Method and system for transferring user settings to another user receiving device using a mobile user device

• US 10,063,924 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Issued: 08/28/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Joseph, Kuriacose, Casavant, Scott D., Lee, Sean S., Wang, Phillip T., Yang, Christopher, Yee, Woei-Shyang, Huie, Wesley W., Talatinian, Gerard V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Taylor, Joshua D
• Application Number:
  US14/207,345
• Publication Number:
  US 20140282807A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,630 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1094 Inter-user-equipment sessions transfer or sharing
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/612 for unicast
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• 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

Abstract

A system and method for operating a user receiving device includes a first user device that receives first user settings and stores the first user settings therein. The first user device communicates first user settings to a second user receiving device. The second user receiving device operates with the first user settings.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating an identifier with a first user receiving device;

a mobile user device obtaining the identifier associated with the first user receiving device;

communicating the identifier associated with the first user receiving device from the mobile user device to a second user receiving device;

identifying first user profile settings comprising parental controls and a viewing history with pause and resume points associated with the first user receiving device based on the identifier;

communicating, from the first user receiving device to the second user receiving device, the first user profile settings and the viewing history with pause and resume points;

storing the first user profile settings in the second user receiving device; and

operating the second user receiving device in response to the first user profile settings and first content use data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first user profile settings comprise at least one of purchase restriction data, on-demand access, a list of devices able to access the first user profile, and bill payment data.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the identifier from the mobile user device to the second user receiving device comprises communicating the identifier from a remote control to the second user receiving device.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the content use data comprises at least one of playlist data, playback lists, and favorite channel lists.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising revising the first content use data to form revised content use data in the second user receiving device, and wherein after operating, communicating the revised content use data from the second user receiving device to the first user receiving device and storing the revised content use data in the first user receiving device, and, thereafter, operating the first user receiving device with the revised content use data.

6. The method as recited in claim 5 wherein communicating the revised content use data comprises communicating the revised content use data to the second user receiving device using the mobile user device.

7. The method as described in claim 1 wherein communicating the first user profile settings and first content use data from the first user receiving device to the second user receiving device comprises communicating the first user profile settings and content use data from the first user receiving device to the mobile user device, storing the first user profile settings and first content use data on the mobile user device, and communicating the first user profile settings and first content use data from the mobile user device to the second user receiving device.

8. A method comprising:

associating an identifier with a first user receiving device;

a mobile user device obtaining the identifier associated with the first user receiving device;

communicating the identifier associated with the first user receiving device from the mobile user device to a second user receiving device;

identifying first user profile settings and first content use data associated with the first user receiving device based on the identifier;

communicating, from the first user receiving device to the second user receiving device, the first user profile settings and the first content use data;

storing the first user profile settings and first content use data in the second user receiving device;

operating the second user receiving device in response to the first user profile settings and first content use data;

revising the first user profile settings in the second receiving device to form revised user profile settings; and

wherein after operating, communicating the revised user profile settings from the second user receiving device to the first user receiving device and storing the revised user profile settings in the first user receiving device; and

thereafter, operating the first user receiving device with the revised user profile settings.

9. The method as recited in claim 8 wherein communicating the revised user settings comprises communicating the revised user settings to the second user receiving device through the mobile user device.

10. A system comprising:

a first user receiving device having an identifier associated therewith, first user profile settings comprising parental controls, and first content use data associated therewith, and communicating the first user profile settings and the viewing history with pause and resume points;

a mobile user device obtaining the identifier and communicating the identifier associated with the first user receiving device to a second user receiving device; and

the second user receiving device receiving and storing, from the first user receiving device, the first user profile settings and viewing history with pause and resume points associated with the first user receiving device, and operating with the first user profile settings and viewing history with pause and resume points.

11. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the first user profile settings comprise at least one of purchase restriction data, on-demand access, devices able to access the first user profile, and bill payment data.

12. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the mobile user device comprises a remote control.

13. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the first content use data comprises at least one of playlist data, playback lists, and favorite channels data.

14. The system as recited in claim 10 wherein the second user receiving device revises the first content use data to form revised content use data and wherein the second user receiving device communicates the revised content use data to the first user receiving device and wherein the first user receiving device stores the revised content use data therein, and operates with the revised content use data.

15. The system as described in claim 10 wherein the mobile user device receives the first user profile settings and the first content use data from the first user receiving device, the mobile user device stores the first user profile settings and first content use data, and the mobile user device communicates the first user profile settings and first content use data to the second user receiving device.

16. A system comprising:

a first user receiving device having an identifier associated therewith, first user profile settings, and first content use data associated therewith, and communicating the first user profile settings and the first content use data;

a mobile user device obtaining the identifier and communicating the identifier associated with the first user receiving device to a second user receiving device; and

the second user receiving device receiving and storing, from the first user receiving device, the first user profile settings and first content use data associated with the first user receiving device, and operating with the first user profile settings and the first content use data;

wherein the second user receiving device revises the first user profile settings to form revised user profile settings and communicates the revised user profile settings to the first user receiving device; and

wherein the first user receiving device stores the revised user profile settings therein, and operates with the revised user profile settings.