MULTI-USER TV USER INTERFACE

• US 20200133631A1
• Filed: 12/23/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: CHRISTIE, Gregory N., SABATELLI, Alessandro, BACHMAN, William M., CHAUDHRI, Imran, ROBBIN, Jeffrey, YOUNG, Jim, HOWARD, Joe, VAN OS, Marcel, COFFMAN, Patrick L., LEMAY, Stephen O., MA, Jeffrey, KRESS, Lynne
• Granted Patent: US 11,194,546 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/167 Audio in a user interface, e.g. using voice commands for navigating, audio feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4222 Remote control device emulator integrated into a non-television apparatus, e.g. a PDA, media center or smart toy remote control device for a television receiver integrated into a mobile phone H04M1/72415
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• 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 21/4532 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 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104

Abstract

Systems and methods for a media content system. A media content provider includes storage for storing and serving video content to subscribers. The media content provider records and or otherwise stores video content from around the world. The system includes display devices configured to identify and tailor content to multiple individual users. Each user may have individual settings which provide for a customized viewing environment and experience. The system is configured to identify users of the system in order to tailor the content as appropriate. In addition, identification of users allows for the identification of the subscription content that corresponds to the user. Based upon identification of a user and corresponding subscription, the user'"'"'s subscription content may be streamed to any location. In this manner, the users subscribed content may follow the user from home to a friend'"'"'s house, or elsewhere.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

at an electronic device in communication with a display and one or more input devices;

while a first user profile associated with a first user is a currently active user profile of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured with the first user profile associated with the first user and a second user profile associated with a second user;

in accordance with a determination that the first user has a first set of subscriptions;

providing, on the electronic device, access to a first set of content via a first application based on the first set of subscriptions; and

providing, on the electronic device, access to a second set of content via a second application based on the first set of subscriptions;

receiving an input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile; and

in response to receiving the input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile, switching the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile, wherein switching the currently active user profile of the electronic device to the second user profile includes;

in accordance with a determination that the second user has a second set of subscriptions, different from the first set of subscriptions;

providing, on the electronic device, access to the first set of content via the first application based on the second set of subscriptions; and

preventing, on the electronic device, access to the second set of content via the second application based on the second set of subscriptions.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the display, a user interface including a plurality of representations of a plurality of applications installed on the device without regard to a respective set of subscriptions of a respective user, including a representation of the first application and a representation of the second application.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

receiving a user input selecting a respective representation of the plurality of applications installed on the device; and

in response to receiving the user input selecting the respective representation of the respective application of the plurality of applications installed on the device;

in accordance with a determination that a respective user corresponding to the currently active user profile has a first subscription, providing, on the electronic device, access to a respective set of content via the respective application; and

in accordance with a determination that the respective user corresponding to the currently active user profile does not have the first subscription, preventing, on the electronic device, access to the respective set of content via the respective application.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

while the electronic device is configured with the second user profile associated with the second user;

in accordance with a determination that the second user does not have a subscription to access a respective set of content, displaying a selectable option that is selectable to initiate a process for purchasing access to the respective set of content.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the input corresponding to the request to configure switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile includes a request received via a remote control device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile includes automatically detecting a mobile device, different from the electronic device, in wireless communication with the electronic device.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the display, a user interface including a plurality of representations of a plurality of applications, wherein;

while the second user profile is the currently active user profile, the plurality of representations of the plurality of applications includes a representation of a third application; and

while the first user profile is the currently active user profile, the plurality of representations of the plurality of applications does not include the representations of the third application.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying, via the display, a content browsing user interface including a plurality of representations of a plurality of recommended content, wherein;

in accordance with a determination that the first user profile is the currently active user profile;

the plurality of representations of the plurality of recommended content includes a first set of recommended content; and

in accordance with a determination that the second user profile is the currently active user profile;

the plurality of representations of the plurality of recommended content includes a second set of recommended content, different from the first set of recommended content.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein:

the first set of recommended content is based on a viewing history of the first user; and

the second set of recommended content is based on a viewing history of the second user.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein:

in accordance with a determination that the first user profile is the currently active user profile;

the content browsing user interface includes a plurality of representations of a first respective set of content previously identified by the first user for inclusion in the first respective set of content; and

in accordance with a determination that the second user profile is the currently active user profile;

the content browsing user interface includes a plurality of representations of a second respective set of content previously identified by the second user for inclusion in the second respective set of content.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to display a menu user interface; and

in response to receiving the user interface, displaying, via the display device, a menu user interface including an indication of the currently active user profile.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the one or more input devices, a user input corresponding to a request to display a respective category of content; and

in response to receiving the user input, displaying, via the display device, a plurality of representations of a plurality of content items in the respective category of content, wherein the plurality of content items are selected based on the currently active user profile.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the second application was installed on the electronic device while the first user profile was the currently active user profile.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is a game application.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

while the first user profile is the currently active user profile;

configuring the electronic device with a first set of content access settings associated with the first user; and

while the second user profile is the currently active user profile;

configuring the electronic device with a second set of content access settings associated with the second user.

16. An electronic device comprising:

one or more processors; and

memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising;

while a first user profile associated with a first user is a currently active user profile of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured with the first user profile associated with the first user and a second user profile associated with a second user;

in accordance with a determination that the first user has a first set of subscriptions;

providing, on the electronic device, access to a first set of content via a first application based on the first set of subscriptions; and

providing, on the electronic device, access to a second set of content via a second application based on the first set of subscriptions;

receiving an input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device with from the first profile to the second user profile; and

in response to receiving the input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile, switching the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile, wherein switching the currently active user profile of the electronic device to the second user profile includes;

in accordance with a determination that the second user has a second set of subscriptions, different from the first set of subscriptions;

providing, on the electronic device, access to the first set of content via the first application based on the second set of subscriptions; and

preventing, on the electronic device, access to the second set of content via the second application based on the second set of subscriptions.

17. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of an electronic device, cause the electronic device to perform a method comprising:

while a first user profile associated with a first user is a currently active user profile of the electronic device, wherein the electronic device is configured with the first user profile associated with the first user and a second user profile associated with a second user;

in accordance with a determination that the first user has a first set of subscriptions;

providing, on the electronic device, access to a first set of content via a first application based on the first set of subscriptions; and

providing, on the electronic device, access to a second set of content via a second application based on the first set of subscriptions;

receiving an input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile; and

in response to receiving the input corresponding to the request to switch the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile, switching the currently active user profile of the electronic device from the first profile to the second user profile, wherein switching the currently active user profile of the electronic device to the second user profile includes;

in accordance with a determination that the second user has a second set of subscriptions, different from the first set of subscriptions;

providing, on the electronic device, access to the first set of content via the first application based on the second set of subscriptions; and

preventing, on the electronic device, access to the second set of content via the second application based on the second set of subscriptions.