Methods and apparatus to provide messages to television users

• US 9,578,386 B2
• Filed: 10/22/2015
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Qiu, Chaoxin Charles, Scruggs, Jeffrey Lee, Lemay, John E., Lee, Jessie Tsae-Jiuan, Cantu, Diana Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Phan, Joseph T
• Application Number:
  US14/920,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20160100228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 488 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2012/6475 N-ISDN, Public Switched Telephone Network [PSTN]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/56 Unified messaging, e.g. interactions between e-mail, instant messaging or converged IP messaging [CPM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4594 Address books, i.e. directories containing contact information about correspondents telephone directories in user terminals H04M1/27453
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2207/14 cable networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 3/53333 Message receiving aspects
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 7/063 where the telephone network is a network other than PSTN/ISDN
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2356 by altering the spatial resolution
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4786 e-mailing message switching systems, e.g. electronic mail systems H04L51/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4788 communicating with other users, e.g. chatting arrangements for providing for computer conferences, e.g. chat rooms, to substation in data switching networks H04L12/1813; distributed application using peer-to-peer [P2P] networks H04L67/104
• 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 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6131 involving transmission via a mobile phone network wireless downlink channel access H04W74/006
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6137 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6181 involving transmission via a mobile phone network arrangements for providing broadcast or conference services to substation in data switching networks in combination with wireless systems H04L12/189; wireless uplink channel access H04W74/004
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6187 involving transmission via a telephone network, e.g. POTS
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/64322 IP

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to provide messages to consumer electronics devices are disclosed. In response to a request from a consumer electronics device for messaging information stored with at least one of a first message provider or a second message provider, determining, with a processor of a mediation system, an identifier associated with the consumer electronics device. Querying, with the processor, a database at the mediation system to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device. When the request is for the messaging information stored with the first message provider, sending, with the processor, a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier to the mediation system. When the request is for the messaging information stored with the second message provider, sending, with the processor, a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier to the mediation system. Sending, with the processor, the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider or the second message provider to the consumer electronics device.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

in response to a request from a consumer electronics device for messaging information stored with at least one of a first message provider or a second message provider, determining, with a processor of a mediation system, an identifier associated with the consumer electronics device;

querying, with the processor, a database at the mediation system to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device;

when the request is for the messaging information stored with the first message provider, sending, with the processor, a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier to the mediation system;

when the request is for the messaging information stored with the second message provider, sending, with the processor, a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier to the mediation system; and

sending, with the processor, the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider or the second message provider to the consumer electronics device.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the messaging information includes at least one of a new message notification, a message list, a message, a message list summary or a contact list.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the messaging information received from the first message provider includes a first contact list, the messaging information received from the second message provider includes a second contact list, and further including:

compiling the first contact list and the second contact list into an aggregate contact list, the sending of the message information to the consumer electronics device including sending the aggregate contact list to the consumer electronics device.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, or an email account.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the consumer electronics device is an Internet protocol television device.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first messaging account identifier is associated with at least one of a voice over internet protocol service, a mobile phone service, or a public switched telephone network service.

7. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, or an email account.

8. A mediation system, comprising:

a memory including machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to;

in response to a request from a consumer electronics device for messaging information stored with at least one of a first message provider or a second message provider, determine an identifier associated with the consumer electronics device;

query a database at the mediation system to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device;

when the request is for the messaging information stored with the first message provider, send a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier to the mediation system;

when the request is for the messaging information stored with the second message provider, send a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier to the mediation system; and

send the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider or the second message provider to the consumer electronics device.

9. The mediation system as defined in claim 8, wherein the messaging information includes at least one of a new message notification, a message list, a message, a message list summary or a contact list.

10. The mediation system as defined in claim 9, wherein the messaging information received from the first message provider includes a first contact list, the messaging information received from the second message provider includes a second contact list, and the processor is further to:

compile the first contact list and the second contact list into an aggregate contact list, the sending of the message information to the consumer electronics device includes sending the aggregate contact list to the consumer electronics device via a terminal session.

11. The mediation system as defined in claim 8, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, or an email account.

12. The mediation system as defined in claim 8, wherein the consumer electronics device is an Internet protocol television device.

13. A storage device including instructions that, when executed, cause a processor at a mediation system to perform operations comprising:

in response to a request from a consumer electronics device for messaging information stored with at least one of a first message provider or a second message provider, determining an identifier associated with the consumer electronics device;

querying a database at the mediation system to determine first and second account identifiers associated with the identifier of the consumer electronics device;

when the request is for the messaging information stored with the first message provider, sending a first command to cause the first message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the first message account identifier to the mediation system;

when the request is for the messaging information stored with the second message provider, sending a second command to cause the second message provider to forward the messaging information associated with the second message account identifier to the mediation system; and

sending the messaging information received from at least one of the first message provider or the second message provider to the consumer electronics device.

14. The storage device as defined in claim 13, wherein the messaging information includes at least one of a new message notification, a message list, a message, a message list summary or a contact list.

15. The storage device as defined in claim 14, wherein the messaging information received from the first message provider includes a first contact list, the messaging information received from the second message provider includes a second contact list, and the operations further include:

compiling the first contact list and the second contact list into an aggregate contact list, the sending of the message information to the consumer electronics device including sending the aggregate contact list to the consumer electronics device via a terminal session.

16. The storage device as defined in claim 13, wherein the first messaging account identifier identifies at least one of a voicemail account, a text messaging account, or an email account.