Configuration responsive to a device

• US 9,542,083 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2014
• Issued: 01/10/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/04/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast Cable Communications LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Jou, Michael, Loretan, Thomas, Epstein, Neil, Maletz, Julie Biron, Elison, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Schwartz, Darren B
• Application Number:
  US14/560,458
• Publication Number:
  US 20160164731A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/1632 External expansion units, e.g. docking stations
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/31 User authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0393 Accessories for touch pads or touch screens, e.g. mechanical guides added to touch screens for drawing straight lines, hard keys overlaying touch screens or touch pads
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/10 for controlling access to devices or network resources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/40 Client devices specifically adapted for the reception of or interaction with content, e.g. set-top-box [STB]; Operations thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42226 Reprogrammable remote control devices
• 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

Abstract

Various features described herein may include updating settings on a device in response to a themed cover being placed on a device (e.g., a remote control) associated with the device. The settings may be updated to correspond to a theme of the themed cover. Alternatively or additionally, the device may receive access to different content based on the theme. For example, a device may receive filtered content in response to a child-themed cover. In another example, the device may receive additional football-related content in response to a football-themed cover. The device may revert to its original settings and content access in response to the remote control being removed from the themed cover. In some embodiments, a device may update settings or content access in response to other themed devices (e.g., wearable devices) being within a threshold distance of the device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device from a remote device associated with the computing device, an indication that a themed object has been detected by the remote device;

determining that a theme associated with the themed object comprises a child theme; and

responsive to receiving the indication, updating at least one setting associated with the computing device based at least in part on the theme associated with the themed object, wherein the updating the at least one setting comprises enacting a parental control.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the updating the at least one setting comprises updating a user interface of the computing device to correspond with the theme associated with the themed object.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an indication that the themed object is no longer detectable by the remote device;

requesting an unlock code; and

in response to receiving the unlock code, disabling the parental control associated with the computing device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating for display a confirmation prompt requesting confirmation from a user of the computing device before the updating the at least one setting associated with the computing device in response to the indication.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

filtering a listing of content available on the computing device, the filtering based on the theme associated with the themed object.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

enabling additional content in response to the indication.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

setting a recording for content in response to the indication.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

adding a plurality of calendar events to a calendar associated with a user of the computing device in response to the indication.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the at least one setting associated with the computing device comprises updating a plurality of home-automation settings to respond to an event associated with the theme associated with the themed object.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

selecting targeted content based on the theme associated with the themed object; and

receiving, by the computing device, the selected targeted content.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

updating at least one setting on each of a plurality of additional devices in response to the indication.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the themed object is a themed cover, and wherein the indication further indicates that the themed cover was detected when the themed cover was placed on the remote device.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a different indication that a different themed object has been detected by a different remote device associated with the computing device;

performing a mediation between a first preference for the at least one setting and a second preference for the at least one setting, wherein the first preference is based on the theme associated with the themed object, and the second preference is based on a different theme associated with the different themed object; and

updating the at least one setting associated with the computing device in response to the mediation.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein detection of the themed object by the remote device comprises detection of the themed object based on communication via at least one of near-field communication, WiFi, BLUETOOTH, a body area network, a personal area network, host card emulation, ZIGBEE, Z-WAVE, and INSTEON.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device from a remote device associated with the computing device, an indication that a themed object has been detected by the remote device;

responsive to receiving the indication, updating at least one setting associated with the computing device based at least in part on a theme associated with the themed object, wherein the at least one setting comprises a parental control;

receiving an indication that the themed object is no longer detectable by the remote device;

requesting an unlock code; and

in response to receiving the unlock code, disabling the parental control associated with the computing device.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the updating the at least one setting comprises updating a user interface of the computing device to correspond with the theme associated with the themed object.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that the theme associated with the themed object comprises a child theme,

wherein the updating the at least one setting comprises enacting the parental control based on the determining that the theme associated with the themed object comprises the child theme.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

generating for display a confirmation prompt requesting confirmation from a user of the computing device before the updating the at least one setting associated with the computing device in response to the indication.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

filtering a listing of content available on the computing device, the filtering based on the theme associated with the themed object.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising at least one of:

enabling additional content in response to the indication; and

setting a recording for content in response to the indication.

21. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

adding a plurality of calendar events to a calendar associated with a user of the computing device in response to the indication.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein updating the at least one setting associated with the computing device comprises updating a plurality of home-automation settings to respond to an event associated with the theme associated with the themed object.

23. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

selecting targeted content based on the theme associated with the themed object; and

receiving, by the computing device, the selected targeted content.

24. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

updating at least one setting on each of a plurality of additional devices in response to the indication.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the themed object is a themed cover, and wherein the indication further indicates that the themed cover was detected when the themed cover was placed on the remote device.

26. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving a different indication that a different themed object has been detected by a different remote device associated with the computing device;

performing a mediation between a first preference for the at least one setting and a second preference for the at least one setting, wherein the first preference is based on the theme associated with the themed object, and the second preference is based on a different theme associated with the different themed object; and

updating the at least one setting associated with the computing device in response to the mediation.

27. A method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device from a first remote device associated with the computing device, a first indication that a first themed object has been detected by the first remote device;

responsive to receiving the first indication, updating a setting associated with the computing device based on a first preference for the setting, the first preference based on a first theme associated with the first themed object;

receiving a second indication that a second themed object has been detected by a second remote device associated with the computing device;

performing a mediation between the first preference for the setting and a second preference for the setting, the second preference based on a second theme associated with the second themed object; and

updating the setting associated with the computing device in response to the mediation.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the updating the setting comprises updating a user interface of the computing device to correspond with one of the first theme associated with the first themed object and the second theme associated with the second themed object.

29. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

determining that one of the first theme and the second theme comprises a child theme,

wherein the updating the setting comprises enacting a parental control on the computing device based on the determining that the one of the first theme and the second theme comprises the child theme.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

receiving a third indication that the first themed object is no longer detectable by the first remote device;

requesting an unlock code; and

in response to receiving the unlock code, disabling a parental control on the computing device.

31. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

generating for display a confirmation prompt requesting confirmation from a user of the computing device before the updating the setting associated with the computing device.

32. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

filtering a listing of content available on the computing device, the filtering based on one of the first theme and the second theme.

33. The method of claim 27, further comprising at least one of:

enabling additional content in response to one of the first indication and the second indication; and

setting a recording for content in response to one of the first indication and the second indication.

34. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

adding a plurality of calendar events to a calendar associated with a user of the computing device in response to one of the first indication and the second indication.

35. The method of claim 27, wherein the updating the setting associated with the computing device comprises updating a plurality of home-automation settings to respond to an event associated with one of the first theme and the second theme.

36. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

selecting targeted content based on one of the first theme and the second theme; and

receiving, by the computing device, the selected targeted content.

37. The method of claim 27, further comprising:

updating at least one setting on each of a plurality of additional devices in response to one of the first indication and the second indication.

38. The method of claim 27, wherein the first themed object is a themed cover, and wherein the first indication further indicates that the themed cover was detected when the themed cover was placed on the first remote device.