Method and system for managing multimedia settings

• US 20040123327A1
• Filed: 12/19/2002
• Published: 06/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fai Ma, Tsang, Arora, Jitesh
• Application Number:
  US10/326,433
• Publication Number:
  US 20040123327A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/100
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/433 Content storage operation, e.g. storage operation in response to a pause request, caching operations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles

Abstract

A method and system are presented to configure, store, and apply user-selected operating characteristics for multimedia devices on a per-program basis, rather than a per channel or connector-specific basis. The system provides a mechanism to set up and apply user-customized characteristics to a broadcast received on a multimedia device. Operating characteristics which may be selected for setting modification are video characteristics such as brightness, contrast, aspect ratio, resolution, closed-captioning type, parental control features, and others. In addition, audio operating characteristics that are user-selectable for modifications are volume level, language, tone, stereo, surround sound, and so forth. The operating characteristics may include recording options. A current program is identified and the operating characteristics are applied to related multimedia devices.

Claims

1. A method for managing multimedia device settings, comprising the steps of:

receiving a multimedia stream

identifying a received program of the multimedia stream;

identifying a set of characteristics associated with the received program; and

applying the set of characteristics to a presentation of the received program.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the received program further includes determining a unique characteristic of the received program based on a program identification, wherein the unique characteristic includes one of the set comprising a program title, a catalog number, a broadcast channel, a program provider, a broadcast time, a programming guide, and an event information table.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the set of characteristics associated with the received program includes:

accessing a database of operating characteristics associated with at least the receive program;

selecting at least one operating characteristic to modify.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating characteristic includes a video characteristic.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the video characteristic includes one of the set of video characteristics comprising brightness, contrast, sharpen, soften, aspect ratio, resolution, and closed captioning type.

6. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating characteristic includes an audio characteristic.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the audio characteristic includes one of the set of audio characteristics comprising volume, language, stereo, and surround sound.

8. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating characteristic includes a parental control feature.

9. The method of claim 3, wherein the operating characteristic includes an option to record.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the multimedia device includes one of the set comprising a video display terminal, a television, a videocassette recorder, a digital video disk device, a compact disk device, an audio tape recorder, and an optical disk device.

11. A method for managing multimedia device settings comprising the steps of:

tuning to a multimedia channel;

receiving at least a portion of a multimedia program on a multimedia device

determining a unique characteristic of the at least a portion of the multimedia program; and

modifying at least one characteristic of the multimedia device based upon the unique characteristic.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of determining a unique characteristic includes determining a program identification.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of modifying includes:

accessing a database to determine the operating characteristics to modify;

selecting at least one operating characteristic to modify.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating characteristic includes video characteristics.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the video characteristics include one of the set of video characteristics comprising brightness, contrast, aspect ratio, resolution, and closed captioning type.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating characteristic includes audio characteristics.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the audio characteristics include one of the set of audio characteristics comprising volume, language, and stereo surround sound.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating characteristic includes a parental control feature.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the operating characteristic includes a record option.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the at least a portion of the multimedia program includes a time-shifted multimedia program.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the step of receiving the at least a portion of the multimedia program includes playback of the time-shifted multimedia program from a data file.

22. A system for managing settings associated with a multimedia device, the system comprising:

a receiver to receive a multimedia signal;

a decoder to process the multimedia signal into multimedia data

a program-based controller to;

receive program information associated with a particular program of the multimedia signal; and

identify user-selected program characteristics for the particular program based on said program information;

a database associated with the program-based controller to store said user-selected program characteristics; and

an output device to present a representation of said multimedia data.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein a source of said program information includes one of the set of program information sources comprising cable, digital broadcast, terrestrial signals, satellite, and the Internet.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the program-based controller further comprises:

a means to determine a unique characteristic of the particular program associated with the multimedia signal;

a means for a user to modify user-selected program characteristics associated with the particular program; and

a means to apply the user-selected program characteristics to a presentation of said particular program using said output device.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the unique characteristic is based on one of the set of program characteristics including a program title, catalog number, program provider, broadcast time, programming guide, and event information table.

26. The system of claim 22, wherein the user-selected program characteristics of the particular program include video characteristics.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the video characteristics include one of the set of video characteristics comprising brightness, contrast, aspect ratio, resolution, closed captioning type, and sharpness.

28. The system of claim 22, wherein the user-selected program characteristics include audio characteristics.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the audio characteristics include one of the set of audio characteristics comprising volume, language, and stereo.

30. The system of claim 22, wherein the user-selected program characteristics include a parental control feature.

31. The system of claim 22, wherein the user-selected program characteristics include recording options.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the recording options include a recording quality.

33. The system of claim 22, wherein the output device includes one of the set of multimedia devices comprising a video display monitor, a television set, an audio receiver, a video tape recorder, a digital video disk device, a compact disc device.