Method and apparatus for managing calls through an entertainment center

• US 7,184,522 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2001
• Issued: 02/27/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mavenir Systems Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Comverse Incorporated (Mavenir Group Holdings Ltd.)
• Inventors: Brunelle, Michael J., Brockenbrough, Allan E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gauthier; Gerald
• Application Number:
  US09/855,839
• Publication Number:
  US 20020172330A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,113 Days
• Field of Search: 379/67.1, 379/69, 379/70, 379/79, 379/81, 379/82, 379/92.04, 379/93.07, 379/93.11, 379/93.23, 379/93.25, 379/142.06, 379/88.13, 379/88.14, 379/88.15, 379/110.01, 379/215.01, 379/142.16, 386/125, 725/49, 348/552
• US Class Current: 379/88.17
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2242/22 Automatic class or number identification arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/42042 Notifying the called party of information on the calling party details within substation equipment H04M1/57, signalling details H04Q3/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/436 Arrangements for screening incoming calls , i.e. evaluating the characteristics of a call before deciding whether to answer it based on the calling party profile H04M3/42059; based on location H04M3/42348; based on presence H04M3/42365; diversion H04M3/54
• 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

Abstract

An incoming telephone call is held in a telephony network while a subscriber is notified that the call is waiting to be handled. A guide menu presenting call handling options is displayed on an entertainment center while a program played through the entertainment center is paused and recorded. The subscriber selects a desired call handling option using a remote control device and the call is handled in a manner corresponding to the selected call handling option.

Claims

1. A method of managing calls through an entertainment system, comprising:

notifying by an entertainment system call manager, via a data network, a call management server residing in a telephony provider network to monitor calls on the telephony provider network for the entertainment system;

holding in the telephony-network-resident call management server a call on the telephony provider network for the entertainment system prior to routing the call to the entertainment system, in response to the notifying;

receiving in the entertainment system call manager a held call signal indicating a held call, during a program play by the entertainment system to a user, via the data network from the telephony-network-resident call management server;

presenting by the call manager a selectable call handling option chosen from a group comprising one or more of take the call, send the call to voice mail, forward the call to another number, play a message, ignore the call, and reject the call, in response to the held call signal through the entertainment system during the program play;

handling the held call according to a call handling option selected by the user through the entertainment system and provided via the data network to the telephony-network-resident call management server; and

taking the held call directly at the entertainment system call manager by answering the held call using a telephone function of the entertainment system call manager, or sending the held call by the entertainment system call manager to a user voice mail at the user'"'"'s premise, or both, according to the held call handling option selected by the user.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising buffering the program being played through the entertainment system when the held call signal is received.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising buffering the program being played through the entertainment system in response to a specific user request.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the held call at the telephony-network-resident cell management server is a text message.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the text message is displayed through the entertainment system.

6. A method according to claim 2, wherein the buffering comprises wirelessly controlling by the entertainment system call manager a program buffer at a premise of the user to buffer the program.

7. A call management system comprising:

a call management server residing in a telephony provider network and in communication with a subscriber entertainment system via Internet and/or cable data networks, and holding a call on the telephony provider network for the subscriber entertainment system prior to routing the call to the subscriber entertainment system; and

a television call manager connected to the subscriber entertainment system to receive a held call signal from the call management server via the data network indicating a held call during a program play by the subscriber entertainment system,

wherein the held call at the telephony-network-resident call management server is handled according to a selectable call handling option chosen from a group of call handling options comprising one or more of take the call, send the call to voice mail, forward the call to another number, play a message, ignore the call, and reject the call, and the television call manager of the subscriber entertainment system transmits via the data network the selected call handling option to the telephony-network-resident call management server, and

wherein the television call manager comprises a telephone to enable taking the held call directly at the television call manager by answering the held call using the telephone, or sending the held call to a user voice mail at the users premise, or both.

8. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a television buffering device connected to the subscriber entertainment system to buffer and record the television program played through the subscriber entertainment system in response to the held call signal transmitted from the television call manager when the call is held at the telephony-network-resident call management server.

9. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the call handling option for the selection are displayed through the subscriber entertainment system.

10. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a remote control device in communication with the television call manager, wherein the subscriber selects the call handling option with the remote control device.

11. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein the subscriber entertainment system comprises the television.

12. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a television detector in communication with the television to detect when the television is on and to signal the telephony-network-resident call management server, via the data network, to route calls on the telephony provider network through the telephony-network-resident call management server.

13. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein a caller identification corresponding to the held call at the telephony-network-resident call management server is provided, via the data network, to the television call manager of the subscriber entertainment system and displayed through the subscriber entertainment system.

14. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, wherein if the selected call handling option is to take the call, the telephony-network-resident call management server forwards the call via the telephony network to the television call manager of the subscriber entertainment system.

15. The cell management system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the held call at the telephony-network-resident call management server is answered via the telephony network through the subscriber entertainment system.

16. The call management system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a television buffering device connected to the subscriber entertainment system to buffer and record the television program played through the subscriber entertainment system in response to the call handling option selection, if the selected call handling option is to take the held call.

17. A system according to claim 7, further comprising:

a television buffering device at the users premise and connected to the subscriber entertainment system to buffer and record a program played through the subscriber entertainment system,

wherein the television call manager wirelessly controls the television buffering device to buffer and record the program, when the television call manager receives the held call signal from the telephony-network-resident call management server.

18. A system according to claim 7, wherein the television call manager comprises:

an audio and/or video processor to process input audio and/or video data from the telephone and/or from a broadcast center for the subscriber entertainment system.

19. An entertainment system call manager to manage calls, comprising:

a telephony-network-resident call management server to hold a call on the telephony provider network prior to routing the call to a user'"'"'s premise;

entertainment system means at the user'"'"'s premise for processing data, including an audio and/or video program, and for;

notifying, via a data network, the call management server residing in the telephony provider network to monitor calls on the telephony provider network for the entertainment system means,

receiving a held call signal indicating a held call to the user, during a program play by the entertainment system means, via the data network from the telephony-network-resident call management server,

presenting a selectable call handling option chosen from a group comprising one or more of take the call, send the call to voice mail, forward the call to another number, play a message, ignore the call, and reject the call, in response to the held call signal through the entertainment system means during the program play, and

handling the held call according to a call handling option selected by the user through the entertainment system means and provided via the data network to the telephony-network-resident call management server, including answering the held call directly at the entertainment system means, or sending the held call by the entertainment system means to a user voice mail at the user'"'"'s premise, or both, according to the held call handling option selected by the user.

20. A method, comprising:

providing a telephony-network-resident call management server to hold a call on the telephony provider network prior to routing the call to a user'"'"'s premise;

providing a call manager communicably connected to an entertainment system at the user'"'"'s premise, which processes data, including an audio and/or video program, to perform a process comprising;

to notify, via a data network, the call management server residing in the telephony provider network to monitor and hold a call on the telephony network for the user prior to routing the call to the user'"'"'s premise,

to receive a held call signal indicating a held call, during a program play by the entertainment system to the user, via the data network from the telephony-network-resident call management server,

to automatically pause and record the program played through the entertainment system when the held call signal is received by wirelessly controlling a buffer at the user'"'"'s premise,

to present through the entertainment system a selectable call handling option chosen from a group comprising one or more of take the call, send the call to voice mail, forward the call to another number, play a message, ignore the call, and reject the call, in response to the held call signal through the entertainment system during the program play,

to handle the held call according to a call handling option selected by the user through the entertainment system and provided via the data network to the telephony-network-resident call management server,

to take the held call by answering the held call using a telephone function of the call manager, or to send the held call to a user voice mail at the user'"'"'s premise, or both, directly at the call manager according to the call handling option selected by the user, and

to resume playing the program when the held call at the telephony-network-resident call management server is terminated.