Method and apparatus for internet co-browsing over cable television and controlled through computer telephony

• US 20020073430A1
• Filed: 01/23/2002
• Published: 06/13/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crandall, Evan Stephen, Fernstedt, Anders, Greenspan, Steven Lloyd, Weimer, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,908,630 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/105
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2801 Broadband local area networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/5692 Selection among different networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/003 Click to dial services
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0036 where the data service is an information service
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/1215 where a cable TV network is used as an access to the PSTN/ISDN

Abstract

A novel mechanism is disclosed by which a sender can direct information such as an audiovisual signal to a particular recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device, such as a cable television set and, thereby, share information between the sender and the recipient. In one embodiment of the invention, a calling party originates a telephone call and associates that telephone call with audio-visual information that exists on the caller'"'"'s personal computer or on an Internet server. The called party answers the call, and can tune an associated cable television to the appropriate channel in order to view the audiovisual information. The caller can modify the audio-visual information during the call. Accordingly, the current invention ties together the telephone, cable, and IP networks in a manner that does not require large investments from cable or telephone service providers. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a called party, such as a representative at a customer service center or an interactive voice response unit, can associate audio-visual information with the call such that the calling party can see the data on the appropriate television channel. In another embodiment, the telephone keypad can be used to move forwards and backwards through a series of audio-visual screens. In another embodiment, the cable subscriber can preset the television to a particular URL which can be viewed, but not navigated, without the telephone call.

Claims

1. A method of sharing information between a sender with access to a data network and a recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device, the recipient being identified by a voice communication network address and a data communication network address, the method comprising the steps of:

associating the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address with the recipient'"'"'s data communication network address;

establishing a voice connection on a voice communication network between the sender and the recipient;

associating the connection with information to be sent across the data network to the recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device based on the established association between the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address with the recipient'"'"'s data communication network address; and

initiating a broadcast of the information to the recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the recipient'"'"'s reception of the broadcast begins after the recipient authorizes the broadcast.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the recipient authorizes the broadcast by remaining on the connection for a designated period of time.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the recipient authorizes the broadcast by transmitting a signal across the voice communication network.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the recipient authorizes the broadcast by transmitting a signal across the data network.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving input from the recipient or sender;

changing the information broadcast to the recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device based on the input from the recipient or sender.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the input is a signal transmitted across the voice communication network.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the input is a signal transmitted across the data network.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the signal is a DTMF signal.

10. The method of claim 7 wherein the signal is a voice command.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the sender is an automated interactive response system.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of ending the broadcast of the information to the recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device when the connection between the sender and the recipient ends.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising means for initiating the connection on the voice communication network.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13 wherein the broadcast is initiated by sending a signal to a server attached to the data network and capable of broadcasting the information to the recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13 further comprising means for ending the broadcast of the information to the recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device when the connection between the sender and the recipient ends.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the voice communication network address is a telephone number.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the information is adapted for rendering on a television screen.

13. A computer readable medium containing executable program instructions for sharing information between a sender with access to a data network and a recipient'"'"'s receiving device, the recipient being identified by a voice communication network address and a data communication network address, the medium comprising:

means for associating the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address with the recipient'"'"'s data communication network address;

means for receiving notification that a voice connection has been established between the recipient and the sender on a voice communication network;

means for receiving from the sender a designation of information associated with the connection; and

means for initiating the broadcast of the information to the recipient'"'"'s receiving device.

17. A computer readable medium containing executable program instructions for sharing information between a sender with access to a data network and a recipient'"'"'s receiving device, the recipient being identified by a voice communication network address and a data communication network address related to the recipient'"'"'s receiving device, the medium comprising:

means for associating the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address and data communication network address related to the recipient'"'"'s receiving device;

means for designating information to be broadcast to the recipient'"'"'s receiving device;

means for associating the information with a connection to be established across a voice communication network with the recipient; and

means for sending the designation of information to a server capable of initiating the broadcast.

18. A method of sharing information between a sender with access to a data network and a recipient, the recipient being identified by a voice communication network address and a data communication network address, the method comprising the steps of:

associating the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address with the recipient'"'"'s data communication network address;

establishing a voice connection on a voice communication network between the sender and the recipient;

associating the connection with information to be sent across the data network to the recipient based on the established association between the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address with the recipient'"'"'s data communication network address; and

initiating a broadcast of the information to the recipient.