Patent ID: 8192280

Claim:
A method for managing a user's preferences in a video game system, comprising: (a) receiving a passive indication from the user to perform a fingerprint scan of the user's fingertip; (b) transparently performing the fingerprint scan to generate identifying data for the user, including, (i) determining if the identifying data for the user is adequate for identification of the user; and (ii) repeating transparently performing the fingerprint scan when the identifying data for the user is not adequate for identification; (c) determining if the identifying data for the user matches identifying data for a preexisting user; (d) if the identifying data for the user matches the identifying data for a preexisting user, then reloading preferences associated with the preexisting user; and (e) if the identifying data for the user does not match the identifying data for a preexisting user, then retaining the user's preferences and associating the user's preferences with the user's identifying data.