Method and apparatus for managing calls through an entertainment center

• US 20020172330A1
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Published: 11/21/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Systems Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brunelle, Michael J., Brockenbrough, Allan E.
• Granted Patent: US 7,184,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/67.1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308

Abstract

An incoming telephone call is held in a telephony network while a subscriber is notified that the call is waiting to be handled. A guide menu presenting call handling options is displayed on an entertainment center while a program played through the entertainment center is paused and recorded. The subscriber selects a desired call handling option using a remote control device and the call is handled in a manner corresponding to the selected call handling option.

Claims

1. A method of managing calls through an entertainment center, comprising:

sending a signal indicating that there is an incoming call; and

handling the incoming call in accordance with a selected call handling option presented over the entertainment center.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising buffering a program being played through the entertainment center when the signal indicating that there is an incoming call is received.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising buffering a program being played through the entertainment center in response to a specific subscriber request.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the selected call handling option is chosen from a group comprising take the call, send the call to voice mail, forward the call to another number, play a message, ignore the call and reject the call.

17. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the incoming call corresponds to an incoming text message.

5. A call management system comprising:

a call management server residing in a telephony provider network; and

a television call manager connected to an entertainment center to receive a signal from the call management server indicating that an incoming call is waiting at the call management server.

6. The call management system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a television buffering device connected to the entertainment center to buffer and record a television program played through the entertainment center in response to a signal transmitted from the television call manager when a call is waiting at the call management server.

7. The call management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the incoming call is handled in accordance with a selected call handling option.

8. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the call handling options are displayed through the entertainment center.

9. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the selected call handling option is chosen from a group comprising take the call, send the call to voice mail, forward the call to another number, play a message, ignore the call and reject the call.

10. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a remote control device in communication with the television call manager, wherein a subscriber selects a call handling option with the remote control device.

11. The call management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein the entertainment center includes a television.

12. The call management system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a television detector in communication with the television to detect when the television is on and to signal the call manager that incoming calls should be routed through the call management system.

13. The call management system as claimed in claim 5, wherein a caller identification corresponding to the incoming call is displayed through the entertainment center when an incoming call is waiting at the call management server.

14. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein if the selected call handling option is to take the call, the call management server forwards the call to the television call manager.

15. The call management system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the call is answered through the home entertainment center.

16. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a television buffering device connected to the entertainment center to buffer and record a television program played through the entertainment center in response to selecting the call handling option if the selected call handling option is to take the call.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17, wherein the text message is displayed through the home entertainment center.

19. A method of managing calls through an entertainment center, comprising:

receiving an incoming call through the entertainment center;

automatically pausing and recording a television program played through the entertainment center when the incoming call is received; and

resuming the television program when the incoming call is terminated.

20. A method of managing calls through an entertainment center, comprising:

receiving an incoming call;

pausing a program played through the entertainment center;

displaying a menu on a display of the entertainment center;

prompting a subscriber to select a call handling option from the menu displayed on the entertainment center;

executing a selected call handling option; and

unpausing the program played through the entertainment center.

21. A method of managing calls through an entertainment center, comprising:

means for sending a signal indicating that there is an incoming call; and

means for handling the incoming call in accordance with a selected call handling option presented over the entertainment center.