Systems and methods for automatically detecting users within detection regions of media devices

• US 9,014,546 B2
• Filed: 09/23/2009
• Issued: 04/21/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TV Guide Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Shimy, Camron, Kim, Benjamin
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung
• Assistant Examiner(s): Park, Sunghyoun
• Application Number:
  US12/565,486
• Publication Number:
  US 20110069940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,036 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/296
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4438 Window management, e.g. event handling following interaction with the user interface
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4826 using recommendation lists, e.g. of programs or channels sorted out according to their score
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02

Abstract

Systems and methods are presented for detecting users within a range of a media device. A detection region may be defined that is within the range of the media device and smaller than the range. The detection region may be stored. It may be determined whether a user is within the detection region. The media device may be activated and settings associated with the user may be applied when a user is within the detection region. In some embodiments, settings associated with a user may be compared to provided media content when the user is within the detection region. The content may change when the settings conflict with the media content. Reminders may be provided to or directed to a plurality of users within the range of the media device.

Claims

1. A method for detecting users within a detectable range of a media device, the method comprising:

defining a first detection region associated with a first user, wherein the first detection region is within a first detectable range, and wherein the first detection region is smaller than the first detectable range, and wherein the first detection region is associated with the media device and the first detectable range is associated with the same media device, and wherein the first detection region is a predetermined detection region;

storing parameters of the first detection region;

determining whether the first user is within the first detectable range and the first detection region;

activating the media device upon determining that the first user is within the first detection region;

applying first settings that are associated with the first user on the media device when the first user is within the first detection region;

transmitting a first media content based on the first settings; and

stopping the application of the first settings on the media device when the first user is outside of the first detection region and within the first detectable range.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

stopping the transmission of the first media content when the first user is outside of the first detection region.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second user within the first detectable range;

determining that the second user is not within the first detection region; and

maintaining the first media content on the media device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

detecting a second user within the first detection region; and

applying second settings that are associated with the second user on the media device when the second user is within the first detection region.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

causing an option to be displayed to resume a second media content that was previously accessed by the second user.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

creating third settings based on the first settings and the second settings when the first user and the second user are within the first detection region simultaneously; and

causing a second media content to be displayed based on the third settings.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that the first user is no longer within the first detection region; and

modifying the third settings so that the third settings are based only on settings associated with users who remain within detection regions within the first detectable range.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

causing a third media content to be displayed based on the modified third settings.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

determining that the first user returned within the first detection region of the media device;

changing the third media content back to the second media content in response to determining that the first user returned; and

resuming the second media content from substantially a point in the second media content where it was determined that the first user was no longer within the first detection region.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

pausing the second media content in response to detecting that the first user is no longer within the first detection region.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining that the first user returned within the first detection region of the media device; and

unpausing the second media content in response to determining that the first user returned.

12. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

determining that the first user returned within the first detection region of the media device; and

rewinding the second media content to substantially a point in the second media content where it was determined that the first user was no longer within the first detection region.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the media device is a first media device, the method further comprising:

determining that the first user is within a second detection region, wherein the second detection region is within a second detectable range relative to a second media device; and

causing the second media content to be displayed on the second media device from substantially a point in the second media content at which it was determined that the first user was no longer within the first detection region.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

communicating to the first media device that the first user is within the second detection region.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

determining that all users previously within detection regions within the first detectable range are no longer within the detection regions within the first detectable range; and

deactivating the media device after a predetermined period.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the first user is within the first detectable range and the first detection region comprises at least one of:

detecting a heat signature of the first user;

determining whether the first user is within viewing range;

determining whether the first user is within hearing range;

detecting a mobile device associated with the first user within the first detection region;

detecting a voice signature of the first user; and

detecting motion of the first user.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

configuring boundaries of the first detection region by;

determining whether the first detectable range overlaps a second detectable range relative to a different media device; and

setting the boundaries of the first detection region within the first detectable range such that the boundaries are not within the second detectable range.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a second detection region associated with a second user, wherein the second detection region is within the first detectable range; and

determining whether the second user is within both the first detectable range and the second detection region; and

applying second settings that are associated with the second user on the media device when the second user is within the second detection region.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first detection region is different from the second detection region.

20. A system for detecting users within a detectable range of a media device, the system comprising:

the media device comprising;

detecting circuitry configured to;

define a first detection region associated with a first user, wherein the first detection region is within a first detectable range, and wherein the first detection region is smaller than the first detectable range, and wherein the first detection region is associated with the media device and the first detectable range is associated with the same media device, and wherein the first detection region is a predetermined detection region; and

determine whether the first user is within the first detectable range and the first detection region;

storage circuitry configured to;

store parameters of the first detection region; and

processing circuitry configured to;

activate the media device upon determining that the first user is within the first detection region,

apply first settings that are associated with the first user on the media device when the first user is within the first detection region,

transmit a first media content based on the first settings, and

stop the application of the first settings on the media device when the first user is outside of the first detection region and within the first detectable range.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

stop the transmission of the first media content when the first user is outside of the first detection region.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

detect a second user within the first detectable range, and

determine that the second user is not within the first detection region; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

maintain the first media content on the media device.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

detect a second user within the first detection region; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

apply second settings that are associated with the second user on the media device when the second user is within the first detection region.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

cause an option to be displayed to resume a second media content that was previously accessed by the second user.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

create third settings based on the first settings and the second settings when the first user and the second user are within the first detection region simultaneously; and

cause a second media content to be displayed based on the third settings.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the first user is no longer within the first detection region; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

modify the third settings so that the third settings are based only on settings associated with users who remain within detection regions within the first detectable range.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

cause a third media content to be displayed based on the modified third settings.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the first user returned within the first detection region of the media device; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

change the third media content back to the second media content in response to determining that the first user returned; and

resume the second media content from substantially a point in the second media content where it was determined that the first user was no longer within the first detection region.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to:

pause the second media content in response to detecting that the first user is no longer within the first detection region.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the first user returned within the first detection region of the media device; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

unpause the second media content in response to determining that the first user returned.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

determine that the first user returned within the first detection region of the media device; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

rewind the second media content to substantially a point in the second media content where it was determined that the first user was no longer within the first detection region.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the media device is a first media device, the system further comprising:

a second media device comprising;

detecting circuitry configured to;

determine that the first user is within a second detection region, wherein the second detection region is within a second detectable range relative to the second media device; and

processing circuitry configured to;

cause the second media content to be displayed on the second media device from substantially a point in the second media content at which it was determined that the first user was no longer within the first detection region.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processing circuitry of the second media device is further configured to:

communicate to the first media device that the first user is within the second detection region.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the detecting circuitry of the first media device is further configured to:

determine that all users previously within detection regions within the first detectable range are no longer within the detection regions within the first detectable range; and

wherein the processing circuitry of the first media device is further configured to;

deactivate the media device after a predetermined period.

35. The system of claim 20, wherein determining whether the first user is within the first detectable range and the first detection region comprises at least one of:

detecting a heat signature of the first user;

determining whether the first user is within viewing range;

determining whether the first user is within hearing range;

detecting a mobile device associated with the first user within the first detection region;

detecting a voice signature of the first user; and

detecting motion of the first user.

36. The system of claim 20, wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to:

configure boundaries of the first detection region by;

determining whether the first detectable range overlaps a second detection region relative to a different media device; and

setting the boundaries of the first detection region within the first detectable range such that the boundaries are not within the second detection region.

37. The system of claim 20, wherein the storage circuitry is further configured to:

store a second detection region associated with a second user, wherein the second detection region is within the first detectable range;

wherein the detecting circuitry is further configured to;

determine whether the second user is within both the first detectable range and the second detection region; and

wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to;

apply second settings that are associated with the second user on the media device when the second user is within the second detection region.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the first detection region is different from the second detection region.