Personalized remote control

• US 20020059588A1
• Filed: 08/27/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Intellocity USA, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Original Assignee: Intellocity USA, Inc. (Kudelski SA)
• Inventors: Zenoni, Ian, Huber, Thomas, Lemmons, Thomas, Markel, Steven O.
• Application Number:
  US09/941,148
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059588A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/37 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voice recognition
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 1/202 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/426 Internal components of the client ; Characteristics thereof H04N5/44 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4542 Blocking scenes or portions of the received content, e.g. censoring scenes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/088 the inserted signal being digital
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Disclosed is a remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide selective programming and/or enhanced content based upon the identity of the user of the remote control. The present invention utilizes preference and profile data corresponding to the current user to control the video output and/or enhanced content of the display. The present invention can also select or exclude video or enhanced content based upon tags that describe video content and the identity of the user based upon the use of a personalized remote control. The present invention can employ recognition techniques, such as word recognition, image recognition and sound recognition to restrict or select video content based upon the identity of the user of a personalized remote control device.

Claims

1. A method of controlling displayed video and data content utilizing a remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide selective programming based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

recognizing said current user with an interface in said personal remote control unit,

establishing an identification of said current user based upon the recognition data supplied to said remote,

communicating said identification of said current user to said set-top box,

assigning preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box,

controlling the video output of said set-top box by controlling video content based on said preference and profile data within said current user database.

2. A method of claim 1 wherein the step of controlling the video output of said set-top box by controlling said video content based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

3. A method of claim 1 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

4. A method of claim 1 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

5. A method of claim 1 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

6. A method of claim 1 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream prior to being input into said set-top box.

7. A method of claim 1 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

8. A method of claim 1 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

9. A method of claim 1 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

10. A method of controlling displayed video and data utilizing a remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide enhanced content based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

recognizing said current user with an interface in said personal remote control unit,

establishing an identification of said current user based upon the recognition data supplied to said remote,

communicating said identification of said current user to said set-top box,

assigning preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box,

controlling the interactive output of said set-top box by controlling said video content based on said preference and profile data and on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

11. A method of claim 10 wherein the step of controlling the interactive output of said set-top box by controlling said video content based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

12. A method of claim 10 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

13. A method of claim 10 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

14. A method of claim 10 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

15. A method of claim 10 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream prior to being input into said set-top box.

16. A method of claim 10 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

17. A method of claim 10 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

18. A method of claim 10 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

20. A method of claim 19 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

21. A method of claim 19 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

22. A method of claim 19 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

23. A method of claim 19 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream prior to being input into said set-top box.

24. A method of claim 19 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

25. A method of claim 19 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

26. A method of claim 19 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

28. A method of claim 27 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

29. A method of claim 27 wherein the recognition of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

30. A method of claim 27 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

31. A method of claim 27 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream prior to being input into said set-top box.

32. A method of claim 27 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

33. A method of claim 27 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

34. A method of claim 27 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

36. A system of claim 35 wherein the of control of the video output of said set-top box by controlling said video content is based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

37. A system of claim 35 wherein the ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

38. A system of claim 35 wherein said ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

39. A system of claim 35 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

40. A system of claim 35 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream.

41. A system of claim 35 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

42. A system of claim 35 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

43. A system of claim 35 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

19. A method of controlling displayed video and data content utilizing a remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide selective programming based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

recognizing said current user with an interface in said personal remote control unit,

establishing an identification of said current user based upon the recognition data supplied to said remote,

communicating said identification of said current user to said set-top box,

assigning preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box,

controlling the video output of said set-top box by controlling video content based on said preference and profile data and by comparing tags that are placed in the video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

27. A method of controlling displayed video and data utilizing a remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide enhanced content based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

recognizing said current user with an interface in said personal remote control unit,

establishing an identification of said current user based upon the recognition data supplied to said remote,

communicating said identification of said current user to said set-top box,

assigning preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, controlling the interactive output of said set-top box by controlling said video content based on said preference and profile data and on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

35. A system for controlling displayed video and data content utilizing a personalized remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide selective programming based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

an ID input device within said remote to determine the identity of said current user,

a communication link between said personalized remote control and said set-top box for transmission of said identification of said current user to said set-top box.

said set-top box that assigns preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, and that controls the video output by controlling video content based on said preference and profile data within said current user database.

44. A system for controlling displayed video and data content utilizing a personalized remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide enhanced content based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

an ID input device within said remote to determine the identity of said current user, a communication link between said personalized remote control and said set-top box for transmission of said identification of said current user to said set-top box.

said set-top box that assigns preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, and that assigns preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, and that controls the interactive output by controlling said video content based on said preference and profile data within said current user database.

45. A system of claim 44 wherein the of control of the interactive output of said set-top box by controlling said video content is based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

46. A system of claim 44 wherein said ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

47. A system of claim 44 wherein said ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

48. A system of claim 44 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

49. A system of claim 44 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream.

50. A system of claim 44 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

51. A system of claim 44 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

52. A system of claim 44 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

53. A system for controlling displayed video and data content utilizing a personalized remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide selective programming based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

an ID input device within said remote to determine the identity of said current user,

a communication link between said personalized remote control and said set-top box for transmission of said identification of said current user to said set-top box.

said set-top box that assigns preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, and that controls the video output by controlling video content based on said preference and profile data within said current user database, and that further controls said video output by controlling said video content based on comparing tags placed in the video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

54. A system of claim 53 wherein the of control of the video output of said set-top box by controlling said video content is based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

55. A system of claim 53 wherein said ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

56. A system of claim 53 wherein said ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

57. A system of claim 53 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

58. A system of claim 53 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream.

59. A system of claim 53 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

60. A system of claim 53 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

61. A system of claim 53 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.

62. A system for controlling displayed video and data content utilizing a personalized remote control device that interacts with a set-top box to provide enhanced content based upon the identity of the current user of said personal remote control comprising,

an ID input device within said remote to determine the identity of said current user, a communication link between said personalized remote control and said set-top box for transmission of said identification of said current user to said set-top box.

said set-top box that assigns preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, and that assigns preference and profile data corresponding to said current user to a current user database within said set-top box, and that controls the interactive output by controlling said video content based on said preference and profile data within said current user database, and that controls interactive output by controlling said video content based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

63. A system of claim 62 wherein the of control of the interactive output of said set-top box by controlling said video content is based on comparing said tags placed in said video stream that indicate content of said video stream to said preference and profile data within said current user database.

64. A system of claim 62 wherein the ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on a physical attribute of said current user.

65. A system of claim 62 wherein said ID input of said current user of said remote control device is based on an intellectual attribute of said current user.

66. A system of claim 62 wherein said profile data is empirically derived from the usage patterns of said remote control device by said current user.

67. A system of claim 62 wherein said video content is pretagged to indicate content of the video stream.

68. A system of claim 62 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key words.

69. A system of claim 62 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key images.

70. A system of claim 62 wherein said tags are created in real time by video recognition techniques utilizing key sounds.