Supporting multiple attention-based, user-interaction modes.

(54) Title: SUPPORT OF MULTIPLE ATTENTION-BASED USER INTERACTION MODES. (54) Title: SUPPORTING MULTIPLE ATTENTION-BASED, USER-INTERACTION MODES.

(57) Summary

The present invention monitors a user's activities to determine how much attention he is paying to one or more devices. Based on the information gathered (300, 302) about the user's current attention profile, a user interaction parameter (304) is established that reflects where the user is focused. and, ideally, how much of your attention is given to each device. Then, based on the user interaction parameter, the user interface of at least one of the user devices is configured (306) to optimize user interactions, given the amount of attention it is currently paying to this user interface. user. If the user is giving most of their attention to television (114), for example, then the user interface of a complementary device (108,116) may be configured to emphasize the types of interactions available to a user who is not watching. actively the complementary device (108,116).

(57) Abstract

The present invention monitors a user's activities to determine how much attention he is paying to one or more devices. Based on the Information gathered (300, 302) about the user's current attention profile, a user-interaction parameter is set (304) that reflects where the user's attention is focused and, ideally, how much of his attention is given to each device. Then, based on the user-interaction parameter, the user interface of at least one of the user's devices is configured (306) to optimize the user's interactions, given the amount of attention he is currently giving to this user interface. If the user is giving the majority of his attention to the televisión (114), for example, then the user interface of a companion device (108,116) can be configured to emphasize the types of interactions available to a user who is not actively watching the companion device (108,116).

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TITULO DE PATENTE NO. 342114 _SE_ ««MÍA Bt ICOMMA

Instituto Mexicano de la Propiedad Industrial

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Titular(es):

Domicilio:

Denominación:

Clasificación:

Inventor(es):

GENERAL INSTRUMENT CORPORATION

101 Tournament Drive, Horsham, Pennsylvania , 19044, USA

SUPPORT FOR MULTIPLE USER INTERACTION MODES

ATTENTION-BASED.

lnt.CI.8: H04N21 / 442; H04N21 / 6543; H04N21 / 6547

NITYA NARASIMHAN; SILVIU CHIRICESCU; VENUGOPAL VASUDEVAN; JOSEPH F. WODKA

MX / a / 2014/007234

APPLICATION

International filing date:

November 2012

Country:

US

Validity: Twenty years

PRIORITY

Date:

December 2011

Number:

13/326,574

Expiry Date: November 16, 2032

The reference patent is granted on the basis of articles 1, 2nd fraction V, 6th fraction til, f 68 data Industrial Property Law.

In accordance with Article 23 of the Industrial Property Law, this patent is valid for a non-renewable period of twenty years, counting from the date of filing of the application. and will be subject to the payment of the fee to keep the rights in force.

Whoever signs this title Jo does so on the basis of the provisions of articles 6 · fractions lll and 7 ° bis 2 of the Industrial Property Law (Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF) 27/06/1991, reformed if 02 / 10/25/1996, 12/26/1987, 05/17/1999, 01/26/2004, 06/16/2005, 01/25/2006, 05/06/2009, 06/01/2009 2010, 18/06/2010, 28/06/2010. 27/01/2012 and 09/04/2012); Articles 1, 3, V, V, paragraph a), 4 and 12 of I and III of the Regulations of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (DOF 14/12/1998, amended on 01/07 / 2002,15 / 07 / 2004, 28/07/2004 and 7/09/2007), articles 1 °, 3 °, 4 °, 5 ° fraction V Subsection a), 16 fractions ly lll and 30 of the Organic Statute of the Mexican Institute of Property Industry, (DOF 27/12/1999, reformed on 10/10/2002, 29/07/2004, 04/08/2004 and 13/09/2007); 1st, 3rd and 5th subparagraph a) of the Agreement delegating powers to the Directors Deputy Generals, Coordinator, Divisional Directors, Heads of Regional Offices, Divisional Deputy Directors, Departmental Coordinators and other subordinates of the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property. (OJ F. 15/12/1999, reformed on 04/02/2000, 29/07/2004, 04/08/2004 and 13/09/2007).

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Arenal No. 550. Weight 1.

Col · PuePlc Santa María Tepepan. Xochimiico. CP 1602Ó,

Mexico City

Tal. (55) 53 34 07 00 vw ^ A / .impi qop.mx

Date of issue: September 14, 2016

THE DIVISIONAL PATENT DIRECTOR

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NAHANNY CANAL REYES

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MX / 2016/74557

SUPPORT OF MULTIPLE USER-BASED INTERACTION MODES

ATTENTION

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INSTITUTO MFXIC / .NO Dí LA PUOPEDAÍ,

INDUSTRIAL

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FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to computer communications and, more particularly, to tel interactive evision.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

LO Because personal communication devices (eg, cell phones) are being developed to support greater and greater functionality, people are using them to do much more than talk. As is well known, these devices now usually allow their users to create

L5 media files (eg when taking a photo or recording a video using a camera on your device), downloading media files from remote servers (via a device-supported web interface), and accessing interactive applications.

However, even though people spend more time online, traditional media is still very important. In fact, instead of simply replacing time in traditional media with online time, many people are starting multi-task, that is, combining

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traditional media, and n uevos. For example, while watching television, your personal communications device becomes a companion device that displays content that is often, but not always, related to the content displayed on your television. Similarly, while hooked up to an interactive application on your companion device, they remain at least peripherally aware of the content being shown on television.

Televisions and companion devices are not designed to optimize the same type of user interactions. The terminology reflects this distinction: television programming is aimed at viewers, while companion devices invite users.

That is, the television programming is designed, for the most part, to be seen passively while the viewer is leaning back on his couch. Companion devices, which support fully interactive applications, invite users to lean forward to interact more actively with applications.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The foregoing considerations, and others, are addressed by the present invention, which may be understood as referring to

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE to the specification, drawings, and claims. Present it!

invention monitors a user's activities to determine how much attention he or she is paying to one or more devices (eg, a television and a companion device such as a smart phone, tablet computer, or game console) . Based on the information gathered about the user's current attention profile, a user interaction parameter is established that reflects where the user's attention is focused and, ideally, how much of their attention is given to each device. Then, based on the user interaction parameter, the interface User of at least one of the user's devices is configured to optimize user interactions, given the amount of attention it is currently giving to this user interface.

Many types of information can be used when setting the user interaction parameter including explicit user settings, a history of user interactions with multiple devices, and recent user interactions with devices.

If, for example, the user is devoting most of their attention to television then the user interface of the companion device can be configured to emphasize the types of interactions available to a user who does not

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is actively viewing the c &lt;device _x .. . .

a touch or motion sensor can

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user input keyboard. The screen presentation can be made less rich with fewer icons, per or potentially brighter, to catch the user's eye if appropriate.

When a user device receives media content (eg, an advertisement or e-mail), the device's presentation of that content depends on the user's interaction parameter. The device can even select content to present (or run an application) based on the user's current attention profile.

Various types of devices are contemplated which represent aspects of the present invention. Some user devices are sophisticated enough to gather attention profile information, set the user interaction parameter, and then respond to the appropriate settings. Other devices may not be able to set the user interaction parameter but may respond appropriately if another device sends the parameter to them. If the parameter is told to a remote server (yp possibly other related information), it may respond by sending appropriate content (or an order) to

INSTITUTO MTXICANO

OF THE PROPERTY ν ^ -πο ^ Π ^ ρΓ the devices of the. user. Another type of s ^ WWorYeilÍoto can gather attention profile information from the user's devices and determine the user's interaction parameter by itself. Devices of all these types, and others, can work together to enhance the utility of the present invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Although the appended claims describe in particular the features of the present invention, the invention, together with its objects and advantages, may

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of a method representative of an end-user device that sets the user interaction parameter.

Figure 4 is a flowchart of a method representative of an end user device that

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responds to a parameter d and user interaction sent to

Figure 5 is a flowchart of a method representative of a server that responds to a user interaction parameter sent to it.

Figure 6 is a flowchart of a method representative of a server that sets the user interaction parameter.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With respect to the drawings, where similar reference numerals refer to similar elements, the invention is illustrated by being implemented in a suitable environment. The following description is based on embodiments of the invention and the invention should not be construed as limiting with respect to alternative embodiments that are not explicitly described herein.

Aspects of the present invention may be practiced in the communications environment representative of

Figure 1. Servers 104, 106 are connected together a through any or all of the various known networking technologies 102. Some of these servers

104, 106 may be the head-end of a cable television transmission system 110. Others may be web servers. To facilitate they show two servers 104, 106,

104, 106 may exist and work líMTTITUTO MEXICANO

OF PROPERTY ·,. _η , · INDUSTRIAL illustration, only but numerous servers together as discussed below.

Header servers provide, through networking technology 102, media download and television services to end-user devices.

An example of an end-user device is a cell phone 108. This telephone 108 communicates wirelessly to a wireless base station (not shown but is known in the art) for accessing the switched telephone network (public swit ched telephone network), the Internet, or other networks to access the services provided by the header server and web servers.

Non-wireless end-user devices are supported by wire-line networking technologies (eg, fiber, wire, and cable) 110. For example, a television receiver (set-top box) 112 generally receives TV programming from a header server and provides a user interface (eg, an interactive programming guide) for selecting and viewing content from the header server. A digital video recorder (not shown) can store programming for later viewing. The content of

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE OS LA FROHEÍMD

INDUSTRIAL

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<td colspan="4">video can be viewed on a television monitor</td><td colspan="2">114. In some</td>

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home gateway, kiosk, digital signal, or a media restreaming device (not shown) are other possible end-user devices.

(A continuous media download device transfers content between different types of networks. For example, it receives content from a cable system 110 and then transmits that content over a local radio link such as a wireless connection (WiFi) to the phone. cell phone 108. The continuous media download device normally operates in both directions to carry messages between networks. In some modalities, the aces of the present invention are practiced by a continuous media download device)

The user can divide their attention by interacting with any or all end-user devices 108,

112, 114, 116 almost simultaneously or temporarily in an overlapping manner. The examples in the present discussion typically assume that the user is watching the television monitor 114 and is possibly interacting with it through the television receiver 112.

At least

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IN7I ITUW MEXICAN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY Occasionally, some user attention is also given to the smartphone 108.

Some of the end-user devices are sophisticated enough to gather information about the user's attention profile, set a user interaction parameter that represents that profile, and then respond to the settings appropriately. For the purposes of the present invention, these devices are called Class A devices, and, in a purely arbitrary assignment, the smartphone 108 is taken as representative of this class. (The flowchart in Figures 3a-3b and the accompanying discussion illustrate the operation of a Class A device.)

Other end-user devices may not be able to set the user interaction parameter but may respond appropriately if another device sends the parameter to it. Again for the purposes of the present invention, these are called Class Devices

B, and the television receiver 112 is used to represent this class (illustrated in Figure 4). Still other end-user devices cannot set or respond to the user interaction parameter.

Even so, these prior art Class C devices are important in the communications environment 100

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because they can get some attention from the user. The television monitor 114 is shown here as a Class C device.

Class Y servers, if told the user interaction parameter (and possibly other related information), may respond by sending appropriate content (or a command) to the user's device. (Server 104 represents Class Y which is illustrated by Figure 5).

A server that can gather care profile information from end-user devices 108, 112,

114, 116 and determine the user interaction parameter itself is a Class Z device and is illustrated by the

Figure 6.

Note that the distinctions between the classes of devices, although useful in illustrating aspects of the present invention, are not so much a clear case of the real world. A device can operate in one class in one situation and in another class in other situations.

Devices of all these types, and others, can work together to enhance the utility of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the main components of a representative server 104, 106 or an end user device 108, 112, 114, 116. The network interfaces 200

WTXICAN INSTITUTE OF PROPERTY

INDUSTRIAL

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send and receive media presentations, related information, and download requests. A processor 202 controls the operations of the device and, in particular, supports the aspects of the present invention as illustrated in Figures 3a to 6, which are discussed below. The user interface 204 supports the interactions of a user (or administrator) with the device. The specific uses of these components are appropriately discussed below.

Figures 3a-3b show a method for an end user device Class A to set and use the user interaction parameter. In the step

300 In Figure 3a, the end user device 108 collects information about the amount of attention the user is currently giving to this device 108.

Some of this information can be generated by the device 108. If, for example, the device 108 detects a significant amount of interaction with its user interface 104 (eg, a number of keystrokes entered during the last minute) , then the user is paying significant attention to the device 108. A user's history or profile information can also be useful here. In some modes, the user can explicitly set a parameter of

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY

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attention, for example, when moving a slider presented by the interface User Guide 204: The slider gives an estimate of how much attention the user is paying to each of the user's two (or more) devices.

The slider, in fact, can be used to invalidate other information gathered about the user's current attention profile. That is, with the slider the user can direct the end user's device 108 to act as if he is dividing his attention in a given way, regardless of whether he is actually doing so. (This same disabling effect can be achieved by user settings preferences or a policy). The reasons why a user would like to do this are discussed below in relation to the step

306 where the user interaction parameter is used.

In step 300, the device 108 may also receive information from outside the device 108 itself. If, for example, the television receiver 112 note that the user is actively interacting with an electronic programming guide presented on the television monitor 114, the television receiver 112 may send this information to the device 108. A camera of any of the devices

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End User 108, 112, 114, 116 can see the user's eyes and notice where they are looking. Even if such direct information is not available, indirect information can help. For example, the television receiver 112 reports that, in response to prior orders from the user, it is transmitting a movie on the television monitor 114.

Online audience ratings show that the current scene is considered by many people to be very exciting.

When this information is available to the end user device 108, that device 108 may conclude, in the absence of any information to the contrary, that the user's attention is focused. probably on monitor 114. In short, any information that can be used to determine, or even speculate about, the user's attention profile can be used in step

300.

The end user device 108 gathers in the step

302 information about the amount of attention the user is putting on a device (or devices) other than the end user's device 108. Again, any type of information that is obtainable and may be useful is relevant here. Even negative information can have a place. If, for example, the device 108 has not received any information recently that the

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user is focusing any attention on it, then you can assume that the user is focusing his attention on the TV monitor 114. Obviously, the negative information is usually very weak, as the user may not be paying any attention to any of such devices. s of the end user 108, 112, 114, 116. In many situations, the end user device 108 when applying the method of Figures 3a-3b does its best with limited information.

Based on all the information you have been able to gather in steps 300 and 302, the end user device 108 sets the user interaction parameter in step 304. The simplest scenario with only two devices 108, 114, the end-user device 108 may, if the information gathered does not contradict this, assume that the complete user's attention is divided between these two devices 108, 114. As mentioned above, this simple assumption can be incorrect as when the user is not paying much attention to any of the end user's devices 108, 112, 114,

116. That is, the user might be putting a lot of all his attention on an unstrumented Class C device, but there is not enough i information for the end user device 108 to determine that this is the case.

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-THE PROPERTY

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With more information or more devices, the end-user device 108 can create a multi-dimensional user interaction parameter that represents how the user's attention is extended across multiple devices. The quality of the user interaction parameter is based on the quality and quantity of information gathered and especially on the number of end user devices 108, 112, 114,

116 which contribute with some information.

After doing the best job possible in setting the user interaction parameter in step 304, the end user device 108 uses that parameter in step 306 to configure its user interface 204 in some way thought to be appropriate for the amount. of attention ion that the user is currently giving to the device

108. Many variations are possible here, and a few examples serve to illustrate a range of possibilities.

First consider the situation where, as far as the end user device 108 can be determined, the total user attention is divided between the television monitor 114 and the smartphone 108. The user interaction parameter can then be a quantity one-dimensional, even, in the simplest case, a one-bit amount that tells if most of the attention

IMPI

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of the user is on the monitor 114 or on the phone 108. If the user is mainly focused on the monitor 114, then this is the classic scenario of reclining. That is, the user is reclining on his couch and watching television. In this case, the user interface 204 of the telephone 108 can be made very simple so as not to distract the user. The user interface 204 of the telephone 108 is configured to emphasize the inputs that the user can use comfortably without removing his main attention from the monitor 114. These inputs may include a motion sensor (to shake or a gesture input), an input microphone voice, and a camera that sees through other user inputs. The keyboard and mouse inputs (which require a degree of concentration) are de-emphasized or turned off completely. The outputs for the telephone 108 are also configured so as not to unnecessarily distract the user. The small icons on the phone's 108 screen will probably not be noticed at all, so non-urgent views and messages can simply be discarded or stored for later review. The formats of the user interface 204 can also be altered: if, for example, a tornado warning message arrives, which requires immediate action by the user, then instead to display a static icon on the screen

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MEXICAN PHONE INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY INSTITUTE 108, the user's attention can be grabbed by displaying a large, flashing icon or by playing an alert through the horn of the phone 108. (This is an example of optional step 308).

Next consider the same physical arrangement above, but where the smartphone 108 determines that the user's primary attention is given with only secondary attention given to the television monitor 114. This is called bending, and because the user is actively watching the phone 108 screen, a richer interface is appropriate. Smaller icons, and more of them, may be displayed with the expectation that the user will notice them. The keyboard and mouse interfaces, which allow for finer gesture control, are emphasized.

If the smartphone 108 can estimate how much the user's attention or it is split between the television monitor 114 and the telephone 108, then it can configure its interface 204 at some point between the reclining and tilting ends. Similarly, if the telephone 108 is aware (or suspects) that the user's attention is divided between more than two devices 108, 114, it may correspondingly have an appropriate user interface 204.

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE '.and ¿THE PROPERTY

In the discussion of step 300 above, it was noted that the user can set a remote control^{, z} (or otherwise interacting with the user interface 204 of the end user device 108) to force a particular value for the user interaction parameter. This option is especially useful when, for lack of information, the procedure in Figures 3a-3b calculates a user interaction parameter that does not reflect the user's actual attention profile. The user can also and wishing to block the parameter if the user is constantly changing the focus of his attention and would prefer to adapt to devices 108, 112, 114, 116 rather than devices 108, 112, 114, 116 trying to adapt to the user. Although this explicit setting essentially nullifies (or trivially makes easy) the operations of step 304, aspects of the present invention, including especially the user interface configuration of step 306, are still applicable and useful.

Note that the above examples only discuss how the end-user device interface 204 is configured

108 (a Class A device). The configuration of other devices (not Class A) is discussed below.

The end user device 108 may apply the user interaction parameter for other purposes

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE

L) 2 IA PROPERTY V '-iX «5iÍsIS&gt; INDUS TRIAL other than to configure your user interface 204.

As another example of step 308, when the media content is received, the device 108 can analyze the urgency of the content and then, based on the user interaction parameter, direct the content to the end user device 108, 112, 114 , 116 more appropriate. Returning to the tornado warning example, the warning can be sent to any of the devices 108, 112, 114, 116 that are currently receiving most of the user's attention, or even to all devices 108, 112, 114,

116 possible so that the user is aware of the warning as soon as possible. Other uses of the user interaction parameter, such as mapping the meaning of gesture entries, are also contemplated.

The user interaction parameter can be used in selecting a particular media presentation to play or an application to run in the optional step

310. If, for example, the user is focusing primarily on a football game displayed on the television monitor 114, then content related to that game (eg, ads, player biographies, a comment cut) may be displayed on the end user device 108.

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Figure 3b shows other optional uses of the user interaction parameter. Because current applications are not written to consider how to use the user interaction parameter, the previous step 306 would generally be performed by the end user's device operating system 108. It is expected that in the future at least some applications will be able to accept the user interaction parameter in step 312 and configure their operations accordingly.

In step 314, the end user device 108, after lime After the user interaction parameter is sent, it sends that parameter to another device. The other device would probably be a Class B end - user device (discussed below with reference to the

Figure 4) or a Class Y server (Figure 5). In some situations, the device 108 does not send the actual user interaction parameter in step 314 but instead sends a value based on that parameter. For example, the device

108 you can review the information contained in the user interaction parameter and send a value adapted for the Class B end-user device.

In addition to sending the user interaction parameter to a server in step 314, the end user device 108 may send extra information in step 316.

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE _ Π, r- -. ..DEJA FROPIEpAD

Usually this extra information allows you to play. r of the server better understand the perfi l actraal of attention dfij ......

user. The specific examples are discussed below with reference to step 502 of Figure 5 and step 604 of Figure 6 wherein the server receives and applies such extra information.

In step 318, a server sends a command to the end user's device 108, and the device 108 responds. This step is relevant because the command can be based on the user interaction parameter (sent to the server in step 314), and the device-specific response 108 can also be based on the user interaction parameter.

Note that in a real scenario, the steps of the

Figures 3a-3b are made repeatedly and possibly in an overlapping mode. The user profile of attention is constantly monitored, and, when changes are noticed, those changes are reflected in a change for the user interaction parameter which can result in changes for the user interfaces. user 204 and applications. For example, the end user device 108 may notice that the user has just switched from a reclined mode to an inclined mode. In addition to configuring the user interface 204 of the device 108 to optimize user interaction

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108 can take mode accrcTTes. The device or means are in tilt mode, the device specific based on the changes

108 you can, for example, recommend playing on the TV monitor 114 (which the user is now paying less attention to) pausing or recording to play them again in the future. Particular settings of the reclined configuration can be stored so that they can be reinstated if the user returns to focus on the monitor 114.

The Figure 4 shows an operating method applicable to Class B devices. If the television receiver 112 is such a device, then it would receive, in step 400, the user interaction parameter (or a value based on that parameter) from another device , possibly from a Class A end-user device 108 that sets the parameter (or from a server: see discussion of

Figures 5 and 6, below). The received value can be adapted for the particular receiving device 112. For example, instead of telling the device 112 the complete attention profile of the user, the value can simply say that the user is giving, say, 30% of his attention to the device. 112.

With the parameter at hand, the device 112 configures its user interface 204 in step 306. This step uses

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the same numbering as the equivalent step in the procedure of the Class A device 108 (Figure 3a), because the pr Class B device 112 applies the same considerations when setting its user interface 204. To emphasize this point, the

Class B may then, in step 402, perform any or all of the optional steps 308 to 318 of Figures 3a and 3b.

In sum, the Class B device 112 (and not all Class A devices 108, as the case may be) can perform all optional steps 308 to 318.

Note also that, in general, this device 112 of

Class B collects any information that may be relevant to the user's care profile and sends that information to the Class A device 108. This information may include explicit user settings, profile information, historical and current user interaction patterns, and user preferences and policies. This is discussed above in connection with step 302 of Figure

3a. Cla's device 108 This information is used when setting the user interaction parameter in step 304 of Figure 3a.

A Class Y server 104 may operate according to the exemplary method of Figure 5. In step 500, the server 104 receives the user interaction parameter

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE OR PROPERTY

INDUSTRIAL

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(or a value based on it), probably from the Class A end-user device 108 that calculated the parameter (or from a Class Z server: see Figure 6 and accompanying discussion). In some situations, more than one end user device 108, 112, 114, 116 is a Class A device, and in that case the server 104 may receive multiple user interaction parameters in step 500.

The server 104 may also receive other relevant information in step 502 such as a device identification that sends the user interaction parameter io, contextual information, and information about how the sending device responded to the user interaction parameter. (See the discussion of step 316 of the

Figure 3b).

Based on the information received in steps 500 and

502, the server 104 sends a message to the end user device 108, 112, 114, 116 in step 504. For example, the message may give a Class B device 112 sufficient information so that the device 112 can configure its user interface 204. For a Class C end-user device, the message may be more explicit by telling the device exactly how to configure its end-user interface 204. (The

MEXICAN INSTITUTE CE PROPERTY

INDUSTRY * ** * Class C devices, remember, do not know how to respond to the user interaction parameter, but their user interface 204 can still be configured appropriately).

Is that is, a Class B device 112 may be told that the user is in recline mode, and the Class B device 112 is then configured to have its user interface 204 accordingly. The Class C device, on the other hand, is given explicit instructions that configure its user interface 204 to accommodate the user's recline. The different Class B and C devices have different limitations, but in the most general case, they can be configured in as many ways as a 108 device.

Class A is also configured. (See the discussion of the passage

306 of Figure 3a).

The server 104 may send messages other than the configuration messages in step 504. The server 104 may select media content or an application based on the information received in steps 500 and 502 and send it in turn in step 504. 504.

Finally, Figure 6 represents a method for a server 10 6 of Class Z. The method begins with steps 600 and 602 where the server 106 receives care information from the multiple devices 108, 112, 114, 116. This is the same type of information as the device 108 of Class

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A is received in step 302 of Figure 3a. In step 604, the server 106 may also receive extra information from an end user device 108, 112, 114, 116, such as the information described above in relation to step 502 of Figure 5.

Then in step 606, the server 106 sets a user interaction parameter based on all the information available to it. Here, the server 106 can use much of the procedure that the device 108

Class A is used in step 304 of Figure 3a.

Now that the user interaction parameter has been set, the server 106 proceeds, in step 608, to communicate with one or more of the devices. end-user devices 108, 112, 114, 116 in the same manner as the Class Y server 104 used in step 304 of Figure 3a.

Now that the user interaction parameter has been set, the server 106 proceeds, in step 608, to communicate with one or more of the end user devices 108, 112, 114, 116 in the same way as the Class server 104 And he did in step 504 of Figure 5 (discussed above).

The above discussion clearly separates devices in classes A, B, C, Y, and Z. It is important to remember that although a device operates in a class in a situation, in

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MEXICAN INSTITUTE OF IA PROPERTY

INDUSTRIAL.

another situation the same device can operate in another class. Also, any information available from any device can, in theory, become useful as input when setting the user interaction parameter.

In view of the many possible The embodiments to which the principles of the present invention may be applied, it should be recognized that the embodiments described herein with respect to the drawing figures are intended to be illustrative only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention. For example, multiple devices of several kinds can work together to set the user interaction parameter and respond to that parameter once set. Therefore, the invention as described herein contemplates all such embodiments as may be within the scope of the following claims and equivalents thereof.

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Having described the present invention as above, it is considered as a novelty and therefore the content of the following is claimed as property: