Patent Publication Number: US-2006005226-A1

Title: System and method for synchronization of a portable media player to a user&#39;s profile

Description:
RELATIONSHIP TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims the benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 60/572,018, filed May 17, 2004, the content of which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND  
      1. Field of the Disclosure  
      The disclosure relates to portable media players; and, more particularly, to synchronization of such players relating to a user&#39;s profile.  
      2. Related Art  
      Portable media players (PMP) are well known in the art. These players are usually pocket size devices that can store hundreds of movies, games, or other media on a built-in hard drive, memory card, or removable storage, and play the same back when desired.  
      Data content providers download a wide variety of content to such players, usually requested by the user.  
     SUMMARY  
      It is an object of this disclosure to download content to a portable media player based on the user&#39;s profile.  
      It is a further object of this disclosure to download content to a portable media player related to information previously provided by the user.  
      It is still further an object of this disclosure to download content to a portable media player related to information obtained from the users prior downloads over a period of time.  
      It is another object of this disclosure to download content to a portable media player based on the mood of the user of the player. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
      A portable media player is one which is adapted to store and playback various media that may be downloaded after purchase, or purchased by subscription or the like, such as:  
      1. Personal video content;  
      2. Media company content, including, but not limited to, movies, broadcast content, trailers, etc.;  
      3. Music;  
      4. Voice recordings;  
      5. Photos and other images;  
      6. Data in general.  
      As particularly contemplated on the present disclosure, the provider of media content can develop a profile of the user both initially, based on input from the user, or over a period of time. A user&#39;s profile can be developed initially by use of a questionnaire or the like to see what type of media or other content a user is interested in. For example, a user may like action movies or role playing video games. Thus, the provider would have a profile on the user of the player and download a movie, such as an action movie, to the player depending on the financial arrangement with the user. For example, a user may pre-authorize such downloads or authorize the same when advised of the subject matter.  
      Over time, the provider of such content can refine the initial user profile depending on the content actually downloaded. For example, the downloaded history of the player may show that the user likes rock concerts which was not indicated in the user&#39;s original questionnaire or original profile. The content provider will be able to advise the user that a particular concert is available for downloading.  
      Another profiling of the user may be related to the mood of the user at a particular time. For example, a sensor may be provided in a computer touch pad coupled to the computer which analyzes the mood of the user and sends a signal to the content provider over the internet. Such sensing means may be provided in the player itself and analyzes the mood of the user when the user accesses content on the player. For example, the user&#39;s profile over time may show a liking for animated films and the user&#39;s mood may be happy when-viewing such films. The sensor in the pad or player detects such happy mood and suggests a particular animated film to the user.  
      Thus, merely holding the portable media player or touching the pad may detect the mood of the user. This may be accomplished by detecting the temperature of the user, the user&#39;s pulse, perspiration of the user, etc. The analysis is used by the portable media player or transmitted to the content provider and content relating to the user&#39;s mood is either selected from the current files on the player or is downloaded to the user of the portable media player. These files are then used to generate a playlist based on the user&#39;s mood. Such download may be further personalized to the user. The mood of the user can be used to determine what future content should be delivered to the user. The aforementioned playlist may be generated using fuzzy logic technology from the mood signals picked up, from past viewing experiences, initial questionnaire, etc.  
      It can be seen that content may be downloaded to a portable media device during synchronization based on the particular user&#39;s profile. For example, the content may be limited to certain MPAA movie ratings (or the parent&#39;s own ratings parameters, if a child is involved), particular characters, themes, etc. Alternatively, the content may be filtered for certain moods of the user. As discussed, a biometric sensor may be provided in a computer pad or in the portable media device actuated by touch to determine the user&#39;s mood automatically and download and/or play compatible content depending on the user&#39;s mood.  
      It can be seen that there is disclosed a system for synchronizing a portable media player for downloading of content to the player and playing the downloaded content on the player. The system includes a profile synchronizing means associated with the player for synchronizing content downloaded to the player related to the profile of the user of the player. The profile synchronizing means may synchronizes content related to a profile of the user of the player entered into the player and conveyed to the portable media player or to the provider of the content at the time of initiation of the player for downloading of content. The synchronized content related to the profile of the user of the player may be developed over a period of time due to the type of content previously downloaded by the user.  
      The profile associated with the user of the player may synchronize content on the player depending on the mood of the user of the player. The profile synchronizing means includes mood sensing means associated with the player for sensing the mood of the user of the player and conveying the sensed mood to the provider of the content. The profile synchronizing means is associated with a pad coupled to either the portable media player or to a computer having the mood sensing means therein electronically coupled to either the portable media player or to a computer.  
      Temperature detecting means may be associated with the player for detecting the temperature of the player or user. Pulse monitoring means may also be provided associated with the player for monitoring the pulse of the user of the player.  
      Perspiration detection means may be provided associated with the player for detecting changes in perspiration of the user of the player. Fuzzy logic means may be associated with the synchronizing means for determining the mood of the user of the player.  
      The profile conveying means associated with the player may include means for conveying the profile of the player to the source of the content.  
      The method disclosed herein for synchronizing a portable media player to the downloading of content to the player and playing the content on the player synchronizes content downloaded to the player related to the profile of the user of the player. Playlists may be generated based on the user&#39;s mood, profile and/or past history of playback. The playlist may consist of elements of content (e.g., music, movies, television, personal video or audio, etc.) that is packaged together for playback and the user may watch the playlist in either consecutive order, randomly, and/or may skip/jump between elements in the playlist.  
      The synchronized content related to the profile of the user may include content related to a profile of the user of the player entered into the player at the time of initiation of use of the player by the user. Such profile of the user of the player may be developed over a period of time relating to the content previously downloaded by the user. Such content may be related to the mood of the user of the player and accomplished by providing mood sensing means in a pad electronically connected to either the portable media player or to a computer adapted to sense the mood of the user of the player and convey it electronically to the portable media player and/or to the computer. Such profile may be conveyed to the source of the content.  
      The temperature, perspiration and/or pulse of the user may be monitored in any suitable manner, such as by using fuzzy logic technology, and the content downloaded to the user may be synchronized accordingly.  
      The system disclosed herein for synchronizing a portable media player for downloading of content to the player may include content provided by a content provider or may be resident on a computer coupled to the player. The profile synchronizing means associated with the player for synchronizing content downloaded to said player may thus synchronize content from either the content provider or the content may be resident on the computer that is related to the profile of the user of said player. The downloaded content and the content resident on the computer thus provides a playlist on the portable media player that is a combination of both files previously downloaded to the portable media player and files downloaded by both the content provider and previously resident on the computer and downloaded to the portable media player.  
      Although the term “user” has been used to refer to the owner of the particular player, obviously other users related to the owner of the player may be included in the profiling discussed herein.  
      Although a particular embodiment of the disclosure is discussed, variations thereof may occur to an artisan and the scope of the disclosure should only be limited by the scope of the appended claims.