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Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television linkRelated Patent Categories: Multiplex Communications, Pathfinding Or Routing, Combined Circuit Switching And Packet Switching, Routing Circuit Switched Traffic Through A Packet Switching NetworkMethod, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070121599, Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This present application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit under 35 USC 120 of, PCT Patent Application Serial Number PCT/CA2005/001768 entitled "METHOD, SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR ANNOUNCING CALLER INFORMATION OVER A TELEVISION LINK", filed on Nov. 21, 2005, filed in the English language, designating the United States and hereby incorporated by reference herein. FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] This invention relates generally to video delivery systems and more specifically to a method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] With recent developments in the telecommunications industry, customers are not only expecting basic telephony services (such as reliable voice connectivity from one point to another), but also expect to receive a number of augmented services. In particular, customers expect to have access to services such as voice mail, call forwarding, three-way calling and Caller Line ID (CLID) information announcements. By virtue of the CLID information announcement feature, customers can obtain information about a calling party before actually accepting a call. Generally, information about the calling party can comprise a telephone number of the calling party and/or a name of the calling party that is registered in association with the telephone number of the calling party. Obtaining CLID information prior to answering the call allows customers to make a decision how to treat the call, such as whether to answer or ignore the call. This service is particularly suitable for call screening, for instance screening calls from unknown or blacklisted parties. Several types of devices for announcing CLID information are known in the art. A first type of device is incorporated into a telephone set (whether wired or cordless), referred to herein below as a built-in device. Another type of device is a stand-alone device connected in-line between the telephone set and the telephone jack. Such stand-alone devices allow users of telephone sets that do not have the aforementioned built-in devices to nonetheless enjoy the benefits of CLID information announcement. Both types of devices are operable to extract CLID information from received SS7 network signalling information and to process this information to announce the CLID information to the user (typically by means of a display). Some stand-alone devices can display the CLID information on a television screen, allowing the viewers to see who is calling while they are watching the television. [0004] Users who would like to receive CLID information announcement on the television screen while watching a particular program on their television screen find the afore-mentioned solutions unsatisfactory. In a specific case where the telephony link to the user's telephone is busy (for instance, when the user or someone else in the user's household is using the phone), and a second call destined for the user's telephone is originated, the user may not receive an announcement of the second incoming call on his or her television screen. [0005] Thus, improvements in the convenience with which users may get CLID information announcement on their television screen would be welcomed. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] A first broad aspect of the present invention seeks to provide a method. The method comprises receiving, via a portion of a data network adapted for handling Voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling information associated with an incoming call destined for a destination party, the SIP signalling information comprising a portion conveying information regarding an origin of the incoming call and information regarding an identity of the destination party. The method further comprises responsive to the receiving, attempting to establish a telephony link with a device associated with the destination party over a communication network. The method further comprises releasing the portion of the SIP signalling information to a processing entity to cause delivery of an indication of the origin of the incoming call over a television link associated with the destination party, the indication based on the information regarding an origin of the incoming call. [0007] A second broad aspect of the present invention seeks to provide a method. The method comprises receiving Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling information associated with an incoming call destined for a destination party; the SIP signalling information comprising a portion conveying information regarding an origin of the incoming call and information regarding an identity of the destination party; the SIP signalling information having been issued by a network element responsible for establishing a telephony link with a device associated with the destination party over a network in response to receipt of the SIP signalling information associated with the incoming call. The method further comprises responsive to the receiving, causing transmission of an announcement trigger over a television link associated with the destination party to cause an indication of the origin of the incoming call to be announced to the destination party, the indication based on the information regarding an origin of the incoming call. [0008] A third broad aspect of the present invention seeks to provide a system. The system comprises at least one network element associated with a communication network and a processing entity. The at least one network element is operable: to receive, via a portion of a data network adapted for handling Voice-over-IP (VoIP) calls, Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling information associated with an incoming call destined for a destination party, the SIP signalling information comprising a portion conveying information regarding an origin of the incoming call and information regarding an identity of the destination party; responsive to receiving the SIP signalling information, to attempt establishing a telephony link with a device associated with the destination party over a portion of the communication network; and to release the portion of the SIP signalling information to the processing entity. The processing entity is operable to receive the portion of the SIP signalling information to cause delivery of an indication of the origin of the incoming call over a television link associated with the destination party, the indication based on the information regarding an origin of the incoming call. [0009] A fourth broad aspect of the present invention seeks to provide a network element comprising: means for receiving Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling information associated with an incoming call destined for a destination party, the SIP signalling information comprising a portion conveying information regarding an origin of the incoming call and information regarding an identity of the destination party; means for attempting to establish a telephony link with a device associated with the destination party over a communication network responsive to the receiving, and means for releasing the portion of the SIP signalling information to a processing entity to cause delivery of the information regarding the origin of the call over a television link associated with the destination party. [0010] Another broad aspect of the present invention seeks to provide an apparatus. The apparatus comprises a first interface operable to connect to a communication network and to receive Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) signalling information associated with an incoming call destined for a destination party; the SIP signalling information comprising a portion conveying information regarding an origin of the incoming call and information regarding an identity of the destination party; the SIP signalling information having been issued by a network element responsible for establishing a telephony link with a device associated with the destination party over a network in response to receipt of the SIP signalling information associated with the incoming call. The apparatus further comprises a second interface operable to connect to a television link associated with the destination party. The apparatus further comprises a processing unit coupled to the first and second interfaces; the processing unit operable to receive the SIP signalling information via the first interface and to cause transmission via the second interface of an announcement trigger to cause an indication of the origin of the incoming call to be announced to the destination party, the indication based on the information regarding an origin of the incoming call. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0011] A detailed description of specific embodiments of the invention is provided herein below, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0012] FIG. 1 is a conceptual block diagram showing various components of a system for extracting information indicative of an originator of an incoming call for announcement to a user on a television screen. [0013] FIG. 2 depicts a flow chart of a method for extracting information indicative of an originator of an incoming call for announcement to the user on a television screen executable at a terminating network element depicted in FIG. 1. [0014] FIG. 3 depicts a flow chart of a method for forwarding information indicative of an originator of an incoming call to the user, the method executable at a processing entity of FIG. 1. [0015] FIG. 4A and 4B depict a logical signal flow diagram that illustrates exchange of signals containing information associated with an originator of an incoming call between various elements of the system of FIG. 1 while performing the method of FIG. 2 in two embodiments of the present inventions. [0016] FIG. 4C depicts a logical signal flow diagram that illustrates exchange of signals containing information associated with an originator of an incoming call between various elements of the system of FIG. 1 while performing the method of FIG. 3. [0017] FIG. 5 depicts a conceptual block diagram of a database maintained by a processing entity of FIG. 1. [0018] In the drawings, the embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of examples. It is to be expressly understood that the description and drawings are only for the purposes of illustration and are an aid for understanding. They are not intended to be a definition of the limits of the invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Continue reading about Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link... Full patent description for Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. Start now! - Receive info on patent apps like Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link or other areas of interest. ### Previous Patent Application: Method of operating a virtual private network Next Patent Application: Methods and apparatus for providing voice communications through a packet network Industry Class: Multiplex communications ### FreshPatents.com Support Thank you for viewing the Method, system and apparatus for announcing caller information over a television link patent info. IP-related news and info Results in 0.25284 seconds Other interesting Feshpatents.com categories: Canon USA , Celera Genomics , Cephalon, Inc. , Cingular Wireless , Clorox , Colgate-Palmolive , Corning , Cymer , 174 |
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