US Patent 6981042 Multimedia terminal adapted for multiple users

A terminal for processing digital audio-visual or multimedia data including a data processing system and a memory, the data processing system storing user profile data (81, 82, 83) relating to the characteristics or preferences of multiple users (80) of the terminal. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the user profiles correspond to modes of operation of the terminal, the user profile data including priority data indicating the priority rights of each user to terminal resources.