Systems and methods for controlling user devices based on brain activity

• US 9,436,279 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2014
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ROVI Product Corporation (Xperi Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Beaty, Richard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bost, Dwayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Azari, Sepehr
• Application Number:
  US14/230,997
• Publication Number:
  US 20150277560A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/015 Input arrangements based on nervous system activity detection, e.g. brain waves [EEG] detection, electromyograms [EMG] detection, electrodermal response detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• 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 21/47 End-user applications

Abstract

Methods and systems described herein provide for an integrated approach for controlling a user'"'"'s various devices based on the user'"'"'s brain activity. A user'"'"'s brain activity is monitored with a first user device. A change in the brain activity is detected. In response to detecting the change, data from a second user device is processed. The detected change in brain activity is compared to the processed data to determine whether the change in brain activity is associated with the second user device. In response to determining that the change is associated with the second user device, an option is generated for display on a display screen to control the second user device.

Claims

1. A method for controlling user devices, comprising:

monitoring brain activity of a user with a first user device;

detecting, using control circuitry, a drop in the user'"'"'s attention level based on a change in the brain activity;

in response to detecting the drop, processing, using the control circuitry, event data from a second user device;

comparing, using the control circuitry, a time of the drop to a time in the processed event data to determine whether the drop is associated with the second user device; and

in response to determining that the drop is associated with the second user device, generating for display an option to control the second user device on a display screen.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the display screen is associated with a third user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user device includes a heads-up display.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating for display an option to control a third user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the detecting the drop comprises:

detecting a differential in the brain activity; and

comparing the detected differential to a threshold differential to determine whether the detected differential corresponds to an interruption in the user'"'"'s attention level.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

cross-referencing the event data in a database, wherein the database comprises associations with changes in brain activity; and

based on the associations, determining that one of the changes in brain activity is associated with the event data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein comparing the time of the drop to the event data comprises:

determining that an event occurred at the second user device based on the processed event data; and

determining that a first time associated with occurrence of the event corresponds to a second time associated with the detection of the drop.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting the option to control the second user device based on the brain activity of the user after the drop is detected.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second user device is one of a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, and a desktop computer.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an input from the user to select the displayed option, wherein the input is of a detected facial feature.

11. A system for controlling user devices, comprising:

storage circuitry configured to store brain activity of a user that is monitored with a first user device; and

control circuitry configured to;

detect a drop in the user'"'"'s attention level based on a change in the brain activity;

process event data from a second user device in response to the detecting the drop;

compare a time of the drop to a time in the processed event data to determine whether the drop is associated with the second user device; and

generate for display an option to control the second user device on the display screen.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the display screen is associated with a third user device.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the first user device includes a heads-up display.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to generate for display an option to control a third user device.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the detecting the drop comprises:

detecting a differential in the brain activity; and

comparing the detected differential to a threshold differential to determine whether the detected differential corresponds to an interruption in the user'"'"'s attention level.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

cross-reference the event data in a database, wherein the database comprises associations with changes in brain activity; and

based on the associations, determine that one of the changes in brain activity is associated with the event data.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is configured to compare the time of the drop to the event data by being further configured to:

determine that an event occurred at the second user device based on the processed event data; and

determine that a first time associated with occurrence of the event corresponds to a second time associated with the detection of the drop.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

select the option to control the second user device based on the brain activity of the user after the drop is detected.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein the second user device is one of a mobile phone, a tablet, a laptop computer, and a desktop computer.

20. The system of claim 11, further comprising user input interface circuitry configured to receive an input from the user to select the displayed option, wherein the input is of a detected facial feature.