SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SET-TOP BOX BASE STATION INTEGRATION

• US 20100058407A1
• 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: Rondeau, David, Emerson, David, LaFreniere, Gary W., Goergen, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,210,478 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/106
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47205 for manipulating displayed content, e.g. interacting with MPEG-4 objects, editing locally
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• 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 21/64322 IP

Abstract

A system for conducting a voice call includes a set-top box operable to control the selection of a television channel for display on a television. The set-top box is also operable to initiate a voice call in response to a selection of a user-interface displayed on the television. The system also includes a wireless set in communication with the set-top box, the wireless set operable to establish a portion of the voice path for the voice call. Signaling for the voice call is initiated by the set-top box.

Claims

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

a set-top box operable to control the selection of a television channel for display on a television, the set-top box being further operable to initiate the voice call in response to a selection of a user-interface displayed on the television;

a wireless set in communication with the set-top box, the wireless set operable to establish a portion of the voice path for the voice call; and

wherein the signaling for the voice call is initiated by the set-top box.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless set comprises a dumb wireless set.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the wireless set further comprises a second user interface operable to receive the selection of the television channel from a user.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box further comprises a volume control, the volume control operable to automatically reduce the volume of an audio output of the television in response to the connection of the voice call.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box further comprises a noise cancellation generator, the noise cancellation generator operable to generate a noise cancellation signal in response to the connection of the voice call and an audio output of the television.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box is further operable to modify the audio-visual output of the television in response to the connection of the voice call.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box is further operable to modify the television input feed received by the set-top box for display on the television.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box is further operable to generate an output for communication over the television network in response to the connection of the voice call.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box comprises a network-to-network interface between a digital packet network and an analog telephony network.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box further comprises a noise cancellation generator, the noise cancellation generator operable to generate a noise cancellation signal in response to the connection of the voice call and the television input feed received by the set-top box.

11. A system for conducting a voice call, the system comprising:

a set-top box operable to control the selection of a television channel for display on a television, the set-top box being further operable to initiate the voice call;

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 establish a portion of the voice path for the voice call in response to the input of a call connection request from the user; and

wherein signaling for the voice call is initiated by the set-top box and wherein the set-top box is operable to modify the audio-visual output of the television in response to the voice call being connected.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box further comprises a volume control, the volume control operable to automatically reduce the volume of an audio output of the television in response to the connection of the voice call.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box further comprises a noise cancellation generator, the noise cancellation generator operable to generate a noise cancellation signal in response to the connection of the voice call and an audio output of the television.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box is further operable to modify the audio-visual output of the television in response to the connection of the voice call.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box is further operable to modify the television input feed received by the set-top box for display on the television.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box is further operable to generate an output for communication over the television network in response to the connection of the voice call.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box comprises a network-to-network interface between a digital packet network and an analog telephony network.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein the set-top box further comprises a noise cancellation generator, the noise cancellation generator operable to generate a noise cancellation signal in response to the connection of the voice call and the television input feed received by the set-top box.

19. A method for establishing a voice call, the method comprising:

controlling the selection of a television channel for display on a television, the selection being controlled with a set-top box;

initiating the connection of the voice call using the set-top box;

receiving an input of the selection of the television channel from a user of a remote control;

initiating the connection of the voice call using the set-top box in response to the input of a call connection request from the user of the remote control; and

establishing a portion of a voice path for the voice call in response to the connection of the voice call.

20. The method of claim 19, and further comprising modifying the audio-visual output of the television in response to the connection of the voice call.