Personal content control on media device using mobile user device

Abstract

A method for controlling personal content on a media device includes establishing, at the media device, a wireless connection with a mobile user device using a wireless communication circuit of the media device; receiving, from the mobile user device, account information for an account associated with personal content, the personal content of the account accessible by the media device from a server computer over a communication network or from a memory of the media device; receiving, from the mobile user device, a usage term for accessing or using the personal content of the account; and controlling access to or usage of the personal content of the account by the media device based on the received account information and the usage term.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for controlling personal content on a media device, the method comprising:
 receiving a usage term for accessing personal content associated with a user account, wherein the usage term indicates that personal content associated with the user account is to be inhibited from being presented based on a state of a wireless network connection with a mobile device;   presenting a graphical user interface that prompts a user to permit the media device to access the personal content based on the usage term indicating that the media device is not authorized to present the personal content associated with the user account, wherein the graphical user interface presents information about an application that the user account is associated and that is attempting to access the personal content;   presenting, based on a permission received from the graphical user interface, at least a portion of the personal content; and   inhibiting the portion of the personal content from being presented based on a disconnection state of the wireless network connection with the mobile device.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising receiving, from the mobile device, account information associated with the user account in which personal content is included, wherein the personal content is accessible from a server computer. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving an input, via the graphical user interface, to modify access rights to the user account associated with the personal content; and   transmitting the modified access rights to the mobile device.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the graphical user interface is caused to be presented on a display associated with the mobile device, and wherein the graphical user interface includes at least one of an option to grant the media device with access to the personal content based on the usage term and an option to deny the media device with access to the personal content. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising, upon receiving the usage term indicating that the media device is authorized to present the personal content associated with the user account, inhibiting presentation of the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising transmitting a request for a list of accounts, wherein the list of accounts includes the user account associated with the personal content. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the personal content from being presented in response to determining that the mobile device has been disconnected from the wireless network connection. 
     
     
         8 . A system for controlling personal content on a media device, the system comprising:
 a hardware processor of a media device that:
 receives a usage term for accessing personal content associated with a user account, wherein the usage term indicates that personal content associated with the user account is to be inhibited from being presented based on a state of a wireless network connection with a mobile device; 
 presents a graphical user interface that prompts a user to permit the media device to access the personal content based on the usage term indicating that the media device is not authorized to present the personal content associated with the user account, wherein the graphical user interface presents information about an application that the user account is associated and that is attempting to access the personal content; 
 presents, based on a permission received from the graphical user interface, at least a portion of the personal content; and 
 inhibits the portion of the personal content from being presented based on a disconnection state of the wireless network connection with the mobile device. 
   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further receives, from the mobile device, account information associated with the user account in which personal content is included, wherein the personal content is accessible from a server computer. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further:
 receives an input, via the graphical user interface, to modify access rights to the user account associated with the personal content; and   transmits the modified access rights to the mobile device.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the graphical user interface is caused to be presented on a display associated with the mobile device, and wherein the graphical user interface includes at least one of an option to grant the media device with access to the personal content based on the usage term and an option to deny the media device with access to the personal content. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further, upon receiving the usage term indicating that the media device is authorized to present the personal content associated with the user account, inhibits presentation of the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the hardware processor further transmits a request for a list of accounts, wherein the list of accounts includes the user account associated with the personal content. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the portion of the personal content from being presented in response to determining that the mobile device has been disconnected from the wireless network connection. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform a method for controlling personal content on a media device, the method comprising:
 receiving a usage term for accessing personal content associated with a user account, wherein the usage term indicates that personal content associated with the user account is to be inhibited from being presented based on a state of a wireless network connection with a mobile device;   presenting a graphical user interface that prompts a user to permit the media device to access the personal content based on the usage term indicating that the media device is not authorized to present the personal content associated with the user account, wherein the graphical user interface presents information about an application that the user account is associated and that is attempting to access the personal content;   presenting, based on a permission received from the graphical user interface, at least a portion of the personal content; and   inhibiting the portion of the personal content from being presented based on a disconnection state of the wireless network connection with the mobile device.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises receiving, from the mobile device, account information associated with the user account in which personal content is included, wherein the personal content is accessible from a server computer. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises:
 receiving an input, via the graphical user interface, to modify access rights to the user account associated with the personal content; and   transmitting the modified access rights to the mobile device.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the graphical user interface is caused to be presented on a display associated with the mobile device, and wherein the graphical user interface includes at least one of an option to grant the media device with access to the personal content based on the usage term and an option to deny the media device with access to the personal content. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises, upon receiving the usage term indicating that the media device is authorized to present the personal content associated with the user account, inhibiting presentation of the graphical user interface. 
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting a request for a list of accounts, wherein the list of accounts includes the user account associated with the personal content. 
     
     
         21 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 15 , wherein the portion of the personal content from being presented in response to determining that the mobile device has been disconnected from the wireless network connection.