Method and apparatus for causing a remote device to implement a user profile and system that operates therewith

• US 20030080850A1
• Filed: 10/30/2001
• Published: 05/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Inventors: Kline, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/016,315
• Publication Number:
  US 20030080850A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/5.6
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 9/28 the pass enabling tracking or indicating presence

Abstract

An electronic apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a housing that a person can carry and a circuit coupled to the housing. The circuit causes a device to operate according to a predetermined user profile of the person, wherein the device is remote from the housing and the circuit. The device can be used in a system that also includes the device that, when remote from the electronic apparatus, stores a first predetermined user profile of a first person, detects the first electronic apparatus, and operates according to the first user profile in response to detecting the electronic apparatus.

Claims

1. An electronic apparatus, comprising:

a housing that a person can carry; and

a circuit coupled to the housing that causes a device to operate according to a predetermined user profile of the person, the device being remote from the housing and circuit.

2. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit provides the user profile to the device.

3. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit causes the device to operate according to the user profile when the person is within a predetermined distance from the device.

4. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit communicates with the device via a wireless channel.

5. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit communicates with the device via a cable.

6. The electronic apparatus of claim 1 wherein the circuit comprises:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor and stores the user profile; and

a transmitter coupled to the processor.

7. A device, comprising a circuit that:

stores a predetermined user profile of a person;

detects a remote electronic apparatus associated with the person; and

causes the device to operate according to the user profile in response to detecting the electronic apparatus.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the circuit receives the user profile from the electronic apparatus.

9. The device of claim 7 wherein the circuit to detects the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is within a predetermined distance from the device.

10. The device of claim 7 wherein the circuit comprises:

a memory that stores the user profile; and

a processor coupled to the memory that causes the device to operate according to the user profile.

11. The device of claim 7 wherein the circuit detects the electronic apparatus via a wireless channel.

12. The device of claim 7 wherein the circuit detects the electronic apparatus via a cable.

13. A base unit, comprising a circuit that:

stores a predetermined user profile of a person;

detects a remote electronic apparatus associated with the person; and

causes a satellite device to operate according to the user profile in response to detecting the electronic apparatus.

14. The base unit of claim 13 wherein the circuit receives the user profile from the electronic apparatus.

15. The base unit of claim 13 wherein the circuit detects the electronic apparatus when the electronic apparatus is within a predetermined distance from the base unit.

16. The base unit of claim 13 wherein the circuit comprises:

a memory that stores the user profile; and

a processor coupled to the memory that causes the satellite device to operate according to the user profile.

17. The base unit of claim 13 wherein the circuit communicates with the electronic apparatus and the satellite device via respective wireless channels.

18. The base unit of claim 13 wherein the circuit communicates with the electronic apparatus and the satellite device via respective cables.

19. The base unit of claim 13 wherein the circuit:

communicates with the electronic apparatus via a wireless channel; and

communicates with the satellite device via a cable.

20. A system, comprising:

a first electronic apparatus operable to be carried by a first person; and

a device that when remote from the electronic apparatus is operable to,

store a first predetermined user profile of the first person,

detect the first electronic apparatus, and

operate according to the first user profile in response to detecting the first electronic apparatus.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein the first electronic apparatus is operable to:

store the first user profile; and

provide the stored first user profile to the device.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein the device is operable to detect the first electronic apparatus when the device is within a predetermined distance from the first electronic apparatus.

23. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a second electronic apparatus operable to be carried by a second person; and

wherein the device when remote from the second electronic apparatus is operable to,

store a second predetermined user profile of the second person,

detect the second electronic apparatus,

operate according to the first user profile in response to detecting only the first electronic apparatus,

operate according to the second user profile in response to detecting only the second electronic apparatus, and

in response to simultaneously detecting the first and second electronic apparatus, determine respective priorities of the first and second persons and operating according to the user profile of the person having the higher priority.

24. The system of claim 20, further comprising:

a second electronic apparatus operable to be carried by a second person; and

wherein the device when remote from the second electronic apparatus is operable to,

store a second predetermined user profile of the second person,

detect the second electronic apparatus,

operate according to the first user profile in response to detecting only the first electronic apparatus,

operate according to the second user profile in response to detecting only the second electronic apparatus, and

in response to simultaneously detecting the first and second electronic apparatus, operating according to the user profile associated with the electronic apparatus closest to the device.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein the first electronic apparatus comprises a laptop computer.

26. The system of claim 20 wherein the first electronic apparatus comprises a personal digital assistant.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein the device comprises an appliance.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein the device comprises a vending machine.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein the device comprises a seat that is operable to configure itself according to the user profile in response to detecting the first electronic apparatus.

33. The system of claim 20 wherein the base unit comprises a personal computer.

30. A system, comprising:

an electronic apparatus operable to be carried by a person;

a satellite device that is operable to be remote from the electronic apparatus; and

a base unit coupled to the satellite device and that when remote from the electronic apparatus is operable to,

store a predetermined user profile of the person,

detect the electronic apparatus, and

cause the satellite device to operate according to the user profile in response to detecting the electronic apparatus.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the electronic apparatus is operable to:

store the first user profile; and

provide the stored first user profile to the base unit.

32. The system of claim 30 wherein the base unit is operable to detect the electronic apparatus when the base unit is within a predetermined distance from the electronic apparatus.

34. A method, comprising:

sensing a person associated with a user profile; and

configuring a device according to the user profile in response to sensing the person.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

the person carrying an electronic apparatus; and

wherein configuring the device comprises configuring the device with the electronic apparatus.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

connecting an electronic apparatus to the device; and

wherein configuring the device comprises configuring the device with the connected electronic apparatus.

37. The method of claim 34 wherein sensing the person comprises sensing the person when the person is within a predetermined distance from the device.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

the person carrying an electronic apparatus; and

wherein sensing the person comprises sensing the electronic apparatus.

39. The method of claim 34 wherein:

sensing the person comprises sensing the person with a base unit; and

configuring the device comprises configuring the device with the base unit.

40. The method of claim 34 wherein:

sensing the person comprises sensing the person with the device; and

configuring the device comprises causing the device to configure itself.