Session initiation protocol enabled set-top device

• US 7,617,298 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 11/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: RPX Clearinghouse LLC (RPX Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nortel Networks Limited (Nortel Networks Corporation)
• Inventors: Osterhout, Gregory T., Ingle, Trip, Janning, William J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Blair, Douglas B.
• Application Number:
  US11/395,929
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179149A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,320 Days
• Field of Search: 709/217, 709/218, 709/219, 709/227
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1104 Session initiation protocol [SIP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/401 wherein the services involve a main real-time session and one or more additional parallel real-time or time sensitive sessions, e.g. white board sharing or spawning of a subconference
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/738 Interface circuits for coupling substations to external telephone lines H04M1/78 takes precedence

Abstract

A method and apparatus for handling subscriber services from different sources without requiring interaction with different devices. The present invention also provides a method and apparatus for receiving multimedia services using session initiation protocol (SIP) messages received from a source, such as a server on a network. In one embodiment, a set-top device is provided in which a SIP control is provided to register a subscriber with a server using SIP messages. A connection to a network, such as the Internet, is provided to communicate with the server. The set-top device is placed in line with the audio and video source to control audio and video streams presented to the subscriber. The set-top device is also configured to receive voice calls from a public switched telephone network (PSTN). Further, the set-top device includes a remote control mechanism, such as an infrared (IR) transmitter and receiver to receive input from the subscriber and to control other devices using IR signals. Also, subscriber services customized for a particular subscriber may be directed to the subscriber at a location when the subscriber registers with the server through a set-top device at that location using SIP. Services, such as, for example, call screening, channel guides, video on demand, and Web browsing are provided through the set-top device and messaging with a server using SIP messages.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing services to a set-top device, the computer-implemented method comprising:

registering a subscriber, at a server, through the set-top device;

responsive to the registering, initiating, to the server through a command code from the set-top device, a message according to Session Initiation Protocol that requests a channel guide;

receiving, from the server to a display device, the channel guide in the Session Initiation Protocol message;

selecting, by a network, a channel from the channel guide on the display device; and

responsive to the selection, sending a control signal from the set-top device to the display device to change the channel.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a cable network.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the server is a proxy server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a satellite.

5. A set-top device comprising:

means for registering a subscriber, at a server, through the set-top device;

responsive to the registering, means for initiating, to the server through a command code from the set-top device, a message according to Session Initiation Protocol that requests a channel guide;

means for receiving from the server to a display device, the channel guide in the Session Initiation Protocol message;

means for selecting, by a network, a channel from the channel guide on the display device; and

responsive to the selection, means for sending a control signal from the set-top device to the display device to change the channel.

6. The set-top device of claim 5, wherein the server is a proxy server.

7. The set-top device of claim 5, wherein the network is a satellite network.

8. The set-top device of claim 5, wherein the network is a cable network.

9. A computer program product comprising a computer-recordable medium tangibly embodying instructions for providing services to a set-top device, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions registering a subscriber, at a server, through a the set-top device;

responsive to the registering, second instructions initiating, to the server through a command code from the set-top device, a message according to Session Initiation Protocol that requests a channel guide;

third instructions receiving, from the server to a display device, the channel guide in the Session Initiation Protocol message;

fourth instructions selecting, by a network, a channel from the channel guide on the display device; and

responsive to the selection, fifth instructions sending a control signal from the set-top device to the display device to change the channel.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the network is a satellite network.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the network is a cable network.

12. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the server is a proxy server.