Video caller identification systems and methods
First Claim
1. A video caller identification system comprising:
- a television receiving and displaying a plurality of video signals, wherein the television receives a first video signal and displays a main picture based on the first video signal and receives a second video signal and displays a sub-picture based on the second video signal;
one or more telephone lines for receiving one or more incoming telephone calls;
at least two inputs for at least two video sources providing the first and second video signals to the television, wherein the video sources provide video signals for the main picture and the sub-picture;
a telephone line modem coupled to the one or more telephone lines, the line modem receiving caller identification information from incoming telephone calls on the one or more telephone lines; and
a video signal generator generating a caller identification video signal, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive caller identification data derived from the telephone line modem, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive a video signal from one of the video sources through an external video signal input, wherein the video signal generator generates the caller identification video signal based on the video signal received through the external video signal input and based on signals from a character generator and a background video generator, wherein in response to an incoming telephone call on the one or more telephone lines, caller identification information is displayed on the television as the sub-picture.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Circuits and methods for determining the caller identification for an incoming call and for displaying such caller identification information on a video display device such as a television. A caller identification line modem determines the caller identification information, a control processor translates and/or inputs such caller identification information to a video circuit for displaying the caller identification information. Various methods for so displaying caller identification information are provided, including overlaying such information on an input video signal such as for a predetermined interval of time, generating a separate caller identification video signal, which may be placed, for example, on an unused television channel. The caller identification circuits and methods may be integrated or combined with various advanced television, video and/or telephony functions. An advanced remote control unit may be provided so that the user may determine from the video/television screen the identity of the caller, and then forward the call to a voice messaging system, forward the call to another line, answer the call on a video phone or answer the call on a separate telephone. The caller identification circuit may be provided with programmable intelligence so that incoming calls may not only be displayed on the video/television screen, but also may be desirably processed depending on the identity of the particular caller.
174 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A video caller identification system comprising:
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a television receiving and displaying a plurality of video signals, wherein the television receives a first video signal and displays a main picture based on the first video signal and receives a second video signal and displays a sub-picture based on the second video signal; one or more telephone lines for receiving one or more incoming telephone calls; at least two inputs for at least two video sources providing the first and second video signals to the television, wherein the video sources provide video signals for the main picture and the sub-picture; a telephone line modem coupled to the one or more telephone lines, the line modem receiving caller identification information from incoming telephone calls on the one or more telephone lines; and a video signal generator generating a caller identification video signal, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive caller identification data derived from the telephone line modem, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive a video signal from one of the video sources through an external video signal input, wherein the video signal generator generates the caller identification video signal based on the video signal received through the external video signal input and based on signals from a character generator and a background video generator, wherein in response to an incoming telephone call on the one or more telephone lines, caller identification information is displayed on the television as the sub-picture. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. An integrated video/telephony system, comprising:
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a television receiver and display for displaying video images and having a plurality of video inputs for receiving input video signals and a speaker for generating sounds associated with a displayed video image; a telephone input coupled to receive telephone calls; a telephone coupled to the telephone input; a caller ID circuit coupled to the telephone input and decoding information corresponding to an identification of a caller of a received telephone call; and a remote control coupling control information to the system and inputting user commands; wherein, the television receiver includes a video signal generator generating a caller identification video signal, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive caller identification data derived from the caller ID circuit, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive at least one of the input video signals, wherein the video signal generator generates the caller identification video signal based on the at least one of the input video signals and based on signals from a character generator and a background video generator, wherein, in response to a received telephone call, information identifying the caller of the received telephone call is displayed on the television receiver and, in response to a command coupled to the system by the remote control, a user may answer the telephone call with the telephone or the user may control the telephone call to be answered by a voice messaging system. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A video caller identification system comprising:
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a television receiving and displaying at least one video signal, wherein the television receives the at least one video signal and displays a picture based on the at least one video signal; one or more telephone lines for receiving one or more incoming telephone calls; one or more inputs for one or more video sources providing the at least one video signal to the television; a telephone line modem coupled to the one or more telephone lines, the line modem receiving caller identification information from incoming telephone calls on the one or more telephone lines; and a video signal generator generating a caller identification video signal, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive caller identification data derived from the telephone line modem, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive a video signal from one of the one or more video sources, wherein the video signal generator generates the caller identification video signal based on the received video signal and based on signals from a character generator and a background video generator, wherein in response to an incoming telephone call on the one or more telephone lines, caller identification information is displayed on the television. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification