Method and apparatus for internet co-browsing over cable television and controlled through computer telephony
First Claim
1. A method of transmitting an audio/visual (A/V) file from a sender to a recipient using a voice communication network and a data network, the voice communication network independent of the data network, the method comprising the steps of:
- establishing a voice connection on the voice communication network between the sender and the recipient, the recipient having a voice communication network address;
determining a recipient data network address based on an association between the recipient data network address and the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address, the recipient data network address being uniquely associated with a CATV subscriber channel of the recipient;
downloading the A/V file and storage restriction control information related to the A/V file from the sender to a server associated with the recipient data network address via the data network during the voice connection;
transmitting the A/V file from the server associated with the recipient data network address to the CATV subscriber channel of the recipientreceiving a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal encoding navigation instructions at a senders computer to navigate through the A/V file from the recipient via the voice connection; and
synchronously switching between the A/V file associated with the sender and an additional A/V file associated with an additional sender in response to switching between the voice connection associated with the sender and an additional voice connection associated with the additional sender.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A novel mechanism is disclosed by which a sender can direct information such as an audiovisual signal to a particular recipient'"'"'s audiovisual display device, such as a cable television set and, thereby, share information between the sender and the recipient. In one embodiment of the invention, a calling party originates a telephone call and associates that telephone call with audio-visual information that exists on the caller'"'"'s personal computer or on an Internet server. The called party answers the call, and can tune an associated cable television to the appropriate channel in order to view the audio-visual information. The caller can modify the audio-visual information during the call. Accordingly, the current invention ties together the telephone, cable, and IP networks in a manner that does not require large investments from cable or telephone service providers. In an alternative embodiment of the invention, a called party, such as a representative at a customer service center or an interactive voice response unit, can associate audio-visual information with the call such that the calling party can see the data on the appropriate television channel. In another embodiment, the telephone keypad can be used to move forwards and backwards through a series of audio-visual screens. In another embodiment, the cable subscriber can preset the television to a particular URL which can be viewed, but not navigated, without the telephone call.
47 Citations
16 Claims
-
1. A method of transmitting an audio/visual (A/V) file from a sender to a recipient using a voice communication network and a data network, the voice communication network independent of the data network, the method comprising the steps of:
-
establishing a voice connection on the voice communication network between the sender and the recipient, the recipient having a voice communication network address; determining a recipient data network address based on an association between the recipient data network address and the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address, the recipient data network address being uniquely associated with a CATV subscriber channel of the recipient; downloading the A/V file and storage restriction control information related to the A/V file from the sender to a server associated with the recipient data network address via the data network during the voice connection; transmitting the A/V file from the server associated with the recipient data network address to the CATV subscriber channel of the recipient receiving a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal encoding navigation instructions at a senders computer to navigate through the A/V file from the recipient via the voice connection; and synchronously switching between the A/V file associated with the sender and an additional A/V file associated with an additional sender in response to switching between the voice connection associated with the sender and an additional voice connection associated with the additional sender. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
-
-
13. An apparatus for transmitting an audio/visual (A/V) file between a sender and a recipient using a voice communication network and a data network, the voice communication network independent of the data network, the recipient being identified by a voice communication network address and a data network address, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for establishing a voice connection on the voice communication network between the sender and the recipient, the recipient having a voice communication network address; means for determining a recipient data communication network address based on an association between the recipient data communication network address and the recipient'"'"'s voice communication network address, the recipient data communication network address being uniquely associated with a CATV subscriber channel of the recipient; means for downloading the A/V file and storage restriction control information related to the A/V file from the sender to a server associated with the recipient data communication network address via the data network during the voice connection; means for transmitting the A/V file from the server associated with the recipient data communication network address to the CATV subscriber channel of the recipient; means for receiving a dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) signal encoding navigation instructions to navigate through the A/V file from the recipient via the voice connection; and means for synchronized switching between the A/V file associated with the sender and an additional A/V file associated with an additional sender in response to switching between the voice connection associated with the sender and an additional voice connection associated with the additional sender. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16)
-
Specification