System for personalized settings

• US 6,530,083 B1
• Filed: 06/19/1998
• Issued: 03/04/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/19/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Liebenow, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Faile, Andrew
• Assistant Examiner(s): SALCE, JASON P
• Application Number:
  US09/100,635
• Time in Patent Office: 1,719 Days
• Field of Search: 725/13, 725/35, 725/46, 725/47, 348/569, 348/553, 348/567, 348/738
• US Class Current: 725/46
• 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 21/4661 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 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4852 for modifying audio parameters, e.g. switching between mono and stereo
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system for adjusting the settings of an information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users is disclosed. An individual user preference profile is retrieved for each identified user of the information handling system. A combined user preference profile is negotiated based on the individual user preference profiles retrieved for each identified user. The settings are then adjusting based on the combined user preference profile. A user interface identifies users of the information handling system. A system controller retrieves an individual user preference profile for each identified user, negotiates a combined user preference profile based on the individual user preference profiles retrieved for each identified user, and adjusts the settings of the information handling system based on the combined user preference profile.

Claims

1. A method for adjusting the settings of an information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying at least one user of the system;

retrieving an individual user preference profile for each identified user wherein the individual user preference profile includes setting preferences preselected by the user;

negotiating a combined user preference profile including settings for the system based on the individual user preference profiles retrieved for each identified user; and

adjusting the settings of the system based on the combined user preference profile.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of generating an individual user preference profile for an identified user by inputting setting preferences selected by the user.

3. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the combined user preference profile.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the negotiating step comprises the steps of:

determining the number of users identified;

wherein one user is identified, making the combined user preference profile the individual user preference profile for the user; and

wherein more than one user is identified, merging the setting preferences contained in the individual user preference profile of each user to generate the combined user preference profile.

5. A method according to claim 4, wherein the merging step comprises the steps of:

selecting a setting to be merged;

retrieving a setting preference corresponding to the selected setting from the individual user preference profile of each identified user;

wherein the retrieved setting preferences are substantially equal, adjusting the selected setting to the setting preference of one of the users; and

wherein the retrieved setting preferences are not substantially equal, adjusting the selected setting to be between the highest and lowest of the setting preferences.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein the merging step further comprises the steps of:

wherein the retrieved setting preferences of the identified users specify a range of settings, determining if the ranges overlap;

wherein all of the ranges of settings overlap, adjusting the setting to be within the overlap of the ranges; and

wherein any of the ranges of settings do not overlap any of the other ranges of settings, adjusting the setting to be between the highest and lowest setting preferences within the ranges.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting steps further comprise adjusting the selected setting to an average of the retrieved setting preferences.

8. A method according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting steps further comprise adjusting the selected setting to a weighted average of the retrieved setting preferences.

9. A method according to claim 6, wherein the adjusting step further comprises adjusting the selected setting based on physiological data.

38. A method according to claim 1, wherein the settings comprise audio settings including volume level.

10. A computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer-based information handling system to execute method steps for adjusting the settings of the information handling system based on the individual user preferences, the method steps comprising:

identifying at least one user of the information handling system;

retrieving an individual user preference profile for each identified user wherein the individual user preference profile includes setting preferences preselected by the user;

negotiating a combined user preference profile including setting preferences for the information handling system based on the individual user preference profile retrieved for each identified user; and

adjusting the settings of the information handling system according to the combined user preference profile.

11. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, whose contents further cause the computer-based information handling system to perform the step of generating an individual user preference profile for an identified user by inputting setting preferences selected by the user.

12. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, whose contents further cause the computer-based information handling system to perform the step of storing the combined user preference profile.

13. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the negotiating step comprises the steps of:

determining the number of users identified;

wherein one user is identified, making the combined user preference profile the individual user preference profile for the user; and

wherein more than one user is identified, merging the setting preferences contained in the individual user preference profile of each user to generate the combined user preference profile.

14. The computer readable medium according to claim 13, wherein merging step comprises the steps of:

selecting a setting to be merged;

retrieving a setting preference corresponding to the selected setting from the individual user preference profile of each identified user;

wherein the retrieved setting preferences are substantially equal, adjusting the selected setting to the setting preference of one of the users; and

wherein the retrieved setting preferences are not substantially equal, adjusting the selected setting to be between the highest and lowest of the setting preferences.

15. The computer readable medium according to claim 14, wherein the merging step further comprises the steps of:

wherein the retrieved setting preferences of the identified users specify a range of settings, determining if the ranges overlap;

wherein all of the ranges of settings overlap, adjusting the setting to be within the overlap of the ranges; and

wherein any of the ranges of settings do not overlap any of the other ranges of settings, adjusting the setting to be between the highest and lowest setting preferences within the ranges.

16. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting steps further comprise adjusting the selected setting to an average of the retrieved setting preferences.

17. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting steps further comprise adjusting the selected setting to a weighted average of the retrieved setting preferences.

18. The computer readable medium according to claim 15, wherein the adjusting steps further comprise adjusting the selected setting based on physiological data.

39. The computer readable medium according to claim 10, wherein the settings comprise email program settings to specify preferred features of an email application.

19. A system for adjusting the settings for an information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users comprising:

means for identifying at least one user of the information handling system;

means for retrieving an individual user preference profile for each identified user wherein the individual user preference profile includes setting preferences preselected by the user;

means for negotiating a combined user preference profile including setting preferences for the information handling system based on the individual user preference profile retrieved for each identified user; and

means for adjusting the settings of the information handling system according to the combined user preference profile.

20. The system according to claim 19, further comprising means for generating an individual user preference profile for an identified user by inputting setting preferences selected by the user.

21. The system according to claim 19, further comprising means for storing the combined user preference profile.

22. The system according to claim 19, wherein the negotiating means comprises:

means for determining the number of users identified;

means, wherein one user is identified, for making the combined user preference profile the individual user preference profile for the user; and

means, wherein more than one user is identified, for merging the setting preferences contained in the individual user preference profile of each user to generate the combined user preference profile.

23. The system according to claim 22, wherein the merging means further comprises:

means for selecting a setting to be merged;

means for retrieving a setting preference corresponding to the selected setting from the individual user preference profile of each identified user;

means, wherein the retrieved setting preferences are substantially equal, for adjusting the selected setting to the setting preference of one of the users; and

means, wherein the retrieved setting preferences are not substantially equal, for adjusting the selected setting to be between the highest and lowest of the setting preferences.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the merging means further comprises:

means, wherein the retrieved setting preferences of the identified users are a range of settings, for determining if the ranges overlap;

means, wherein all of the ranges of settings overlap, for adjusting the setting to be within the overlap of the ranges; and

means, wherein any of the ranges of settings do not overlap any of the other ranges of settings, for adjusting the setting to be between the highest and lowest setting preferences within the ranges.

25. The system according to claim 24, wherein the adjusting means adjust the selected setting to an average of the retrieved setting preferences.

26. The system according to claim 24, wherein the adjusting means adjust the selected setting to a weighted average of the retrieved setting preferences.

27. The system according to claim 24, wherein the adjusting means adjust the selected setting based on physiological data.

40. The system according to claim 19, wherein the settings comprise video settings including brightness.

28. A system for adjusting the settings of an information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users comprising:

a user interface for identifying at least one user of the information handling system;

a user preference profile for each user identified via the user interface, said user preference profile including setting preferences preselected by the user; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface for adjusting the settings of the information handling system in accordance with a combined user preference profile based on the user preference profile retrieved for a plurality of identified users.

29. The system according to claim 28, wherein the user interface is displayed on a display of the information handling system.

30. The system according to claim 28, wherein the combined user preference profile is stored in a memory of the information handling system.

31. The system according to claim 28, wherein the controller merges the user preference profile for each user to generate the combined user preference profile for adjusting the settings of the information handling system.

32. The system according to claim 28, wherein a user preference contained in the user preference profile of a user is specified as a range of values.

41. The system according to claim 28, wherein the setting preferences comprise system output level settings.

33. A computer-based information handling system comprising:

a central processing system for processing information;

memory interconnected with said central processing system for storing information;

a display system interconnected with the central processing system for displaying information;

an input/output system interconnected with the processing system for inputting and outputting information; and

a system for adjusting the settings of the information handling system based on the individual user preferences of one or more users further comprising;

a user interface for identifying at least one user of the information handling system;

a user preference profile for each user identified via the user interface, said user preference profile including setting preferences preselected by the user; and

a controller operatively coupled to the user interface for adjusting the settings of the information handling system in accordance with a combined user preference profile based on the user preference profile retrieved for a plurality of identified users.

34. The computer-based information handling system according to claim 33, wherein the user interface is displayed via the display system.

35. The computer-based information handling system according to claim 33, wherein the combined user preference profile is stored in the memory.

36. The computer-based information handling system according to claim 33, wherein the controller merges the user preference profile for each user to generate the combined user preference profile for adjusting the settings of the information handling system.

37. The computer-based information handling system according to claim 33, wherein a user preference contained in the combined user preference profile of a user is specified as a range of values.

42. The system according to claim 33, wherein the settings comprise a brightness setting for the display system.