SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CUSTOMIZING BROADBAND CONTENT BASED UPON PASSIVE PRESENCE DETECTION OF USERS

• US 20120135684A1
• Filed: 11/30/2010
• Published: 05/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Inventors: Shrum, Edgar V. Jr., Civiletto, John
• Granted Patent: US 8,849,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/41.2
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25808 Management of client data terminal profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/303
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26208 the scheduling operation being performed under constraints
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

Systems and methods for customizing broadband content based upon passive presence detection of users are provided. A user device in proximity to a customer premise device may be detected. The customer premise device may be configured to output programming content received from a service provider. An identifier of the detected user device may be determined. Based at least in part on the identifier, an identity of a user may be determined. Based at least in part on the identity of the user, content that is output by the customer premise device may be customized.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

at least one communications interface associated with a customer premise and configured to detect a user device in proximity to the customer premise device; and

at least one processor associated with a customer premise device, the at least one processor configured to (i) receive, from the at least one communications interface, an identifier of the detected user device, (ii) determine, based at least in part on the received identifier, an identity of a user, and (iii) customize, based at least in part on the identity of the user, content that is output by the customer premise device.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

an audio capture device configured to collect a sample of ambient audio,

wherein the at least one processor is further configured to (i) receive the collected sample from the audio capture device, (ii) compare the collected sample to one or more stored user voice samples, and (iii) determine the identity of the user based at least in part on the comparison.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to remove, from the collected sample, one or more audio components associated with an output of the customer premise device, and

wherein the remainder of the collected sample following the removal is compared to the one or more user voice samples.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the audio capture device comprises at least one of (i) a microphone embedded into the customer premise device or (ii) a microphone in communication with the customer premise device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the identity comprises a first identity;

the user comprises a first user; and

the at least one processor is further configured to (i) determine a second identity of a second user and (ii) customize the content based at least in part on the identities of the first user and the second user.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the identified user comprises a first user; and

the at least one processor is further configured to (i) identify the presence of a second user other than the first user, (ii) identify the second user as an unregistered user, and (iii) customize the content based at least in part on the identity of the first user and the identification of the unregistered user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further configured to (i) communicate, based upon the identity of the user, a request for programming content to a service provider, (ii) receive, from the service provider, customized content information, and (iii) customize the output content based upon the received customized content information.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the user device comprises a mobile device.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one communications interface comprises at least one of (i) a Bluetooth transceiver, (ii) a Wi-Fi transceiver, (iii) a radio frequency transceiver, or (iv) a femtocell.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the customer premise device comprises a television set-top box.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the customized output comprises at least one of (i) a presentation associated with personalized channels for the user, (ii) a targeted advertisement, (iii) a recommendation of on demand content, or (iv) a presentation associated with a social networking account for the user.

12. A method comprising:

detecting, by a customer premise device configured to output programming content received from a service provider, a user device in proximity to the customer premise device;

determining, by the customer premise device, an identifier of the detected user device;

determining, based at least in part on the device identifier, an identity of a user; and

customizing, based at least in part on the identity of the user, content that is output by the customer premise device.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

collecting, by the customer premise device, a sample of ambient audio,

wherein determining an identity of a user comprises (i) comparing the collected sample to one or more stored user voice samples, and (ii) determining the identity of the user based at least in part on the comparison.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

removing, from the collected sample by the customer premise device, one or more audio components associated with an output of the customer premise device,

wherein comparing the collected sample to one or more stored user voice samples comprises comparing the remainder of the collected sample following the removal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein collecting a sample of ambient audio comprises one of (i) collecting a sample utilizing a microphone embedded into the customer premise device or (ii) receiving a sample collected by a microphone in communication with the customer premise device.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the identity comprises a first identity, the user comprises a first user, and further comprising:

determining, by the customer premise device, a second identity of a second user,

wherein customizing the content comprises customizing the content based at least in part on the identities of the first user and the second user.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the identified user comprises a first user, and further comprising:

identifying, by the customer premise device, the presence of a second user other than the first user; and

identifying, by the customer premise device, the second user as an unregistered user,

wherein customizing the content comprises customizing the content based at least in part on the identity of the first user and the identification of the unregistered user.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating, by the customer premise device to the service provider based upon the identity of the user, a request for programming content; and

receiving, by the customer premise device from the service provider, customized content information,

wherein customizing the content comprises customizing the content based upon the received customized content information.

19. The method of claim 12, wherein detecting a user device comprises detecting a mobile device.

20. The system of claim 12, wherein customizing the content comprises generating at least one of (i) a presentation associated with personalized channels for the user, (ii) a targeted advertisement, (iii) a recommendation of on demand content, or (iv) a presentation associated with a social networking account for the user.