METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE MESSAGES TO TELEVISION USERS

• US 20170180815A1
• Filed: 01/17/2017
• Published: 06/22/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Qiu, Chaoxin Charles, Scruggs, Jeffrey Lee, Lee, Jessie Tsae-Jiuan, Cantu, Diana Maria, Lemay, John E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,455,293 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/063 where the telephone network is a network other than PSTN/ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2356 by altering the spatial resolution
• 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 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• 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 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide messages to consumer electronics devices are disclosed. An example method includes determining an identifier associated with a consumer electronics device from which a request has been received. The method also includes querying a database to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device. When the request is for messaging information stored with a first message provider, a first command is sent to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information. When the request is for messaging information stored with a second message provider, a second command is sent to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information. The messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider and the second message provider is sent to the consumer electronics device.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a database;

a request receiver to receive a request from a consumer electronics device for messaging information stored with at least one of a first message provider or a second message provider, the request receiver to determine an identifier associated with the consumer electronics device, the request receiver to query the database to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device;

a message transceiver in communication with the request receiver, the message transceiver to, when the request is for the messaging information stored with the first message provider, send a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier, and, when the request is for the messaging information stored with the second message provider, send a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier; and

a message presenter to send the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider and the second message provider to the consumer electronics device, at least one of the request receiver, the message transceiver and the message presenter implemented with hardware.

2. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the messaging information includes at least one of a new message notification, a message list, a message, a message list summary, and a contact list.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the messaging information received from the first message provider includes a first contact list, the messaging information received from the second message provider includes a second contact list, and the message presenter is further to:

compile the first contact list and the second contact list into an aggregate contact list, the sending of the message information to the consumer electronics device includes sending the aggregate contact list to the consumer electronics device via a terminal session.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the terminal session is in accordance with a remote desktop protocol.

5. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, and an email account.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the consumer electronics device is an Internet protocol television device.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 1, wherein the first messaging account identifier is associated with at least one of a voice over internet protocol service, a mobile phone service, or a public switched telephone network service.

8. A tangible machine readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

determine an identifier associated with a consumer electronics device from which a request has been received, the request for messaging information stored with at least one of a first message provider or a second message provider;

query a database to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device;

when the messaging information is stored with the first message provider, send a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier;

when the messaging information is stored with the second message provider, send a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier; and

send the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider or the second message provider to the consumer electronics device.

9. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 8, wherein the messaging information includes at least one of a new message notification, a message list, a message, a message list summary or a contact list.

10. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 8, wherein the messaging information received from the first message provider includes a first contact list, the messaging information received from the second message provider includes a second contact list, and the instructions further cause the processor to:

compile the first contact list and the second contact list into an aggregate contact list, the sending of the message information to the consumer electronics device includes sending the aggregate contact list to the consumer electronics device via a terminal session.

11. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 10, wherein the terminal session is in accordance with a remote desktop protocol.

12. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 8, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, or an email account.

13. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 8, wherein the consumer electronics device is an Internet protocol television device.

14. The tangible machine readable storage device as defined in claim 8, wherein the first messaging account identifier is associated with at least one of a voice over internet protocol service, a mobile phone service, or a public switched telephone network service.

15. A method, comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, an identifier associated with a consumer electronics device from which a request has been received;

querying, by executing an instruction with the processor, a database to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device;

when the request is for messaging information stored with a first message provider, sending, from the processor, a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier;

when the request is for messaging information stored with a second message provider, sending, from the processor, a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier; and

sending, from the processor, the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider and the second message provider to the consumer electronics device.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the messaging information includes at least one of a new message notification, a message list, a message, a message list summary or a contact list.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the messaging information received from the first message provider includes a first contact list, the messaging information received from the second message provider includes a second contact list;

the method further including;

compiling the first contact list and the second contact list into an aggregate contact list, the sending of the message information to the consumer electronics device includes sending the aggregate contact list to the consumer electronics device via a terminal session.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein the terminal session is conducted in accordance with a remote desktop protocol.

19. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, or an email account.

20. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the consumer electronics device is an Internet protocol television device.