Systems and methods for transferring settings across devices based on user gestures

• US 9,218,122 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROVI Product Corporation (Xperi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomas, William L., Korbecki, William
• Primary Examiner(s): FARAGALLA, MICHAEL A
• Application Number:
  US13/340,316
• Publication Number:
  US 20130169546A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• Field of Search: 345/173, 345/178
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming

Abstract

Systems and methods for transferring settings between user devices using gestures are provided. A selection of media guidance application setting is made. A user input indicative of a direction in which the user wishes to transmit the selected media guidance application setting is received. A determination is made that a device is present in the direction indicated by the user and the device is identified. In response to identifying the device indicated by the user, the selected media guidance application setting is transferred to the identified device. The transferred setting is applied to the device to which the setting was transferred.

Claims

1. A method for transferring settings between user devices, the method comprising:

receiving a media guidance application setting, wherein the setting was selected at a first user device;

receiving physical contact, with the first user device, indicative of a direction;

identifying a target device by determining which of a plurality of user devices within a predetermined range of the first user device corresponds to the direction indicated by the physical contact;

generating for display a message requesting user confirmation before transmitting the selected setting to the target device;

transmitting the selected setting to the target device to cause the selected setting to be applied to the target device, in response to receiving the user confirmation or automatically when the user confirmation is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical contact is a first user input, further comprising:

receiving a second user input requesting retrieval of the selected setting from the target device;

identifying the target device at which the setting was applied based on the second user input;

causing the setting to be removed from the target device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second user input is a gesture performed on a touch screen of the first user device, and wherein the gesture is a movement from a location of the target device towards a location of the first user device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the physical contact is a gesture performed on a touch screen of the first user device, and wherein the gesture is a movement from a location of the first user device towards a location of the target device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein identifying the target device comprises determining whether a location of the target device relative to the first device corresponds to a line parallel to the gesture.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the setting comprises media content authorization information for media content that the first device has authority to access and the target device lacks authority to access.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the media guidance application setting comprises:

displaying a list of settings; and

selecting one of the settings in the list.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the target device further comprises:

determining the direction indicated by the physical contact;

computing a vector of coordinates based on the determined direction; and

determining which of the plurality of user devices within the predetermined range of the first user device are located on the computed vector of coordinates.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the target device is remote from the first user device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the target device is not in communication with the first user device prior to transmitting the selected setting to the target device.

9. A system for transferring settings, the system comprising a first user device configured to:

receive a selection of a media guidance application setting;

receive a physical contact indicative of a direction;

identify a target device by determining which of a plurality of user devices within a predetermined range of the first user device corresponds to the direction indicated by the physical contact;

display a message requesting user confirmation before transmitting the selected setting to the target device; and

transmit the selected setting to the target device to cause the selected setting to be applied to the target device, in response to receiving the user confirmation or automatically when the user confirmation is not received within a predetermined amount of time.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the physical contact is a first user input and the first user device is further configured to:

receive a second user input requesting retrieval of the selected setting from the target device;

identify the target device at which the setting was applied based on the second user input;

cause the setting to be removed from the target device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the second user input is a gesture performed on a touch screen of the first user device, and wherein the gesture is a movement from a location of the target device towards a location of the first user device.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the physical contact is a gesture performed on a touch screen of the first user device, and wherein the gesture is a movement from a location of the first user device towards a location of the target device.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the first user device is further configured to identify the target device by determining whether a location of the target device relative to the first device corresponds to a line parallel to the gesture.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the setting comprises media content authorization information for media content that the first device has authority to access and the target device lacks authority to access.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the first user device is further configured to:

display a list of media guidance application settings; and

receive a selection of one of the settings in the list.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein to identify the target device the first user device is further configured to:

determine the direction indicated by the physical contact;

compute a vector of coordinates based on the determined direction; and

determine which of the plurality of user devices within the predetermined range of the first user device are located on the computed vector of coordinates.