METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PROVIDE MESSAGES TO TELEVISION USERS

• US 20130051538A1
• Filed: 09/07/2012
• Published: 02/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Knowledge Ventures, L.P. (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: John E. Lemay
• Inventors: Qiu, Chaoxin Charles, Scruggs, Jeffrey Lee, Lemay, John E., Lee, Jessie Tsae-Jiuan, Cantu, Diana Maria
• Granted Patent: US 9,184,937 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 379/88.12
• 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 television users are disclosed. An example method includes determining an identifier associated with a television device in response to detecting a request for a list of voicemail message information, querying a database to determine a voicemail mailbox associated with the identifier, initiating a terminal session in accordance with a remote desktop protocol for the television device, and sending the list of voicemail message information to the television device via the terminal session

Claims

1. A method to provide messages to a television user, the method comprising:

determining an identifier associated with a television device in response to detecting a request for a list of voicemail message information;

querying a database to determine a voicemail mailbox associated with the identifier;

initiating a terminal session in accordance with a remote desktop protocol for the television device; and

sending the list of voicemail message information to the television device via the terminal session.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

identifying an electronic mail mailbox associated with the identifier;

retrieving an electronic mail message from the electronic mail mailbox; and

sending the electronic mail message to the television device via the terminal session.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to the television device indicating that a new voicemail message has been placed in the voicemail mailbox.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the television device is an internet protocol television device.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to the television device in response to receiving a notification that a new voicemail message is available at a message provider, the notification indicating that a new voicemail message is available.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising sending a list of electronic mail message information with the list of voicemail message information, the list of voicemail message information being associated with a user of the television device.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the remote desktop protocol comprises the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a memory including machine readable instructions; and

a processor to execute the instructions to at least;

determine an identifier associated with a television device in response to detecting a request for a list of voicemail message information;

query a database to determine a voicemail mailbox associated with the identifier;

initiate a terminal session in accordance with a remote desktop protocol for the television device; and

send the list of voicemail message information to the television device via the terminal session.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is further to:

identify an electronic mail mailbox associated with the identifier;

retrieve an electronic mail message from the electronic mail mailbox; and

send the electronic mail message to the television device via the terminal session.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is further to send a notification to the television device indicating that a new voicemail message has been placed in the voicemail mailbox.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is further to send the list to an internet protocol television device.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is further to send a notification to the television device in response to receiving a notification that a new voicemail message is available at a message provider, the notification to indicate that a new voicemail message is available.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is further to send a list of electronic mail message information with the list of voicemail message information, the list of voicemail message information to be associated with a user of the television device.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the processor is further to employ the Microsoft Remote Desktop Protocol as the remote desktop protocol.

15. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

determining an identifier associated with a television device in response to detecting a request for a list of voicemail message information;

querying a database to determine a voicemail mailbox associated with the identifier;

initiating a terminal session in accordance with a remote desktop protocol for the television device; and

sending the list of voicemail message information to the television device via the terminal session.

16. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise:

identifying an electronic mail mailbox associated with the identifier;

retrieving an electronic mail message from the electronic mail mailbox; and

sending the electronic mail message to the television device via the terminal session.

17. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending a notification to the television device indicating that a new voicemail message has been placed in the voicemail mailbox.

18. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending the electronic mail message to an internet protocol television device.

19. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending a notification to the television device in response to receiving a notification that a new voicemail message is available at a message provider, the notification indicating that a new voicemail message is available.

20. A tangible machine readable storage medium as defined in claim 15, wherein the operations further comprise sending a list of electronic mail message information with the list of voicemail message information, the list of voicemail message information being associated with a user of the television device.