Portability of personalized television settings and preferences

• US 8,695,041 B2
• Filed: 03/20/2006
• Issued: 04/08/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synamedia Limited
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wasilewski, Anthony J., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sheleheda, James R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tilahun, Alazar
• Application Number:
  US11/385,184
• Publication Number:
  US 20060161956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,941 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 725/59, 725/74, 725/78, 725/82, 725/85, 725/86, 725/110, 725131-134, 725139-142, 725151-153, 725/80, 725/68, 725/100
• US Class Current: 725/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4516 involving client characteristics, e.g. Set-Top-Box type, software version or amount of memory available
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47217 for controlling playback functions for recorded or on-demand content, e.g. using progress bars, mode or play-point indicators or bookmarks specific graphical features in visual interfaces H04N21/4312
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/485 End-user interface for client configuration
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for transferring DHCT settings includes receiving by a first digital home communication terminal (DHCT) a request for transmitting a DHCT setting from the first DHCT to a second DHCT, and transmitting the DHCT setting from the first DHCT to the second DHCT. Systems and other methods for transferring DHCT settings are also provided.

Claims

1. A digital home communication terminal (DHCT) comprising:

a memory device for storing television related data; and

a processor configured to;

enable a user to select a television functionality setting corresponding to a television program,

receive an input from the user requesting transmission of a selected television functionality setting to another DHCT located at a different premises,

store the television functionality setting in the memory device,

authenticate that the DHCT settings of the other DHCT are accessible to the user, and

transmit the television functionality setting from the memory device to the other DHCT, the television functionality setting allowing a DHCT to implement a television functionality associated with the television functionality setting on a television coupled thereto.

2. The DHCT of claim 1, wherein the television functionality setting is a reminder of a future broadcast of a television program for which a reminder is desired.

3. The DHCT of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to receive an input from the user requesting transmission of the television functionality setting to a plurality of other DHCTs each located at a premises other than the premises of the DHCT, the processor further configured to transmit the television functionality setting to a plurality of other DHCTs.

4. The DHCT of claim 3, wherein the DHCT communicates with the plurality of other DHCTs via a server of a headend.

5. The DHCT of claim 4, wherein the DHCT and plurality of other DHCTs are under the same user account.

6. The DHCT of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to transmit the television functionality setting in response to a second input from the user.