Sharing Behavioral Patterns Between Devices

Abstract

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a set-top box having a controller to present media content at a presentation device as directed by a user, monitor the media content consumed by the user, detect a first behavioral pattern based on the media content consumed by the user, transmit the detected first behavioral pattern to a communication device of the user, receive from the communication device a second behavioral pattern, and identify media content correlating to the second behavioral pattern. The communication device can be adapted to adjust communication operations according to the detected first behavioral pattern. Other embodiments are disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing device, comprising:
 a processor system including a processor;   a memory that stores executable instructions, when executed u the processing system, facilitate performance of operations comprising:
 determining a first behavioral pattern of a user based on monitoring of a first user interaction with the computing device; 
 receiving, from a communication device, a second behavioral pattern that is determined based on a monitored second user interaction with the communication device; 
 adjusting a user profile to generate an adjusted user profile according to the first and second behavioral patterns to indicate content preferences; 
 selecting media content based on determining that the user is initiating a third user interaction and based on the adjusted user profile; and 
 providing the media content to a display device. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the determining that the user is initiating the third user interaction comprises identifying that the third user interaction is with the communication device. 
     
     
         3 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the display device is coupled to the communication device. 
     
     
         4 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the second behavioral pattern is determined by the communication device based in part on user preferences inputted by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 accessing the user profile; and   providing instructions to the communication device to adjust operations based on the operations available to the user as listed in the user profile.   
     
     
         6 . The computing device of  claim 5 , wherein the operations further comprise adjusting the user profile stored at the communication device to indicate content preferences for the user. 
     
     
         7 . The computing device of  claim 5 , wherein the operations are adjusted by being limited for use by the user and not for use by other users that share the communication device. 
     
     
         8 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 accessing an advertisement according to the first behavioral pattern or the second behavioral pattern; and   providing the advertisement to the communication device.   
     
     
         9 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the first behavioral pattern and the second behavioral pattern are based on media content of interest to the user, broadcast channels of interest to the user, a temporal profile of the user's consumption of media content, user preferences inputted by the user or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The computing device of  claim 1 , wherein the communication device comprises a mobile phone. 
     
     
         11 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a processing system including a processor, a first behavioral pattern of a user responsive to detecting first user interaction with the processing system;   receiving, by the processing system from a communication device, a second behavioral pattern that is determined based on a monitored second user interaction with the communication device;   modifying, by the processing system, a user profile to generate a modified user profile according to the first and second behavioral patterns to indicate content preferences;   identifying, by the processing system, media content responsive to the modified user profile; and   providing, by the processing system, the media content to a display device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the second behavioral pattern is determined by the communication device based in part on user preferences. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 retrieving, by the processing system, the user profile;   identifying, by the processing system, the user based on the user profile; and   providing, by the processing system, instructions to the communication device to modify operations to generate modified operations responsive to identifying the operations available to the user as listed in the user profile.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modified operations include modifying the user profile stored at the communication device to indicate content preferences for the user. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the modified operations are limited for use by the user and not for use by other users that share the communication device. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first and second behavioral patterns are based on media content of interest to the user, broadcast channels of interest to the user, a temporal profile of the user's consumption of media content, user preferences inputted by the user or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A machine-readable storage medium, comprising executable instructions that, when executed by a processing system including a processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 monitoring a first user interaction with the processing system;   identifying a first behavioral pattern of a user based on the monitoring of the first user interaction;   receiving, from a communication device, a second behavioral pattern that is identified based on a monitored second user interaction with the communication device;   adjusting a user profile according to the first behavioral pattern and second behavioral pattern to indicate content preferences;   identifying the user responsive to the user initiating a third user interaction;   selecting media content based on the identification of the user and the adjusted user profile; and   presenting the media content to a display device.   
     
     
         18 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the operations further comprise transmitting, by the processing system, instructions to the communication device to modify operations responsive to identifying the operations available to the user as listed in the user profile. 
     
     
         19 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the modified operations are limited for use by the user and not for use by other users that share the communication device. 
     
     
         20 . The machine-readable storage medium of  claim 18 , wherein the identifying the user further comprises:
 retrieving an advertisement according to the first behavioral pattern or the second behavioral pattern; and   providing the advertisement to the communication device.