System and method for providing telephone call notification and management in a network environment

• US 8,098,805 B2
• Filed: 04/07/2009
• Issued: 01/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van Wyk, Ryan, Bearden, Brian, Steinbrueck, Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): TIEU, BINH KIEN
• Application Number:
  US12/419,928
• Publication Number:
  US 20090214007A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,015 Days
• Field of Search: 379/88.12, 379/88.13, 379/88.2, 379/88.21, 379/93.17, 379/93.23, 379/142.01, 379/142.04, 379/142.07, 379/142.08, 379/142.15, 379/142.16, 379/142.17, 379/245, 379/246, 379/247, 455/403, 455/412.2, 455/415, 455/550.1, 455/556.1, 370/352, 370/353, 370/354, 370/355, 370/356, 370/401
• US Class Current: 379/142.16
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/575 Means for retrieving and displaying personal data about calling party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/06 Recording class or number of calling , i.e. A-party or called party , i.e. B-party
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 15/56 for VoIP communications
• 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: H04Q 3/0045 involving hybrid, i.e. a mixture of public and private, or multi-vendor systems

Abstract

Various embodiments of the disclosed subject matter provide methods and systems to receive an incoming call message via a data interface upon activation of a trigger established with a voice communication network and activated when the voice communication network receives an incoming call to a destination identified by a pre-determined subscriber account; generate a call notification in response to the incoming call message; obtain a list of set-top boxes corresponding to the pre-determined subscriber account; and route the call notification to the set-top boxes on the list.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving an incoming call message via a data interface upon activation of a trigger established with a voice communication network and activated when the voice communication network receives an incoming call to a destination identified by a pre-determined subscriber account;

generating a call notification in response to the incoming call message; and

routing the call notification to at least one set top box from a group of set-top boxes based on an identification of content being presented by the at least one set-top box, wherein the group of set-top boxes is associated with the pre-determined subscriber account, wherein the routing of the call notification is based on a pre-determined time period associated with the at least one set-top box.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the receiving an incoming call message further includes receiving caller ID information.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 further including:

using the incoming caller ID information to obtain a caller name associated with the incoming call; and

including the caller name in the call notification.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the voice communication network is a POTS network.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the voice communication network is a wireless network.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the voice communication network is a voice-over-IP network.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein a list of set-top boxes includes unique identifiers for the group of set-top boxes at a subscriber location.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including displaying the call notification on a television monitor.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1 further including receiving a control input from a television remote device.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9 further including removing the call notification from the television monitor upon receiving the control input.

11. The method as claimed in claim 9 further including forwarding the call upon receiving the control input.

12. An article of manufacture comprising at least one machine readable storage medium having one or more computer programs stored thereon and operable on one or more computing systems to:

receive an incoming call message via a data interface upon activation of a trigger established with a voice communication network and activated when the voice communication network receives an incoming call to a destination identified by a pre-determined subscriber account;

generate a call notification in response to the incoming call message; and

route the call notification to at least one set top box from a group of set-top boxes based on an identification of content being presented by the at least one set-top box, wherein the group of set-top boxes is associated with the pre-determined subscriber account, wherein the routing of the call notification is based on a pre-determined time period associated with the at least one set-top box.

13. An article of manufacture according to claim 12 wherein the incoming call message includes caller ID information.

14. The article of manufacture according to claim 13 further operable to:

use the incoming caller ID information to obtain a caller name associated with the incoming call; and

include the caller name in the call notification.

15. The article of manufacture according to claim 12 wherein the voice communication network is a POTS network.

16. The article of manufacture according to claim 12 wherein the voice communication network is a wireless network.

17. The article of manufacture according to claim 12 wherein the voice communication network is a voice-over-IP network.

18. The article of manufacture according to claim 12 wherein a list of set-top boxes includes unique identifiers for the group of set-top boxes at a subscriber location.

19. The article of manufacture according to claim 12 further operable to display the call notification on a television monitor.

20. The article of manufacture according to claim 12 further operable to receive a control input from a television remote device.

21. The article of manufacture according to claim 20 further operable to remove the call notification from the television monitor upon receipt of the control input.

22. The article of manufacture according to claim 20 further operable to forward the call upon receipt of the control input.

23. A system comprising:

a voice communication network;

a trigger operably coupled with the voice communication network, the trigger being activated when the voice communication network receives an incoming call to a destination identified by a pre-determined subscriber account; and

a caller ID application server operable to;

receive an incoming call message via a data interface upon activation of the trigger;

generate a call notification in response to the incoming call message; and

route the call notification to at least one set top box from a group of set-top boxes based on an identification of content being presented by the at least one set-top box, wherein the group of set-top boxes is associated with the pre-determined subscriber account, and wherein the routing of the call notification is based on a pre-determined time period associated with the at least one set-top box.

24. A system according to claim 23 wherein the incoming call message includes caller ID information.

25. The system according to claim 24 further operable to:

use the incoming caller ID information to obtain a caller name associated with the incoming call; and

include the caller name in the call notification.