AUTOMATIC DISPLAY OF MESSAGES ON DISPLAY SCREEN

• US 20090217365A1
• Filed: 02/25/2008
• Published: 08/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: At&T Delaware Intellectual Property, Inc. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Daigle, Brian
• Granted Patent: US 8,266,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 726/7
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4627 Rights management associated to the content security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• 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 21/4788 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 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method, Internet protocol television (IPTV) enabled communication device, and computer program product for automatic message services are provided. A processor executes instructions from a memory. An input and output (I/O) device is for transmitting and receiving, respectively. A client application is stored in the memory and configured to provide the automatic message service. The client application receives input of a message to be presented at an appropriate time, receives input of an action associated with the message, receives input of a recipient for the message, and presents the message for display to the recipient at the appropriate time.

Claims

1. An Internet protocol television (IPTV) enabled communication device that provides automatic message service, comprising:

a processor for executing instructions from a memory; and

a client application stored in the memory and configured to provide automatic message service;

wherein the client application;

receives input of a message to be presented at an appropriate time,

receives input of an action associated with the message;

receives input of a recipient for the message; and

presents the message for display to the recipient at the appropriate time.

2. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the message for the recipient is stored on at least one of the communication device, a set top box separate from the communication device, a server, and a storage associated with the server;

and

wherein the client application retrieves the message from the at least one of the communication device, the set top box, the server, and the storage associated with the server.

3. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the action associated with the message can cause the client application:

to enable or disable a device;

to enable or disable an application;

to enable or disable capabilities of the communication device;

to operatively connect to a computing device;

or

to place a telephone call.

4. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the appropriate time is a time that the message is designated to be presented for display to the recipient;

or

wherein the appropriate time is a recurring time that the message is designated to be presented for display to the recipient.

5. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the client application communicates with a server application residing on a server to provide the automatic message service.

6. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the client application enables a creator of the message to log in using a username and a password;

and

wherein the message presented for display to the recipient displays the creator of the message.

7. The communication device of claim 1, wherein the client application receives a username and a password input by the recipient such that the recipient can access restricted messages for the recipient;

and

wherein the client application restricts others from accessing the restricted messages for the recipient.

8. A method for providing automatic message service for an Internet protocol television (IPTV) enabled communication device, comprising:

receiving input of a message to be presented at an appropriate time;

receiving input of an action associated with the message;

receiving input of a recipient to the message; and

presenting the message for display to the recipient at the appropriate time on the communication device.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

storing the message in at least one of the communication device, a set top box separate from the communication device, a server, and a storage associated with the server; and

retrieving the message from the at least one of the communication device, the set top box, the server, and the storage associated with the server.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the action associated with the message can cause the client application:

to enable or disable a device;

to enable or disable an application;

to enable or disable capabilities of the communication device;

to operatively connect to a computing device;

or

to place a telephone call.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein a client application residing on a set top box interacts with a server application residing on a server to provide the automatic message service.

12. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving input of a username and a password corresponding to a creator of the message, such that the creator of the message is identified as the message is being presented for display to the recipient on the communication device.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving input of a username and a password corresponding to the recipient of the message, such that the recipient can access the message for the recipient, wherein others are restricted from accessing the message for the recipient.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein the appropriate time is a time that the message is designated to be presented for display to the recipient;

or

wherein the appropriate time is a recurring time that the message is designated to be presented for display to the recipient.

15. A computer program product, tangibly embodied on a computer readable medium, for providing automatic message service for an Internet protocol television (IPTV) enabled communication device, the computer program product including instructions for causing a computer to execute a method, comprising:

receiving input of a message to be presented at an appropriate time;

receiving input of an action associated with the message;

receiving input of a recipient to the message; and

presenting the message for display to the recipient at the appropriate time on the communication device.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to execute storing the message in at least one of the communication device, a set top box separate from the communication device a server, and a storage associated with the server;

and

retrieving the message from the at least one of communication device, the set top box, the server, and the storage associated with the server.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to execute receiving input of a username and a password corresponding to a creator of the message, such that the creator of the message is identified as the message is being presented for display to the recipient on the communication device.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for causing a computer to execute receiving input of a username and a password corresponding to the recipient of the message, such that the recipient can access the message for the recipient, wherein others are restricted from accessing the message.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the action associated with the message can cause the client application:

to enable or disable a device;

to enable or disable an application;

to enable or disable capabilities of the communication device;

to operatively connect to a computing device;

or

to place a telephone call.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the appropriate time is a time that the message is designated to be presented for display to the recipient;

or

wherein the appropriate time is a recurring time that the message is designated to be presented for display to the recipient.