Methods and systems for logging a user off of a set-top box

• US 20060048188A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 03/02/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Poslinski, Thomas
• Application Number:
  US10/925,476
• Publication Number:
  US 20060048188A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/42206 characterized by hardware details
• 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 21/4532 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A set-top box includes a processor and a receiver for communicating with a remote control unit. The processor is configured to receive a command from the remote control unit to automatically log a user off of the set-top box. The user is automatically logged off in response to receipt of the command from the remote control unit.

Claims

1. A set-top box comprising:

a processor; and

a receiver for communicating with a remote control unit,

wherein said processor is configured to receive a command from said remote control unit to automatically log a user off of said set-top box.

2. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said set-top box further comprises a memory for storing parameters for a number of individual user profiles.

3. The set-top box of claim 2, wherein said memory comprises a hard drive.

4. The set-top box of claim 2, wherein said memory contains television programs recorded in association with a particular user profile.

5. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by pressing a dedicated button on said remote control unit.

6. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by pressing a sequence of buttons on said remote control unit.

7. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by simultaneously pressing two or more buttons on said remote control unit.

8. The set-top box of claim 7, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by simultaneously pressing a “

fast forward”

button and a “

rewind”

button on said remote control unit.

9. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said command from said remote control unit is also a command to deactivate a television set associated with said set-top box.

10. The set-top box of claim 9, wherein said processor is configured to record a signal from a remote control unit of said television set commanding said television set to deactivate, said processor then recognizing said signal as said command to automatically logoff said user from said set-top box.

11. The set-top box of claim 10, further wherein said processor is configured to display a set-up screen on said television set when said set-top box is prepared to record said signal.

12. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said processor activates a guest user profile when said user is logged off.

13. The set-top box of claim 1, wherein said processor discontinues playback of recorded programming in conjunction with automatically logging off said user.

14. A method of operating a set-top box comprising:

receiving a command from a remote control unit to automatically log a user off of said set-top box; and

in response to said command, automatically logging a user off of said set-top box.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising storing parameters for a number of individual user profiles on a memory of said set-top box.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising recording television programs that are stored in association with a particular user profile.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating said command from said remote control unit by pressing a dedicated button on said remote control unit.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating said command from said remote control unit by pressing a sequence of buttons on said remote control unit.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising generating said command from said remote control unit by simultaneously pressing two or more buttons on said remote control unit.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising generating said command from said remote control unit by simultaneously pressing a “

fast forward”

button and a “

rewind”

button on said remote control unit.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein said command from said remote control unit is also a command to deactivate a television set associated with said set-top box.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

recording a signal from a remote control unit of said television set commanding said television set to deactivate; and

then recognizing said signal as said command to automatically logoff said user from said set-top box.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising displaying a set-up screen on said television set when said set-top box is prepared to record said signal.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising activating a guest user profile when said user is logged off.

25. The method of claim 14, further comprising discontinuing playback of recorded programming in conjunction with automatically logging off said user.

36. The set-top box of claim 22, further comprising activating a guest user profile when said user is logged off.

37. The set-top box of claim 22, further comprising means for discontinuing playback of recorded programming in conjunction with automatically logging off said user.

26. A set-top box comprising:

means for receiving a command from a remote control unit to automatically log a user off of said set-top box; and

means for automatically logging said user off of said set-top box in response to said command.

27. The set-top box of claim 26, further comprising means for storing parameters for a number of individual user profiles in said set-top box.

28. The set-top box of claim 27, further comprising means for recording television programs that are stored in association with a particular user profile.

29. The set-top box of claim 26, further comprising means for generating said command from said remote control unit including a dedicated button on said remote control unit.

30. The set-top box of claim 26, further comprising means for generating said command from said remote control unit including a sequence of buttons on said remote control unit.

31. The set-top box of claim 26, further comprising means for generating said command from said remote control unit including two or more buttons on said remote control unit that are pressed simultaneously to generate said command.

32. The set-top box of claim 31, wherein said means for generating said command from said remote control unit include a “

fast forward”

button and a “

rewind”

button that are simultaneously pressed on said remote control unit to generate said command.

33. The set-top box of claim 26, wherein said command from said remote control unit is also a command to deactivate a television set associated with said set-top box.

34. The set-top box of claim 33, further comprising:

means for recording a signal from a remote control unit of said television set commanding said television set to deactivate; and

means for recognizing said signal as said command to automatically logoff said user from said set-top box.

35. The set-top box of claim 34, further comprising means for displaying a set-up screen on said television set when said set-top box is prepared to record said signal.

38. A video system comprising:

a set-top box;

a television; and

a remote control unit for controlling said television,

wherein said set-top box is configured to recognize a command from said remote control unit to deactivate said television and said set-top box automatically logs a user off of said set-top box in response to receiving said command to deactivate said television.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein said set-top box further comprises a memory for storing parameters for a number of individual user profiles.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein said memory contains television programs recorded in association with a particular user profile.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein said set-top box is configured to record a signal from said remote control unit commanding said television to deactivate, said set-top box then recognizing said signal as said command to automatically logoff said user from said set-top box.

42. The system of claim 41, further wherein said set-top box is configured to display a set-up screen on said television when said set-top box is prepared to record said signal.

43. The system of claim 38, wherein said set-top box activates a guest user profile when said user is logged off.

44. The system of claim 38, wherein said set-top box discontinues playback of recorded programming in conjunction with automatically logging off said user.

45. A set-top box system comprising:

a processor;

a remote control unit; and

a receiver for communicating with said remote control unit,

wherein said processor is configured to receive a specific command from said remote control unit to automatically log a user off of said set-top box.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein said set-top box further comprises a memory for storing parameters for a number of individual user profiles.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein said memory contains television programs recorded in association with a particular user profile.

48. The system of claim 45, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by pressing a dedicated button on said remote control unit.

49. The system of claim 45, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by pressing a sequence of buttons on said remote control unit.

50. The system of claim 45, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by simultaneously pressing two or more buttons on said remote control unit.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein said command from said remote control unit is generated by simultaneously pressing a “

fast forward”

button and a “

rewind”

button on said remote control unit.

52. The system of claim 45, wherein said processor activates a guest user profile when said user is logged off.

53. The system of claim 45, wherein said processor discontinues playback of recorded programming in conjunction with automatically logging off said user.