Television system and method for communication notification

• US 20020147983A1
• Filed: 07/31/2001
• Published: 10/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Comverse Network Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Comverse Network Systems Limited
• Inventors: Kringel, Shlomi, Michael, Erez
• Application Number:
  US09/917,896
• Publication Number:
  US 20020147983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6543 for forcing some client operations, e.g. recording remote booting in general G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

A system and method for providing signals to television receivers (60) of selected users within a television network (30) is disclosed. The system comprises an intercept unit (130) connected to a telephone network (110). The intercept unit (130) is arranged to obtain data on a telephone call being made to a user'"'"'s telephone number and to communicate the data to the receiver (60) of the user. The receiver (60) is arranged to display the data on an associated television screen (70).

Claims

1. A system for providing signals to a television receiver of a user within a television network, the system comprising:

an intercept unit connected to a telephone network and obtaining data concerning a telephone call being made to a user'"'"'s telephone number, communicating the data over the television network to the television receiver of the user, wherein the television receiver of the user displays the data concerning the telephone call on a television screen associated with the television receiver of the user.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a service transmission system communicating with the television network;

the intercept unit communicating the data concerning the telephone call to the service transmission system; and

,

the service transmission system formatting the data into a television signal and communicating the television signal over the television network to the television receiver of the user.

3. A system according to claim 2, in which the intercept unit communicates data to the service transmission system via one of the Internet and a telecommunications network.

4. A system according to claim 2, further comprising a database cross-referencing user telephone numbers with data on the television receiver of the user;

the intercept unit communicating the telephone number of the user to the service transmission system; and

the service transmission system accessing the database to obtain the data on the television receiver of the user, and using the data on the television receiver of the user to communicate the television signal to the television receiver of the user.

5. A system according to claim 2, wherein the service transmission system embeds the data concerning the telephone call within a television program to be broadcast to the television receiver of the user, the data concerning the telephone call being displayed within the television program on the television screen of the user.

6. A system according claim 2, wherein the service transmission system communicates the television signal to the user'"'"'s television receiver separately to broadcasts of television programs, the user'"'"'s television receiver displaying the data concerning the telephone call over any displayed television program displayed on the television screen.

7. A system according to claim 2, wherein the data concerning a telephone call includes a caller'"'"'s calling line indicator.

8. A system according to claim 2, wherein the intercept unit obtains further data on a caller in dependence on the obtained data concerning the telephone call and communicates the data concerning the telephone call and the further data to the service transmission system for communication to the user'"'"'s television receiver.

9. A system according to claim 2, wherein the service transmission system obtains further data on a caller in dependence on the data concerning the telephone call communicated by the intercept unit and formats the data concerning the telephone call and the further data into a television signal for communication to the user'"'"'s television receiver.

10. A system according to claim 2, wherein the service transmission system obtains further data on a caller in dependence on the data concerning the telephone call communicated by the intercept unit and replaces the data concerning the telephone call with the further data prior to formatting the data into a television signal for communication to the user'"'"'s television receiver.

11. A system according to claim 9, further comprising a database of information on known callers, the service transmission system obtaining the further data from the database of information on known callers.

12. A system according to claim 9, wherein the service transmission system communicates with a telephone service provider'"'"'s database and obtains the further data from the telephone service provider'"'"'s database.

13. A system according to claim 2, wherein the receiver accepts an input from a user in response to the data displayed on the television screen and communicates the input to the service transmission system, the service transmission system managing the call in dependence on the input.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the input is a command to redirect to a voicemail system, the service transmission system communicating with the intercept unit to redirect the call to the voicemail system.

15. A system according to claim 13, wherein the input is a command to send a message to a caller, the service transmission system communicating with a messaging system to send the message to the caller.

16. A system according to claim 15, wherein the message is one of:

an instant message or an email.

17. A system according to claim 1, wherein the television receiver is a digital television decoder.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the decoder is a set-top-box.

20. A method according to claim 19, in which the step of communicating the data further comprises formatting the data into a television signal and communicating the television signal across the television network to the television receiver of the user.

21. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of cross-referencing the user'"'"'s telephone number with data on the television receiver of the user, wherein the step of communicating the television signal to the television receiver further comprises the step of communicating the television signal to the television receiver of the user using the data on the receiver.

22. A method according to claim 20, wherein the step of formatting the data into a television signal comprises the step of embedding the data within a television program to be broadcast to the television receiver of the user.

23. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of obtaining further data on a caller in dependence on the obtained data and formatting the data and the further data into a television signal for communication to the receiver.

24. A method according to claim 20, further comprising the steps of obtaining further data on a caller in dependence on the obtained data, discarding the data and formatting the further data into a television signal for communication to the receiver.

25. A method according to claim 23, further comprising the step of maintaining a database of information on known callers, wherein the step of obtaining further data comprises the step of obtaining further data from the database of information on known callers.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein the step of obtaining further data comprises the steps of accessing a telephone service provider'"'"'s database and obtaining the further data from the telephone service provider'"'"'s database.

27. A method according to claim 19, further comprising the steps of accepting an input from a user in response to the data displayed on the television screen and managing the call in dependence on the input.

28. A method according to claim 27, wherein the step of managing comprises at least one of the steps of:

redirecting the call to a voicemail system, sending an instant message to the caller or sending an email to the caller.

31. A computer program product according to claim 29, in which the instructions for enabling the computer to communicate the data further comprises instructions for enabling the computer to format the data into a television signal and instructions for enabling the computer to communicate the television signal across the television network to the receiver of the user.

33. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the instructions for enabling the computer to format the data into a television signal embeds the data within a television program to be broadcast to the receiver of the user.

34. A computer program product according to claim 31, further comprising instructions for enabling the computer to obtain further data on a caller in dependence on the obtained data, wherein the instructions for enabling the computer to format the data formats the data and the further data into a television signal for communication to the receiver.

35. A computer program product according to claim 31, further comprising instructions for enabling the computer to obtain further data on a caller in dependence on the obtained data, wherein the instructions for enabling the computer to format the data discard the data and format the further data into a television signal for communication to the receiver.

36. A computer program product according to claim 31, further comprising instructions for enabling the computer to maintain a database of information on known callers, wherein the device for enabling the computer to obtain further data obtains the further data from the database.

37. A computer program product according to claim 31, wherein the device for enabling the computer to obtain further information accesses a telephone service provider'"'"'s database to obtain the further data.

40. The user interface as set forth in claim 39, further comprising a user activatable region for sending a prior call information access request.

41. The user interface as set fourth in claim 40, further comprising:

an object for receiving a prior call information signal; and

a display region displaying prior call information based on said prior call information signal.

42. The interface as set fourth in claim 39, wherein the incoming call indication signal comprises system-provided incoming call information and supplemental incoming call information.

43. The interface as set fourth in claim 42, further comprising a display region displaying said supplemental incoming call information.

44. The interface as set fourth in claim 39, further comprising a user activatable region for indicating a call management function relating to incoming telephone calls of said user.

19. A method of providing signals to television receivers of selected users within a television network, the method comprising:

obtaining data at a telephone system on telephone calls being made to a user'"'"'s telephone number;

communicating the data over the television network to the television receiver of the user; and

,

displaying the data on an associated television screen.

29. A computer program product for supporting improved incoming call indications, comprising software instructions on a computer readable medium, the software instructions being adapted to enable computer systems to operate according to a method comprising:

obtaining data at a telephone system on telephone calls being made to a user'"'"'s telephone number;

communicating the data over the television network to the receiver of the user; and

,

displaying the data on an associated television screen.

30. A computer program product comprising software instructions on a computer readable medium, the instructions enabling a system of computers to provide signals to televisions of selected users within a television network, and comprising instructions for:

enabling a computer to obtain data at a telephone system on telephone calls being made to a user'"'"'s telephone number;

enabling the computer to communicate the data to a receiver of the user; and

,

enabling the receiver to display the data on an associated television screen.

32. A computer program product according to claim 30, further comprising instructions for enabling the computer to cross-reference the user'"'"'s telephone number with data on the receiver of the user, wherein the instructions for enabling the computer to communicate the television signal to the receiver further uses the data on the receiver.

38. A computer program product according to claim 30, further comprising a device for enabling the receiver to accept an input from a user in response to the data displayed on the television screen and a device for enabling the computer to manage the call in dependence on the input.

39. A user interface for a television, comprising:

an object for receiving an incoming telephone call indication signal; and

a display region, responsive to said incoming telephone call indication signal, displaying an incoming telephone call indication based on said incoming telephone call indication signal.