System and method for group content selection

• US 7,216,002 B1
• Filed: 10/22/2001
• Issued: 05/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Anderson, Glen J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Krisna
• Assistant Examiner(s): STRANGE, AARON N
• Application Number:
  US10/041,839
• Time in Patent Office: 2,024 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/205, 700/276, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 700/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system and method for group content selection. In an aspect of the present invention, a method for providing content based on user preferences may include detecting a plurality of users at a location and identifying user profiles corresponding to at least a portion of the plurality of users. At least one content characteristic common to the identified user profiles is determined and content including the determined common content characteristic output at the location.

Claims

1. A method for providing content, comprising:

identifying a first user profile corresponding to a first user and a second user profile corresponding to a second user, the user profiles containing at least one content characteristic for a respective user;

determining first content characteristics common to at least the first user and the second user based on the first user profile and the second user profile;

outputting content including the first content characteristics to the first user and the second user in a first location;

detecting movement of the first user from the first location to a second location in which said content is not being outputted;

if a third user is present at the second location, determining an amount of time the first user remains at the second location;

determining second content characteristics common to the third user and the first user if the first user remains at the second location for at least a threshold amount of time while the third user is present at the second location; and

establishing an orientation of the first user and the second user with regards to a first device and a second device, wherein the orientation is utilized to determine at least one characteristic of the first content characteristics common to users oriented with regard to at least one of the first device and the second device.

2. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the identified user profiles are at least one of:

stored in a centralized database and received from the users.

3. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second content characteristics include at least one of:

style of content, content author and content performer.

4. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the first and second content characteristics include at least one of:

output mode of content and content playing device.

5. The method as described in claim 1, wherein the content includes at least one of:

audio data;

visual data including at least one of graphics, pictures and surface covering appearance;

aroma;

ambiance lighting;

temperature; and

airflow.

6. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising establishing a time including at least one of time of day, time of week, time of month and time of year, wherein the established time is utilized in determining the first content characteristics.

7. The method as described in claim 1, wherein if the third user is not present at the second location, outputting the content at the second location without delaying the threshold amount of time.

8. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising generating a third user profile for the third user if the third user is present, wherein the third user profile is generated by at least one of general demographic information of users present and based on past users encountered.

9. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising outputting content including the second content characteristics at the second location.

10. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising establishing a position of the first user with regard to the first device, wherein the position is utilized in conjunction with the orientation to determine said at least one characteristic.

11. The method as described in claim 1, further comprising establishing at least one of an orientation or a position of the first user within the second location, wherein said at least one of the orientation or the position is utilized in determining the second content characteristics.

12. A system for providing content, comprising:

a means for detecting a plurality of users at a first location;

a means for identifying user profiles corresponding to at least a portion of the plurality of users, the portion of the plurality of users including a first user and a second user;

a means for determining first content characteristics common to the identified user profiles;

a means for outputting content including the first content characteristics at the first location;

a means for detecting movement of the first user from the first location to a second location in which said content is not being outputted;

a means for determining an amount of time the first user remains at the second location if a third user is present at the second location;

a means for determining second content characteristics common to the third user and the first user if the first user remains at the second location for at least a threshold time while the third user is present at the second location; and

a means for determining an orientation of at least the portion of the plurality of users with regards to a first device and a second device.

13. The system as described in claim 12, wherein the identified user profiles are at least one of stored in a centralized database and received from the users.

14. The system as described in claim 12, wherein the first and second content characteristics include at least one of style of content, content author and content performer.

15. The system as described in claim 12, wherein the first and second content characteristics include at least one of output mode of content and content playing device.

16. The system as described in claim 12, wherein the content includes at least one of audio data, visual data, graphics, pictures, surface coverings, aroma, ambiance lighting, temperature and airflow.

17. The system as described in claim 12, further comprising a clock suitable for establishing a time, wherein the time is utilized in conjunction with the user profiles for determining the first content characteristics.

18. The system as described in claim 12, wherein the determined orientation is utilized to determine at least one characteristic of the first content characteristics common to users oriented with regard to at least one of the first device and the second device.

19. The system as described in claim 18, further comprising:

a means for establishing a position of the first user with regard to the first device, wherein the position is utilized in conjunction with the orientation to determine said at least one characteristic.

20. The system as described in claim 12, wherein if the third user is not present at the second location, outputting the content output at the second location without delaying the threshold amount of time.

21. The system as described in claim 12, further comprising:

means for establishing at least one of an orientation or a position of the first user within the second location, wherein said at least one of the orientation or the position is utilized in determining the second content characteristics.