Environment independent user preference communication

• US 8,233,890 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2010
• Issued: 07/31/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel N., O'Neil, Douglas
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier, Gerald
• Application Number:
  US12/776,794
• Publication Number:
  US 20100223555A1
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 358/1.14, 455/414.1, 455/415, 455/432.3, 455/456.1, 455/456.2, 455/456.3, 455/556.2, 455/557, 455/414.2, 455/418, 455/423, 705/34, 709/220, 709/227, 709/201, 709/221, 709/246, 717/115, 340/573.1, 342/451, 348/731, 370/349, 715/733, 715/741, 715/815
• US Class Current: 455/415
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/6009 Personal information, e.g. profiles or personal directories being only provided to authorised persons
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42068 where the identifier is used to access a profile
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42161 via computer interface
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/4931 Directory assistance systems

Abstract

Included are embodiments of a method for communicating user preferences to at least one environment. At least one embodiment includes receiving a request from an environment for preference information related to a user and receiving a user identifier from the environment, the user identifier obtained via a portable user device. Other embodiments include determining at least one user preference related to the user, determining capabilities related to the environment, and communicating at least one user preference to the environment.

Claims

1. A method for communicating user preferences to an environment, comprising:

receiving, by a network server, a user identifier from a user communication device of a first user within a first specific environment;

determining a first environment preference theme for the user identifier of the first user, the first environment preference theme being environment independent and indicating a general overall preference for environmental settings as specified by the first user;

selecting, by the network server, at least one environment setting for an electronic device within the first specific environment to be adapted to correspond with the first environment preference theme for the first user; and

communicating the environment setting to the electronic device within the first specific environment.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user, the request being received from a second computing device associated with the first specific environment.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user and a second environment preference theme for a second user; and

determining a primary user from the first user and the second user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a graphical user interface that provides an option for the first user to indicate the first environment preference theme.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first environment preference theme comprises retrieving a category related to the first user.

6. The method of claim 1, where determining the first environment preference theme includes interpreting a user action in a second specific environment and based on the interpretation of the user action, assigning the first particular environment preference theme to the first user.

7. The method of claim 1, the environment including at least one of the following:

an automobile, a room, a house, a boat, an airplane, a helicopter, a retail establishment, a gym, and an office.

8. A system for communicating user preferences to an environment, comprising:

a memory component that stores;

first logic to receive a user identifier from a user communication device of a first user within a first specific environment;

second logic to determine a first environment preference theme for the user identifier of the first user, the first environment preference theme being environment independent and indicating a general overall preference for environmental settings as specified by the first user;

third logic to select at least one environment setting for an electronic device within the first specific environment to be adapted to correspond with the first environment preference theme for the first user; and

fourth logic to communicate the environment setting to the electronic device within the first specific environment.

9. The system of claim 8, the memory component further storing logic to receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user, the request being received from a computing device associated with the first specific environment.

10. The system of claim 8, the memory component further storing:

fifth logic to receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user and a second environment preference theme for a second user; and

sixth logic to receive a primary user from the first user and the second user.

11. The system of claim 8, the memory component further storing seventh logic to provide a graphical user interface that provides an option for the first user to indicate the first environment preference theme.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein determining the first environment preference theme comprises retrieving a category related to the first user.

13. The system of claim 8, where determining the first environment preference theme includes interpreting a user action in a second specific environment and based on the interpretation of the user action, assigning the first particular environment preference theme to the first user.

14. The system of claim 8, the environment including at least one of the following:

an automobile, a room, a house, a boat, an airplane, a helicopter, a retail establishment, a gym, and an office.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for communicating user preferences to an environment that stores a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform at least the following:

receive a user identifier from a user communication device of a first user within a first specific environment;

determine a first environment preference theme for the user identifier of the first user, the first environment preference theme being environment independent and indicating a general overall preference for environmental settings as specified by the first user;

select at least one environment setting for an electronic device within the first specific environment to be adapted to correspond with the first environment preference theme for the first user; and

communicate the environment setting to the electronic device within the first specific environment.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the program further causing the computer to receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user, the request being received from a computing device associated with the first specific environment.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the program further causing the computer to perform at least the following:

receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user and a second environment preference theme for a second user; and

determine a primary user from the first user and the second user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, the program further causing the computer to provide a graphical user interface that provides an option for the first user to indicate the first environment preference theme.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein determining the first environment preference theme comprises retrieving a category related to the first user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15, where determining the first environment preference theme includes interpreting a user action in a second specific environment and based on the interpretation of the user action, assigning the first particular environment preference theme to the first user.