Patent ID: 7366498

Claim:
A method of controlling a home network system in a multi-user environment, the method comprising: registering a plurality of users by prestoring their user identification (ID) data into a memory of a digital television receiver serving as a master device coupled to a plurality of slave devices, the digital television receiver including: a display unit for displaying a user-readable instruction message for executing user registration and an on-screen display (OSD) menu including a plurality of home network control options; and at least one of a user interface unit and a sensor for receiving user ID data input to a controller of the master device; prestoring user-specific control settings preset by each registered user into the memory according to selections made by a corresponding registered user selecting from the OSD menu displaying home network control options of at least one slave device; receiving user ID data from a prescribed user of the digital television receiver; authenticating the prescribed user when the prescribed user is determined to be one of the registered users based on the received user ID data; and automatically controlling functions of the at least one slave device according to the pre-stored user-specific control settings of the authenticated user in response to the user ID data inputted to the master device controller by the authenticated user.