Method and apparatus for using age and/or gender recognition techniques to customize a user interface

1 . A method of customizing a user interface with respect to a user, comprising:

capturing biometric data of a user engaging a user interface;

identifying at least one characteristic feature within the captured biometric data;

identifying a demographic group to which the user belongs based on the at least one characteristic feature identified; and

modifying a presentation characteristic of the user interface based on the identified demographic group of the user.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of capturing biometric data includes capturing a user's voice via a microphone.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of capturing biometric data includes capturing an image of a user's face via a camera.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of capturing biometric data includes:

obtaining previously stored biometric data of the user;

obtaining an identification associated with the user; and

correlating the previously stored biometric data with the identification.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying a demographic group includes identifying the gender of the user.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying a demographic

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying a presentation characteristic of the user interface includes modifying a visual characteristic of the user interface.

8 . The method of claim 7 , wherein the step of modifying a visual characteristic of the user interface includes:

selecting a color pallet from a plurality of available color pallets; and

presenting the selected color pallet to the user via the user interface.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying a presentation characteristic of the user interface includes modifying an auditory characteristic of the user interface.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of modifying an auditory characteristic of the user interface includes:

selecting a background music item from a plurality of available background music items; and

playing the selected background music item to the user via the user interface.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of modifying an auditory characteristic of the user interface includes:

selecting an electronic human operator voice from a plurality of available electronic human operator voices; and

playing the selected electronic human operator voice to the user via the user interface.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of modifying a presentation characteristic of the user interface includes modifying informational content presented by the user interface.

13 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising presenting an advertisement to the user based on the identified demographic group of the user.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

analyzing an activity of the user engaging the user interface;

determining an advertising topic based upon the analyzed activity; and

selecting an advertisement related to the determined advertising topic to be presented to the user.

15 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising:

identifying a plurality of advertisements related to the determined advertising topic, wherein

the step of selecting an advertisement includes selecting an advertisement from the plurality of advertisements related to the determined advertising topic.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of analyzing the activity of the user includes analyzing the content of documents accessed by the user.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the step of analyzing the activity of the user includes analyzing the content of a conversation to which the user is a part.

18 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recording an activity of the user engaging the user interface;

correlating the recorded activity with the identified demographic group of the user; and

storing data representing the user's recorded activity correlated with the identified demographic group of the user, wherein

the step of modifying a presentation characteristic of the user interface includes modifying a presentation characteristic of the user interface based on the identified demographic group of the user engaging the user interface and the stored data.

19 . An apparatus for customizing a user interface with respect to a user, comprising:

biometric recognition circuitry adapted to:

identify a characteristic feature within captured biometric data of a user engaging a user interface; and

identify a demographic group to which the user belongs based on the characteristic feature identified; and

user interface modification circuitry adapted to modify a presentation characteristic of a user interface engaged by the user based on the identified demographic group of the user.

20 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a microphone adapted to capture the user's voice, wherein the biometric recognition circuitry is adapted to identify a characteristic feature within the user's voice.

21 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising a camera adapted to capture an image of the user's face, wherein the biometric recognition circuitry is adapted to identify a characteristic feature within the image of the user's face.

22 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the biometric recognition circuitry is further adapted to identify the gender of the user.

23 . The apparatus of claim 19 , the biometric recognition circuitry is further adapted to identify an age group to which the user belongs.

24 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to modify a visual characteristic of a user interface engaged by the user.

25 . The apparatus of claim 24 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to:

select a color pallet from a plurality of available color pallets; and

present the selected color pallet to the user via the user interface.

26 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to modify an auditory characteristic of a user interface engaged by the user.

27 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to:

select a background music item from a plurality of available background music items; and

play the selected background music item to the user via the user interface.

28 . The apparatus of claim 26 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to:

select an electronic human operator voice from a plurality of available electronic human operator voices; and

play the selected electronic human operator voice to the user via the user interface.

29 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to modify informational content presented to the user by the user interface.

30 . The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to select an advertisement to be presented to the user by the user interface.

31 . The apparatus of claim 30 , further comprising content analysis circuitry adapted to:

analyze an activity of the user engaging the user interface; and

determine an advertising topic based upon the analyzed activity, wherein

the user interface modification circuitry is further adapted to select an advertisement related to the determined advertising topic to be presented to the user.

32 . The apparatus of claim 31 , wherein the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to:

identify a plurality of advertisements related to the determined advertising topic; and

select an advertisement from the plurality of advertisements related to the determined advertising topic.

33 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein content analysis circuitry is adapted to analyze the content of documents accessed by the user.

34 . The apparatus of claim 32 , wherein content analysis circuitry is adapted to analyze the content of a conversation to which the user is a part.

35 . The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising activity recordation circuitry adapted to:

record an activity of the user engaging the user interface;

correlate the recorded activity with the identified demographic group of the user; and

store data representing the user's recorded activity correlated with the identified demographic group of the user, wherein

the user interface modification circuitry is adapted to modify a presentation characteristic of a user interface engaged by the user based on the identified demographic group of the user and the stored data.

36 . A method of customizing a user interface with respect to a user, comprising:

capturing voice data from a user;

identifying at least one characteristic feature within the captured voice data;

identifying a gender of the user and an age group to which the user belongs based on the at least one characteristic feature identified;

selecting a graphical display characteristic of the user interface from a plurality of available graphical display characteristics based upon the gender and age group identified for the user; and

presenting the selected graphical display characteristic to the user via the user interface.