Method and system for dynamically assignable user interface

• US 9,646,145 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Issued: 05/09/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Synacor, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Synacor, Inc.
• Inventors: Vida, Gabor, Mackenzie, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Abrishamkar, Kaveh
• Application Number:
  US14/371,072
• Publication Number:
  US 20150020191A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,582 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/32 using biometric data, e.g. fingerprints, iris scans or voiceprints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/44 Program or device authentication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

With their ubiquitous nature and perceived personalized character portable electronic devices are increasingly forming part of individual'"'"'s life as applications exist for practically anything today and new ones are released daily. It is therefore increasingly important for these electronic devices to dynamically adapt applications, information, user interface etc. According to embodiments of the invention user interfaces provide: Biometric Recognition—the user interface (UI) configuration discretely or in combination with other context factors varies according to the identity of the recognized user; Electronic Environment Context—the electronic environment to the electronic device provides contextual basis for the UI; Dynamic Context Adjustment?, and Micro-Contexts —the UI configuration UI adapts as macro- and micro-contexts change with macro-contexts divided into multiple micro-contexts; Intuitive User Interface—user motions are more intuitive and more closely resemble real world actions; and Smart Agent—application notifications are parsed for impact to other actions/activities in other applications.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a sensor for acquiring a biometric characteristic of a user of an electronic device;

providing a microprocessor executing a user interface application relating to a user interface for the electronic device;

providing a memory forming part of the electronic device for storing;

the user interface application;

at least one reference biometric characteristic of a plurality of reference biometric characteristics, each reference biometric characteristic relating to an authorised user of the electronic device;

at least one contextual dashboard of a plurality of contextual dashboards, wherein each contextual dashboard relates to configurations for a predetermined set of software applications to be provided to a predetermined authorised user; and

at least one user profile of a plurality of user profiles, each user profile associated with an authorised user of the electronic device and a predetermined portion of the plurality of contextual dashboards;

determining whether an intended user of the electronic device is an authorised user based upon acquiring a biometric characteristic of the user acquired with the sensor and comparing the acquired biometric characteristic with the plurality of reference biometric characteristics stored within the memory of the electronic device; and

upon determining the intended user is an authorised user displaying on the electronic device a contextual dashboard, the contextual dashboard selected in dependence upon the authorised user, a macro-context of the electronic device and a micro-context of the electronic device;

wherein

establishing the micro-context comprises automatically detecting the presence of additional individuals with the user in the immediate vicinity of the user by processing acquired biometric characteristics from the sensor employed in establishing the user as an authorised user to identify the presence of any other users than the authorised user; and

the contextual dashboard displayed where the micro-context includes the presence of additional individuals is established either by applying at least one of predetermined limitations and predetermined settings with respect to a contextual dashboard that would have been presented to the authorised user without detecting the presence of additional individuals and closing the user interface application.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein

processing acquired biometric characteristics from the sensor comprises at least one of analyzing the remainder of an image acquired for facial recognition of the user and processing an audio signal from a microphone.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein

the micro-context is determined in dependence upon at least one associated device identity of a plurality of device identities, each associated device being in communication with the electronic device through at least one wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces.

4. A method comprising:

providing a user interface application in execution upon a device comprising at least a memory and a microprocessor;

providing a plurality of contextual dashboards within the memory, each contextual dashboard relating to the identities and settings of a predetermined set of software applications;

providing a plurality of reference biometric characteristics, each reference biometric characteristic relating to an authorised user of the device;

establishing a first contextual dashboard upon a display in dependence upon the user interface application, an identity of a user of the device, a macro-context, and a micro-context;

detecting a change in at least one of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context;

dynamically determining whether to modify the first contextual dashboard to a second contextual dashboard where the detected change is with respect to at least one of the macro-context and the micro-context, the second contextual dashboard being determined in dependence upon the user interface application, the changed at least one of the macro-context and the micro-context and the unchanged at least one of the macro-context and the micro-context;

dynamically determining whether to modify the first contextual dashboard to a third contextual dashboard where the detected change is with respect to the user identity and the change is from one authorised user to another authorised user, the third contextual dashboard being determined in dependence upon at least the user interface application and the user identity of the another authorised user; and

dynamically disabling the user interface application where the detected change is with respect to the user identity and the change is from an authorised user to an unauthorised user;

wherein

either establishing the micro-context employed in initially establishing the first context dashboard or detecting the change in the micro-context comprises automatically detecting the presence of additional individuals with the user in the immediate vicinity of the user by processing acquired biometric characteristics from a biometric sensor employed in establishing the user as an authorised user to identify the presence of any other users than the authorised user; and

modifying the first contextual dashboard to the second contextual dashboard where the detected change in the micro-context includes detecting the presence of additional individuals is either applying at least one of predetermined limitations and predetermined settings with respect to software applications that are accessible via the user interface application and closing the user interface application.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein

detecting a change in the user identity comprises employing a sensor providing a biometric characteristic of the user of the device.

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein

closing the user interface application also comprises alerting the user.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein

the device automatically stores and analyses aspects of the user'"'"'s use of the device together with information relating to macro-contexts and micro-contexts at the time of storing the aspects of the user'"'"'s use of the device and prompts the user to the potential of creating a new contextual dashboard to improve their use of the device.

8. The method according to claim 4, wherein

dynamically modifying comprises at least one of changing the contextual dashboard in a single event and changing aspects of the first contextual dashboard to provide the second contextual dashboard in a series of steps based upon activity with the applications within the first contextual dashboard.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein

processing acquired biometric characteristics from the sensor comprises at least one of analyzing the remainder of an image acquired for facial recognition of the user and processing an audio signal from a microphone.

10. A device comprising:

a sensor for acquiring a biometric characteristic of a user of an electronic device;

a microprocessor; and

a non-volatile, non-transitory memory for storing;

at least one reference biometric characteristic of a plurality of reference biometric characteristics, each reference biometric characteristic relating to an authorised user of the device;

at least one contextual dashboard of a plurality of contextual dashboards, wherein each contextual dashboard relates to configurations for a predetermined set of software applications to be provided to a predetermined authorised user; and

at least one user profile of a plurality of user profiles, each user profile associated with an authorised user of the electronic device and a predetermined portion of the plurality of contextual dashboards; and

the user interface application stored as executable instructions;

wherein

the microprocessor executes the executable instructions of the user interface application for;

determining whether an intended user of the device is an authorised user based upon acquiring a biometric characteristic of the user acquired with the sensor and comparing the acquired biometric characteristic with the plurality of reference biometric characteristics stored within the memory of the electronic device; and

upon determining the intended user is an authorised user displaying on the electronic device a contextual dashboard, the contextual dashboard selected in dependence upon the authorised user, a macro-context of the electronic device and a micro-context of the electronic device;

wherein

establishing the micro-context comprises automatically detecting the presence of additional individuals with the user in the immediate vicinity of the user by processing acquired biometric characteristics from the sensor employed in establishing the user as an authorised user to identify the presence of any other users than the authorised user; and

the contextual dashboard displayed where the micro-context includes the presence of additional individuals is established either by applying at least one of predetermined limitations and predetermined settings with respect to a contextual dashboard that would have been presented to the authorised user without detecting the presence of additional individuals and closing the user interface application.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the contextual dashboard relates to configurations for a predetermined set of software applications, said configurations including at least one of location, size, status, and permission rights.

12. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the micro-context is determined in dependence upon at least one associated device identity of a plurality of device identities, each associated device being in communication with the electronic device through at least one wireless interface of a plurality of wireless interfaces.

13. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the microprocessor further executes the executable instructions of the user interface application for:

detecting a change in at least one of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context; and

dynamically modifying the first contextual dashboard to a second contextual dashboard, the second contextual dashboard being determined in dependence upon the user interface application, the changed at least one of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context and the unchanged at least one of the user identity, the macro-context and the micro-context.

14. The device according to claim 13, wherein

detecting a change in the user identity comprises employing a sensor providing a biometric characteristic of the user of the device.

15. The device according to claim 13, wherein

closing the user interface application also comprises alerting the user.

16. The device according to claim 13, wherein

dynamically modifying comprises at least one of changing the contextual dashboard in a single event and changing aspects of the first contextual dashboard to provide the second contextual dashboard in a series of steps based upon activity with the applications within the first contextual dashboard.

17. The device according to claim 10, wherein

the device automatically stores and analyses aspects of the user'"'"'s use of the device together with information relating to macro-contexts and micro-contexts at the time of storing the aspects of the user'"'"'s use of the device and prompts the user to the potential of creating a new contextual dashboard to improve their use of the device.

18. The device according to claim 10, wherein

processing acquired biometric characteristics from the sensor comprises at least one of analyzing the remainder of an image acquired for facial recognition of the user and processing an audio signal from a microphone.