Video caller identification systems and methods

• US 6,243,448 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2000
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Alan R. Loudermilk, Joseph C. Corbett, William I. Fletcher
• Inventors: Loudermilk, Alan R., Corbett, Joseph C., Fletcher, William I.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Application Number:
  US09/565,331
• Time in Patent Office: 396 Days
• Field of Search: 379/90.01, 379/93.01, 379/93-5-, 379/93.17, 379/93.18, 379/93.23, 379/93.35, 379/110.01, 379/142, 379/53, 348/14.01
• US Class Current: 379/93.35
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/57 Arrangements for indicating or recording the number of the calling subscriber at the called subscriber's set at the operator set in a manual exchange H04M5/20
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/6505 storing speech in digital form
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/663 Preventing unauthorised calls to a telephone set
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/06 Simultaneous speech and data transmission, e.g. telegraphic transmission over the same conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2203/1016 Telecontrol
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42127 Systems providing several special services or facilities from groups H04M3/42008 - H04M3/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/54 Arrangements for diverting calls for one subscriber to another predetermined subscriber based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; to voice mail H04M3/53308
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q

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.

Claims

1. A method for displaying caller identification method comprising the steps of:

receiving and displaying a plurality of video signals with a television receiver, 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;

receiving one or more incoming telephone calls with on one or more telephone lines;

receiving caller identification information from the one or more incoming telephone calls on the one or more telephone lines; and

generating a caller identification video signal with a video signal generator, wherein the video signal generator is coupled to receive caller identification data derived from the identification information from the one or more incoming telephone calls, herein the video signal generator receives a video signal from one of the video sources, wherein the video signal generator generates the caller identification video signal based on the video signal received from one of the video sources 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller identification video signal is temporarily displayed for a predetermined length of time.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the predetermined length of time is selectable by a user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the video signal generator provides the video signal received from one of the video sources to the television for display as the sub-picture at a time when the video signal generator is not displaying caller identification information as the sub-picture.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein a video camera is coupled to an external video signal input and provides one of the video signals.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the video camera comprises a security or baby monitor type camera.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein a telephone line modem and the video signal generator are integrated with the television.

8. A method for displaying caller identification information, comprising:

displaying video images on a television signal receiving and display system, the television signal receiving and display system having one or more video inputs for receiving input video signals and a speaker for generating sounds associated with a displayed video image;

receiving one or more telephone calls on a telephone input;

coupling the one or more telephone calls to a telephone coupled to the telephone input;

decoding information corresponding to an identification of a caller of a received telephone call with a caller ID circuit coupled to the telephone input; and

inputting user commands with a remote control;

wherein, in response to a received telephone call, displaying information identifying the, caller of the received telephone call on the television signal receiving and display system and, in response to a command input by the remote control, either answering the telephone call with the telephone or controlling the telephone call to be answered by a voice messaging system, wherein the television signal receiving and display system includes a video signal generator generating a caller identification video signal, wherein the video signal generator receives caller identification data from the caller ID circuit, wherein the video signal generator receives 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 input video signals and based on signals from a character generator and a background video generator.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein a speaker is coupled to the telephone, wherein a speakerphone telephone call is initiated in response to an input from the remote control.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein a video camera captures an image of the user, wherein the telephone and the video camera operate to provide a video telephone call between the user and the caller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the video telephone call is operative in response to an input by the remote control.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein sound from the speaker associated with a displayed video image is automatically muted in response to an input from the remote control to answer the telephone call.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the voice messaging system is integrated with the television display system.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the information identifying the caller of the received telephone call is displayed on the television signal receiving and display system for a predetermined interval of time and then the display of the information is automatically terminated.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined interval of time is selectable by a user.

16. The method of claim 8, wherein the caller ID circuit is programmable to recognize one or more particular callers based on the information identifying the caller of the received telephone call.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the caller ID circuit automatically initiates action to respond to the received telephone call based on the recognition of the one or more particular callers.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the automatically initiated action includes directing the call to the voice messaging system or forwarding the call.

19. The method of claim 8, wherein a personal computer receives commands from a remote control keyboard.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information identifying the caller of the received telephone call comprises computer-generated graphics or text.

21. The method of claim 8, wherein the caller ID circuit includes a memory and a processor, wherein the caller ID circuit retains a log of incoming received telephone calls.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein information in the log is output over a computer interface or printed.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the log includes information selected from the group consisting of telephone number of the caller, name of the caller, nickname of the caller, time of receipt of a call, and duration of a call.

24. The method of claim 21, wherein information in the log may be deleted by a user in response to an input from the remote control.

25. A method for displaying caller identification information, comprising:

displaying video images on a television signal receiving and display system, the television signal receiving and display system having one or more video inputs for receiving input video signals and a speaker for generating sounds associated with a displayed video image;

receiving one or more telephone calls on a telephone input;

coupling the one or more telephone calls to a telephone coupled to the telephone input;

decoding information corresponding to an identification of a caller of a received telephone call with a caller ID circuit coupled to the telephone input; and

wherein, in response to a received telephone call, displaying information identifying the caller of the received telephone call on the television signal receiving and display system, wherein the television signal receiving and display system includes a video signal generator generating a caller identification video signal, wherein the video signal generator receives caller identification data from the caller ID circuit, wherein the video signal generator receives 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 input video signals and based on signals from a character signal generator and a background signal generator.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein a speaker is coupled to the telephone, wherein a speakerphone telephone call is initiated in response to a user input.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein a video camera captures an image of a user, wherein the telephone and the video camera operate to provide a video telephone call between the user and the caller.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the video telephone call is operative in response to an input by a remote control.

29. The method of claim 25, wherein sound from the speaker associated with a displayed video image is automatically muted in response to an input from a remote control to answer the telephone call.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein a voice messaging system is integrated with the television display system.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein the information identifying the caller of the received telephone call is displayed on the television signal receiving and display system for a predetermined interval of time and then the display of the information is automatically terminated.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the predetermined interval of time is selectable by a user.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein the caller ID circuit is programmable to recognize one or more particular callers based on the information identifying the caller of the received telephone call.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the caller ID circuit automatically initiates action to respond to the received telephone call based on the recognition of the one or more particular callers.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein the automatically initiated action includes directing the call to a voice messaging system or forwarding the call.

36. The method of claim 25, wherein a personal computer receives commands from a remote control keyboard.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the information identifying the caller of the received telephone call comprises computer-generated graphics or text.

38. The method of claim 25, wherein the caller ID circuit includes a memory and a processor, wherein the caller ID circuit retains a log of incoming received telephone calls.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein information in the log is output over a computer interface or printed.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the log includes information selected from the group consisting of telephone number of the caller, name of the caller, nickname of the caller, time of receipt of a call, and duration of a call.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein information in the log may be deleted by a user in response to an input from a remote control.