DETERMINING REMOTE CONTROL STATE AND USER VIA ACCELEROMETER

• US 20140184922A1
• Filed: 03/12/2013
• Published: 07/03/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Schafer, Adam, Mickelsen, Jeremy, Burns, Christopher, Hegde, Rashmi
• Granted Patent: US 9,237,292 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/734
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42222 Additional components integrated in the remote control device, e.g. timer, speaker, sensors for detecting position, direction or movement of the remote control, microphone or battery charging device
• 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 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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

Abstract

Methods, and system, and entertainment device are provided for identifying a user. A method includes detecting acceleration of a user manipulated component, comparing the detected acceleration with user acceleration that is associated with a user of the electronic device, identifying the user of the electronic device based on the comparison of the detected acceleration and the user acceleration, and operating the electronic device based on the identified user of the electronic device.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

detecting acceleration of a user manipulated component;

comparing the detected acceleration with user acceleration that is associated with a user of the electronic device;

identifying the user of the electronic device based on the comparison of the detected acceleration and the user acceleration; and

operating the electronic device based on the identified user of the electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

selecting the user of the electronic device;

capturing the user acceleration;

associating the user acceleration with the user of the electronic device; and

storing the user acceleration.

3. The method of claim 1 further including turning on components of the user manipulated component based on the acceleration of the user manipulated component and further including turning off the components of the user manipulated component based on acceleration indicating that the user manipulated component has been set down.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting acceleration of the user manipulated component further comprises detecting acceleration with an accelerometer and a gyroscope.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein identifying the user of the electronic device further comprises identifying the user of the electronic device based on an orientation of the user manipulated component detected by a compass.

6. The method of claim 1 further including loading user specific operating characteristics for the identified user, and wherein operating the electronic device further comprises operating the electronic device based on the loaded user specific operating characteristics.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein loading the user specific operating characteristics further comprises loading at least one of programming recommendations for the user, a list of favorite channels specified by the user, parental control information associated with the user, purchase information associated with the user, and remote control codes.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the detected acceleration with the user acceleration includes comparing the user acceleration with the detected acceleration when the user is holding the user manipulated component.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing the detected acceleration with the user acceleration includes comparing the user acceleration with the detected acceleration when the user picks up the user manipulated component.

10. An entertainment system comprising:

a television receiver configured to receive video content from a media service provider;

a remote control configured to interact with the television receiver and including control logic operable to;

detect acceleration of the remote control;

compare the detected acceleration with user acceleration that is associated with a user of the television receiver;

identify the user of the television receiver based on the comparison of the detected acceleration and the user acceleration; and

operate the television receiver based on the identified user of the television receiver.

11. The entertainment system of claim 10 wherein the television receiver further comprises control logic operable to:

select the user of the television receiver;

capture the user acceleration;

associate the user acceleration with the user of the television receiver; and

store the user acceleration;

load at least one of programming recommendations for the user, a list of favorite channels specified by the user, parental control information associated with the user, purchase information associated with the user, and remote control codes.

12. The entertainment system of claim 10 wherein the control logic is further operable to turn on components of the remote control based on detected acceleration of the remote control and is further operable to turn off the components of the remote control based on detected acceleration indicating that the remote control has been set down.

13. The entertainment system of claim 10 wherein the remote control further comprises an accelerometer and a gyroscope, and wherein the control logic of the remote control is further operable to detect acceleration with the accelerometer and the gyroscope.

14. The entertainment system of claim 13 wherein the remote control further comprises a compass, and wherein the control logic of the remote control is further operable to identify the user of the television receiver based on an orientation of the remote control detected by the compass.

15. The entertainment system of claim 10 wherein the control logic of the remote control is further operable to compare the user acceleration with the detected acceleration when the user is at least one of holding the remote control and picking up the remote control.

16. An entertainment device comprising:

an accelerometer; and

control logic operable to;

detect acceleration of the entertainment device using the accelerometer;

compare the detected acceleration with user acceleration that is associated with a user of the entertainment device;

identify the user of the entertainment device based on the comparison of the detected acceleration and the user acceleration; and

operate the entertainment device based on the identified user of the entertainment device.

17. The entertainment device of claim 16 further comprising an indicator light, and wherein the control logic is further operable to turn on components of the entertainment device based on the acceleration of the entertainment device, and where the control logic is further operable to turn off the components of the entertainment device based on acceleration indicating that the entertainment device has been set down.

18. The entertainment device of claim 16 further comprising a gyroscope, and wherein the control logic is further operable to detect acceleration with the accelerometer and the gyroscope.

19. The entertainment device of claim 16 further comprising a compass, and wherein the control logic is further operable to identify the user of the entertainment device based on an orientation of the entertainment device detected by the compass.

20. The entertainment device of claim 16 wherein the control logic is further operable to compare the user acceleration with the detected acceleration when the user is at least one of holding the entertainment device and picking up the entertainment device.