Method and system for communication with a set-top box

• US 9,167,206 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC (Lumen Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goergen, Michael, Lafreniere, Gary W., Emerson, David, Rondeau, David
• Primary Examiner(s): BELIVEAU, SCOTT E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Telan, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/201,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20100058415A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,608 Days
• Field of Search: 725/58, 725/62
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72415 for remote control of appliances
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4147 PVR [Personal Video Recorder] H04N5/76 takes precedence ; arrangements for broadcast with accumulation-type receivers H04H20/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4227 Providing Remote input by a user located remotely from the client device, e.g. at work
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4751 for defining user accounts, e.g. accounts for children
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4753 for user identification, e.g. by entering a PIN or password cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4882 for displaying messages, e.g. warnings, reminders arrangements for providing short real-time information to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1895
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system for communication with a set-top box is disclosed. An embodiment is disclosed that receives security information and the security information has identification information for a user assigned to a set-top box, services a request to create a notification preference for the set-top box in response to successful entry of security information, establishes the notification preference for the set-top box and the notification preference has a rule for providing information in a notification on media content available to be received by the set-top box, sends the notification to the recipient in accordance with a notification preference, receives a communication for the set-top box from a user device and the communication comprises a partial command for a set-top box, interprets the partial command in view of the notification, and sends a command to the set-top box based on the partial command and the notification.

Claims

1. A method for communicating with a set-top box, comprising:

receiving security information, the security information comprises identification information for a user assigned to the set-top box;

servicing a request to create a notification preference for the set-top box in response to successful entry of security information;

establishing the notification preference for the set-top box, the notification preference comprising a rule for providing information in a notification on media content available to be received by the set-top box, wherein the rule includes an option to provide the notification to a social network group associated with the user, and wherein the notification is automatically generated based on media content received by members of the social network group;

sending the notification to a communication device of the user in accordance with a notification preference and automatically inserting the notification into a calendar application of the user;

receiving, at the set-top box, a communication for the set-top box from a user device, the communication comprises a partial command representative of a function to be performed by the set-top box, wherein the partial command comprises at least one single-letter command word, wherein the communication has an identifier to indicate that the communication contains an incomplete partial command;

inferring, by the set-top box using a processor, the incomplete partial command with the use of the notification, the incomplete partial command having the at least one single-letter command word;

generating, by the set-top box, a command based on the inferred incomplete partial command; and

performing, by the set-top box, the command.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication is converted into a text string that contains the partial command.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises a text message sent to a mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the notification preference from a database.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the notification comprises usage information for the set-top box.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the command comprises instructions for recording media content.

7. A method for communication with a set-top box, comprising:

receiving a notification in accordance with a notification preference for the set-top box, the notification comprises information on media content broadcast to the set-top box;

automatically inserting the notification into a calendar application of the user; and

sending, using a processor, a communication with a partial command to a set-top box, wherein the partial command comprises at least one single-letter command word, wherein the partial command is representative of a function to be performed by the set-top box in view of the notification, and wherein the communication has an identifier to indicate that the communication contains an incomplete partial command, wherein the incomplete partial command is inferred, by the set-top box, with the use of the notification, wherein the set-top box generates a command based on the inferred incomplete partial command, which comprises the at least one single-letter command word, and the set-top box performs the command.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the communication comprises a text message from a mobile device.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification comprises a text message sent to a mobile device.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

retrieving the notification preference from a database.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the notification comprises usage information for the set-top box.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the command comprises instructions for recording media content at the set-top box.

13. A set-top box, comprising:

a processor operable to execute a set of instructions; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium operable to store the set of instructions, wherein the set of instructions are configured to;

send a notification in accordance with a notification preference for the set-top box, the notification comprises information on media content available to be received by the set-top box in accordance with the notification preference, wherein the notification includes instructions that automatically inserts the notification into a calendar application of the user;

receive a communication at the set-top box from a user device, identify whether the communication includes an identifier that indicates that the communication contains an incomplete partial command for the set-top box, wherein the incomplete partial command comprises at least one single-letter command word;

in response to a determination that the communication includes the identifier that indicates that the communication contains an incomplete partial command, infer, by the set-top box, the incomplete partial command with the use of the notification, the incomplete partial command having the at least one single-letter command word;

generate a command based on the inferred incomplete partial command; and

perform the command that is generated based both on the partial command and the notification.

14. The set-top box of claim 13, wherein the communication comprises a text message from a mobile device.

15. The set-top box of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises a text message sent to a mobile device.

16. The set-top box of claim 13, wherein the set of instructions are further configured to:

retrieve the notification preference from a database.

17. The set-top box of claim 13, wherein the notification comprises usage information for the set-top box.

18. The set-top box of claim 13, wherein the command comprises instructions for recording media content.