IP Library Granted Patent US 8,233,890
Granted Patent B2
US 8,233,890 · App. 12/776,794 · Granted Jul 31, 2012

Environment independent user preference communication

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,233,890
App. No.
12/776,794
Granted
Jul 31, 2012
Kind
B2
Abstract

Included are embodiments of a method for communicating user preferences to at least one environment. At least one embodiment includes receiving a request from an environment for preference information related to a user and receiving a user identifier from the environment, the user identifier obtained via a portable user device. Other embodiments include determining at least one user preference related to the user, determining capabilities related to the environment, and communicating at least one user preference to the environment.

Claims (39)

1. A method for communicating user preferences to an environment, comprising:

receiving, by a network server, a user identifier from a user communication device of a first user within a first specific environment;

determining a first environment preference theme for the user identifier of the first user, the first environment preference theme being environment independent and indicating a general overall preference for environmental settings as specified by the first user;

selecting, by the network server, at least one environment setting for an electronic device within the first specific environment to be adapted to correspond with the first environment preference theme for the first user; and

communicating the environment setting to the electronic device within the first specific environment.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user, the request being received from a second computing device associated with the first specific environment.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user and a second environment preference theme for a second user; and

determining a primary user from the first user and the second user.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing a graphical user interface that provides an option for the first user to indicate the first environment preference theme.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the first environment preference theme comprises retrieving a category related to the first user.

6. The method of claim 1 , where determining the first environment preference theme includes interpreting a user action in a second specific environment and based on the interpretation of the user action, assigning the first particular environment preference theme to the first user.

7. The method of claim 1 , the environment including at least one of the following: an automobile, a room, a house, a boat, an airplane, a helicopter, a retail establishment, a gym, and an office.

8. A system for communicating user preferences to an environment, comprising:

a memory component that stores:

first logic to receive a user identifier from a user communication device of a first user within a first specific environment;

second logic to determine a first environment preference theme for the user identifier of the first user, the first environment preference theme being environment independent and indicating a general overall preference for environmental settings as specified by the first user;

third logic to select at least one environment setting for an electronic device within the first specific environment to be adapted to correspond with the first environment preference theme for the first user; and

fourth logic to communicate the environment setting to the electronic device within the first specific environment.

9. The system of claim 8 , the memory component further storing logic to receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user, the request being received from a computing device associated with the first specific environment.

10. The system of claim 8 , the memory component further storing:

fifth logic to receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user and a second environment preference theme for a second user; and

sixth logic to receive a primary user from the first user and the second user.

11. The system of claim 8 , the memory component further storing seventh logic to provide a graphical user interface that provides an option for the first user to indicate the first environment preference theme.

12. The system of claim 8 , wherein determining the first environment preference theme comprises retrieving a category related to the first user.

13. The system of claim 8 , where determining the first environment preference theme includes interpreting a user action in a second specific environment and based on the interpretation of the user action, assigning the first particular environment preference theme to the first user.

14. The system of claim 8 , the environment including at least one of the following: an automobile, a room, a house, a boat, an airplane, a helicopter, a retail establishment, a gym, and an office.

15. A non-transitory computer-readable medium for communicating user preferences to an environment that stores a program that, when executed by a computer, causes the computer to perform at least the following:

receive a user identifier from a user communication device of a first user within a first specific environment;

determine a first environment preference theme for the user identifier of the first user, the first environment preference theme being environment independent and indicating a general overall preference for environmental settings as specified by the first user;

select at least one environment setting for an electronic device within the first specific environment to be adapted to correspond with the first environment preference theme for the first user; and

communicate the environment setting to the electronic device within the first specific environment.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the program further causing the computer to receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user, the request being received from a computing device associated with the first specific environment.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the program further causing the computer to perform at least the following:

receive a request for the first environment preference theme for the first user and a second environment preference theme for a second user; and

determine a primary user from the first user and the second user.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , the program further causing the computer to provide a graphical user interface that provides an option for the first user to indicate the first environment preference theme.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , wherein determining the first environment preference theme comprises retrieving a category related to the first user.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 , where determining the first environment preference theme includes interpreting a user action in a second specific environment and based on the interpretation of the user action, assigning the first particular environment preference theme to the first user.

Assignments (7)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 2, 2016
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 040203/0559 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 1, 2016
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
To: APPLE INC.
Reel/Frame 040190/0403 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 4, 2016
From: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 038337/0859 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 4, 2016
From: AT&T BLS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 038337/0864 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Apr 4, 2016
From: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
Reel/Frame 038337/0857 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 4, 2016
From: AT&T DELAWARE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, INC.
To: AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I, L.P.
Reel/Frame 038183/0184 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 10, 2010
From: ZELLNER, SAMUEL N.; O'NEIL, DOUGLAS
To: BELLSOUTH INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024361/0306 →