System and method for set-top box call connection

• US 9,521,465 B2
• Filed: 10/07/2015
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• 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: LaFreniere, Gary W., Emerson, David, Rondeau, David, Goergen, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): TAYLOR, JOSHUA D
• Application Number:
  US14/877,646
• Publication Number:
  US 20160029101A1
• Time in Patent Office: 433 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2898 Subscriber equipments DSL modems H04M11/062; cable modems H04L12/2801
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 11/085 using a television receiver, e.g. viewdata system
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/533 Voice mail systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/0069 comprising a residential gateway, e.g. those which provide an adapter for POTS or ISDN terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/422 Input-only peripherals , i.e. input devices connected to specially adapted client devices, e.g. global positioning system [GPS] input devices also receiving signals from specially adapted client devices H04N21/4104
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• 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

Abstract

A system for initiating a voice call includes a set-top box operable to control a selection of a television channel for display on a television. The set-top box is further operable to initiate a voice call between a first telephone and a second telephone. The first telephone is associated with a first telephone network and the second telephone is associated with a second telephone network. The system includes a remote control in communication with the set-top box. The remote control is operable to receive a first input associated with the selection of the television channel from a user and a second input associated with the voice call. The voice call is initiated by the set-top box in response to the second input being received by the set-top box.

Claims

1. A system for initiating a voice call, the system comprising:

a set-top box operable to control a selection of a television channel for display on a television, wherein the set-top box is configured to maintain a directory of telephone numbers and initiate the voice call to one of the numbers in the directory and is further configured to update the directory with contact information extracted from media played on the selected television channel; and

a remote control in communication with the set-top box, the remote control operable to receive an input associated with the selection of the television channel from a user and a second input associated with the voice call, wherein the voice call is initiated by the set-top box in response to the second input being received by the set-top box.

2. The system of claim 1, and further comprising a call control server, the call control server operable to connect the voice call using a SIP protocol.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes a digital telephony client, the digital telephony client operable to initiate the voice call.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box includes a digital telephony client, the digital telephony client operable to initiate the voice call and request that a call control server ring both a called party number and a calling party number.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising a call control server, the call control server comprising:

a processor;

a memory encoded with instructions, the instructions operable when executed by the processor to;

receive a called party number from the set-top box;

initiate a first call connection request to the called party number.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the instructions are further operable to:

receive a calling party number;

initiate a second call connection request to the calling party number in response to the first call connection request being answered; and

connect a voice call between the called party number and the calling party number in response to the second call connection request being answered.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the called party is associated with a first telephone network and the calling party is associated with a second network, and wherein the set-top box is operable to initiate the voice call over a third telephone network, the third telephone network being a different telephone network than the first telephone network and the second telephone network.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the set-top box is configured to initiate the voice call by automatically dialing a first predetermined speed dial number in response to an indication indicating a first predetermined motion pattern movement of the remote control.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the first predetermined speed dial number is a voicemail number and wherein the first predetermined motion pattern movement includes moving the remote control to the right following a missed call.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the remote control further comprises a light emission device, and wherein the set-top box is configured to enable the user to select the telephone number for initiating the voice call using the light emission device of the remote control.

11. A method of initiating a voice call, the method comprising:

receiving, at a remote control, an input associated with the selection of a television channel from a user;

controlling, by a set-top box, a selection of the television channel for display on a television;

maintaining, at the set-top box, a directory of telephone numbers;

updating the directory with contact information extracted from media played on the selected television channel;

receiving, at the remote control, a second input associated with the voice call;

initiating the voice call to one of the numbers in the directory, in response to the second input.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising connecting the voice call using a SIP protocol.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the set-top box includes a digital telephony client, the digital telephony client operable to initiate the voice call.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the set-top box includes a digital telephony client, the digital telephony client operable to initiate the voice call and request that a call control server ring both a called party number and a calling party number.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, at a call server, a called party number from the set-top box;

initiating, by the call server, a first call connection request to the called party number.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

receiving, at the call server, a calling party number;

initiating, by the call server, a second call connection request to the calling party number in response to the first call connection request being answered; and

connecting, by the call server, a voice call between the called party number and the calling party number in response to the second call connection request being answered.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the called party is associated with a first telephone network and the calling party is associated with a second network, the method further comprising initiating the voice call over a third telephone network, the third telephone network being a different telephone network than the first telephone network and the second telephone network.

18. The method of claim 11, further comprising automatically dialing a first predetermined speed dial number in response to an indication indicating a first predetermined motion pattern movement of the remote control.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the first predetermined speed dial number is a voicemail number and wherein the first predetermined motion pattern movement includes moving the remote control to the right following a missed call.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote control further comprises a light emission device, and wherein the set-top box is configured to enable the user to select the telephone number for initiating the voice call using the light emission device of the remote control.