Method for association between telephony and television network equipment

• US 7,647,617 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2004
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tamiras Per Pte Ltd LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Original Assignee: Integra5 Communications Inc. (Salesforce.com, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bartfeld, Eyal, Gal-Oz, Nimrod, Keinan, Giora
• Primary Examiner(s): Koenig, Andrew Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): THOMAS, JASON M
• Application Number:
  US10/904,552
• Publication Number:
  US 20060107299A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,883 Days
• Field of Search: 725/62, 725/122, 725/11, 725/30, 725131-133, 725139-141, 725151-153, 379/142.16, 379/90.01, 379 9302- 9307, 379/93.23, 37910201-10203, 379/207.02, 379/207.11, 379/88.13, 379/88.17, 379/88.18, 445/344, 445/410, 445/411, 4454141-415, 445/556.1, 445/556.2
• US Class Current: 725/122
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6377 directed to server one-way streaming services wherein the source is controlled by the destination H04L65/613
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device is provided. A set-top box requests an identification code from a server. The server identifies the set-top box, generates the code and transmits it to the set-top box. The set-top box displays the code and a user transmits the code back to the server via a telephony device. The server identifies the telephony device, and using the code, associates between the set-top box and the telephony device.

Claims

1. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a code request from a set-top box having an address;

selecting a code by at least one of generating a random number, selecting from a list, hashing the set-top box address, and generating the code using a counter;

identifying the set-top box address automatically;

associating the code with the set-top box address;

sending a code to the set-top box, for displaying the code to a user, wherein displaying further comprises instructions for transmitting the code;

receiving the code from a telephony device wherein transmitting further comprises at least one of entering the code on a keypad of the telephony device and speaking the code into the telephony device;

having an address associated therewith and, identifying the telephony device address;

using the code, associating the address of the set-top box with the address of the telephony device, wherein identifying the set-top box address automatically further comprises at least one selected from the group of;

adapting the code request from the set-top box to contain the set-top box address and adapting the identifying step for detecting the set-top box address from the code request sent by the set-top box;

adapting identifying the set-top box address by a Media Access Code address of the set-top box;

adapting identifying the set-top box by an Internet Protocol address assigned to the set-top box; and

, adapting identifying the set-top box by a combination of the Media Access Code address of the set-top box and an Internet Protocol address assigned to the set-top box, wherein the television and the telephony device are associated by user assistance.

2. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the displayed code is transmitted by the user.

3. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the telephony device is a private branch exchange, a central home gateway device, a cable modem or an Internet Protocol telephone device.

4. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of identifying the telephony device address further comprises identifying a telephone number and is carried out automatically.

5. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 4 wherein the step of identifying the telephony device address is carried out using a telephone caller identification method.

6. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the address of the telephony device is a telephone number.

7. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of assigning the telephony device a telephone number.

8. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting the telephone number to the set-top box.

9. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 7 further comprising the step of transmitting the telephone number to the telephony device.

10. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set-top box is embedded in a wireless device.

11. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set-top box is satellite television enabled.

12. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the set-top box and the telephony device are coupled to a single distribution network.

13. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telephony device is a telephone.

14. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telephony device is a cellular telephone.

15. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the telephony device is an MTA.

16. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device, the method comprising the steps of:

sending a code request from an addressable set-top box;

wherein the code is selected by at least one of generating a random number, selecting from a list, hashing the set-top box address, and generating the code using a counter;

receiving a code displaying the code to a user, wherein displaying further comprises instructions for transmitting the code; and

having a user transmit the code utilizing an telephony device having an address associated therewith, for associating the set-top box wherein transmitting further comprises at least on of entering the code on a keypad of the telephony device and speaking the code into the telephony device and, with the telephony device, wherein sending further comprises detecting an address of the set-top box automatically by at least one selected from the group of;

adapting the code request from the set-top box to contain the set-top box address and adapting detecting the set-top box address from the code request sent by the set-top box;

adapting detecting the set-top box address by a Media Access Code address of the set-top box;

adapting detecting the set-top box by an Internet Protocol address, assigned to the set-top box; and

, adapting detecting the set-top box by a combination of the Media Access Code address of the set-top box and an Internet Protocol address assigned to the set-top box, wherein the television and the telephony device are associated by user assistance.

17. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 16, wherein the set-top box is equipped with a software agent adapted to perform the steps of sending, receiving and displaying.

18. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the software agent initiates the step of sending responsive to a user activation.

19. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 17 wherein the software agent is activated automatically or remotely.

20. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telephony device is a telephone.

21. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telephony device is a cellular telephone.

22. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telephony device is a MTA.

23. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telephony device and the set-top box are coupled to a single distribution network.

24. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 16 wherein the telephony device address is a telephone number.

25. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device, the method comprising the steps of sending a code request from an addressable set-top box located at a user premises;

in a server, identifying the set-top box address automatically;

generating a code wherein generating further comprises selecting the code by at least one of, generating a random number, selecting from a list, hashing the set-top box address, and generating using a counter;

associating the code with the set-top box address; and

transmitting the code to the set-top box;

displaying the code, wherein displaying further comprises instructions for transmitting the code;

using a telephony device having an address associated therewith, transmitting the code to the server wherein transmitting further comprises at least one of entering the code on a keypad of the telephony device and speaking the code into the telephony device;

at the server, identifying the telephony device address; and

using the code, associating the telephony device with the set-top box, wherein identifying the set-top box address automatically further comprises at least one selected from the group of;

adapting the code request from the set-top box to contain the set-top box address and adapting the identifying step for detecting the set-top box address from the code request sent by the set-top box;

adapting identifying the set-top box address by a Media Access Code address of the set-top box;

adapting identifying the set-top box by an Internet Protocol address assigned to the set-top box; and

, adapting identifying the set-top box by a combination of the Media Access Code address of the set-top box and the Internet Protocol address assigned to the set-top box, wherein the television and the telephony device are associated by user assistance.

26. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the telephony device is a private branch exchange, a central home gateway device, or an Internet Protocol telephone device.

27. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the telephony device is a telephone.

28. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the telephony device is a cellular telephone.

29. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the telephony device is a MTA.

30. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the telephony device and the set-top box are coupled to a single distribution network.

31. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 30 wherein the distribution network is selected from a group consisting of a telephone network, an electrical distribution network, a data distribution network, a cable television distribution network, a wireless distribution network, a cellular distribution network, a satellite distribution network, and a terrestrial distribution network.

32. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the step of identifying the telephone number is carried out automatically.

33. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 32 wherein the step of identifying the telephony device address is earned out using a telephone caller identification method.

34. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the address of the telephony device is a telephone number.

35. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the set-top box is embedded in a wireless device.

36. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the set-top box is satellite television enabled.

37. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25 wherein the step of sending further comprises the step of sending the address of the set-top box.

38. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 25, wherein the set-top box is equipped with a software agent adapted to perform the steps of sending, receiving and displaying.

39. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 38 wherein the software agent initiates the step of sending responsive to a user activation.

40. A method for user assisted association between a television and a telephony device as claimed in claim 38 wherein the software agent is activated automatically or remotely.