System and method for networking data collection devices for content presentation systems

• US 20080320519A1
• Filed: 06/21/2007
• Published: 12/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harris Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Beadle, Edward R., DeLay, John L.
• Application Number:
  US11/812,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20080320519A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/46 for recognising users' preferences
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/80 characterised by transmission among terminal devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/252 Processing of multiple end-users' preferences to derive collaborative data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25875 involving end-user authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; arrangements for secret or secure communication including means for verifying the identity or authority of a user of the system H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4415 using biometric characteristics of the user, e.g. by voice recognition or fingerprint scanning cryptography using biological data H04L9/3231; authentication in networks using biometric H04L63/0861
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4668 for recommending content, e.g. movies
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

Systems and/or methods are disclosed herein to identify a user interacting with a content presentation system, adaptively learn, in a passive manner, a user'"'"'s pattern of accessing content over time, and globally store the user'"'"'s identifying and use information. Specifically, disclosed are systems and/or methods for sharing user information where a first data collection device is connected to a second data collection device, determining an identity of a user, collecting channel use information at the first data collection device, determining a value for each of plural channels as a function of the channel use information, and creating a preferred channel list at the first data collection device for the plural channels as a function of the determined value.

Claims

1. A method for sharing user information, comprising:

(a) operatively connecting a first data collection device to a second data collection device wherein said first data collection device is operatively connected to a first content presentation system and said second data collection device is operatively connected to a second content presentation system, and wherein said first and second content presentation systems are each operatively connected to a content provider;

(b) determining an identity of a user interacting with said first content presentation system;

(c) collecting channel use information at said first data collection device for each of a plurality of channels from the user'"'"'s interaction with said first content presentation system;

(d) determining at said first data collection device a value for each of said plural channels as a function of the channel use information;

(e) creating a preferred channel list at said first data collection device for said plural channels as a function of the determined value; and

(f) transmitting at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list from said first data collection device to said second data collection device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list from said second data collection device to a third data collection device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of said identity of said user comprises:

providing a first portable device to interact with said first content presentation system, wherein said first portable device includes an actuator which is operable by said user for interacting with said first content presentation system via said first portable device, and wherein said actuator obtains biometric information from said user;

operating said actuator by said user; and

obtaining biometric information from said user via said actuator.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing the obtained biometric information to said content provider;

determining at said content provider said identification of said user based on the provided biometric information; and

transmitting a signal from said content provider based on the provided biometric information.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein determining said identification of said user includes comparing said provided biometric information with a pre-existing database of biometric information.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising:

providing the obtained biometric information to said first data collection device; and

determining at said first data collection device said identification of said user based on the provided biometric information.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

said user interacting with said second content presentation system via a second portable device; and

accessing at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list from said second data collection device.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said first data collection device is a television set-top box.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said content presentation system is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a radio, an internet-connected device, a music playing device, a portable entertainment device, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone/information system, and combinations thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said user is determined using identification information selected from the list consisting of:

biometrics, voice activation, fingerprint, user-entered password, use of a unique key on a remote device by which the user interacts with said first content presentation system, use of a unique remote device by which the user interacts with said first content presentation system, and combinations thereof.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein determining the identity of said user includes comparing said identification information with a pre-existing database of identification information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list is automatically updated based on said user'"'"'s interaction with said first content presentation system.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said channel use information includes information selected from the group consisting of:

a channel number of a first one of a plurality of channels transmitted by said content provider, a time of initiating a presentation of content associated with said first channel to the user;

a date of initiating a presentation of content associated with said first channel to the user;

a duration of a presentation of content associated with said first channel to the user;

a total duration of a presentation of content associated with each of said plural channels to the user, and combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the value for said first channel is determined as a ratio of a total duration of a presentation of content associated with said first channel over a predetermined time period to a total duration of a presentation of content associated with each of said plural channels over said predetermined time period.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second data collection devices are connected via a wireless link.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said wireless link is a multiple access link.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein said wireless link also carries information from said content provider.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein said first and second data collection devices are connected via a wired link.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein said wired link includes a power supply wire.

20. A system for sharing user information, comprising:

circuitry for connecting a first data collection device to a second data collection device wherein said first data collection device is operatively connected to a first content presentation system and said second data collection device is operatively connected to a second content presentation system, and wherein said first and second content presentation systems are each operatively connected to a content provider;

means for determining identification information of a user interacting with said first content presentation system;

circuitry for collecting channel use information at said first data collection device for each of a plurality of channels from the user'"'"'s interaction with said first content presentation system;

circuitry for determining at said first data collection device a value for each of said plural channels as a function of the channel use information;

circuitry for creating a preferred channel list at said first data collection device for said plural channels as a function of the determined value; and

a first transmitter for transmitting at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list from said first data collection device to said second data collection device.

21. The system of claim 20 further comprising a second transmitter for transmitting at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list from said second data collection device to a third data collection device.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said means for determining said identification information of said user comprises:

a first portable device capable of interacting with said first content presentation system, wherein said first portable device includes an actuator which is operable by said user for interacting with said first content presentation system via said first portable device; and

circuitry for obtaining biometric information from said user upon operation of said actuator.

23. The system of claim 22 further comprising:

circuitry for providing the obtained biometric information to said content provider; and

circuitry for determining at said content provider said identification of said user based on the provided biometric information.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein said circuitry for determining said identification of said user includes circuitry for comparing said provided biometric information with a pre-existing database of biometric information.

25. The system of claim 20 wherein said means for determining said identification information of said user comprises:

a first portable device capable of interacting with said first data collection device, wherein said first portable device includes an actuator which is operable by said user for interacting with said first data collection device via said first portable device;

circuitry for obtaining biometric information from said user upon operation of said actuator; and

circuitry for determining at said first data collection device said identification of said user based on the provided biometric information.

26. The system of claim 20 further comprising:

a second portable device capable of interacting with said second content presentation system, wherein said user can access at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list from said second data collection device.

27. The system of claim 20 wherein said first data collection device is a television set-top box.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein said content presentation system is selected from the group consisting of:

a television, a radio, an internet-connected device, a music playing device, a portable entertainment device, a personal digital assistant, a cellular phone/information system, and combinations thereof.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein said user is determined using identification information selected from the list consisting of:

biometrics, voice activation, fingerprint, user-entered password, use of a unique key on a remote device by which the user interacts with said first content presentation system, use of a unique remote device by which the user interacts with said first content presentation system, and combinations thereof.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein said circuitry for determining the identity of said user includes circuitry for comparing said identification information with a pre-existing database of identification information.

31. The system of claim 20 wherein at least one of said identity, said channel use information, and said preferred channel list is automatically updated based on said user'"'"'s interaction with said first content presentation system.

32. The system of claim 20 wherein said channel use information includes information selected from the group consisting of:

a channel number of a first one of a plurality of channels transmitted by said content provider, a time of initiating a presentation of content associated with said first channel to the user;

a date of initiating a presentation of content associated with said first channel to the user;

a duration of a presentation of content associated with said first channel to the user;

a total duration of a presentation of content associated with each of said plural channels to the user, and combinations thereof.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the value for said first channel is determined as a ratio of a total duration of a presentation of content associated with said first channel over a predetermined time period to a total duration of a presentation of content associated with each of said plural channels over said predetermined time period.

34. The system of claim 20 wherein said first and second data collection devices are connected via a wireless link.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein said wireless link is a multiple access link.

36. The system of claim 34 wherein said wireless link also carries information from said content provider.

37. The method of claim 20 wherein said first and second data collection devices are connected via a wired link.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein said wired link includes a power supply wire.