Methods and systems for location specific operations

• US 9,769,522 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2013
• Issued: 09/19/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Dish Network Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Richardson, Jon
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOYD, ALEXANDER L
• Application Number:
  US14/107,132
• Publication Number:
  US 20150172742A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,373 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4112 having fewer capabilities than the client, e.g. thin client having less processing power or no tuning capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/439 Processing of audio elementary streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing a video clip retrieved from local storage with an incoming video stream or rendering scenes according to encoded video stream scene graphs
• 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 21/4524 involving the geographical location of the client retrieval from the Internet by querying based on geographical locations G06F16/9537; systems specially adapted for using geographical information in broadcast systems H04H60/70; protocols in which the network application is adapted for the location of the user terminal in communication control or processing H04L67/52; services making use of the location of users or terminals in wireless networks H04W4/02; locating users or terminals in wireless networks H04W64/00

Abstract

Systems and methods for performing user accommodations are described. An exemplary system may include an electronic device configured to receive audiovisual content and/or user inputs. The electronic device may further include one or more processors as well as memory, which when executed by the one or more processors, cause them to perform one or more locating functions to locate one or more users of the electronic device, and determine a level of interaction for the one or more users based at least in part on the location. The one or more processors may further be caused to perform at least one accommodation function based at least in part on the determined level of interaction for the one or more users or location of the one or more users.

Claims

1. An electronic device comprising:

at least one audiovisual content input component;

at least one output component communicatively coupled with at least one display device;

one or more processors; and

memory communicatively coupled with and readable by the one or more processors and having stored therein processor-readable instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors cause the one or more processors to;

perform one or more locating functions to locate one or more users of the electronic device, wherein at least one of the one or more users is located based on an identified location of a controlling device comprising a personal mobile device, wherein the controlling device is configured to send signal information to the electronic device on a predetermined basis, wherein the signal information comprises location information, and wherein the predetermined basis comprises sending the signal information each time the controlling device is moved,

access storage of the electronic device comprising user identities associated with a plurality of personal mobile devices,

confirm a user identity associated with the controlling device, wherein confirming the user identity comprises transmitting a message to the personal mobile device, wherein the message comprises a query of the identity of the user based on the user identity associated with the personal mobile device included in storage of the electronic device,

determine a level of interaction for the one or more users based at least in part on the location, wherein the electronic device determines that the user has a high level of interaction based on a selected level of engagement by the user, wherein the selected level of engagement comprises a selection of a high level of engagement by the user, and

perform at least one accommodation function based at least in part on the determined level of interaction for the one or more users or the location of the one or more users.

2. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors cause the electronic device to perform a scan to locate the one or more users.

3. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the controlling device is communicatively coupled with the electronic device.

4. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the accommodation function comprises an adjustment of at least one audiovisual component.

5. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the accommodation function comprises automatically adjusting an audio component.

6. The electronic device of claim 4, wherein the accommodation function comprises automatically adjusting a video component.

7. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are further caused to identify at least one user as a controlling user subsequent to locating that user.

8. The electronic device of claim 7, wherein the accommodation function comprises an automatic adjustment of a display property for the audiovisual content based on a predetermined preference of the controlling user.

9. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the accommodation function comprises, in response to the selected level of engagement by the user, making available at least one interactive component of a broadcast being transmitted from the electronic device to the display device.

10. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the electronic device determines that the user has a low level of interaction at a time subsequent to determining that the user has a high level of interaction.

11. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the electronic device determines that the low level of interaction is based on a user having moved to another location based on a received signal from the controlling device, and wherein the accommodation function comprises automatically transferring a broadcast from the display device to an alternative display device.

12. The electronic device of claim 10, wherein the accommodation function comprises automatically transmitting an interactive message to the display device or a controlling device requesting a response from at least one user.

13. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the message comprises a request to transfer a broadcast from the display device communicatively coupled with the electronic device to an alternative display device.

14. The electronic device of claim 12, wherein the message comprises a request for response based on inactivity determined by the electronic device, and wherein the message is transmitted to the controlling device.

15. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one accommodation function comprises adjusting a display format based on a predetermined user preference automatically without further user input subsequent confirming the user identity associated with the controlling device.

16. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the processors are further configured to locate at least two users, wherein the at least one accommodation function performed comprises displaying a split screen automatically without further user input subsequent confirming the user identities of the at least two users, and wherein the split screen is split according to the location of each of the at least two users as determined by the electronic device.

17. The electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one accommodation function comprises providing advertisements selected at the electronic device based on demographics of the user associated with the personal mobile device.

18. A method of accommodating a user of an electronic device, the method comprising:

locating one or more users with the electronic device wherein at least one of the one or more users is located based on an identified location of a controlling device comprising a personal mobile device, wherein the controlling device is configured to send signal information to the electronic device on a predetermined basis, wherein the signal information comprises location information, and wherein the predetermined basis comprises sending the signal information each time the controlling device is moved;

access storage of the electronic device comprising user identities associated with a plurality of personal mobile devices;

confirm a user identity associated with the controlling device, wherein confirming the user identity comprises transmitting a message to the personal mobile device, wherein the message comprises a query of the identity of the user based on the user identity associated with the personal mobile device included in storage of the electronic device;

determining with the electronic device a level of interaction for the one or more users based at least in part on the location of the one or more users, wherein the electronic device determines that the user has a high level of interaction based on a selected level of engagement by the user, wherein the selected level of engagement comprises a selection of a high level of engagement by the user; and

performing at least one accommodation with the electronic device based at least in part on the determined level of interaction for the one or more users or the location of the one or more users.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the method further comprises identifying at least one user of the one or more users as a controlling user after locating that user.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the identifying comprises:

determining an identity of the controlling user; and

presenting a message to the user requesting confirmation of the identity of the controlling user.