Advanced set top terminal having a video call feature

• US 8,181,218 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2009
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Comcast IP Holdings I LLC (Comcast Corporation)
• Inventors: Asmussen, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Kumar, Pankaj
• Assistant Examiner(s): NEWLIN, TIMOTHY R
• Application Number:
  US12/499,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20090271834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,042 Days
• Field of Search: 725/106
• US Class Current: 725/142
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4333 Processing operations in response to a pause request
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/147 Communication arrangements, e.g. identifying the communication as a video-communication, intermediate storage of the signals selecting H04Q
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A set top terminal equipped with a camera and microphone includes the capability to send and receive video calls through a cable television delivery system or other communications networks. In response to detection of the occurrence of a video call event or triggering event, a video program is automatically paused. In response to an incoming video phone call, message, web page, or other video communications information, the system pauses the video program and displays an indication of the occurrence of the communications event. The system also buffers the video program while paused, permitting a user to replay missed portions of it. Alternatively, the system waits for a triggering event, which includes the user'"'"'s access to the communications event, in order to pause the video program. The set top terminal also includes features for caller identification of video calls and dual display of video programs and video calls, such as picture in picture. A hardware upgrade for adding video call functionality to a set top terminal is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for caller identification using a content receiving device, the method comprising:

receiving, by the content receiving device, a video program;

outputting, by the content receiving device, the video program to a display;

detecting, by the content receiving device, a telephone signal including video content;

processing the received telephone signal;

pausing, by the content receiving device prior to a user responding to the telephone signal, the video program upon detecting the telephone signal, wherein pausing the video program includes initiating recording of at least a portion of the video program to a storage buffer in the content receiving device; and

displaying the processed telephone signal including an indication that a telephone signal has been detected.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of displaying comprises overlaying the processed telephone signal over the video program.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing further comprises:

generating at least one menu.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of processing further comprises identifying a telephone number from which the telephone signal was initiated,

wherein pausing the video program upon detecting the telephone signal is automatically performed in response to determining that the telephone number matches one or more specified telephone numbers, and

wherein pausing the video program upon detecting the telephone signal is not performed automatically in response to determining that the telephone number does not match the one or more specified telephone numbers.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of identifying a telephone number further comprises storing a list of telephone numbers and a list of names in memory, wherein each stored telephone number corresponds to a stored name.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the step of identifying a telephone number further comprises matching the identified telephone number with one of said stored list of telephone numbers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of identifying a telephone number further comprises identifying the name stored in memory which corresponds to the matched telephone number.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

monitoring the received telephone signal.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the received telephone signal is an incoming telephone call, and the step of monitoring comprises sensing an incoming telephone call.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the step of sensing an incoming telephone call comprises sensing that a telephone is ringing.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the telephone signal includes a signal on a ring line and the step of detecting comprises sensing the signal on the ring line.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a telephone signal comprises receiving the telephone signal from a cellular telephone network.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a telephone signal comprises receiving the telephone signal from a personal communications network.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of answering the displayed telephone signal.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a telephone signal comprises receiving the telephone signal from a cable system.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of detecting a telephone signal comprises receiving the telephone signal from a satellite system.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

electronically capturing a video image of a user of the content receiving device; and

transmitting the video image to the source of the telephone signal.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein a camera electronically captures the video image of the user of the content receiving device, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a signal to activate the camera.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

receiving instructions from the user of the content receiving device; and

pointing the camera in accordance with the instructions.

20. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing a conference call involving the telephone signal.

21. An apparatus for use in displaying a video program and telephone call identification, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a telephone signal indicating the telephone call identification;

a processor, operably connected to the receiver, configured to process the received telephone signal indicating telephone call identification; and

a generator, operably connected to the processor and configured to generate a signal for display using the processed telephone signal, wherein the processor is further configured to;

receive the video program;

output the video program to a display;

detect the telephone signal, the telephone signal having video content;

pause the video program upon detecting the telephone signal and prior to a user responding to the telephone signal, wherein pausing the video program includes initiating recording of at least a portion of the video program to a storage buffer of the apparatus; and

display the telephone signal generated using the processed telephone signal.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiver comprises a telephone modem.

23. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising a television set, operably connected to the generator, whereby the signal for display is received by said television set.

24. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor further comprises processing circuitry for identifying a telephone number from which a telephone call was initiated.

25. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the processor, based on the received telephone signal indicating telephone call identification, produces at least one text message and at least one graphics icon.

26. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising memory connected to the processor for storing a list of telephone numbers and a list of names, wherein each stored telephone number corresponds to a stored name.

27. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the generator generates a signal for display that comprises the identified name.

28. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein the generator comprises a text generator.

29. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the generator generates at least one menu to be displayed.

30. The apparatus of claim 29, wherein the at least one menu is generated based on the received telephone signal indicating telephone call identification.

31. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising a telephone message system.

32. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising an automatic message system wherein an activation signal activates the automatic telephone message system.

33. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the receiver is adapted to receive a video telephone signal from one or more of the group consisting of a cable system, a cellular telephone network, a personal communications network and a satellite system.

34. The apparatus of claim 21 further comprising:

a turbo card for generating at least one menu to be displayed, wherein the at least one menu is generated based on the received data indicating telephone call identification.

35. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a camera.

36. The apparatus of claim 21, further comprising:

a camera port.

37. The apparatus of claim 35, further comprising:

one or more buttons from the group consisting of a camera activation button, a call answer button and a call hangup button.

38. The apparatus of claim 37, further comprising:

a remote control, the one or more buttons located on the remote control.

39. A method of displaying a video program and a video call together, the method comprising:

receiving, by a content receiving device, the video program;

outputting the video program;

detecting an incoming video call during the video program;

determining a source address of the incoming video call;

determining that the source address of the incoming video call matches one or more specified source addresses; and

in response to determining that the source address of the incoming video call matches the one or more specified source addresses, pausing the video program prior to a user responding to the incoming video call, wherein pausing the video program includes initiating recording of at least a portion of the video program to a storage buffer.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein the video program is accompanied by audio and the incoming video call is accompanied by audio, the method further comprising:

accepting a user selection for either program audio or call audio;

sounding the selected audio; and

suppressing the nonselected audio.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein the video program is accompanied by an audio signal and the incoming video call is accompanied by an audio signal, the method further comprising:

summing the program audio signal and call audio signal to form a summed audio signal; and

sounding the summed audio signal.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein the incoming video call is displayed as a picture in picture of the video program.

43. The method of claim 39 wherein the video program is displayed as a picture in picture of the incoming video call.

44. The method of claim 39 wherein the incoming video call is a conference call with multiple video components, and wherein the video program and the multiple video calls are displayed on a split screen.

45. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

accepting from the user markings for overlay on the program video;

and communicating the markings to another party in the incoming video call.

46. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

providing an on-screen whiteboard; and

accepting input onto the whiteboard from a party in the incoming video call.