Viewer Profiles for Configuring Set Top Terminals

• US 20080109849A1
• Filed: 11/07/2006
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wang, Yeqing
• Application Number:
  US11/557,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20080109849A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/65 for using the result on users' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/72 using electronic programme guides [EPG] focusing on identifying broadcast space time H04H60/39 ; menu type display of EPG in television receivers H04N21/47
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4432 Powering on the client, e.g. bootstrap loading using setup parameters being stored locally or received from the server resetting in general G06F1/14; program loading or initiating in general G06F9/445; bootstrapping in general G06F9/4401; secure boots of computer platforms G06F21/57
• 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 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A set top terminal is provided that includes a receiver/tuner for receiving programming content over a broadband communications network and a decoder for decoding the programming content provided by the receiver/tuner. The set top terminal also includes a database capable of storing a plurality of viewer profiles each containing at least one viewer preference associated with a registered viewer. The viewer preference reflects a programming or user configuration preference of the registered viewer. A processor is operationally associated with the receiver/tuner, the decoder, and the database and a user interface operationally associated with the processor. The processor is configured to operate in accordance with each of the viewer profiles.

Claims

1. A set top terminal comprising:

a receiver/tuner for receiving programming content over a broadband communications network;

a decoder for decoding the programming content provided by the receiver/tuner;

a database capable of storing a plurality of viewer profiles each containing at least one viewer preference associated with a registered viewer, said viewer preference reflecting a programming or user configuration preference of the registered viewer;

a processor operationally associated with the receiver/tuner, the decoder, and the database;

a user interface operationally associated with the processor; and

wherein the processor is configured to operate in accordance with each of the viewer profiles.

2. The set top terminal of claim 1 further comprising a second database for storing an EPG, wherein at least one of the viewer preferences is a program selected from the EPG.

3. The set top terminal of claim 1 wherein each of said viewer preferences designates a particular circumstance under or a time at which it is to be operational.

4. The set top terminal of claim 1 wherein particular circumstances under which at least one of the viewer preferences is operational is defined by a broadcast time of a favorite program.

5. The set top terminal of claim 1 further comprising a network interface for receiving at least one additional viewer profile over a local area network and wherein the processor is further configured to operate in accordance with the at least one additional profile.

6. The set top terminal of claim 1 further comprising an on-screen display unit for displaying information associated with the viewer profiles.

7. The set top terminal of claim 1 wherein the user interface comprises a keypad.

8. The set top terminal of claim 1 wherein at least one of the viewer profiles includes a record of a viewer preference having a plurality of fields including a field specifying an identifier of a networked set top terminal on which the record is to be implemented.

9. At least one computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs a method including:

receiving a viewer profile from each of a plurality of viewers, each of said viewer profiles including at least one viewer preference reflecting a programming or user configuration preference of the respective viewer;

storing the plurality of viewer profiles; and

configuring a set top terminal to operate in accordance with each of the viewer preferences.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein each of said viewer preferences designates a particular circumstance under or a time at which it is to be operational.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the viewer profile includes a least one viewer preference specifying at least one favorite channel or favorite program.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the viewer profile includes a viewer preference specifying at least one particular networked set top terminal on which the viewer profile is to be implemented.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the viewer profile is received by a first set top terminal and configures a second set top terminal networked to the first set top terminal.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein said viewer preference specifies whether the set top terminal is to be configured to display and/or record a particular program.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 9 wherein the at least one viewer preference associated with the registered viewer is received from the viewer in response to a query.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15 wherein the query is presented to the viewer at least in part as a pull-down menu of options on a display device.

17. At least one computer-readable medium encoded with instructions which, when executed by a processor, performs a method including:

identifying a particular viewer profile from among a plurality of viewer profiles that are each associated with a viewer registered with a set top terminal;

retrieving from a database at least one viewer preference associated with the particular viewer profile, said viewer preference reflecting a programming or user configuration preference of the viewer and designating a particular circumstance under or a time at which it is to be operational; and

configuring the set top terminal to operate in accordance with the viewer profile at the particular time or under the particular circumstance specified therein.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the viewer profile includes a least one viewer preference specifying at least one favorite channel or favorite program.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the viewer profile includes a viewer preference specifying at least one particular networked set top terminal on which the viewer profile is to be implemented.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 17 wherein the viewer profile is received by a first set top terminal and configures a second set top terminal networked to the first set top terminal.