USER CLASSIFIABLE SET-TOP BOX

• US 20130205347A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Xu, Bin, Ivanich, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,955,015 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/56
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4661 Deriving a combined profile for a plurality of end-users of the same client, e.g. for family members within a home user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/475 End-user interface for inputting end-user data, e.g. personal identification number [PIN], preference data

Abstract

One embodiment may take the form of an apparatus for providing separate user classifications and interfaces to multiple users of a set-top box of the television system. Each user classification may be configurable to provide different interfaces, menus and available features to the users of the set-top box. Further, each user classification may include several sub-classifications to further personalize the set-top box to the various users of the system. Also, each user classification may also monitor the habits and usage of each class and store such information for use by the set-top box to suggest settings of the set-top box that the user may be interested in, such as a favorite channel list.

Claims

1. A method for providing an interface to a user of a set-top box, the method comprising:

at the first set-top box, receiving an input indicating the selection of a first user classification from a list of a plurality of user classifications, each user classification associated with a user interface;

at the first set-top box, providing the associated user interface of the first user classification to the user; and

at the first set-top box, receiving a command to modify one or more settings of a second user classification;

wherein the first user classification of the plurality of user classifications controls a set of features available to the second classification of the plurality of user classifications.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restricting the second user classification to at least one option available to the user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

restricting, to the second user classification, access to multimedia content based on a rating of the multimedia content.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

prompting the user for selection of at least one sub-classification associated with the second user classification; and

receiving a selection input indicating the selection of the at least one sub-classification.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the second user classification is configurable to limit the amount of time that the set-top box is accessed.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring the channels accessed by the user through the user interface of the second user classification;

creating an entry for at least one accessed channel; and

storing the at least one entry in a memory device.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

analyzing the at least one entry; and

prompting the user to add the channel stored in the at least one entry to a favorite channels list.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the analyzing operation further comprises:

in the event that the at least one entry has not exceeded a pre-defined threshold value, exiting the memory device; and

in the event that the at least one entry has exceeded the pre-defined threshold value;

removing the entry if the channel stored if the at least one entry is already included in the user'"'"'s favorite channel'"'"'s list.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the background and menus of the user interface of the second user classification relate to a theme.

10. A system for providing a user interface to a user of a television system comprising:

at least a first set-top box configured to receive a selection of a first user classification and a second user classification from a plurality of user classifications when the user accesses the first set-top box, wherein the first user classification is associated with a first user interface, and wherein the second user classification is associated with a second user interface; and

a recording device coupled to the first set-top box, the recording device having a respective set of settings available to each of the respective plurality of user classifications,

wherein the first user classification adjusts the respective set of settings available to the second user classification of the plurality of user classifications, and

wherein the second user classification is configured by the user through the first user interface associated with the first set-top box.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising a second set-top box, and wherein the second set-top box is locked to the second user interface.

12. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a modem associated with the first set-top box; and

a server associated with the modem, wherein an entry indicating a channel accessed by the user is stored on the server.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising:

a headend, wherein the server is located at the headed such that an entry indicating a channel accessed by the user is stored on the server.

14. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

an external hard drive associated with the first set-top box wherein the recording device comprises the external hard drive.