Michael
• Application Number:
  US15/646,986
• Time in Patent Office: 399 Days
• Field of Search: 348563, 348567, 348570, 348523, 348484, 348482, 348480, 348465, 348361, 348376, 34820711, 3482311, 3482319, 348247, 348158, 348647, 348706, 348714, 348716, 348719, 348723, 348731, 348734, 348738, 348838, 725 9, 725 12, 725 38, 725 46, 725 52, 725109, 725152, 4554122, 4554563, 4554323, 345169
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/00 Teaching, or communicating with, the blind, deaf or mute audible presentation of material to be studied G09B5/04; devices or methods for replacing direct visual or auditory perception by another kind of perception A61F9/08, A61F11/04; audible indication of meter readings or of colour G01D7/12; watches for blind persons G04B25/02; speech analysis, speech recognition G10L; sound-recording or reproducing, per se G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 21/009 Teaching or communicating with deaf persons G09B21/04 takes precedence; deaf and dumb persons G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/00 Speech synthesis; Text to speech systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast

Abstract

An audio video device (AVD) such as a smart TV allows profiles to be defined on the TV. A user accessing the TV can select one of the profiles to have the TV instantly configure itself for the accessing user. This is useful not only for the hearing-impaired but also visually-impaired people, who may encounter difficulty navigating profile setup menus.

Claims

1. An article of manufacture (AOM) comprising:

at least one computer storage that is not a transitory signal and that comprises instructions executable by at least one processor to;

receive an image and/or vocal sound from a first user;

based on the image and/or vocal sound, correlate the first user to a first profile associated with one or more accessibility settings of an audio video device (AVD);

automatically configure the AVD with the accessibility settings of the first profile;

determine whether the first user is present with no other users;

responsive to determining the first user is present with no other users, configure the AVD with the accessibility settings of the first profile;

responsive to determining the first user is present with at least a second user, determine whether the first user has priority over the second user;

responsive to determining the first user has priority over the second user, configure the AVD with the accessibility settings of the first profile; and

responsive to determining the second user has priority over the first user, configure the AVD with the accessibility settings of the second profile.

2. The AOM of claim 1, wherein the determine whether the first user has priority over the second user is based at least in part on a priority setting in the first profile.

3. The AOM of claim 2, wherein the determine whether the first user has priority over the second user is based at least in part on a priority setting in the second profile.

4. The AOM of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to receiving a signal representing manipulation of any key on a controller, automatically energize the AVD if the AVD is off and automatically present a text to speech function on the AVD.

5. The AOM of claim 1, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to receiving a signal from a controller, determine whether a text to speech function is instantiated on the AVD;

responsive to determining that the text to speech function is not instantiated, instantiate the text to speech function;

responsive to determining that the text to speech function is instantiated, activate an accessibility menu on the AVD responsive to receiving the signal from a controller.

6. The AOM of claim 1, wherein the first profile is stored locally to the AVD.

7. The AOM of claim 1, wherein the first profile is stored on the Internet and is accessible to the AVD.

8. The AOM of claim 1, wherein the first profile defines configuring the AVD and/or configuring audio and/or video received at the AVD for the first user.

16. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether the first user has priority over the second user is based at least in part on a priority setting in the first profile.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein determining whether the first user has priority over the second user is based at least in part on a priority setting in the second profile.

18. The method of claim 5, wherein determining whether the first user has priority over the second user is based at least in part on a priority setting in the second profile.

9. An audio video device (AVD) comprising;

at least one processor;

at least one speaker to present demanded audio under control of the at least one processor;

at least one video display to present demanded video under control of the at least one processor; and

at least one storage with instructions executable by the at least one processor to;

receive a reference of a first person, the reference comprising an image of the first person and/or voice recording of the first person;

associate the reference with a profile of accessibility settings of the AVD tailored to the first person;

receive an image and/or voice signal matching the reference;

determine whether people other than the first person are indicated by the image and/or voice signal,

responsive to determining that no people other than the first person are indicated by the image and/or voice signal, automatically establish, on the AVD, the accessibility settings defined in the profile associated with the first person;

responsive to determining that at least one second person other than the first person is indicated by the image and/or voice signal, determine which of the first or second person has priority over the other;

responsive to determining that the first person has priority over the second person, automatically establish, on the AVD, the accessibility settings defined in the profile associated with the first person; and

responsive to determining that the first person does not have priority over the second person, not automatically establish, on the AVD, the accessibility settings defined in the profile associated with the first person.

10. The AVD of claim 9, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to determining that the first person does not have priority over the second person, not change any accessibility settings of the AVD.

11. The AVD of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to determining that the first person does not have priority over the second person, establish settings of the AVD according to a profile associated with the second person.

12. The AVD of claim 10, wherein the determine which of the first or second person has priority over the other is based at least in part on a priority setting in the first person'"'"'s profile.

13. The AVD of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to receiving a signal representing manipulation of any key on a controller, automatically energize the AVD if the AVD is off and automatically present a text to speech function on the AVD.

14. The AVD of claim 10, wherein the instructions are executable to:

responsive to receiving a signal from a controller, determine whether a text to speech function is instantiated on the AVD;

responsive to determining that the text to speech function is not instantiated, instantiate the text to speech function;

responsive to determining that the text to speech function is instantiated, activate an accessibility menu on the AVD responsive to receiving the signal from a controller.

15. A method comprising:

receiving an image and/or vocal sound from a first user;

determining whether the image and/or sound matches a reference;

responsive to the image and/or sound matching the reference, correlating the first user to a first profile associated with one or more accessibility settings of an audio video device (AVD);

responsive to the image and/or sound matching the reference, automatically configuring the AVD with the accessibility settings of the first profile;

determining whether the first user is present with no other users;

responsive to determining the first user is present with no other users, configuring the AVD with the accessibility settings of the first profile;

responsive to determining the first user is present with at least a second user, determining whether the first user has priority over the second user;

responsive to determining the first user has priority over the second user, configuring the AVD with the accessibility settings of the first profile; and

responsive to determining the second user has priority over the first user, configuring the AVD with the accessibility settings of the second profile.