Patent Issued for Systems And Methods For Presenting Content Based On User Behavior (USPTO 10,051,113)
By a
The assignee for this patent, patent number 10,051,113, is
Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: "People consume an ever increasing amount of text and other media daily in different environments and various modes including mobile devices such as mobile phones and tablets. The popularity of mobile devices has had some unintended and dangerous consequences when mobile devices are used to consume content by a user that is operating a vehicle. Distracted driving, the term used for driving while engaged in other activities such as texting, talking on the phone, watching media, using a navigation system, reading content is estimated to increase the risk of getting into a crash by as much as three times. As such, numerous efforts have been undertaken to reduce distracted driving and improve highway safety, like adopting laws banning cell phone use while operating a vehicle, employing the use of hands-free aids and using software or connecting devices to vehicle onboard diagnostics to prevent device use while a vehicle is in motion.
"Though these and other efforts have attempted to reduce instances of distracted driving, many people, especially young drivers, still continue to engage in distracted driving behaviors. Additionally, some of these techniques are problematic because the voice recognition software used in a hands-free aid may not be very good, resulting in greater distraction of the user when the device doesn't recognize a command or executes an improper command. Additionally when software or onboard diagnostics are used to shut off a device completely, a user is prevented from using aids in the mobile device such as GPS or playing podcasts, audio, music and the like through a mobile device. As such, there is a continuing need to develop techniques to control displayed content on mobile devices, especially when mobile devices are used while operating a vehicle."
In addition to obtaining background information on this patent, NewsRx editors also obtained the inventors' summary information for this patent: "The systems and methods disclosed herein attempt to address the problems associated with the conventional technology used to reduce and/or eliminate distracted driving associated with the use of devices by providing a mechanism to change the display of a device used in a vehicle based on head detection and movement.
"Disclosed herein are systems and methods for controlling content and/or sound provided to a user. In an embodiment the method includes generating, by a processing module of a mobile user computing device, content data configured for presentation on at least one of a display and a speaker of the mobile user computing device; transmitting, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, the content data to one of the display of the mobile user computing device, the speaker of the mobile user computing device for audio transmission, or both; dynamically monitoring an effective speed of travel of the mobile user computer device by determining via a GPS system a change in location of the mobile user computing device at regular intervals; when the effective speed of the mobile user computing device exceeds a predetermined velocity, continuously collecting, by a tracking sensor, at least one of an acceleration data of the mobile user computer device and a behavior data of a user; dynamically determining, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, whether at least one of the acceleration data or behavior data represents a value that satisfies a predetermined threshold value; automatically generating, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, a change in the content data presented on at least one of the display of the mobile user computing device, the speaker of the mobile user computing device, or both, only when the value satisfies the threshold and automatically resuming to present, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, unchanged content data configured for presentation on at least one of the display of the mobile user computing device, the speaker of the mobile user computing device, or both, when the value no longer satisfies the threshold value.
"In an embodiment, collecting behavior data comprises automatically extracting behavior data from the user via a head-tracking sensor that extracts information about when a user's head movement is within a boundary associated with one or more portions of the display in a direction of the mobile user computing device and times a duration of said user's head movement within said boundary, and the threshold value relates to the timed duration and is about 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 4 seconds. In an embodiment, the method may include reflecting a light on the user's head or offsetting an illumination source from a marker on the user's head.
"In an embodiment, collecting behavior data includes automatically extracting behavior data from the user via an eye tracking sensor that extracts information about when a user's eye movement is within a boundary associated with one or more portions of the display of the mobile user computing device and times a duration of said user's eye movement within said boundary, and the threshold value relates to the timed duration and is about 500 ms, 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, 4 seconds or 5 seconds.
"In an embodiment, the tracking sensor is an accelerometer that extracts information about changes in acceleration of the mobile user computer device and times a duration of said changes in acceleration and the threshold value relates to the timed duration and is about 1, second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 4 seconds.
"In an embodiment, the change in the content data comprises one of pausing the content data, stopping the content data, or replacing the content data.
"In an embodiment, the change in the content data comprises displaying a blank display or a predetermined message on the display.
"In another embodiment, the tracking of behavior data includes one of reflecting a light on the user's head or offsetting an illumination source from a marker on the user's head.
"In another embodiment, the tracking sensor is an accelerometer that extracts information about an acceleration of the mobile user computer device and duration of the acceleration and the threshold value is about 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 4 seconds.
"In another embodiment, a system for managing content/and or audio displayed to a user includes a mobile user computing device having a processing module; a tracking sensor communicatively coupled to the processing module and configured to continuously collect at least one of an acceleration data of the mobile user computing device and a behavior data of a user when activated and to communicate to the processing module the collected data; a GPS system communicatively coupled to the processing module; and at least one of a display and a speaker; wherein the processing module is configured to (i) dynamically monitor a speed of travel of the mobile user computer device via the GPS system, (ii) automatically activate the tracking sensor when the speed of travel is greater than a predetermined velocity, (iii) generate content data for presentation on the display, the speaker, or both, (iv) dynamically determine whether at least one of the collected acceleration data and behavior data represents a value that satisfies a threshold value, (v) automatically generate a change in the content data when the value satisfies the threshold value, and (vi) automatically resume presentation of the content data unchanged when the value does not satisfy the threshold value.
"In an embodiment, the mobile user computing device also includes at least one accelerometer.
"In an embodiment, the mobile user computing device also includes at least three accelerometers, the three accelerometers configured to measure the acceleration of the mobile user computing device along an x, y, and z orthogonal axes in a physical space.
"In an embodiment, the tracking sensor includes at least one of an eye-tracking sensor, a head tracking sensor, and an accelerometer.
"In an embodiment, the tracking sensor includes optical tracking device, a camera, an infrared emitter, or an ocular sensor.
"Numerous other aspects, features and benefits of the present disclosure may be made apparent from the following detailed description taken together with the drawing figures."
The claims supplied by the inventors are:
"The invention claimed is:
"1. A method comprising: generating, by a processing module of a mobile user computing device, content data configured for presentation on at least one of a display and a speaker of the mobile user computing device; transmitting, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, the content data to one of the display of the mobile user computing device, the speaker of the mobile user computing device for audio transmission, or both; dynamically monitoring, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, an effective speed of travel of the mobile user computing device by determining via a GPS system a change in location of the mobile user computing device at regular intervals; when the effective speed of the mobile user computing device exceeds a predetermined velocity, continuously collecting, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, behavior data of a user's head sensed by a tracking sensor; dynamically determining, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, an amount of the user's head that is facing the display of the mobile user device based on the behavior data collected by the tracking sensor; automatically generating, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, a change in the content data presented on at least one of the display of the mobile user computing device, the speaker of the mobile user computing device, or both, only when it has been determined that a predetermined threshold amount of the user's head is facing the display of the mobile user computing device; and automatically resuming, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, to present, by the processing module of the mobile user computing device, unchanged content data configured for presentation on at least one of the display of the user computing device, the speaker of the user computing device, or both, when the amount of user's head facing the display no longer satisfies the predetermined threshold amount.
"2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined threshold amount is about 1/4 of the user's head facing the display, 1/2 of the user's head facing the display, 3/4 of the user's head facing the display, or the user's head fully facing the display.
"3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining whether, based on the collected behavior data, the predetermined threshold amount of the user's head faces the display on the mobile user device for a duration of time that satisfies a predetermined threshold value.
"4. The method according to claim 3, wherein collecting behavior data comprises automatically extracting behavior data using a head-tracking sensor that extracts information about the user's head movement in a direction within a boundary associated with one or more portions of the display and times a duration of said user's head movement, and the threshold value is about 1 second, 2 seconds, 3 seconds, or 4 seconds.
"5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change in content comprises one of pausing the displayed content data, stopping the displayed content data, or replacing the displayed content data.
"6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the change in content comprises replacing the content data with a blank display screen or a message on the display.
"7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the behavioral data of the user's head comprises the user's head position, the amount of the user's head captured by the tracking sensor, or both.
"8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising one of reflecting a light on the user's head or offsetting an illumination source from a marker on the user's head.
"9. A mobile user computing device comprising: a processing module; a tracking sensor communicatively coupled to the processing module and configured to continuously collect behavior data of a user's head when activated and to communicate to the processing module the collected behavior data; a GPS system communicatively coupled to the processing module; and at least one of a display and a speaker; wherein the processing module is configured to (i) dynamically monitor a speed of travel of the mobile user computer device via the GPS system, (ii) automatically activate the tracking sensor when the speed of travel is greater than a predetermined velocity, (iii) generate content data for presentation on the display, the speaker, or both, (iv) dynamically determine an amount of the user's head that is facing the display of the mobile user device based on the behavioral data collected by the tracking sensor, (v) automatically generate a change in the content data when a predetermined threshold amount of the user's head is facing the display of the mobile user computing device, and (vi) automatically resume presentation of the content data unchanged when the amount of user's head facing the display no longer satisfies the predetermined threshold amount.
"10. The mobile user computing device of claim 8, wherein the tracking sensor comprises optical tracking device, a camera, or an infrared emitter.
"11. The mobile user computing device of claim 8, wherein the tracking sensor comprises a head tracking sensor.
"12. The mobile user computing device of claim 8, wherein the predetermined threshold amount is about 1/4 of the user's head facing the display, 1/2 of the user's head facing the display, 3/4 of the user's head facing the display, or the user's head fully facing the display.
"13. The mobile user computing device of claim 8, further comprising an accelerometer communicatively coupled with the processing module."
For more information, see this patent: Knas, Michal; John, Jiby. Systems And Methods For Presenting Content Based On User Behavior.
Keywords for this news article include: Business, Software, Computers, Biomarkers,
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