User personalization with bezel-displayed identification

• US 8,791,787 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2009
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hardacker, Robert L., Richman, Steven, Calderon, Rafael, Zustak, Fred J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lim, Steven
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHERWIN, RYAN W
• Application Number:
  US12/653,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20110140840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 21, 725/37, 725/43, 348/563, 348 42- 60, 348/150, 345 11- 6
• US Class Current: 340/5.1
• 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 21/4753 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 21/4854 for modifying image parameters, e.g. image brightness, contrast
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/66 Transforming electric information into light information scanning details H04N3/00

Abstract

An identity of a person proximate to a display device is determined by an identity profile controller. The identity profile controller determines whether a configured viewing profile exists for the person. Upon determining that the configured viewing profile exists for the person, the identity profile controller instructs a bezel display controller to display a profile identifier associated with the configured viewing profile via a two-dimensional light-emitting diode (LED) array located within a bezel of the display device outside of the display area of the display. The identity profile controller automatically adjusts display device settings for the display device based upon the configured viewing profile. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A method of providing user-feedback regarding automated profile selection without obstructing a display area of a display device, comprising:

the display device automatically determining that multiple persons are proximate to the display device;

automatically determining, via an identity profile controller;

an identity of each of the multiple persons proximate to the display device; and

whether configured individual viewing profiles exist for at least two of the multiple persons proximate to the display device, where each person is identified individually by a corresponding configured individual viewing profile;

where at least one of the configured individual viewing profiles includes a user configured restriction level corresponding to the at least one configured viewing profile, where the restriction level limits content that can be displayed on the display device when the person corresponding to the configured individual viewing profile is proximate to the display device; and

upon determining that the configured individual viewing profile exists for at least two of the multiple persons;

determining whether a configured aggregate viewing profile, including a restriction level, exists for the at least two of the multiple persons;

instructing a bezel display controller to display a profile identifier associated with the configured aggregate viewing profile via a two-dimensional light emitting diode (LED) array located within a bezel of the display device outside of the display area of the display; and

automatically adjusting a display device setting that controls operational behavior of the display device based upon the configured aggregate viewing profile.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that no configured aggregate viewing profile exists for the at least two of the multiple persons:

creating aggregate viewing profile settings based upon the existing configured viewing profile for at least two of the multiple persons;

instructing the bezel display controller to display an identification that the aggregate viewing profile has been created via the two-dimensional LED array; and

automatically adjusting the display device settings for the display device based upon the created aggregate viewing profile.

3. The method according to claim 2, further comprising:

detecting a request via an input device to archive the created aggregate viewing profile as a family viewing profile; and

storing the created aggregate viewing profile as the family viewing profile within a profile database.

4. The method of claim 1, where upon determining that no configured viewing profile exists for at least at least one of the multiple persons, instructing the bezel display controller to display an indication that no configured viewing profile exists for the at least one of the multiple persons via the two-dimensional LED array.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising, upon determining that no configured viewing profile exists for the person, instructing the bezel display controller to display an indication that no configured viewing profile exists for the person via the two-dimensional LED array.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising:

selecting a default viewing profile comprising default parameters for use to control the display device settings for the display device;

automatically adjusting the display device settings for the display device based upon the default viewing profile; and

instructing the bezel display controller to display an indication that the default viewing profile has been selected via the two-dimensional LED array.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

Determining the restriction level associated with the configured aggregate viewing profile; and

instructing the bezel display controller to display a restriction identifier via the two-dimensional LED array indicating the restriction level associated with the configured aggregate viewing profile.

8. The method according to claim 7, where instructing the bezel display controller to display the restriction identifier via the two-dimensional LED array comprises instructing the bezel display controller to display that a content blocking feature of the display device is active.

9. The method according to claim 8, further comprising:

detecting a request to adjust the restriction level associated with the configured viewing profile to an updated restriction level;

determining an identity of a person associated with the detected request to adjust the restriction level to the updated restriction level;

determining whether the person associated with the detected request to adjust the restriction level has authority to adjust the restriction level to the updated restriction level;

upon determining that the person associated with the detected request to adjust the restriction level to the updated restriction level has the authority to adjust the restriction level, assigning the updated restriction level to the configured viewing profile;

instructing the bezel display controller to display the updated restriction level via the two-dimensional LED array; and

automatically adjusting the display device settings for the display device based upon the assigned updated restriction level of the configured viewing profile.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

detecting entry of a person other than the multiple persons proximate to the display device;

determining that the person other than the multiple persons proximate to the display device has a restriction level higher than a restriction level of the person proximate to the display device; and

instructing the bezel display controller to display a warning via the two-dimensional LED array.

11. The method according to claim 10, where the displayed warning comprises text indicating a viewing rating of displayed content and a notice that the person other than the person proximate to the display device has entered.

12. The method according to claim 10, where the displayed warning comprises a content rating alert message.

13. The method according to claim 1, where determining the identity of the multiple persons proximate to the display device comprises performing a biometric analysis of at least one feature of each of the multiple persons.

14. The method according to claim 13, where performing the biometric analysis of the at least one feature of each of the persons comprises:

determining an identifying characteristic of the person;

comparing the identifying characteristic of the person to identifying characteristics stored within a profile database; and

determining whether the identifying characteristic of the person exists within the profile database.

15. The method according to claim 14, where, upon determining that the identifying characteristic of each of the persons exists within the profile database, retrieving the identity of each person proximate to the display device from a profile database record associated with the identifying characteristic of the person within the profile database.

16. The method according to claim 14, where determining the identifying characteristic of the person comprises at least one of:

receiving a fingerprint scan associated with the person;

receiving a facial image scan associated with the person;

receiving a pass code associated with the person; and

receiving a spectral image from a voice recognition module representative of captured speech of the person.

17. The method according to claim 14, where determining the identifying characteristic of the person comprises receiving biometric information from a remote control device associated with the display device.

18. The method according to claim 17, where receiving the biometric information from the remote control device comprises at least one of:

receiving an image scan of a face of the person;

receiving a voice scan of a voice of the person; and

receiving a fingerprint scan of the person.

19. The method according to claim 14, where:

comparing the identifying characteristic of the person to the profile database comprises searching the profile database using the identifying characteristic of the person; and

determining whether the identifying characteristic of the person exists within the profile database comprises determining whether a match exists within the profile database for the identifying characteristic of the person.

20. The method according to claim 1, where the display device comprises a television display.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising instructing the bezel display controller to display, via the two-dimensional LED array, at least one of a user identifier associated with the configured viewing profile, a profile identifier associated with the configured viewing profile, a content rating associated with program material rendered via the television display, a maximum content rating associated with the person via the configured viewing profile, and an advertisement based upon profile preferences for advertising associated with the configured viewing profile.

22. The apparatus according to claim 1, where the display device settings comprise at least one of video display operational characteristics or audio operational characteristics or maximum content rating.

23. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed on one or more programmed processors, carry out a method according to claim 1.

24. An apparatus, comprising:

a display device having a display comprising a display area;

a two-dimensional light-emitting diode (LED) array located within a bezel of the display device outside of the display area of the display;

a bezel display controller configured to provide user-feedback regarding automated profile selection without obstructing the display area of the display;

a memory for storing configured viewing profiles comprising configured individual viewing profiles corresponding to individual persons, where the configured individual viewing profiles includes a user configured restriction level that limits content that can be displayed to the individual person on the display device;

a sensor configured to automatically determine that multiple persons are proximate to the display device; and

an identity profile controller configured to;

automatically determine;

an identity of each person proximate to the display device; and

whether a configured viewing profile exists for each person within the memory; and

upon determining that the configured individual viewing profile exists for at least two of the multiple persons within the memory;

determine whether a configured aggregate viewing profile exists for the at least two of the multiple persons;

instruct the bezel display controller to display a profile identifier associated with the configured aggregate viewing profile via the two-dimensional LED array; and

automatically adjust a display device setting that controls operational behavior of the display device based upon the configured aggregate viewing profile.

25. The apparatus according to claim 24, where upon determining that no configured aggregate viewing profile exists for the at least two of the multiple persons, the identity profile controller is further configured to:

create aggregate viewing profile settings based upon the existing configured individual viewing profile for at least two of the multiple persons;

instruct the bezel display controller to display an identification that the aggregate viewing profile has been created via the two-dimensional LED array; and

automatically adjust the display device settings for the display device based upon the created aggregate viewing profile.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, where the memory comprises a profile database and further comprising:

an input device; and

where the identity profile controller is further configured to;

detect a request via the input device to archive the created aggregate viewing profile as a family viewing profile; and

store the created aggregate viewing profile as the family viewing profile within the profile database.

27. The apparatus of claim 24, where upon determining that no configured viewing profile exists for at least at least one of the multiple persons, the identity profile controller is further configured to instruct the bezel display controller to display an indication that no configured viewing profile exists for the at least one of the multiple persons via the two-dimensional LED array.

28. The apparatus according to claim 24, where upon determining that no configured viewing profile exists for the multiple persons, the identity profile controller is further configured to instruct the bezel display controller to display an indication that no configured viewing profile exists for the person via the two-dimensional LED array.

29. The method according to claim 28, where the identity profile controller is further configured to:

select a default viewing profile comprising default parameters for use to control the display device settings for the display device;

automatically adjust the display device settings for the display device based upon the default viewing profile; and

instruct the bezel display controller to display an indication that the default viewing profile has been selected via the two-dimensional LED array.

30. The apparatus according to claim 24, where the identity profile controller is further configured to:

Determine the restriction level associated with the configured aggregate viewing profile; and

instruct the bezel display controller to display a restriction identifier via the two-dimensional LED array indicating the restriction level associated with the configured viewing profile.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, where, in being configured to instruct the bezel display controller to display the restriction identifier via the two-dimensional LED array, the identity profile controller is further configured to instruct the bezel display controller to display that a content blocking feature of the display device is active.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, further comprising an input device and where the identity profile controller is further configured to:

detect a request via the input device to adjust the restriction level associated with the configured viewing profile to an updated restriction level;

determine an identity of a person associated with the detected request to adjust the restriction level to the updated restriction level;

determine whether the person associated with the detected request to adjust the restriction level has authority to adjust the restriction level to the updated restriction level;

upon determining that the person associated with the detected request to adjust the restriction level to the updated restriction level has the authority to adjust the restriction level, assign the updated restriction level to the configured viewing profile;

instruct the bezel display controller to display the updated restriction level via the two-dimensional LED array; and

automatically adjust the display device settings for the display device based upon the assigned updated restriction level of the configured viewing profile.

33. The apparatus according to claim 24, where the identity profile controller is further configured to:

detect entry of a person other than the multiple persons proximate to the display device;

determine that the person other than the multiple persons proximate to the display device has a restriction level higher than a restriction level of the multiple persons proximate to the display device; and

instruct the bezel display controller to display a warning via the two-dimensional LED array.

34. The apparatus according to claim 33, where the displayed warning comprises text indicating a viewing rating of displayed content and a notice that the person other than the person proximate to the display device has entered.

35. The apparatus according to claim 33, where the displayed warning comprises a content rating alert message.

36. The apparatus according to claim 24, where, in being configured to determine the identity of each person proximate to the display device, the identity profile controller is configured to perform a biometric analysis of at least one feature of the person.

37. The apparatus according to claim 36, where the memory comprises a profile database and where, in being configured to perform the biometric analysis of the at least one feature of the person, the identity profile controller is configured to:

determine an identifying characteristic of the person;

compare the identifying characteristic of the person to identifying characteristics stored within the profile database; and

determine whether the identifying characteristic of the person exists within the profile database.

38. The apparatus according to claim 37, where, upon determining that the identifying characteristic of the person exists within the profile database, the identity profile controller is further configured to retrieve the identity of the person proximate to the display device from a profile database record associated with the identifying characteristic of the person within the profile database.

39. The apparatus according to claim 37, where, in being configured to determine the identifying characteristic of the person, the identity profile controller is configured to at least one of:

receive a fingerprint scan associated with the person;

receive a facial image scan associated with the person;

receive a pass code associated with the person; and

receive a spectral image from a voice recognition module representative of captured speech of the person.

40. The apparatus according to claim 37, further comprising:

a remote control device associated with the display device; and

where, in being configured to determine the identifying characteristic of the person, the identity profile controller is configured to receive biometric information from the remote control device.

41. The apparatus according to claim 40, where, in being configured to receive the biometric information from the remote control device, the identity profile controller is configured to at least one of:

receive an image scan of a face of the person;

receive a voice scan of a voice of the person; and

receive a fingerprint scan of the person.

42. The apparatus according to claim 37, where:

in being configured to compare the identifying characteristic of the person to the profile database, the identity profile controller is configured to search the profile database using the identifying characteristic of the person; and

in being configured to determine whether the identifying characteristic of the person exists within the profile database, the identity profile controller is configured to determine whether a match exists within the profile database for the identifying characteristic of the person.

43. The apparatus according to claim 24, where the display device comprises a television display.

44. The apparatus according to claim 43, where the identity profile controller is further configured to instruct the bezel display controller to display, via the two-dimensional LED array, at least one of a user identifier associated with the configured viewing profile, a profile identifier associated with the configured viewing profile, a content rating associated with program material rendered via the television display, a maximum content rating associated with the person via the configured viewing profile, and an advertisement based upon profile preferences for advertising associated with the configured viewing profile.

45. The apparatus according to claim 24, where the display device settings comprise at least one of video display operational characteristics or audio operational characteristics or maximum content rating.

46. An apparatus, comprising:

a television having a display comprising a display area;

a two-dimensional light-emitting diode (LED) array located within a bezel of the television outside of the display area;

a bezel display controller configured to provide user-feedback regarding automated profile selection without obstructing the display area of the display;

a memory for storing configured viewing profiles comprising configured individual viewing profiles corresponding to individual persons, where the configured individual viewing profiles includes a user configured restriction level that limits content that can be displayed to the individual person on the display device;

a camera configured to automatically determine that multiple persons are proximate to the display device; and

an identity profile controller configured to;

automatically determine;

an identity of each the person proximate to the display device by facial recognition; and

whether a configured individual viewing profile exists for each person within the memory; and

upon determining that the configured viewing profile exists for at least two of the multiple persons within the memory;

determine whether a configured aggregate viewing profile having a restriction level exists for the at least two of the multiple persons;

instruct the bezel display controller to display a profile identifier associated with the configured aggregate viewing profile via the two-dimensional LED array; and

automatically adjust display device settings that control maximum content rating of the television display device based upon the configured aggregate viewing profile'"'"'s restriction level.