Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to providing and receiving information and, more particularly, relate to a method, apparatus and a computer program product for personalizing a device.
The modern communications era has brought about a tremendous expansion of wireline and wireless communications and networks with unprecedented technological expansion, fueled by consumer demand. Wireless and mobile communications technologies have addressed related consumer demands, while providing more flexibility and immediacy of information transfer. The expansion of wireless communications has correspondingly generated a tremendous expansion in the use of related communication devices. These communication devices are allowing consumers to manually select personal settings or preferences for an increasing amount of applications available in these devices. In this regard, consumers can become more comfortable with the use of their communications devices.
However, as wireless and mobile communication technologies continue to improve, more devices are being developed to support these improvements. In some instances, consumers desire to purchase and replace their previous devices with new devices that are more advanced and have cutting edge technology. Although consumers no longer desire to use their previous devices, they desire the new devices to be personalized in the same manner as their previous devices. While some technologies allow personal data to be transferred from one device to another, consumers may still be required to manually select personal settings or preferences in their new device. This personalization process can be tedious, difficult, and expansive, depending on the number of applications that have been personalized on the previous device.
In this regard, consumers can spend long periods of time in personalizing their new devices. Additionally, the personalization may be complex enough to require the assistance of others, due to the difference in technology. As such, although consumers desire or are required to use new devices, a number of these consumers would rather avoid the hassle of personalization. Accordingly, some consumers may simply not purchase new devices so as to avoid the investment required to personalize the new device, thereby potentially negatively effecting the sale of communication devices is negatively affected.
In light of the above, it may be desirable to at least partially address at least some of the problems discussed above by providing methods, apparatuses, and computer program products that facilitate the personalization of a new device.
A method, apparatus and computer program product may therefore be provided that may automatically personalize a device. In this regard, embodiments of the present invention may automatically personalize a second device of a user based at least in part on the personal or preferred settings of a user's first device. In some embodiments, the applications of the second device may be compared to the applications of the first device to identify the data that may be retrieved and/or transferred from the first device. In other embodiments, data may be retrieved and/or transferred from the first device to the second device via various communications techniques including, but not limited to, infrared, wireless LAN, or BlueTooth techniques. In yet other embodiments, information regarding settings data that may be retrieved and/or transferred may be recorded in a file and the second device may be personalized based at least in part on the content of the file.
In one exemplary embodiment, a method for personalizing a device is described. The method may include receiving a request to personalize a second device. In various embodiments, the personalization may be based at least in part on a first device. The method may also include comparing at least one application from the first device to at least one application from the second device. The method may further include determining at least one setting data to be retrieved from the first device. In various embodiments, the determination may be based at least in part on the comparison. The method may additionally include retrieving the at least one setting data from the first device. The method may also include modifying at least one setting of at least one application of the second device based at least in part on the retrieved setting data. In various embodiments, the modification may be based on at least in part on the retrieved setting data.
In another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for personalizing a device is described. The apparatus may include a processor configured to receive a request to personalize a second device. In some embodiments, the personalization may be based at least in part on a first device. The processor may be further configured to compare at least one application from the first device to at least one application from the second device. The processor may also be configured to determine at least one setting data to be retrieved from the first device. In various embodiments, the determination may be based at least in part on the comparison. The processor may additionally be configured to retrieve the at least one setting data from the first device. The processor may also be configured to modify at least one setting of at least one application of the second device based at least in part on the retrieved setting data. In various embodiments, the modification may be based on at least in part on the retrieved setting data.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, a computer program product for personalizing a device is described. The computer program product may include at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein. The computer-readable program instructions may include first, second, third, fourth, and fifth program instructions. The first program instruction may be configured to receive a request to personalize a second device. In various embodiments, the personalization may be based at least in part on a first device. The second program instruction may be configured to compare at least one application from the first device to at least one application from the second device. The third program instruction may be configured to determine at least one setting data to be retrieved from the first device. In various embodiments, the determination may be based at least in part on the comparison. The fourth program instruction may be configured to retrieve the at least one setting data from the first device. The fifth program instruction may be configured to modify at least one setting of at least one application of the second device. In various embodiments, the modification may be based on at least in part on the retrieved setting data.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, an apparatus for personalizing a device is described. The apparatus may include a means for receiving a request to personalize a second device. In various embodiments, the personalization may be based at least in part on a first device. The apparatus may also include a means for comparing at least one application from the first device to at least one application from the second device. The apparatus may further include a means for determining at least one setting data to be retrieved from the first device. In various embodiments, the determination may be based at least in part on the comparison. The method may additionally include a means for retrieving the at least one setting data from the first device. The method may also include a means for modifying at least one setting of at least one application of the second device based at least in part on the retrieved setting data. In various embodiments, the modification may be based on at least in part on the retrieved setting data.
Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
As shown, the mobile terminal 10 may include an antenna 12 in communication with a transmitter 14 and a receiver 16. The mobile terminal may also include a controller 20 or other processor that provides signals to and receives signals from the transmitter and receiver, respectively. These signals may include signaling information in accordance with an air interface standard of an applicable cellular system, and/or any number of different wireless networking techniques, comprising but not limited to Wireless-Fidelity (Wi-Fi), wireless local area network (WLAN) techniques such as IEEE 802.11, and/or the like. In addition, these signals may include speech data, user generated data, user requested data, and/or the like. In this regard, the mobile terminal may be capable of operating with one or more air interface standards, communication protocols, modulation types, access types, and/or the like. More particularly, the mobile terminal may be capable of operating in accordance with various first generation (1G), second generation (2G), 2.5G, third-generation (3G) communication protocols, 3.9G, fourth-generation (4G) communication protocols, and/or the like. For example, the mobile terminal may be capable of operating in accordance with 2G wireless communication protocols IS-136 (time division multiple access TDMA), global system for mobile (GSM), and IS-95 (Code division multiple access CDMA). Also, for example, the mobile terminal may be capable of operating in accordance with 2.5G wireless communication protocols general packet radio service (GPRS), Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), or the like. Further, for example, the mobile terminal may be capable of operating in accordance with 3G wireless communication protocols such as Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), CDMA2000, Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (WCDMA) and Time Division-Synchronous Code Division Multiple Access (TD-SCDMA). The mobile terminal may be additionally capable of operating in accordance with 3.9G wireless communication protocols such as Limited Term Evolution (LTE) or Evolved Universal Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN). Additionally, for example, the mobile terminal may be capable of operating in accordance with fourth-generation (4G) wireless communication protocols or the like as well as similar wireless communication protocols that may be developed in the future.
Some Narrow-band Advanced Mobile Phone System (NAMPS), as well as Total Access Communication System (TACS), mobile terminals may also benefit from embodiments of this invention, as should dual or higher mode phones (e.g., digital/analog or TDMA/CDMA/analog phones). Additionally, the mobile terminal 10 may be capable of operating according to Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) protocols.
It is understood that the controller 20 may comprise the circuitry desirable for implementing audio and logic functions of the mobile terminal 10. For example, the controller 20 may comprise various processing means including a digital signal processor device, a microprocessor device, an analog-to-digital converter, a digital-to-analog converter, and/or the like. Control and signal processing functions of the mobile terminal may be allocated between these devices according to their respective capabilities. The controller may additionally comprise an internal voice coder (VC) 20a, an internal data modem (DM) 20b, and/or the like. Further, the controller may comprise functionality to operate one or more software programs, which may be stored in memory. For example, the controller 20 may be capable of operating a connectivity program, such as a Web browser. The connectivity program may allow the mobile terminal 10 to transmit and receive Web content, such as location-based content, according to a protocol, such as Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP), and/or the like. The mobile terminal 10 may be capable of using a Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) to transmit and receive Web content across Internet 50.
The mobile terminal 10 may also comprise a user interface including a conventional earphone or speaker 24, a ringer 22, a microphone 26, a display 28, a user input interface, and/or the like, which may be coupled to the controller 20. Although not shown, the mobile terminal may comprise a battery for powering various circuits related to the mobile terminal, for example, a circuit to provide mechanical vibration as a detectable output. The user input interface may comprise devices allowing the mobile terminal to receive data, such as a keypad 30, a touch display (not shown), a joystick (not shown), and/or other input device. In embodiments including a keypad, the keypad may comprise conventional numeric (0-9) and related keys (#, *), and/or other keys for operating the mobile terminal.
As shown in
The mobile terminal 10 may comprise memory, such as a subscriber identity module (SIM) 38, a removable user identity module (R-UIM), and/or the like, which may store information elements related to a mobile subscriber. In addition to the SIM, the mobile terminal may comprise other removable and/or fixed memory. The mobile terminal 10 may include volatile memory 40 and/or non-volatile memory 42. For example, volatile memory 40 may include Random Access Memory (RAM) including dynamic and/or static RAM, on-chip or off-chip cache memory, and/or the like. Non-volatile memory 42, which may be embedded and/or removable, may include, for example, read-only memory, flash memory, magnetic storage devices (e.g., hard disks, floppy disk drives, magnetic tape, etc.), optical disc drives and/or media, non-volatile random access memory (NVRAM), and/or the like. Like volatile memory 40 non-volatile memory 42 may include a cache area for temporary storage of data. The memories may store one or more software programs, instructions, pieces of information, data, and/or the like which may be used by the mobile terminal for performing functions of the mobile terminal. For example, the memories may comprise an identifier, such as an international mobile equipment identification (IMEI) code, capable of uniquely identifying the mobile terminal 10.
Referring now to
The processor 205 may be embodied in a number of different ways. For example, the processor 205 may be embodied as various processing means including a microprocessor, a coprocessor, a controller (e.g., controller 30 from
The user interface 215 may be in communication with the processor 205 to receive an indication of a user input at the user interface 215 and/or to provide an audible, visual, mechanical, or other output to the user. As such, the user interface 215 may include, for example, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a touch screen display, a conventional display, a microphone, a speaker, or other input/output mechanisms. For example, in an embodiment in which the apparatus 200 is embodied as a mobile terminal (e.g., the mobile terminal 10 of
The communication interface 220 may be embodied as any device or means embodied in either hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to receive and/or transmit data from/to a network and/or any other device or module in communication with the apparatus 200. In this regard, the communication interface 220 may include, for example, an antenna, a transmitter, a receiver, a transceiver, a network card, network adapter, network interface card and/or supporting hardware or software for enabling communications with network 225, which may be any type of wired or wireless network. The communication interface 220 may enable the receipt and transmission of communications with remote devices (e.g., a user platform 245 and 250, or the like). For example, in an embodiment in which the apparatus 200 is embodied as a mobile terminal (e.g., the mobile terminal 10 of
The user platforms 245, 250 may be any type of device for storing, retrieving, computing, transmitting and receiving data. In some embodiments, user platforms 245, 250 may be embodied as a mobile terminal 10 of
The apparatus 200 may also include a device set-up manager 230, a data retriever 232, and a setting modifier 234 which may be any means or device embodied in hardware, software, or a combination of hardware and software that is configured to carry out the respective functions as described herein. In an example embodiment, the processor 205 may include, or otherwise control the device set-up manager 230, the data retriever 232, and the setting modifier 234. In various example embodiments, the device set-up manager 230, the data retriever 232, and the setting modifier 234 may reside on a server, or other network device including a mobile terminal, such as mobile terminal 10 of
The device set-up manager 230 may be a software or hardware application residing and operating on apparatus 200 that may be configured to assist a user in setting up a second device, and as such, may be embodied by various means, the processor 205, which may execute computer instructions stored, for example, in memory device 210 and may facilitate user interaction via user interface 215 and/or communication interface 220. As used herein, “second device” may be used to refer to a device that a user may be planning on using in the stead of a first or current device, or in other words, a device that may be replacing another device currently being used by a user. For example, the second device may be a new device. Further, “new device” may not mean a device that may be newly introduced to the market or new to the user, but may just instead mean newly personalized. The second device may be apparatus 200 embodied as a mobile terminal, such as mobile terminal 10 of
As mentioned above, the device set-up manager 230 may be configured to assist a user in setting up a second device, which may comprise assisting the user in personalizing or customizing the device. In this regard, the device set-up manager 230 may present to the user a selection of applications or user interface elements that may be executed to set-up the device. The user may desire to personalize the second device based at least in part on a first device and select the appropriate application to personalize on the second device. In some embodiments, the first and second devices may both belong to the same user. In other embodiments, a user may be personalizing a second device, belonging to the user, based at least in part on a first device belonging to another user. In other words, the first and second devices may belong to two different users. As used herein, “first device” may be used to refer to a device that a user may be planning on no longer using, or in other words, a device that may be replaced by another device, or may not be using exclusively going forward. For example, the first device may be a previous device of the user. In this regard, an initial step in personalizing the device may be to retrieve and/or transfer data from the user's first device.
The data retriever 232 may be a software or hardware application that may reside and/or operate on apparatus 200 and may be configured to retrieve and/or transfer data from the user's first device. The data retriever 232 may be embodied by various means including the processor 205, which may execute computer instructions stored, for example, in memory device 210. The first device may be embodied as user platform 245 or 250. The user may be presented with a selection of data to retrieve and/or transfer from the user's first device. The selection of data may include user contacts data, calendar data, user preferred or personal settings data, MMS and/or SMS messages data, images/pictures data, sound clips data, video clips data, other media files data, applications and/or the like. As used herein, “user preferred” and “personal settings data” may be interchangeably be used to refer to the value of the one or more preferred settings of the one or more applications of the first device selected by the user such as, for example, profile settings, phonebook/addressbook settings, standby settings, display settings, date and time settings, calendar settings, softkeys settings, Bluetooth settings, writing settings, language settings, other device settings, and/or the like.
In this regard, profile settings may include profile name, ringing tone, ringing type, ringing volume, message alert tone, e-mail alert tone, vibrating alert, keypad tones, warning tones, alerted calls setting, other tone settings, and/or the like. Phonebook/addressbook settings may include display order of contact names, group specific ringing tones, size of contact thumbnail, and/or the like. Stand by settings may include active standby setting (on/off), active standby applications, and/or the like. Display settings may include screen saver timeout setting, wallpaper setting, display time-out setting, and/or the like. Date and time settings may include time zone, date format, date separator, time format, time separator, clock type (analog/digital), and/or the like. Calendar settings may include alarm tone, default view, week view title, and/or the like. Writing settings may include writing language, T9 setting (on/off), T9 dictionary, and/or the like.
The user may select user preferred or personal settings data and/or one or more of these additional different types of data to retrieve and/or transfer from the first device. In this regard, the data retriever 232 may first access and analyze the content and/or data of the first device to determine the compatibility between the two devices, and thus, the data that may be retrieved and/or transferred to the second device. In embodiments where the first and second devices belong to different users, the owner of the second device may request permission or authorization from the other user to access the first device and transfer user preferred settings and/or other data to the second device. In some embodiments, the authorization may be manually provided by the owner of the first device. For example, the first device may receive a request from the second device whereupon the owner of the first device may be prompted to depress a button or key on the first device to authorize access to the first device. In another example, the owner of the first device may provide an access code to the owner of the second device for accessing the first device. In this regard, the owner of the second device may input the access code along subsequent to the second device submitting an access request to the first device. In some embodiments, the authorization may be automatic. In this regard and as example, the first device may recognize the second device as a trusted source and automatically allow access to data on the first device. In this regard, the request submitted by the second device to access the first device may include a code to access the data of the first device.
In some embodiments, the first device and the current device may be in direct communication with each other via various communication techniques such as, for example, radio frequency (RF), infrared (IrDA) or any of a number of different wireless networking techniques, including wireless LAN (WLAN) techniques such as IEEE 3162.11 (e.g., 3162.11a, 3162.11b, 3162.11g, 3162.11n, etc.), WiMAX techniques such as IEEE 3162.16, and/or wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) techniques such as IEEE 3162.15, BlueTooth (BT), and/or the like. In this regard, the second device may access, retrieve and/or transfer from the first device data and content via RF, IrDA, WLAN, BT, and/or the like. The devices may be in communication in a more indirect fashion such as, for example, via network
There may be differences between the technology or technical capabilities of the first device and the second device. For example, there may be a difference between the applications or products of the first device and the second device. In the alternative or additionally, there may be a difference between the software platforms or operating systems of the first device and the second device. For example, the second device may have a bigger screen size than that of the first device. As such, the data related to the size of the background image of the first device may not be compatible with the second device and therefore may be unnecessary to be retrieved and/or transferred to the second device. In yet another alternative or additionally, some data may not be retrieved and/or transferred, such as, for example, Digital rights management (DRM) data, other content protected data, data that are not compatible with the second device and/or the like. In some embodiments, the data compatibility may be performed by comparing each of the applications of the second device to each of the applications of the first device to determine a match therebetween. In the event similar applications are found, a further comparison between each of the features of the similar applications may be performed, as features may vary from a version of one application to another.
In some embodiments, the data retriever 232 may transfer to the first device information regarding the second device, such as, for example, information regarding the one or more applications of the first device, the one or more features of each application, the one or more settings of each application, the one or more file formats supported by the second device, and/or the like. This information may be written to a file that may be transferred to the first device and/or temporarily stored in a temporary storage location on the first device. In some embodiments, the file may be in various formats such as, for example, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, and/or the like. The data retriever 232 may analyze the content, data, and/or information regarding the first device and compare the information regarding the first device to the information regarding the second device transferred to the first device. In some embodiments, the data retriever 232 may read and compare the data in the file containing the information regarding the second device to the information regarding the first device using various data comparing algorithms. As such, compatible data may be identified and transferred to the second device, while the non-compatible data may be identified and prevented from being transferred.
In this regard and referring now to
Referring back to
The device set-up manager 230 and/or the data retriever 232 may also be configured to notify the user to maintain the first and second devices in close range in order to maintain the connection therebetween. In some embodiments, the device set-up manager 230 may be configured to notify the user of the status of the retrieval and/or transfer. For example, the device set-up manager 230 and/or the data retriever 232 may be configured to notify the user if the transfer is interrupted due to various reasons, such as, for example, the devices no longer in range, power failure of one or more devices, and/or the like. In some embodiments, in the event the retrieval and/or transfer is interrupted, the compatible data that has already been retrieved and/or transferred to the second device may remain on the second device. Nevertheless, the device set-up manager 230 and/or the data retriever 232 may notify the user of the interruption, at which point, the user may restart the data retrieval and/or transfer. In this regard, the data retrieval and/or transfer may be resumed wherein the remaining compatible data may be retrieved and/or transferred to the second device. In some embodiments, the data retrieval and/or transfer may start over from the beginning and compatible data already retrieved and/or transferred may be overwritten on the second device. In other embodiments, data that has already been retrieved and/or transferred may be deleted and thus retrieved and/or transferred anew. The device set-up manager 230 may also be further configured to provide a final notification to the user regarding the status of the retrieval and/or transfer, in the event the device set-up manager 230 is terminating and the retrieval and/or transfer of data is pending. As such, the user may be on notice to maintain the devices within each other's range to maintain communication therebetween.
In some embodiments, the personalization of the second device may be performed as the first task in the set-up of the second device. However, the personalization of the second device may be performed at other times and in different order. In this regard, user preferred or personal settings data may be first retrieved and/or transferred from the previous device to the second device. As used herein, “personalization”, “personalize”, or “personalization of the second device”, may be used interchangeably to refer to modifying the settings of the second device based at least in part on the user preferred or personal settings data of the previous device. In some embodiments, the data of each application may be simultaneously retrieved and/or transferred as a bundle from the first device to the second device. The data may then be distributed to the corresponding or similar application(s) on the second device. In other embodiment, the data retrieval and/or transfer may be sequential. In this regard, data from one application on the previous device may be retrieved and/or transferred to a corresponding application on the second device.
The data retriever 232 may also be configured to generate a file and maintain a record or a log of the compatible user preferred or personal settings data and data related thereto retrieved from the previous device in the file, e.g. a user preferred or personal settings data file. In some embodiments, the user preferred or personal settings data file may only be used once to personalize the second device. As such the user preferred or personal settings data file may be temporary and thus stored on the second device in a temporary storage location. In this regard, the temporary storage location (not shown) may be a section of memory device 210. In some embodiments, the temporary storage location may be a memory device other than but similar to memory device 210. In some embodiments, the user preferred or personal settings data file may be in various formats such as, for example, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, and/or the like. The user preferred or personal settings data file may contain information related to the compatible user preferred or personal settings data for each compatible user preferred or personal settings data such as, for example, the application of the first device from which the data was retrieved, the value of the setting data, the corresponding application on the second device, and/or the like. In the event, the user preferred or personal setting data involves an additional type of data, such as, for example, media file or application file, the user preferred or personal settings data file may also include the storage location of the data file. The storage location may be associated with a corresponding application on the second device. In this regard, and in some embodiments, the data retriever 232 may be configured to transfer the actual media file or all the media file of the same types such as, for example, all pictures, video, or music files, to a storage location associated with a corresponding application on the second device.
For example, and referring now to
In some embodiments, the data retriever 232 may generate a list of a pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings, that may be desirable to be retrieved from the first device such as, for example, profile settings, phonebook/addressbook settings, standby settings, display settings, date and time settings, calendar settings, softkeys settings, Bluetooth settings, writing settings, language settings, other device settings, and/or the like. This list may identify one or more applications with one or more settings and may be expandable by the device set-up manager 230 and/or the data retriever 232. The pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings may include the settings data of the second device. The data retriever 232 may transfer the pre-defined list to the first device and may compared the information in the pre-defined list to the information contained on the first device to identify compatible data. In this regard, the data retriever may perform a setting by setting comparison or compatibility analysis between the settings on the pre-define list and the information contained on the first device. The identified compatible data may be used to update the corresponding settings in the pre-defined list. For example, the data retriever may consider the settings of the phonebook application of the second as contained on the pre-defined list, identify a corresponding application and compatible data settings on the first device, and update the settings of the phonebook application on the pre-defined list. If a corresponding application and/or setting are not found on the first device, the data retriever 232 may proceed with the following setting and/or application on the pre-defined list. The data retriever 232 may perform a similar comparison for each setting on the pre-define list and then transfer the pre-defined list back to the second device, whereupon the pre-defined list may be temporarily stored in a temporary location.
In some embodiments, the pre-defined list may be stored in a pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings file and the file may be transferred to the first device. In some embodiments, the pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings data file may be in various formats such as, for example, an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, and/or the like, and may be organized and contain data in a manner similar to our discussion above related to the user preferred or personal settings data file. In this regard, the data retriever 232 may read the content of the file, perform an analysis to identify compatible data, and update the settings data on the file based on the compatible data for each setting contained on the file as discussed above. In this regard, in the event, the user preferred or personal setting data involves an additional type of data, such as, for example, media file or application file, the user preferred or personal settings data file may also include the storage location of the data file. The storage location may be associated with a corresponding application on the second device. Thereafter, the data retriever 232 may transfer the file back to the second device, whereupon the pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings file may be temporarily stored in a temporary location. In some embodiments, the pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings file and the user preferred or personal settings file may be the same file.
As such and referring back to
As discussed above, the retrieval and/or transfer of data may be interrupted. In this regard, the user preferred or personal settings data file may be deleted and generated anew upon the retrieval and/or transfer of data being restarted. In other embodiments, the user preferred or personal settings data may be kept and the data retriever 232 may be configured to continue to record the remaining user preferred settings data, similar to the discussion above. In yet other embodiments, the user preferred or personal settings data already recorded may be overwritten.
In other embodiments, the compatibility analysis may be performed on the second device. In this regard, the data retriever 232 may retrieve and/or transfer the information contained on the first device, such as, for example, user contacts data, calendar data, user preferred or personal settings data, MMS and/or SMS messages data, images/pictures data, sound clips data, video clips data, other media files data, applications and/or the like. Subsequent to the transfer, the data retriever 232 may perform a compatibility analysis by comparing the information contained on the first device, that has been transferred to the second device, to the information of contained on the second device in a manner similar to the discussion above. As such, the identified compatible data may remain on the second device while the data identified as non-compatible may be deleted from the second device. In some embodiments, the data retriever 232 may be configured to write to or populate user preferred or personal settings data identified as compatible to a user preferred or personal settings data file and store other compatible data of a compatible application of the first device in a storage location associated with a corresponding application of the second device.
The setting modifier 234 may be configured to modify the settings of the second device based at least in part on the user preferred or personal settings data of the first device recorded in the user preferred or personal settings data file. In this regard, the setting modifier 234 may be embodied by various means including the processor 205, which may execute computer instructions stored, for example, in memory device 210. In some embodiments, the device set-up manager 230 may include the setting modifier 234.
In some embodiments, the setting modifier 234 may first determine whether the user preferred or personal settings data file and/or the pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings file may be found on the second device. Hereinafter, the “user preferred or personal settings data file” and/or the “pre-defined list of user preferred or personal settings file” may b referred collectively as the user preferred or personal settings data file. The user preferred or personal settings data file may be stored in a predetermined storage location. In this regard, the settings modifier 234 may search for the user preferred or personal settings data file in a predetermined storage location on the second device. As mentioned above, the storage location may be a section of memory device 210 or a memory device other than but similar to memory device 210. The setting modifier 234 may also be configured to search in alternative storage locations on the second device. In the event the user preferred or personal settings data file is not found on the second device, the setting modifier 234 may proceed to apply the default factory settings which may be maintained on the system of the second device. In some embodiments, the setting modifier may take further action as the default factory setting may have already been applied on the second device. In this regard, the user preferred or personal settings data file may not be created for various reasons such as poor connection between the devices, the devices being out of each other's range, a longer time being required to gather and record the user preferred or personal settings data due to a large amount of information involved, and/or the like. However, in the event the user preferred or personal settings data file is found on the second device, the setting modifier may proceed to access and analyze the content of the file.
In some embodiments, the setting modifier 234 may simultaneously modify the settings of corresponding applications on the second device based on the user preferred or personal settings data file. In this regard, the setting modifier 234 may analyze the entire user preferred or personal settings data file and thereafter simultaneously modify all the corresponding applications in the second device. In other embodiments, the setting modifier 234 may sequentially modify the settings of corresponding applications on the second device based on the user preferred or personal settings data file. In this regard, the setting modifier 234 may analyze one setting data and modify the corresponding application, and so on until the entire user preferred or personal settings data file is analyzed. In yet other embodiments, the setting modifier 234 may analyze the entire user preferred or personal settings data file and thereafter modifying one corresponding application after the other. After the setting modifier 234 has analyzed the entire user preferred or personal settings data file and/or modified the settings of the corresponding applications, the user preferred or personal settings data file may be deleted. Analyzing the file may include the setting modifier 234 parsing the file to retrieve information such as, for example, at least one user preferred setting and at least one corresponding application.
In this regard and as an example, the setting modifier 234 may analyze a portion of the user preferred or personal settings data file as exemplified in
The device set-up manager 230 and/or the setting modifier 234 may be configured to display the current settings of the second device to the user. In some embodiments, the settings may be displayed after the second device has been personalized. As mentioned above, the settings of the second device may be personalized based on the compatible user preferred or personal settings data of the first phone. In this regard, the settings that were personalized on the second device based at least in part on the first device, along with the settings that were not personalized on the second device may be displayed to the user as the default settings of the second device. In other embodiments, the current settings of the second device may be displayed even if the setting modifier 234 does not apply to any user preferred or personal settings data from the first device. In some embodiments, the setting modifier 234 may not delete the default settings of the second device. In this regard, the user may be able to revert to the default or factory settings of the second device.
In some embodiments, the settings of the application(s) modified regularly by the user on the first device may be displayed in a prominent fashion. In this regard, the data retriever 232 may, for example, analyze a log of user interactions with various application(s) on the first device and provide that information to the device set-up manager 230 and/or the setting modifier 234.
Accordingly, blocks, steps, or operations of the flowcharts support combinations of means for performing the specified functions, combinations of steps for performing the specified functions and program instruction means for performing the specified functions. It will also be understood that one or more blocks, steps, or operations of the flowcharts, and combinations of blocks, steps, or operations in the flowcharts, may be implemented by special purpose hardware-based computer systems which perform the specified functions or steps, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
In this regard, one example embodiment of a method for personalizing a device as illustrated in
The example method of
The example method of
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The example method of
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.