SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SET-TOP BOX CALL CONNECTION

• US 20100054436A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Emerson, David, LaFreniere, Gary W., Goergen, Michael, Rondeau, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,757 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/102.30
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS

Abstract

A system for initiating a voice call includes a set-top box operable to control a selection of a television channel for display on a television. The set-top box is further operable to initiate a voice call between a first telephone and a second telephone. The first telephone is associated with a first telephone network and the second telephone is associated with a second telephone network. The system includes a remote control in communication with the set-top box. The remote control is operable to receive a first input associated with the selection of the television channel from a user and a second input associated with the voice call. The voice call is initiated by the set-top box in response to the second input being received by the set-top box.

Claims

1. A system for initiating a voice call, the system comprising:

a set-top box operable to control a selection of a television channel for display on a television, the set-top box being farther operable to initiate the voice call between a first telephone and a second telephone, the first telephone being associated with a first telephone network and the second telephone being associated with a second telephone network; and

a remote control in communication with the set-top box, the remote control operable to receive an input associated with the selection of the television channel from a user and a second input associated with the voice call, wherein the voice call is initiated by the set-top box in response to the second input being received by the set-top box.

2. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a call control server, the call control server operable to connect the voice call.

3. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a call control server, the call control server operable to connect the voice call using a SIP protocol.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box is operable to initiate the voice call over a third telephone network, the third telephone network being a different telephone network than the first telephone network and the second telephone network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes a digital telephony client, the digital telephony client operable to initiate the voice call.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes a digital telephony client, the digital telephony client operable to initiate the voice call and request that a call control server ring both a called party number and a calling party number.

7. A method of initiating a voice call, the method comprising:

receiving a called party number and a calling party number from a set-top box;

initiating a first call connection request to the called party number;

initiating a second call connection request to the calling party number in response to the first call connection request being answered; and

connecting a voice call between the called party number and the calling party number in response to the second call connection request being answered.

8. The method of claim 7, and further comprising connecting a telephone to a media player in response to the first call connection request being answered, the telephone being associated with the called party number.

9. The method of claim 7, and further comprising connecting a telephone to a media player in response to the first call connection request being answered, the telephone being associated with the called party number, the media player storing a message indicative of a calling party being connected to the telephone.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the called party number and the calling party number are received over a first network and the first call connection request is communicated to a second network.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the called party number and the calling party number are received using a SIP protocol.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the set-top box and the calling party are each associated with a user.

13. The method of claim 7, and further comprising substituting a first called party number designated by the set-top box for a second called party number previously associated with the set-top box.

14. A call control server, the call control server comprising:

a processor;

a memory encoded with instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the processor to;

receive a called party number and a calling party number from a set-top box;

initiate a first call connection request to the called party number;

initiate a second call connection request to the calling party number in response to the first call connection request being answered; and

connect a voice call between the called party number and the calling party number in response to the second call connection request being answered.

15. The call control server of claim 14, the memory being encoded with further instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the processor to connect a telephone to a media player in response to the first call connection request being answered, the telephone being associated with the called party number.

16. The call control server of claim 14, the memory being encoded with further instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the processor to connect a telephone to a media player in response to the first call connection request being answered, the telephone being associated with the called party number, the media player storing a message indicative of a calling party being connected to the telephone.

17. The call control server of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further operable to receive the called party number and the calling party number over a first network and the first call connection request is communicated to a second network.

18. The call control server of claim 14, wherein the instructions are further operable to receive the called party number and the calling party number using a SIP protocol.

19. The call control server of claim 14, wherein the set-top box and the calling party are each associated with a user.

20. The call control server of claim 14, the memory being encoded with further instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the processor to substitute a first called party number designated by the set-top box for a second called party number previously associated with the set-top box.