Set top box and methods for using the same

• US 20040194146A1
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cary Lee Bates, Jeffrey Michael Ryan, John M. Santosuosso, Paul Reuben Day
• Original Assignee: Cary Lee Bates, Jeffrey Michael Ryan, John M. Santosuosso, Paul Reuben Day
• Inventors: Day, Paul Reuben, Bates, Cary Lee, Santosuosso, John Matthew, Ryan, Jeffrey Michael
• Application Number:
  US10/816,705
• Publication Number:
  US 20040194146A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

Devices, computer program products, and methods are provided which extend the features of a set top box. In a first aspect, a method is provided for employing a set top box to notify at least one person of a television event. In accordance with the method, a start time of a television event is determined, and a set top box is employed to notify at least one person via a telephone line when a current time is within a predetermined time of the start time. In a second aspect, a method is provided for employing a set top box to record a telephone message. In accordance with the method, a telephone message received via a telephone line coupled to a set top box is recorded by employing the set top box, and at least an indicator of the recorded telephone message is displayed. In a third aspect, a method is provided for controlling a set top box via a telephone line coupled to the set top box. In accordance with the method, a telephone call is received from a calling party via a telephone line coupled to a set top box, and the set top box is controlled via at least one command transmitted by the calling party to the set top box during the telephone call. In other aspects, devices and computer program products are provided that can perform the above described methods.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a set top box comprising:

providing a set top box that can be controlled by a telephone line coupled to the set top box;

receiving a telephone call from a calling party via the telephone line; and

controlling the set top box via at least one command transmitted by the calling party to the set top box during the telephone call.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box via at least one command transmitted by the calling party comprises receiving at least one predetermined number dialed by the calling party.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises disabling the set top box.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises enabling the set top box.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises directing the set top box to decrease a volume of a television set coupled to the set top box.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising directing the set top box to transmit an audio signal from the calling party over a speaker of the television set.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises directing the set top box to play at least an audio portion of a television event over the telephone line.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises directing the set top box to tune to a television event.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises directing the set top box to record a television event.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein directing the set top box to record a television event comprises directing the set top box to transmit a record command to a video recording device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling the set top box comprises directing the set top box to play a telephone message previously recorded by the set top box.

12. An apparatus adapted to employ a telephone interface comprising:

a processor comprising computer program code adapted to control a set top box via at least one command transmitted by a calling party over a telephone line coupled to the set top box, the command being transmitted during a telephone call.

13. A set top box comprising the apparatus of claim 12.

14. A computer program product for controlling a set top box comprising:

a medium readable by a computer, the computer readable medium having means for controlling a set top box via at least one command transmitted by a calling party over a telephone line coupled to the set top box, the command being transmitted during a telephone call.