CONTROLLING AN ELECTRONIC DEVICE BY WAY OF A CONTROL DEVICE
First Claim
1. A control device for an electronic device incorporating a processing unit,the control device being arranged to issue commands to control the operation of the electronic device by way of the processing unit,wherein the control device incorporates a biometric reader arranged to collect biometric data from a user and to provide the collected biometric data to the processing unit of the electronic device so that it can be determined if the user is authorised to operate the electronic device.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A remote control device for a set top box has a biometric reader, such as a fingerprint reader, incorporated therein. During installation of the set top box, fingerprint data is collected from users who are to be authorised by way of the fingerprint reader and is stored in the set top box. When using the remote control device to access programming, fingerprint data is collected from the user and compared with the stored data to determine if the user is authorised. The user has to be authorised to access some, or even all, of the programming. Access to subscription only services and to pay per view programmes is only available to a user identified by the set top box as being authorised. Electronic devices other than set top boxes, for example audio devices and computers, can similarly be controlled by a control device incorporating a biometric reader.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A control device for an electronic device incorporating a processing unit,
the control device being arranged to issue commands to control the operation of the electronic device by way of the processing unit, wherein the control device incorporates a biometric reader arranged to collect biometric data from a user and to provide the collected biometric data to the processing unit of the electronic device so that it can be determined if the user is authorised to operate the electronic device.
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9. A method of controlling an electronic device incorporating a processing unit and storage, operation of the electronic device being controllable by the processing unit in accordance with commands received from a control device, the method comprising:
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collecting biometric data from a user by way of a biometric reader in the control device, utilising the collected biometric data to determine whether the user is authorised, and enabling selected operations of the electronic device only when it is determined that the user is authorised. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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- 16. An electronic device incorporating a processing unit and storage, in combination with a control device arranged to issue commands to control the operation of the electronic device by way of the processing unit, wherein the control device incorporates a biometric reader arranged to collect biometric data from a user and to provide the collected biometric data to the processing unit of the electronic device so that it can be determined if the user is authorised to operate the electronic device.
Specification