System and method for personalizing an electrical device interface

• US 20030067488A1
• Filed: 10/09/2001
• Published: 04/10/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Rudd, Michael L., Culp, Jerlyn R., Albritton-McDonald, James C.
• Granted Patent: US 6,934,915 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/765
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/453 Help systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00509 Personalising for a particular user or group of users, e.g. a workgroup or company
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00514 for individual users

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to such systems and methods for personalizing an electrical device interface. In one arrangement, personalization involves presenting a variety of different default interface options to the user, the interfaces being configured to control operation of an electrical device, receiving selection of a default interface made by a user, and presenting the selected interface to the user. Several other examples of interface personalization are described in detail in this disclosure.

Claims

1. A method for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

presenting a variety of different default interface options to the user, the interfaces being configured to control operation of an electrical device;

receiving selection of a default interface made by a user; and

presenting the selected interface to the user.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interfaces vary in terms of aesthetics.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interfaces vary in terms of commands that are presented with the interfaces.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the commands most prominently presented to the user with each interface pertain to a particular mode of device operation.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein mode of device operation comprises one of a business mode, recreation mode, children'"'"'s mode, visually impaired mode, and physically impaired mode.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the mode of operation pertains to a skill level of the user using the electrical device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising assigning particular interfaces to particular users such that interface personalization is provided on a user-by-user basis.

8. A system for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

means for presenting a variety of different default interface options to the user, the interfaces being configured to control operation of an electrical device;

means for receiving selection of a default interface made by a user; and

means for presenting the selected interface to the user.

9. A method for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

presenting a tutorial regarding the control and operation of an electrical device to a user;

providing the user with an option to modify an interface used to control the electrical device by adding one or more commands to the interface relevant to the operation described in the tutorial; and

reconfiguring the interface if the user opts to modify the interface.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the interface initially comprises a few simple commands and later comprises more complex commands as the interface is modified.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the interface is modified over time so as to match the skill level of the user.

12. A system for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

means for presenting a tutorial regarding the control and operation of an electrical device to a user;

means for providing the user with an option to modify an interface used to control the electrical device by adding one or more commands to the interface relevant to the operation described in the tutorial; and

means for reconfiguring the interface if the user opts to modify the interface.

13. A method for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

receiving commands selected by the user with the interface;

monitoring the frequency with which the various commands are selected;

providing the user with an option to modify the interface based upon the frequency of use of the commands; and

reconfiguring the interface so as to provide easier access to the frequently used commands if the user opts to modify the interface.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of reconfiguring the interface comprises placing frequently used commands on a top level of the interface.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of reconfiguring the interface comprises placing infrequently used commands on a low level of the interface.

16. A system for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

means for receiving commands selected by the user with the interface;

means for monitoring the frequency with which the various commands are selected;

means for providing the user with an option to modify the interface based upon the frequency of use of the commands; and

means for reconfiguring the interface so as to provide easier access to the frequently used commands if the user opts to modify the interface.

17. A method for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

presenting a plurality of different electrical device commands to a user for selection;

receiving user command selections; and

generating a user interface for use in controlling an electrical device that is based upon the user command selections.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of receiving user selections as to interface aesthetics.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising the step of storing the generated user interface as an interface option that the user can select.

20. A system for personalizing an electrical device interface, comprising:

means for presenting a plurality of different electrical device commands to a user for selection;

means for receiving user command selections; and

means for generating a user interface for use in controlling an electrical device that is based upon the user command selections.

21. A method for personalizing electrical device interfaces, comprising:

receiving selection of a first interface for use in controlling a first electrical device;

presenting a user with the option of reconfiguring a second interface for use in controlling a second electrical device such that the second interface is similar to the first interface; and

reconfiguring the second interface if the user opts to reconfigure it.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of reconfiguring the second interface comprises modifying the aesthetics of the second interface to reflect those of the first interface.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of reconfiguring the second interface comprises modifying the functionality of the second interface to reflect those of the first interface.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein the first and second electrical devices comprise image capture devices.

25. A system for personalizing electrical device interfaces, comprising:

means for receiving selection of a first interface for use in controlling a first electrical device;

means for presenting a user with the option of reconfiguring a second interface for use in controlling a second electrical device such that the second interface is similar to the first interface; and

means for reconfiguring the second interface if the user opts to reconfigure it.