Methods and apparatus for improving user experience

• US 9,077,812 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 07/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/13/2012
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Hansen, Timothy E., Asokan, Ashwini, Jordan, Adam
• Primary Examiner(s): Pesin, Boris
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, JUSTIN S
• Application Number:
  US13/614,683
• Publication Number:
  US 20140075351A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,027 Days
• Field of Search: 715/765
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/7243 with interactive means for internal management of messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/64 file transfer between terminals

Abstract

A data processing system includes components for providing a pleasant user experience. Those components may include a family interaction engine that provides a family channel. The family interaction engine may provide for creation of a user group. The family channel may present content of interest to multiple users in the user group. When a user is detected near the data processing system, the family interaction engine may automatically present content of interest to that user. When used for presenting media content, the data processing system may also cause supplemental data to automatically be presented, wherein the supplemental data is relevant to the media content and to a predetermined interest of the user. The data processing system may also provide a ranked list of applications for potential activation by the user. The applications may be ordered based on the current context. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Claims

1. At least one non-transitory machine accessible medium comprising computer instructions for facilitating multi-user interaction with a data processing system, wherein the computer instructions, in response to being executed on the data processing system, enable the data processing system to carry out a method comprising:

automatically detecting whether a person is near the data processing system;

while the data processing system comprises individual profiles for respective individual users, in response to detecting the person near the data processing system, automatically determining whether the detected person is one of the individual users;

while the data processing system comprises a family profile for a collective family user, in response to a determination that the detected person is one of the individual users, automatically determining a set of content items to be presented in a family channel, based at least in part on a combination of information from the individual profile for the detected person and information from the family profile;

after determining a set of content items to be presented, automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented in the family channel;

after automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented in the family channel, automatically determining whether context of the data processing system has changed;

in response to a determination that context of the data processing system has changed, automatically modifying the set of content items to be presented, based at least in part on the changed context;

in response to one of the individual users interacting with a presented content item in the family channel, automatically saving interaction context data to identify (a) the individual user who interacted with the presented content item, (b) a first content type for the presented content item, and (c) a time when said individual user interacted with the presented content item of the first content type;

after automatically saving the interaction context data, causing the first content type to be removed from the family channel and causing a second content type to be presented in the family channel;

after the first content type has been removed from the family channel, automatically determining whether a current context matches the interaction context data, including determining whether a current time corresponds to the time from the interaction context data; and

in response to a determination that the current context matches the interaction context data, including a determination that the current time corresponds to the time from the interaction context data, automatically causing the second content type to be replaced in the family channel with the first content type.

2. At least medium according to claim 1, wherein the operation of automatically determining a set of content items to be presented comprises:

recognizing interests of the family user and interests of the detected person;

evaluating potential content items, with regard to relevance to the recognized interests of the family user;

evaluating potential content items, with regard to relevance to the recognized interests of the detected person;

including potential content items with high relevance to the recognized interests of the family user in the set of content items to be presented; and

including potential content items with high relevance to the recognized interests of the detected person in the set of content items to be presented.

3. At least one machine medium according to claim 2, wherein the operation of automatically determining a set of content items to be presented comprises:

analyzing potential content items from multiple sources, with regard to relevance to at least one factor from a group consisting of the recognized interests of the family user and the recognized interests of the detected person.

4. At least one medium according to claim 3, wherein the multiple sources comprise at least one source from a group consisting of:

predetermined preferences for at least one individual user, predetermined preferences for the family user, behavior observation data, and a digital persona service.

5. At least one medium according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

after automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented, automatically determining whether a newer content item is available; and

in response to a determination that a newer content item is available, automatically causing the newer content item to be presented, in place of an older content item.

6. At least one medium according to claim 1, wherein:

the interaction context data also identifies (d) a location of the data processing system, (e) a type of activity for which the data processing system is being used, and (f) any individual users detected near the data processing system; and

the operation of automatically determining whether the current context matches the interaction context data comprises automatically determining whether at least one individual user is likely to want to interact with the first content type at the current time, based at least in part on (g) a determination that interaction context data for a past interaction identifies a time of interaction that corresponds to the current time and (h) a determination that the interaction context data for the past interaction reflects user interaction with content of the first content type.

7. At least one medium according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically determining a set of container objects to be presented in the family channel, based at least in part on predetermined user settings, wherein the set of container objects comprises a first container object that presents information in video format only;

organizing at least some of the content items into the container objects;

automatically determining whether context for the data processing system has changed; and

in response to a determination that context for the data processing system has changed, dynamically changing the set of container objects to be presented in the family channel;

wherein the operation of automatically determining whether context for the data processing system has changed comprises determining whether context has changed from involving a stationary user to involving a moving user; and

wherein the operation of dynamically changing the set of container objects to be presented in the family channel comprises, in response to a determination that context has changed from involving the stationary user to involving the moving user, replacing the first container object that presents information in video format only with a second container object that presents information at least partially in audio format.

8. At least one medium according to claim 1, wherein the set of content items comprises at least two items from a group consisting of:

a stock ticker, a photo, a video, a music file, a news feed, a family calendar, a family favored photo, a family favored video, a family favored music file, a health update, a school web site, a teacher update, a note from one individual user to the family, and an entertainment application.

9. A data processing system that supports multi-user computer interaction, the data processing system comprising:

a processing element;

a machine accessible medium responsive to the processing element;

individual profiles for respective individual users in the machine accessible medium;

a family profile for a collective family user in the machine accessible medium; and

instructions in the machine accessible medium which, when executed, enable the data processing system to perform a method comprising;

automatically detecting whether a person is near the data processing system;

in response to detecting the person near the data processing system, automatically determining whether the detected person is one of the individual users with individual profiles on the data processing system;

in response to a determination that the detected person is one of the individual users with individual profiles on the data processing system, automatically determining a set of content items to be presented, based at least in part on a combination of information from the individual profile for the detected person and information from the family profile;

after determining a set of content items to be presented, automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented in a family channel;

after automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented in the family channel, automatically determining whether context of the data processing system has changed;

in response to a determination that context of the data processing system has changed, automatically modifying the set of content items to be presented, based at least in part on the changed context;

in response to one of the individual users interacting with a presented content item in the family channel, automatically saving interaction context data to identify (a) the individual user who interacted with the presented content item, (b) a first content type for the presented content item, and (c) a time when said individual user interacted with the presented content item of the first content type;

after automatically saving the interaction context data, causing the first content type to be removed from the family channel and causing a second content type to be presented in the family channel;

after the first content type has been removed from the family channel, automatically determining whether a current context matches the interaction context data, including determining whether a current time corresponds to the time from the interaction context data; and

in response to a determination that the current context matches the interaction context data, including a determination that the current time corresponds to the time from the interaction context data, automatically causing the second content type to be replaced in the family channel with the first content type.

10. A data processing system according to claim 9, wherein the operation of automatically determining a set of content items to be presented comprises:

recognizing interests of the family user and interests of the detected person;

evaluating potential content items, with regard to relevance to the recognized interests of the family user;

evaluating potential content items, with regard to relevance to the recognized interests of the detected person;

including potential content items with high relevance to the recognized interests of the family user in the set of content items to be presented; and

including potential content items with high relevance to the recognized interests of the detected person in the set of content items to be presented.

11. A data processing system according to claim 10, wherein the operation of automatically determining a set of content items to be presented comprises:

analyzing potential content items from multiple sources, with regard to relevance to at least one factor from a group consisting of the recognized interests of the family user and the recognized interests of the detected person.

12. A data processing system according to claim 11, wherein the multiple sources comprise at least one source from a group consisting of:

predetermined preferences for at least one individual user, predetermined preferences for the family user, behavior observation data, and a digital persona service.

13. A data processing system according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

after automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented, automatically determining whether a newer content item is available; and

in response to a determination that a newer content item is available, automatically causing the newer content item to be presented, in place of an older content item.

14. A data processing system according to claim 9, wherein:

the interaction context data also identifies (d) a location of the data processing system, (e) a type of activity for which the data processing system is being used, and (f) any individual users detected near the data processing system; and

the operation of automatically determining whether the current context matches the interaction context data comprises automatically determining whether at least one individual user is likely to want to interact with the first content type at the current time, based at least in part on (g) a determination that interaction context data for a past interaction identifies a time of interaction that corresponds to the current time and (h) a determination that the interaction context data for the past interaction reflects user interaction with content of the first content type.

15. A data processing system according to claim 9, wherein the method further comprises:

automatically determining a set of container objects to be presented in the family channel, based at least in part on predetermined user settings, wherein the set of container objects comprises a first container object that presents information in video format only;

organizing at least some of the content items into the container objects;

automatically determining whether context for the data processing system has changed; and

in response to a determination that context for the data processing system has changed, dynamically changing the set of container objects to be presented in the family channel;

wherein the operation of automatically determining whether context for the data processing system has changed comprises determining whether context has changed from involving a stationary user to involving a moving user; and

wherein the operation of dynamically changing the set of container objects to be presented in the family channel comprises, in response to a determination that context has changed from involving the stationary user to involving the moving user, replacing the first container object that presents information in video format only with a second container object that presents information at least partially in audio format.

16. A data processing system according to claim 9, wherein the set of content items comprises at least two items from the group consisting of:

a stock ticker, a photo, a video, a music file, a news feed, a family calendar, a family favored photo, a family favored video, a family favored music file, a health update, a school web site, a teacher update, a note from one individual user to the family, and an entertainment application.

17. A method for facilitating multi-user interaction with a data processing system, the method comprising:

in a data processing system with individual profiles for respective individual users and with a family profile for a collective family user, automatically detecting whether a person is near the data processing system;

in response to detecting the person near the data processing system, automatically determining whether the detected person is one of the individual users with individual profiles on the data processing system;

in response to a determination that the detected person is one of the individual users with individual profiles on the data processing system, automatically determining a set of content items to be presented in a family channel, based at least in part on a combination of information from the individual profile for the detected person and information from the family profile;

after determining a set of content items to be presented, automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented in the family channel;

after automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented in the family channel, automatically determining whether context of the data processing system has changed;

in response to a determination that context of the data processing system has changed, automatically modifying the set of content items to be presented, based at least in part on the changed context;

in response to one of the individual users interacting with a presented content item in the family channel, automatically saving interaction context data to identify (a) the individual user who interacted with the presented content item, (b) a first content type for the presented content item, and (c) a time when said individual user interacted with the presented content item of the first content type;

after automatically saving the interaction context data, causing the first content type to be removed from the family channel and causing a second content type to be presented in the family channel;

after the first content type has been removed from the family channel, automatically determining whether a current context matches the interaction context data, including determining whether a current time corresponds to the time from the interaction context data; and

in response to a determination that the current context matches the interaction context data, including a determination that the current time corresponds to the time from the interaction context data, automatically causing the second content type to be replaced in the family channel with the first content type.

18. A method according to claim 17, wherein the operation of automatically determining a set of content items to be presented comprises:

recognizing interests of the family user and interests of the detected person;

evaluating potential content items, with regard to relevance to the recognized interests of the family user;

evaluating potential content items, with regard to relevance to the recognized interests of the detected person;

including potential content items with high relevance to the recognized interests of the family user in the set of content items to be presented; and

including potential content items with high relevance to the recognized interests of the detected person in the set of content items to be presented.

19. A method according to claim 18, wherein the operation of automatically determining a set of content items to be presented comprises:

analyzing potential content items from multiple sources, with regard to relevance to at least one factor from a group consisting of the recognized interests of the family user and the recognized interests of the detected person.

20. A method according to claim 19, wherein the multiple sources comprise at least one source from a group consisting of:

predetermined preferences for at least one individual user, predetermined preferences for the family user, behavior observation data, and a digital persona service.

21. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

after automatically causing at least some of the items from the set of content items to be presented, automatically determining whether a newer content item is available; and

in response to a determination that a newer content item is available, automatically causing the newer content item to be presented, in place of an older content item.

22. A method according to claim 17, wherein:

the interaction context data also identifies (d) a location of the data processing system, (e) a type of activity for which the data processing system is being used, and (f) any individual users detected near the data processing system; and

the operation of automatically determining whether the current context matches the interaction context data comprises automatically determining whether at least one individual user is likely to want to interact with the first content type at the current time, based at least in part on (g) a determination that interaction context data for a past interaction identifies a time of interaction that corresponds to the current time and (h) a determination that the interaction context data for the past interaction reflects user interaction with content of the first content type.

23. A method according to claim 17, further comprising:

automatically determining a set of container objects to be presented in the family channel, based at least in part on predetermined user settings, wherein the set of container objects comprises a first container object that presents information in video format only;

organizing at least some of the content items into the container objects;

automatically determining whether context for the data processing system has changed; and

in response to a determination that context for the data processing system has changed, dynamically changing the set of container objects to be presented in the family channel;

wherein the operation of automatically determining whether context for the data processing system has changed comprises determining whether context has changed from involving a stationary user to involving a moving user; and

wherein the operation of dynamically changing the set of container objects to be presented in the family channel comprises, in response to a determination that context has changed from involving the stationary user to involving the moving user, replacing the first container object that presents information in video format only with a second container object that presents information at least partially in audio format.

24. A method according to claim 17, wherein the set of content items comprises at least two items from a group consisting of:

a stock ticker, a photo, a video, a music file, a news feed, a family calendar, a family favored photo, a family favored video, a family favored music file, a health update, a school web site, a teacher update, a note from one individual user to the family, and an entertainment application.