Method and system for multi-user, multi-device login and content access control and metering and blocking

• US 10,027,676 B2
• Filed: 04/08/2011
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Tran, Dang, Gava, Fabio, Zhu, Yingnan, Shelansky, Andrew, Lovelace, Michael, Zheng, Esther
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Winter, John M
• Application Number:
  US13/083,429
• Publication Number:
  US 20110185437A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,657 Days
• Field of Search: 705 59
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/104 Grouping of entities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children

Abstract

A method and system for multi-user, multi-device content access metering and control is provided. In one embodiment, a system implements a method such that in response to user login requests, the system controls login access by providing multiple users login access to plural electronic devices capable of communicating via a communication system. Further, in response to user content access actions, the system controls access to content by selectively providing content to said one or more users via said one or more electronic devices based on content access policies.

Claims

1. A device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions for execution by the processor, wherein executing the instructions causes the device to;

control display of content for electronic devices in a communication system such that access to the content by multiple users via the electronic devices is controlled, wherein controlling the display of the content is based on executing the instructions to determine content access actions by the electronic devices, and based on content information and user profile information provided to the device,

transmit, in response to receiving a login command and update data information for a logged in list, the updated data information to the electronic devices to update state for a plurality of the electronic devices to maintain a consistent state between the electronic devices, wherein a local device login listener of the shared screen device receives login updates from an active user reporter of another shared screen device, and the local device login listener and the active user reporter maintain the consistent state between the shared screen device and the another shared screen device based on replication of all state changes,

perform content stream control for the electronic devices to control display of content to the multiple users via the electronic devices based on application of selected metering rules, and a content sharing scheme including sharing formulas for modifying the selected metering rules to control simultaneous use of a shared screen device by the multiple users by shared content metering based on determining a split credit content consumption rate between the multiple users, the content sharing scheme includes information for parental content access rules based on user information and sharing information to determine a parental control usage limit for simultaneous content usage for the multiple users, and

control the shared screen device by performing at least one of metering access and blocking access for displaying of the content on the shared screen device for the multiple users by enforcing the selected metering rules, rule sets and the content sharing scheme on the electronic devices and the shared screen device for the multiple users.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the user information includes information relating to user profile and user activity of the multiple users;

the user information is shared between the-electronic devices in the communication system; and

executing the instructions further causes the device to selectively control display of inappropriate content on the shared screen device based on the selected metering rules and the content sharing scheme, and the selected metering rules comprise a configurable set of content sharing rules for allowed content consumption for the multiple users of the shared screen device.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein:

executing the instructions further causes the device to control display of content on the electronic devices by metering display of content for multiple simultaneous users via electronic devices based on the content sharing scheme by altering a metering formula for at least one user of the multiple users, and the content access actions comprise turning on an electronic device, changing a channel for an electronic device, or starting to view video content stored in a network including the electronic devices.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein:

executing the instructions further causes the device to maintain usage accounts for the multiple users and to automatically synchronize the usage accounts across multiple electronic devices, and

content metering limits for each user are enforced to control the electronic devices within the network.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein:

executing the instructions further causes the device to control display of inappropriate content on the shared screen device based on a totality of users accessing content and the content sharing scheme for simultaneous use by concurrent users having varying controlled access.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein:

the communication system comprises a network; and

executing the instructions further causes the device to track presence of multiple users via the electronic devices across the network, and to apply the selected metering rules to control the shared screen device;

the selected metering rules comprise a configurable set of content sharing rules for controlling the display of the shared screen device to meter and block content on the shared screen device based on a list of users utilizing the shared screen device and usage history for each user across all electronic devices in the network.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein executing the instructions further causes the device to control display of the content on the shared screen device to meter usage between multiple users of varying ages and having varying maturity level access for parental control.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein executing the instructions further causes the device to control the electronic devices to provide content access limits for a user and to enforce the limits across the electronic devices in the network based on user usage limits for the electronic devices.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein executing the instructions further causes the device to control display of content on the shared screen device to selectively meter content access for a user based on the configurable set of content sharing rules to provide an incentive for content consumption based on concurrent shared access with another particular user.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein each electronic device allows multiple users to be logged on or logged off a particular electronic device concurrently, and executing the instructions further causes the device to provide sharing user profiles and activity between multiple electronic devices.

11. A non-transitory processor-readable medium that includes a program that when executed by a processor performs a method comprising:

controlling electronic devices to control access to content by multiple users based on an access controller device determining parental control content access actions via electronic devices that communicate in a communication system and based on provided content information and user profile information;

transmitting, in response to receiving a login command and updating data information for a logged in list, the updated data information to the electronic devices to update state for a plurality of the electronic devices to maintain a consistent state between the electronic devices, wherein a local device login listener of the shared screen device receives login updates from an active user reporter of another shared screen device, and the local device login listener and the active user reporter maintain the consistent state between the shared screen device and the another shared screen device based on replication of all state changes;

performing content stream control for the electronic devices for controlling display of content to the multiple users via the electronic devices based on the access controller device application of selected metering rules, and a content sharing scheme including sharing formulas for modifying the selected metering rules to control simultaneous use of the shared screen device by shared content metering based on determining a split credit content consumption rate between the multiple users, the content sharing scheme includes information for parental control content consumption metering based on user information and a sharing information to determine a parental control usage limit for display of the content on the shared screen device to the multiple users;

controlling content display on the shared screen device by performing at least one of;

metering access and blocking access, by the access controller device, for displaying of the content on the shared screen device for the multiple users by enforcing the selected metering rules, rule sets and the content sharing scheme on the electronic devices and the shared screen device for the multiple users; and

maintaining the content sharing scheme in a memory unit.

12. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 11, the method further comprising:

selectively controlling display of inappropriate content on the shared screen device to multiple simultaneous users of the shared screen device based on the selected metering rules and the content sharing scheme;

wherein;

the user information includes information relating to user profile and user activity of the multiple users;

the user information is shared between the electronic devices in the communication system; and

the selected metering rules comprise a configurable set of content sharing rules for the content consumption rates for the multiple users of the shared screen device.

13. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 12, the method further comprising:

determining, by the access controller device, the content access actions via the electronic devices, wherein the content access actions comprise turning on an electronic device, changing a channel for an electronic device, or starting to view video content stored in a network including the electronic devices.

14. The non-transitory processor-readable medium-of claim 13, the method further comprising:

maintaining usage accounts for the multiple users and automatically synchronizing the usage accounts across multiple electronic devices, wherein metering limits for each user are enforced across all devices within the network.

15. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 14, the method further comprising:

controlling display of inappropriate content on the shared screen device based on a totality of users accessing the shared screen device and the content sharing scheme for simultaneous use by concurrent users.

16. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 15, wherein:

the communication system comprises the network; and

the method further comprises;

tracking presence of multiple users via the electronic devices across the network, and applying the configurable set of content sharing rules for controlling display of content on the shared screen device based on a list of users utilizing the shared screen device and usage history for each user across all electronic devices in the network.

17. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 16, the method further comprising:

controlling display of content on the shared screen devices between multiple users of varying ages and for varying maturity level access.

18. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 17, the method further comprising:

providing content access limits for a user and controlling display of content for the electronic devices to enforce the limits across the electronic devices in the network based on user usage limits for the electronic devices.

19. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 18, the method further comprising:

selectively controlling the shared screen device to meter display of content for a user based on the configurable set of content sharing rules that provide an incentive for content consumption based on concurrent shared access with another particular user by altering a metering formula for at least one of the user and the another particular user.

20. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 19, wherein:

each electronic device provides for multiple users to be logged on or logged off the electronic device concurrently; and

the method further comprises;

sharing user profiles and activity between multiple electronic devices.

21. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the configurable set of content sharing rules comprises:

rating rules based on user age, rating rules based on experts selections, rules based on family settings, or rules based on family interaction histories.

22. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 21, wherein the rules based on family settings comprise:

blocking, content consumption allowance, multiple users weights/offsets, family geographic weights/offsets, family demographic weights/offsets, or family social affiliation weights/offsets.

23. The non-transitory processor-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the rules based on family interaction histories comprise:

multi-device multi-user login history, users or family credits usage history, users or family show rating history or users or family device usage schedule history.

24. A method comprising:

controlling, by an access controller device, display on electronic devices to control content access by multiple users based on using parental control content access actions via the electronic devices in a communication system, provided content information and provided user profile information;

transmitting, in response to receiving a login command and updating data information for a logged in list, the updated data information to the electronic devices to update state for a plurality of the electronic devices to maintain a consistent state between the electronic devices, wherein a local device login listener of the shared screen device receives login updates from an active user reporter of another shared screen device, and the local device login listener and the active user reporter maintain the consistent state between the shared screen device and the another shared screen device based on replication of all state changes;

performing content stream control for the electronic devices for controlling, by the access controller device, the electronic devices to control display of content for the multiple users via the electronic devices based on applying selected metering rules and a content sharing scheme including sharing formulas for modifying the selected metering rules to control simultaneous use of the shared screen device by shared content metering based on determining a split credit content consumption rate between the multiple users, the content sharing scheme includes information for parental control content access rules based on user information and sharing information to determine a parental control usage limit for simultaneous content usage for the multiple users;

controlling, by the access controller device, content display on the shared screen device by performing at least one of metering access and blocking access of displayed content for the multiple users by enforcing the selected metering rules, rule sets and the content sharing scheme on the electronic devices and the shared screen device for the multiple users and

maintaining the selected metering rules and the content sharing scheme in a memory unit.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein:

the user information includes information relating to user profile and user activity of the multiple users;

the user information is shared between the electronic devices in the communication system; and

the content sharing scheme comprises content access rules for controlling access to content by each user via the shared screen device.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the content sharing scheme comprises content consumption rules for controlling amount of access to content by each user via an electronic device in the communication system by altering a metering formula for at least one user of the multiple users.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the content sharing scheme comprises configuring the selected metering rules that comprise content access rules, and the content consumption rules for the multiple users based on concurrent shared access to content via the shared screen device.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the content access rules comprise:

rating rules based on user age, rating rules based on experts selections, rules based on family settings, or rules based on family interaction histories.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein:

selectively controlling the electronic devices to control display of content comprises controlling the display on the electronic devices to meter content and to block inappropriate content to multiple simultaneous users based on the content sharing scheme.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising maintaining usage accounts for the multiple users and automatically synchronizing the usage accounts across multiple electronic devices.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein:

controlling content display on the shared screen device blocks inappropriate content based on a totality of users accessing content and the content sharing scheme for simultaneous use of the shared screen device.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the communication system comprises a network; and

the method further comprising tracking presence of multiple users via the electronic devices across the network, and applying the selected metering rules that comprise a configurable set of content sharing rules for controlling display of the shared screen device to meter and block content on the shared screen device based on a list of users utilizing the shared screen device and usage history for each user across all electronic devices in the network.

33. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

controlling display of the shared screen device to meter usage between multiple users of varying ages having varying maturity level access.

34. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

controlling display on the electronic devices to provide content access limits for a user and enforcing the limits across the electronic devices in the network.

35. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

selectively controlling display on the shared screen device to meter content access for a user based on the selected metering rules that comprise a configurable set of content sharing rules that provide an incentive for content consumption based on concurrent shared access with another particular user.

36. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

each of the-electronic devices allowing multiple users to be logged on or logged off the electronic device concurrently; and

sharing user profiles and activity between the electronic devices.

37. The method of claim 24, further comprising:

controlling each of the electronic devices to control access by accepting concurrent multiple user access actions to each of the electronic devices;

maintaining user access action status;

sharing user access action status information among multiple electronic devices in the communication system; and

providing the user access action status information to users of the multiple electronic devices.

38. The method of claim 37, further comprising:

maintaining profile data for each user, the profile data including at least one of;

user identification information and personal preferences, shared profile information, and private profile information; and

sharing information from user profile data of multiple users among multiple electronic devices in the communication system, wherein each of the multiple users is concurrently logged into at least one electronic device in the communication system.

39. The method of claim 38, further comprising:

providing each logged in user of an electronic device information about the current state and location of other logged in users of electronic devices in the communication system.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein:

at least one of the electronic devices comprises a communal electronic device configured for concurrent use by multiple users; and

at least one of the electronic devices comprises a personal electronic device configured for use by an individual user.

41. A method, comprising:

at a control device having one or more processors and memory storing instructions for execution by the one or more processors, wherein the control device is one of one or more devices in a communication system;

detecting a request for simultaneous access to content via a first device of the one or more devices by a first user and a second user who are logged into the first device, wherein the first and second users are assigned respective credit allowances corresponding to respective limits for accessing content via the one or more devices, wherein the one or more devices maintain a consistent state between the one or more devices, the first device is a first shared screen device, a local device login listener of the first device receives login updates from an active user reporter of a second shared screen device, and the local device login listener and the active user reporter maintain the consistent state between the first shared screen device and the second shared screen device based on replication of all state changes;

for the first and second users, identifying respective metering rules specifying respective rates at which credit allowances are consumed while accessing content via the one or more devices;

identifying a sharing scheme that includes one or more sharing formulas for modifying one or more of the respective metering rules for the first and second users, wherein the one or more modified metering rules are applied during simultaneous access to content by the first and second users;

based on the one or more sharing formulas of the identified sharing scheme, modifying one or more of the respective metering rules for the first and second users to obtain the one or more modified metering rules by shared content metering based on determining a split credit content consumption rate between the first and second users; and

providing the requested access to content via the first device in accordance with the one or more modified metering rules.