User location and identity awareness

• US 10,440,499 B2
• Filed: 06/16/2014
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Farrell, Corey
• Primary Examiner(s): Patel, Mahendra R
• Application Number:
  US14/305,702
• Publication Number:
  US 20150365787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 4554561-4566, 455457, 455420, 709221, 725 25
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing actions based on a user'"'"'s location are described. A user profile correlating automated actions with locations may be generated and/or stored. The user'"'"'s location may be determined by determining the location of a device, such as the user'"'"'s mobile device. Several different wireless communication protocols and/or wireless networks (e.g., Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, Cellular, and/or GPS) may be used in a hierarchical manner to determine the user'"'"'s location. When the user'"'"'s location is determined, one or more actions may be performed based on the user'"'"'s location and/or profile. For example, an instruction may be sent to a display device or set-top box located in the same room as the user to turn on the display device or set-top box or to display a content recommendation for the user. As another example, an instruction may be sent to the user'"'"'s home to deactivate a home security system when the user is within a predetermined distance from the home.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing, by a computing device, information associating each range, of a plurality of ranges, with a corresponding group of one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein each range is determined based on communication via a wireless protocol of a plurality of wireless protocols;

determining, based on communication via at least one of the plurality of wireless protocols, that a location of a first mobile device is within a first range of the plurality of ranges, associated with a premises; and

granting, based on the location of the first mobile device within the first range of the plurality of ranges, the first mobile device access to a first group of streaming content items of the one or more groups of streaming content items.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the location of the first mobile device is within the premises, and wherein the method further comprises:

sending, by the computing device and to a content output device within the premises, an instruction to switch to a default channel based on a first user profile associated with the first mobile device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that the first mobile device is unreachable via a first wireless protocol of the plurality of wireless protocols;

determining, by the computing device, that the first mobile device has moved away from the premises; and

sending, by the computing device and to the content output device, a deactivation instruction.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first range, of the plurality of ranges, is determined by communication via BLUETOOTH, wherein a second range, of the plurality of ranges, is determined by communication via Wi-Fi, wherein a third range, of the plurality of ranges, is determined by communication via at least one of a Global Positioning System (GPS) protocol or a cellular protocol, and wherein the method further comprises:

granting a content output device, located within the first range, access to the first group of streaming content items.

10. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

granting, by the computing device and based on the first user profile, the first mobile device priority, over other mobile devices within the premises, to control the content output device.

11. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that a second mobile device is in communication with the content output device; and

determining, based on a second user profile associated with the second mobile device, that the second mobile device is to receive priority for controlling the content output device.

12. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

generating a hybrid content recommendation displayable by the content output device and based on the first user profile associated with the first mobile device and a second user profile associated with a second mobile device that is also at the location of the first mobile device within the premises.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, based on the at least one of the plurality of wireless protocols, that one or more other mobile devices are also within the first range of the plurality of ranges; and

granting the one or more other mobile devices access to the first group of streaming content items.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

determining, based on the at least one of the plurality of wireless protocols, that the first mobile device has left the first range of the plurality of ranges and entered a second range of the plurality of ranges, wherein the second range of the plurality of ranges is greater than the first range of the plurality of ranges;

after determining that the first mobile device has entered the second range, preventing the one or more other mobile devices from accessing the first group of streaming content items, wherein the first group of streaming content items is associated with full access to streaming content; and

granting the first mobile device access to a second group of the one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein the second group of streaming content items is associated with limited access to the streaming content.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that the first mobile device is unreachable via a first wireless protocol and a second wireless protocol of the plurality of wireless protocols;

determining, by the computing device and based on a third wireless protocol of the plurality of wireless protocols, that the location of the first mobile device is within a third range of the plurality of ranges, wherein the third range of the plurality of ranges is greater than the first range of the plurality of ranges; and

sending, by the computing device and to a second user device located within the first range of the plurality of ranges, an instruction to activate one or more motion detectors located within the premises.

16. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

determining, by the computing device, that the first mobile device is unreachable via a first wireless protocol and a second wireless protocol of the plurality of wireless protocols;

determining, by the computing device and based on a third wireless protocol of the plurality of wireless protocols, that the location of the first mobile device is within a third range of the plurality of ranges, wherein the third range is greater than the first range of the plurality of ranges;

sending, by the computing device and to the content output device, a power off command; and

granting, by the computing device and based on the location of the first mobile device within the third range of the plurality of ranges, access to a second group of the one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein the second group of streaming content items is indicative of limited access to streaming content.

5. A method comprising:

determining, by a computing device and based on a first wireless network, that a first mobile device is located within a premises;

granting, by the computing device, a content output device, located within the premises, access to a first group of streaming content items of one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein each group, of the one or more of groups of streaming content items, is associated with a threshold distance of a plurality of threshold distances associated with the premises;

after determining that the first mobile device is not in communication with the computing device via the first wireless network, attempting to communicate with the first mobile device via a second wireless network;

after communicating with the first mobile device via the second wireless network, determining that the first mobile device is located within a first threshold distance, of the plurality of threshold distances, associated with the premises; and

after the determining that the first mobile device is located within the first threshold distance;

revoking, by the computing device and for the content output device, access to first one or more streaming content items of the first group of streaming content items; and

granting the first mobile device access to second one or more streaming content items of the first group of streaming content items via the second wireless network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after determining that the first mobile device is not in communication with the computing device via the first wireless network and is not in communication via the second wireless network, attempting to communicate with the first mobile device via a third wireless network;

after communicating with the first mobile device via the third wireless network, determining that the first mobile device is located within a second threshold distance of the plurality of threshold distances associated with the premises, wherein the second threshold distance is greater than the first threshold distance; and

preventing the first mobile device from accessing the second one or more streaming content items of the first group of streaming content items via the third wireless network.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

after determining that a second mobile device, in a same permission group as the first mobile device, is also within the first threshold distance, granting the first mobile device and the second mobile device access to the first group of streaming content items and a second group of the one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein the second group of streaming content items is based on a user profile associated with the second mobile device.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

after determining that a third mobile device, in the same permission group as the first mobile device and the second mobile device, is also within the first threshold distance, granting the first mobile device, the second mobile device, and the third mobile device access to the first group of streaming content items, the second group of streaming content items, and a third group of the one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein the third group of streaming content items of the one or more groups of streaming content items is based on a user profile associated with the third mobile device.

9. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

granting the first mobile device access to the first group of streaming content items based on the first mobile device being located within the premises.

17. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

determining that a second mobile device is located within the premises;

generating, based on a first user profile associated with the first mobile device and a second user profile associated with the second mobile device, a hybrid content recommendation displayable by the content output device; and

sending, by the computing device and to the content output device, the hybrid content recommendation.

18. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to;

store information associating each range, of a plurality of ranges, associated with a premises, with a corresponding group of one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein each range is determined based on communication via a wireless protocol of a plurality of wireless protocols;

determine, based on communication via at least one of the plurality of wireless protocols, that a location of a first mobile device is within a first range of the plurality of ranges that are associated with the premises; and

grant, based on the location of the first mobile device within the first range of the plurality of ranges, the first mobile device access to a first group of streaming content items of the one or more groups of streaming content items.

19. The computing device of claim 18, wherein the location of the first mobile device is within the premises, and the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:

send, to a content output device within the premises, an instruction to switch to a default channel based on a first user profile associated with the first mobile device.

20. The computing device of claim 19, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:

determine that the first mobile device is unreachable via a first wireless protocol of the plurality of wireless protocols;

determine that the first mobile device has moved away from the premises; and

send, to the content output device, a deactivation instruction.

21. A computing device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to;

determine, based on a first wireless network, that a first mobile device is located within a premises;

grant a content output device, located within the premises, access to a first group of streaming content items of one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein each group, of the one or more of groups of streaming content items, is associated with a threshold distance of a plurality of threshold distances associated with the premises;

after a determination that the first mobile device is not in communication with the computing device via the first wireless network, attempt to communicate with the first mobile device via a second wireless network;

after a communication with the first mobile device via the second wireless network, determine that the first mobile device is located within a first threshold distance, of the plurality of threshold distances, associated with the premises; and

after a determination that the first mobile device is located within the first threshold distance;

revoke, for the content output device, access to first one or more of the first group of streaming content items; and

grant the first mobile device access to second one or more of the first group of streaming content items via the second wireless network.

22. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:

after a determination that the first mobile device is not in communication with the computing device via the first wireless network and is not in communication via the second wireless network, attempt to communicate with the first mobile device via a third wireless network;

after a communication with the first mobile device via the third wireless network, determine that the first mobile device is located within a second threshold distance of the plurality of threshold distances from the premises, wherein the second threshold distance is greater than the first threshold distance; and

prevent the first mobile device from accessing the second one or more of the first group of streaming content items via the third wireless network.

23. The computing device of claim 21, wherein the instructions, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:

after a determination that a second mobile device, in a same permission group as the first mobile device, is also within the first threshold distance, grant the first mobile device and the second mobile device access to the first group of streaming content items and a second group of the one or more groups of streaming content items, wherein the second group of streaming content items is based on a user profile associated with the second mobile device.