System, method and user interface to deliver message content

• US 20070039036A1
• Filed: 08/12/2005
• Published: 02/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: SBC Knowledge Ventures LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sullivan, Marc, Pasquale, Theodore, Joseph, Kurt, Kortum, Philip
• Application Number:
  US11/203,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20070039036A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/133
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440236 by media transcoding, e.g. video is transformed into a slideshow of still pictures, audio is converted into text
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8106 involving special audio data, e.g. different tracks for different languages
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method of delivering message content to a television monitor. The method includes merging a first electronic signal with a second electronic signal. The first electronic signal transmits recorded message content. The second electronic signal includes video content. The method may also include communicating the merged signal to a television monitor. The method can also include displaying the television content and content of the recorded message at the television monitor.

Claims

1. A method of delivering message content to a television monitor, the method comprising:

merging a first electronic signal with a second electronic signal, wherein the first electronic signal and the second electronic signal together comprise a merged signal;

wherein the first electronic signal comprises at least one message that includes content recorded by a message sender; and

wherein the second electronic signal comprises video content to be displayed at the television monitor.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the merged signal to the television monitor.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the video content and content of the at least one message are displayed at the television monitor concurrently.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one message further comprises at least one voice message.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

converting the at least one voice message to at least one text message; and

displaying the at least one text message at the television monitor.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the at least one text message is streamed to the television monitor.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising broadcasting the at least one voice message at the television monitor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one message comprises at least one e-mail message and further comprising displaying the at least one e-mail message at the television monitor.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one e-mail message is streamed to the television monitor.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

converting the at least one e-mail message to at least one audio message; and

broadcasting the at least one audio message at the television monitor.

11. A set-top box device, comprising:

a processor;

a memory device accessible to the processor; and

a computer program embedded within the memory device, the computer program comprising;

instructions to merge a first electronic signal representing a recorded text or audio message with a second electronic signal, wherein the first electronic signal and the second electronic signal together comprise a merged signal; and

wherein the second electronic signal comprises video content.

12. The set-top box of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to communicate the merged signal to a display monitor.

13. The set-top box device of claim 12, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to display television content and content associated with the recorded message at the display monitor.

14. The set-top box device of claim 11, wherein the recorded message further comprises at least one voice message.

15. The set-top box device of claim 14, wherein the computer program further comprises:

instructions to convert the at least one voice message to at least one text message; and

instructions to display a text message corresponding to the at least one voice message at a television monitor.

16. The set-top box device of claim 14, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to broadcast the at least one voice message at a speaker coupled to the set-top box.

17. The set-top box device of claim 12, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to record at least one voice message from at least one message sender.

18. The set-top box device of claim 12, wherein:

the recorded message further comprises at least one e-mail message; and

wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to display the at least one e-mail message at a television monitor.

19. The set-top box device of claim 18, wherein the computer program further comprises:

instructions to convert the at least one e-mail message to at least one audio message; and

instructions to broadcast the at least one audio message at the television monitor.

20. The set-top box device of claim 11, wherein the computer program further comprises instructions to receive at least one e-mail message from at least one sender.

21. A user interface to deliver message content, the user interface comprising:

a television content region, wherein the television content region displays uninterrupted television programming;

a message content region, wherein the message content region displays at least one message in a streamed format; and

wherein the at least one message comprises content recorded by at least one message sender.

22. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the message content region at least partially overlays the at least one television content region.

23. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the message content region displays at least one text stream.

24. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the at least one text stream is responsive to at least one transport control command.

25. The user interface of claim 24, wherein the at least one transport control command is received from a remote control device.

26. The user interface of claim 24, wherein the at least one transport control command comprises at least one command chosen from a group consisting of increasing a speed of a text stream, decreasing a speed of a text stream, reversing a direction of a text stream, pausing a text stream, ending a text stream, activating a text stream, and repeating a text stream.

27. The user interface of claim 21, wherein the at least one message further comprises at least one voice message.

28. The user interface of claim 27, wherein:

the message content region displays at least one text message; and

wherein the at least one voice message has been converted into the at least one text message.

29. The user interface of claim 27, wherein:

the at least one message comprises at least one e-mail message; and

wherein the message content region displays the at least one e-mail message.

30. The method of claim 21, wherein the message content region displays at least one message notification.

31. The method of claim 21, wherein the message content region displays at least one message identifier.