METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR OPERATING USER RECEIVING DEVICES WITH USER PROFILES

• US 20140280587A1
• Filed: 03/07/2014
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DIRECTV, LLC (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: The DIRECTV Group, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: SHARMA, PANKAJ, TULLUES, MELISSA H., SUE, RANNY Q., TRONSON, JONATHAN L., VENKATARAMANI, SIVASUBRAMANIAN, ARGUELLES-CAMPOY, GUILLERMO ANTONIO, TAKAMOTO, MARK T., CROOK, LUKE J., BONOVICH, EARL JAMES, BIGEL, JORDAN E., GOVINDARAJAN, SARANATHAN, NGO, JOHN D., TADROS, JASON CHRISTOPHER, RANGARAJAN, SHRIDHAR, CRISOSTOMO, HERMILO C., LE-CHAU, LUAN, YANG, PAUL H., CHAUDHRY, KAPIL
• Granted Patent: US 10,296,487 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/204
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 15/17306 Intercommunication techniques
• 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 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18

Abstract

A system and method for operating with profiles includes a head end associating a first account profile having first profile settings and a first identifier and a second account profile having second profile settings and a second identifier with a user account. A first user receiving device operates with the first profile settings. The head end communicates second profile settings to the first user receiving device and the first user receiving device operates with the second profile settings.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

associating a first account profile having first profile settings and a first identifier and a second account profile having second profile settings and a second identifier with a user account at a head end;

operating a first user receiving device with the first profile settings;

communicating the second identifier to the head end corresponding to the second account profile;

communicating the second profile settings to the first user receiving device; and

operating the first user receiving device with the second profile settings.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein the first profile settings comprise at least one of parental setting data, purchase restriction data and favorite channel data.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein associating the first account profile having first profile settings and the first identifier and the second account profile having second profile settings and the second identifier with the user account at the head end comprises associating first content use data with the first identifier and second content use data with the second identifier at a head end.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the first content use data comprises a playlist.

5. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the first content use data comprises a content position signal for a content identifier.

6. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein the first content use data comprises favorite channels data.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein operating the first user receiving device with the first profile settings comprises operating a first set top box with the first profile settings.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising assigning first account profile with the first profile settings to the first user receiving device from the head end.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the second identifier to the head end comprises communicating the second identifier to the head end from a mobile device.

10. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the second identifier to the head end comprises communicating the second identifier to the head end from a server.

11. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the second profile settings to the first user receiving device comprises communicating the second profile settings to the first user receiving device through a terrestrial network.

12. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein communicating the second profile settings to the first user receiving device comprises communicating the second profile settings to the first user receiving device through a satellite.

13. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising communicating second content use data corresponding to the second account profile to the first user receiving device and storing the second content use data in the first user receiving device.

14. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the second content use data comprises a playlist.

15. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the second content use data comprises a content position signal for a content identifier.

16. The method as recited in claim 13 wherein the second content use data comprises favorite channel data.

17. The method as recited in claim 13 further comprising revising the second content use data to form revised content use data in the first user receiving device, and wherein after operating, communicating the revised content use data from the first user receiving device to the head end and storing the revised content data in the head end.

18. The method as recited in claim 17 further comprising communicating the revised content use data to a second user receiving device and operating the second user receiving device with the revised content data.

19. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising revising the first profile settings in the first user receiving device to form revised profile settings, and wherein after operating, communicating the revised profile settings from the first user receiving device to the head end and storing the revised profile settings in the head end.

20. The method as recited in claim 19 further comprising, thereafter, communicating the revised profile settings to a second user receiving device and operating the second user receiving device with the revised profile settings.

21. A system comprising:

a head end associating a first account profile having first profile settings and a first identifier and a second account profile having second profile settings and a second identifier with a user account;

a first user receiving device operating with the first profile settings;

said head end communicating second profile settings to the first user receiving device; and

said first user receiving device operating with the second profile settings.

22. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first profile settings comprise at least one of parental setting data, purchase restriction data and favorite channel data.

23. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the head end associates first content use data with the first identifier and second content use data with the second identifier.

24. The system as recited in claim 23 wherein the first content use data comprises a playlist.

25. The system as recited in claim 23 wherein the first content use data comprises a content position signal for a content identifier.

26. The system as recited in claim 23 wherein the first content use data comprises favorite channel data.

27. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first user receiving device comprises a first set top box.

28. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the head end assigns first account profile with the first profile settings to the first user receiving device.

29. The system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a mobile device communicating the second identifier to the head end.

30. The system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a server communicating the second identifier to the head end.

31. The system as recited in claim 21 further comprising a terrestrial network communicating the second identifier to the head end.

32. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the head end communicates the second profile settings to the first user receiving device through a satellite.

33. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the head end communicates second content use data corresponding to the second account profile to the first user receiving device and the first user receiving device stores the second content use data.

34. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the second content use data comprises a playlist.

35. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the second content use data comprises a content position signal for a content identifier.

36. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the second content use data comprises favorite channel data.

37. The system as recited in claim 33 wherein the first receiving device revises the second content use data to form revised content use data and communicates the revised content use data to the head end, said head end storing the revised content data.

38. The system as recited in claim 37 further comprising, thereafter, communicating the revised content use data to a second user receiving device and operating the second user receiving device with the revised content data.

39. The system as recited in claim 21 wherein the first user receiving device revises the first profile settings to form revised profile settings, and the first user receiving device communicates the revised profile settings to a second use receiving device, said head end stores the revised profile settings.

40. The system as recited in claim 39 wherein the head end communicates the revised profile settings to a second user receiving device and the second user receiving device operates with the revised profile settings.