User profile selection

• US 20060064495A1
• Filed: 08/11/2004
• Published: 03/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Interactive Entertainment Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Tu, Edgar A.
• Application Number:
  US10/917,088
• Publication Number:
  US 20060064495A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/228
• CPC Class Codes: A63F 2300/208 for storing personal settings or data of the player
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/441 Acquiring end-user identification , e.g. using personal code sent by the remote control or by inserting a card
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for selecting a user profile or preference. In one implementation, a controller for controlling a multimedia processing apparatus includes: a user/profile selector configured to enable a user to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier; and a transmitter configured to transmit the selected identifier to the multimedia processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A controller for controlling a multimedia processing apparatus, comprising:

a user/profile selector configured to enable a user to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier; and

a transmitter configured to transmit the selected identifier to the multimedia processing apparatus.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the user/profile selector includes a selection switch configured to enable easy entry of said identifier.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the user/profile selector includes push buttons configured to enable easy entry of said identifier.

4. The controller of claim 1, further comprising

a storage element configured to provide retention of said identifier within the controller.

5. The controller of claim 1, further comprising

an instruction-determining unit configured to determine instructions for controlling the multimedia processing apparatus from inputs entered by the user.

6. A multimedia processing system, comprising:

at least one display;

a multimedia processing apparatus configured to receive and process a plurality of contents spread over a plurality of media; and

a user/profile selector configured to enable a user to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier.

7. The multimedia processing system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of contents includes at least one of still images, moving images, music, broadcasts, and games.

8. The multimedia processing system of claim 6, wherein said plurality of media includes at least one of broadcast media, Internet media, optical disk media, and memory card media.

9. The multimedia processing system of claim 6, wherein the multimedia processing apparatus includes a storage element to store profile/preference data associated said identifier.

10. The multimedia processing system of claim 9, wherein the multimedia processing apparatus includes

a processor to receive said identifier and determine the profile/preference data associated with said identifier, said processor operating to retrieve the profile/preference from the storage element.

11. A method for controlling a multimedia processing apparatus, comprising:

enabling a user to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier; and

transmitting the selected identifier to the multimedia processing apparatus.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing said identifier; and

associating said identifier with pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising

retrieving the pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising

managing operations of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays according to the retrieved profile/preference data.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising

collecting and storing profile/preference data associated with said identifier when the user enters commands and/or preferences.

16. A controller for controlling a multimedia processing apparatus, comprising:

means for enabling a user to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier; and

means for transmitting the selected identifier to the multimedia processing apparatus.

17. The controller of claim 16, further comprising:

means for storing said identifier; and

means for associating said identifier with pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

18. The controller of claim 17, further comprising

means for retrieving the pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

19. The controller of claim 18, further comprising

means for managing operations of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays according to the retrieved profile/preference data.

20. The controller of claim 16, further comprising

means for collecting and storing profile/preference data associated with said identifier when the user enters commands and/or preferences.

21. A computer program, stored in a tangible storage medium, for controlling a multimedia processing apparatus, the program comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

enable a user to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier; and

transmit the selected identifier to the multimedia processing apparatus.

22. The computer program of claim 21, further comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to:

store said identifier; and

associate said identifier with pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

23. The computer program of claim 22, further comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to

retrieve the pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

24. The computer program of claim 23, further comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to

manage operations of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays according to the retrieved profile/preference data.

25. The computer program of claim 21, further comprising executable instructions that cause a computer to

collect and store profile/preference data associated with said identifier when the user enters commands and/or preferences.

26. A controller for controlling a multimedia processing apparatus, comprising:

a user/profile selector configured to select an identifier that identifies a user or profile/preference to the multimedia processing apparatus so that one or more parameters of the multimedia processing apparatus and associated displays can be set according to the profile/preference associated with said identifier;

a memory to store said identifier and pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data; and

a processor to associate said identifier with the pre-selected or pre-collected profile/preference data.

27. The controller of claim 26, wherein

the processor collects and stores the profile/preference associated with said identifier when the user enters commands and/or preferences.