Systems and methods for modifying content based on a positional relationship

• US 20080052624A1
• Filed: 08/25/2006
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Verizon Data Services Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Relyea, Don, Roberts, Brian, Stallings, Heath
• Granted Patent: US 9,021,404 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/716
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• 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 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43637 involving a wireless protocol, e.g. Bluetooth, RF or wireless LAN [IEEE 802.11] arrangements for wireless networking or broadcasting of information in indoor or near-field type systems H04B10/114
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4402 involving reformatting operations of video signals for household redistribution, storage or real-time display details of conversion of video standards at pixel level H04N7/01; video transcoding H04N19/40; adapting incoming signals to the display format of the display terminal G09G5/005; media handling at the source in data packet switching networks H04L65/764
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4518 involving characteristics of one or more peripherals, e.g. peripheral type, software version, amount of memory available or display capabilities
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

In one of many possible embodiments, a system includes a content processing subsystem and a user device communicatively coupled to the content processing subsystem. The content processing subsystem is configured to provide content for experiencing by a user, the content processing subsystem being further configured to modify at least one element of the content based on a positional relationship between the content processing subsystem and the user device.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a content processing subsystem configured to provide content for experiencing by a user; and

a user device communicatively coupled to said content processing subsystem;

wherein said content processing subsystem is configured to modify at least one element of said content based on a positional relationship between said content processing subsystem and said user device.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said positional relationship includes at least one of a distance relationship and an angular relationship between said content processing subsystem and said user device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said user device is physically portable in relation to said content processing subsystem.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said content processing subsystem and said user device is configured to determine said positional relationship based on at least one communication signal transmitted between said user device and said content processing subsystem.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein said user device transmits said at least one communication signal to said content processing subsystem, said content processing subsystem configured to use at least one property of said communication signal to determine said positional relationship.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein said at least one property includes at least one of intensity, transmission delay, and angle of incidence of said communication signal.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said content includes at least one visual element, and said modification includes scaling a size of said at least one visual element.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said content includes at least one audio element, and said modification includes scaling a volume level associated with said at least one audio element.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein said content includes at least one textual element, and said modification includes modifying at least one characteristic of said at least one textual element.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said user device includes at least one button configured to be actuated by the user, wherein an actuation of said button is configured to cause said content processing subsystem to perform at least one of activating a content modification mode, determining said positional relationship, and modifying said at least one element of said content based on said positional relationship.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an output component communicatively coupled to said content processing subsystem, wherein said modification takes into account at least one of an attribute of said output component and an attribute of said content.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said content processing subsystem is configured to provide configuration output for experiencing by the user, receive feedback from the user, and modify a default scale of said content based on said feedback.

13. An apparatus comprising:

at least one output driver configured to provide an output signal including content for experiencing by a user;

a communication interface configured to communicate with a user device; and

at least one processor configured to modify at least one element of said content based on a positional relationship between said apparatus and the user device.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said at least one output driver is configured to provide a subsequent output signal including said modified content for experiencing by the user.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein said communication interface is configured to receive at least one communication signal from the user device, said at least one processor configured to use said at least one communication signal to determine said positional relationship.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein said positional relationship includes at least one of a distance relationship and an angular relationship between said apparatus and the user device.

17. A method comprising:

determining a positional relationship between a content processing subsystem and a user device;

modifying at least one element of content based on said positional relationship; and

providing said modified content for experiencing by a user.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said determining step includes determining at least one of a distance relationship and an angular relationship between said content processing subsystem and said user device.

19. The method of claim 17, further comprising transmitting at least one communication signal between said user device and said content processing subsystem, wherein said determining step includes using said at least one communication signal to determine said positional relationship.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein said content includes at least one of a visual element and audio element, said modifying step including at least one of scaling a size of said visual element and scaling a volume level associated with said audio element.

21. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving a user-initiated signal, wherein said determining, modifying, and providing steps are performed in response to said receiving of said user-initiated signal.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising accounting for at least one of an output component attribute and a content attribute in said modification of said at least one element of said content.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said modifying step includes at least one of scaling, removing, filtering, anti-aliasing, smoothing, stretching, rotating, skewing, and pausing or resuming playback of said at least one element of said content.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said modifying step includes adding at least one new element to said content.

25. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

determining a subsequent positional relationship between said content processing subsystem and said user device; and

modifying at least one element of said modified content based on said subsequent positional relationship.