SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALTERING THE DISPLAY OF TELEVISION CONTENT IN RESPONSE TO USER PREFERENCES

• US 20100115568A1
• Filed: 10/30/2008
• Published: 05/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Embarq Holdings Company LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Gupta, Shekhar, Morrill, Robert, Tucker, Curtis
• Application Number:
  US12/261,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20100115568A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/106
• 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 21/443 OS processes, e.g. booting an STB, implementing a Java virtual machine in an STB or power management in an STB
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4755 for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4858 for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows

Abstract

A method of controlling a television includes receiving an indication of a user preference. The user preference associated with a telephone and further associated with a set-top box. The method also includes altering the display of television content by the set-top box in response to the received indication.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a television, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of a user preference, the user preference associated with a telephone and further associated with a set-top box; and

altering the display of television content by the set-top box in response to the received indication.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises pausing the display of the television content when a telephone call is connected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises resuming the display of the television content when a telephone call is terminated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises altering the display of the television content in response to an input being selected using a telephone.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises altering the display of the television content when an event occurs associated with a telephone call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises altering the display of the television content in response to a determined type of the television content.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the indication of a user preference further comprises receiving an indication of a user preference associated with an address book of a user.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises altering the display of the television content in response to the telephone number of an individual associated with a telephone call.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises altering the display of the television content when a telephone call is received from a telephone number, the telephone number being included in a network address book of a user associated with the telephone.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein altering the display of television content comprises altering the display of the television content when a telephone call is received from a particular type of contact in an address book.

11. A system for controlling a television, the system comprising:

a processor; and

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

receive an indication of a user preference, the user preference associated with a telephone and further associated with a set-top box; and

alter the display of television content by the set-top box in response to the received indication.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to pause the display of the television content when a telephone call is connected.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to resume the display of the television content when a telephone call is terminated.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to alter the display of the television content in response to an input being selected using a telephone.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to alter the display of the television content when an event occurs associated with a telephone call.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to alter the display of the television content in response to a determined type of the television content.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to receive the indication of a user preference are operable to receive an indication of a user preference associated with an address book of a user.

18. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to alter the display of the television content in response to the telephone number of an individual associated with a telephone call.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to alter the display of the television content when a telephone call is received from a telephone number, the telephone number being included in a network address book of a user associated with the telephone.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions operable to alter the display of television content are operable to alter the display of the television content when a telephone call is received from a particular type of contact in an address book.