System and method for electronic message notification

• US 20050277406A1
• Filed: 04/27/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Sbc Knowledge Ventures, L.P.
• Inventors: White, Russell W., Walter, Edward, Diroo, Yolius, McLaughlin, Paul R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,320,528 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/412.200
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2201/60 Medium conversion
• 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 3/42382 Text-based messaging services in telephone networks such as PSTN/ISDN, e.g. User-to-User Signalling or Short Message Service for fixed networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/537 Arrangements for indicating the presence of a recorded message , whereby the presence information might include a preview or summary of the message
• 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

A system and method are disclosed for facilitating enhanced call awareness. A system incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include an interface that receives a signal associated with a call to a telephone number. A call information engine may be coupled to the interface and may recognize that a party to the call subscribes to an enhanced call activity service. In some cases, the party may be a called party or a calling party, and the activity may include an incoming call to the telephone number, an outgoing call, a missed call, or a waiting voicemail message. A memory may maintain a data network address for the party, and a messaging engine may initiate sending of a message containing call information to the data network address. The message may be sent in response to a trigger signal output by a notification engine without consideration for whether or not a telephone line associated with the telephone number is busy.

Claims

1. An integrated tuner system, comprising:

an interface adapter operable to receive a video information stream;

a modem to receive a signal, wherein the signal is associated with an incoming electronic message from a notification engine; and

a premise network interface operable to output an electronic message notification signal in combination with the video information stream to a video display.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a communication module to output the electronic message notification signal to a telephone.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the telephone is operable to output a ring associated with the electronic message notification signal.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the communication module is a wireless local area network module.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the communication module outputs the electronic notification signal in a cellular telephone communication module.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a memory to store the electronic message.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic message is a Instant Messaging (IM) message.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the premise network interface is operable to output the electronic message notification signal and the video information stream in a configuration, wherein the configuration is selected from the group consisting of a split screen configuration, a ticker configuration, a drop-down configuration and a pop-up configuration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the configuration is selectable by a user.

11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a voice module operable to convert the electronic message notification signal to a first audio signal and the electronic mail message to a second audio signal.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the voice module is operable to receive voice commands from a user.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the voice module is operable to convert a voice input to an electronic message format.

14. An electronic message notification method, comprising:

receiving at an integrated tuner system an indication from a wide area network of an incoming electronic message;

combining an electronic message notification signal with a video information stream into a video output;

providing the video output to a video display.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic message is an electronic mail message.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the electronic message is an instant messaging (IM) message.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

transmitting a notification signal associated with the electronic message to a telephone.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the telephone is a cellular telephone.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the telephone is a wireless telephone.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the telephone produces a ring associated with the notification signal.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the video output is provided in a configuration is selected from the group consisting of a split screen configuration, a ticker configuration, a drop-down configuration, and a pop-up configuration.

22. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

converting the electronic message notification signal to an audio signal; and

playing the audio signal for a user.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the audio signal is played via a telephone.

24. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

converting the electronic message to an audio signal; and

playing the audio signal.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the audio signal is played via a telephone.