This disclosure relates to the field of televisions and more particularly to a system for integrating messaging into a television system.
Digital television systems are becoming more powerful as they handle more types of media and implement more user features such as digital video recording and high definition playback. Communication is becoming more ubiquitous in modern life. Email, text messages, instant messages, video conferencing, cellular telephones, voice over IP phones, and POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) are commonplace.
With all the mediums for communication, many disparate devices are used. Each communication medium typically has a unique device associated with that medium. This causes the user of such communication medium to have multiple devices that perform the same or similar communication tasks.
Digital televisions typically have a display that allows the user to experience multimedia content. Digital televisions typically also have a television receiver for receiving signals that can be converted into multimedia content. Current standards for television signals include NTSC, ATSC, and QAM. Other television standards may also be used in these embodiments.
A processor is communicably coupled to the display to execute instructions that decode multimedia content from the receiver and present the multimedia content to the user on the display. These instructions are typically stored in a non volatile memory such as a ROM, EEPROM, flash memory, optical storage device, or magnetic storage devices. In a modern digital television system, there may be several sets of instructions; each with a different purpose. These instructions may be referred to as applications.
The inventor recognizes a need for a system that provides to a user a single location for viewing digital television content and responding to communications allowing the modern digital television to become the center of communications for a home or office.
An embodiment provides a system for the user to experience multimedia content as well as controlling communication to and from the user from a television. In an example embodiment, the system monitors one or more communication medium for communication. When a communication is detected, the system launches an application to interact with the communication and the user. In one example, the application includes instructions that convert spoken language to text and/or text to spoken language.
In this embodiment, the text is either overlaid on the multimedia content or the text is displayed on a portion of the display separate from the portion of the screen occupied by multimedia content. In embodiments where text is converted into spoken language, the voice for the spoken language is customizable; encompassing different genders, regional dialects, or other unique attributes of speech.
Another embodiment includes an application that translates the communication from a first language into a second language, thereby allowing users to communicate in their native language with others having a different native language.
A further embodiment includes an application that generates a response communication to the detected communication. For example the response communication informs or notifies the initiator of the communication that the intended recipient of the communication is occupied and may not immediately answer the communication. In addition to notifying the initiator that the intended recipient is occupied, the application records the communication letting the intended recipient respond to the communication at a later time. A further example embodiment may include notifications customized based on the initiator of the communication.
For example, communications initiated by contacts that are in a user's address book may be presented to the user, while communications initiated by contacts that are not in the user's address book may receive an automatic reply that the user is occupied and may not immediately answer the communication.
Yet another embodiment includes customized notifications based on the date and/or time of day.
A further embodiment includes redirecting the communication to an alternate receiving device such as a standard land-line telephone (e.g., Plain Old Telephone Service or POTS), a cellular telephone, a wireless handset or another receiving device connected to the digital television via a network.
In an embodiment, a digital television platform includes a display, a television receiver operatively coupled to the display and a processor operatively coupled to both the display and to the television receiver. A memory and a non volatile storage medium are communicably coupled to the processor. A communication link is also communicably coupled to the processor and a communication event is detected signaling reception of a communication on the communication link. Responsive to the communication event, a set of instructions is executed by the processor, the set of instructions is configured to receive the communication and to process the communication with respect to a set of user preferences.
In another embodiment, a method of a digital television interacting with communication includes receiving a digital television signal and displaying the digital television signal on a display device. The method includes detecting a communication event on a communication link, signaling the reception of a communication and processing the communication event based upon a set of parameters.
In another embodiment, computer readable medium encoded with a computer program includes instructions to cause a machine to receive a digital television signal and display the digital television signal on a display device. Instructions also detect a communication event on a communication link, signal the reception of a communication; and process the communication event based upon a set of parameters.
The embodiments can be understood by those having ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Throughout the following detailed description, the same reference numerals refer to the same elements in all figures.
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A communications network 106 is connected to a modem within the user's home 132 such as a Data over Cable Service Interface Specification (DOCSIS) modem for cable internet access. The communications network 106 provides connectivity to other users 102. In this example, the other user 102 is using a handheld device 104 such as a cellular phone, personal digital assistant (PDA) or blackberry device to communicate with the first user 116. In this example, the first user 116 is also communicating using a handheld device connected (wired or wireless) to the modem 112.
A telephone network 107 is operatively coupled to the communications network 106 and interfaced to a telephone 108 within the user's home 132. The telephone network 107 is any known telephone network such as the digital cellular network or the POTS network.
The television 128 is also connected to the modem 112 to provide messaging services as will be described. Through such, messages from the communications network 106 (e.g., Internet) are directed to the television 128 for notification, display, response, etc. Additionally, through the same connection, the user's personal computer(s) connects with the television 128 for various functions including, but not limited to, changing preferences, entering/updating fixed responses, reviewing call lists, etc. As known in the industry, a remote control 130 is wirelessly interfaced to the television 128. In addition to controlling the television display and operation (as previously known), the remote control 130 is used by the user to navigate and dispose of incoming messages.
Being that the communications network 106 in operatively coupled to the telephone network 107, voice calls destine for the user's telephone 108 are, in some embodiments, routed through the communications network 106, through the modem 112 and to the television 128 for notification, display, response, etc.
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A communications link is connected to the processor 182 for, as an example, reception of messages, transmission or responses and television setup from a remote computer 110. As known in the industry, a remote control 130 is wirelessly interfaced to the processor 182. In addition to controlling the television display and operation (as previously known), the remote control 130 is used by the user to navigate and dispose of incoming messages. In some embodiments, a microphone 188 is operatively coupled to the processor 182 for accepting voice commands and/or responding to calls and messages. Speaker(s) 194 is/are provided for presenting audio television content and for reproducing audio messages.
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Also connected to the processor 210 is a system bus 220 for connecting to peripheral subsystems such as a network interface 270 with an IP Address 270, a hard disk 240, a CDROM 250, a graphics adapter 260 and a keyboard/mouse 230. The graphics adapter 260 receives commands and display information from the system bus 230 and generates a display image that is displayed on the display 265.
In general, the hard disk 240 may be used to store programs, executable code and data persistently, while the CDROM 250 may be used to load said programs, executable code and data from removable media onto the hard disk 240. These peripherals are meant to be examples of input/output devices, persistent storage and removable media storage. Other examples of persistent storage include core memory, FRAM, flash memory, etc. Other examples of removable media storage include CDRW, DVD, DVD writeable, compact flash, other removable flash media, floppy disk, etc. In some embodiments, other devices are connected to the system through the system bus 230 or with other input-output connections. Examples of these devices include printers; graphics tablets; joysticks; and communications adapters such as modems.
The network interface 270 connects the computer-based system to the communications network 106 through a local network and through a modem 112 such as a cable modem, fiber optic modem or telephone system modem.
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Messages are, for example, telephone calls, text messages, incoming video conference calls, and incoming voice over IP calls. If no new messages are detected 702, the television content is displayed 704 on the display 180. If new messages are detected 702, the message(s) are categorized 706 to determine, for example, the sender 708, the urgency 710, the message type 712 and the content 714. Then, using user settings 716 such as the current activity of the user (e.g., stored preferences, status of the user—busy watching a movie) or the date or the time of day, the message is processed. If it is determined that a response should be sent 718 (e.g., no notification to the user), a fixed response is sent to the originator 720 and flow continues with displaying the television content 704.
If it is determined (based upon the user settings 716) that the message should be ignored 722 (e.g., no notification to the user), flow continues with displaying the television content 704. If it is determined (based upon the user settings 716) that the message needs to be displayed 724, the incoming television content is paused (if possible otherwise it is lost) and the message is displayed 732 on the display 180. The user interacts with the message 732 scrolling or paging up/down and alternately responding to the message 732 until they are done with the message 734 at which time the television content is resumed and flow continues with displaying the television content 704.
If it is determined (based upon the user settings 716) that a notification of the message is to be displayed 754, it is further determined 750 whether the notification is to be displayed as an overlay or in a separate window on the display 180. If it is determined that the notification is to be displayed as an overlay, the television content is displayed with the notification overlaid 752 on the display 180. Until the user acknowledges the notification indicating they are done 754, further television content is received 756 and displayed with the notification overlay 752. Once the user acknowledges the notification, indicating they are done 754, flow continues with displaying the television content 704. If it is determined that the notification is to be displayed in a separate window on the display 180, the television content is reduced and displayed in one section of the display 180 and the notification is displayed in a second window 762 of the display 180. Until the user acknowledges the notification indicating they are done 764, further television content is received 766 and displayed with the notification window 762. Once the user acknowledges the notification 764, indicating they are done, flow continues with displaying the television content 704.
In embodiments in which the message is a voice message, the voice message is selectively converted into a text message for display. In embodiments in which the message is a text message and received in a different language than that understood by the user 116, the text message is selectively translated from that language into a language that is understood by the user 116.
Equivalent elements can be substituted for the ones set forth above such that they perform in substantially the same manner in substantially the same way for achieving substantially the same result.
It is believed that the system and method of the present invention and many of its attendant advantages will be understood by the foregoing description. It is also believed that it will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the components thereof without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention or without sacrificing all of its material advantages. The form herein before described being merely exemplary and explanatory embodiment thereof. It is the intention of the following claims to encompass and include such changes.
Also, the inventors intend that only those claims which use the words “means for” are intended to be interpreted under 35 USC 112, sixth paragraph. Moreover, no limitations from the specification are intended to be read into any claims, unless those limitations are expressly included in the claims. The computers described herein may be any kind of computer, either general purpose, or some specific purpose computer such as a workstation. The computer may be a Pentium class computer, running Windows XP or Linux, or may be a Macintosh computer. The computer may also be a handheld computer, such as a PDA, cellphone, or laptop.
The programs may be written in C, or Java, Brew or any other programming language. The programs may be resident on a storage medium, e.g., magnetic or optical, e.g. the computer hard drive, a removable disk or media such as a memory stick or SD media, or other removable medium. The programs may also be run over a network, for example, with a server or other machine sending signals to the local machine, which allows the local machine to carry out the operations described herein.