On-screen caller ID with video playback and storage capability

摘要

Novel tools and techniques to enable video enhancements identifying the calling party of an incoming telephone call. In an aspect of some such tools, a video message from the calling party is sent to the receiving party through a communication channel in the provider network. Upon receiving an incoming telephone call at the provider network, the video message can be associated with the incoming telephone call, and routed to a set-top unit (also referred to herein as a “set-top box”) associated with the receiving party. The set-top unit might communicate with a visual display screen (e.g., a television), and/or cause the visual display screen to show the video message for the receiving party as an indication of the incoming telephone call and identification of the calling party.

主权项

1. A method of providing video caller identification, comprising:
providing a communication channel at a provider network to receive a video message from a calling party; receiving the video message at the provider network; receiving, at the provider network, an incoming telephone call directed to a receiving party; associating, at the provider network, the video message with the incoming telephone call; routing the video message through the provider network to a set-top unit associated with the receiving party of the telephone call, the set-top unit being in communication with a visual display screen; and causing the visual display screen to display the video message for the receiving party as an indication of the incoming telephone call and identification of the calling party; and providing one or more user interfaces to allow one of the calling party or the receiving party to select the video message as a default message for one or more other telephone calls from the calling party.