Set-Top Box Soft-Phone Integration for Seamless Call Routing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing IPTV systems and femtocells often inconvenience users by disrupting video presentations when handling phone calls, as they require users to switch between devices or miss parts of their media programs while answering or making calls.

Innovation Solution

Integration of a soft-phone client application on a Set-Top Box (STB) within the IPTV network, which allows for seamless routing of audio and video calls to multiple terminal devices, including mobile cellular phones via a femtocell, using a Residential Gateway with a switching element that manages call routing based on SIP headers, enabling users to answer calls without interrupting media presentations.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If users answer phone calls using existing corded or cordless phones coupled to a Terminal Adapter, then phone calling functionality is provided, but users miss part of the video presentation and experience inconvenience

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvephone calling convenienceVSAvoidvideo presentation time lost

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the set-top box with telephony functionality by integrating a telephony application that can receive and answer calls directly on the STB. This merging of video and telephony functions into a single device allows users to answer calls without leaving the video presentation context, eliminating the need to physically move to another phone and preventing loss of video content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The set-top box is designed to perform multiple functions including video playback, video on demand, and telephony. The telephony application integrated into the STB enables the device to function as both a video player and a telephone, allowing users to manage calls while maintaining video presentation continuity through features like pausing, recording, or muting the video during calls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If users make or answer calls during media program presentation, then communication functionality is achieved, but media presentation continuity is disrupted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecalling capabilityVSAvoidmedia presentation continuity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts media presentation based on call state. The telephony application can pause, record, or mute the video presentation when a call is received or initiated, and automatically resume or restore the presentation after the call ends. This dynamic behavior allows the system to adapt to communication needs while preserving media continuity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent ensures continuous media presentation by implementing features that pause, record, or mute video during calls rather than completely interrupting it. The presentation can be resumed after the call, ensuring that the useful action of watching media continues uninterrupted in terms of content access, even if temporarily suspended for call handling.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Reliability

If femtocell is deployed to improve indoor wireless coverage, then cellular coverage is enhanced, but IPTV network subscribers are inconvenienced by missing video presentation parts when answering cellular calls

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless coverageVSAvoidvideo presentation accessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges cellular telephony functionality with the IPTV set-top box by integrating a telephony application that can receive and answer calls directly on the STB. This integration allows subscribers to answer cellular calls routed through the femtocell without needing to physically move to a cellular phone, thereby maintaining video presentation continuity while benefiting from enhanced wireless coverage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple terminal devices are used for calling, then calling flexibility is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemulti-device calling capabilityVSAvoidcall routing system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10084989B2Audio and video calling through multiple terminal devices

Publication Date: 2018.09.25 AT&T INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY I L P

AI summary

A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a computer-readable storage medium in a media controller having computer instructions to execute a soft-phone client application on the media processor, receive a call originating from an internet protocol multimedia subsystem network where the calls are directed to the media processor by a gateway having a switch that routes the call in accordance with a destination address included in a session initiation protocol header message, and selectively answer the call at any of a plurality of terminal devices including a mobile cellular phone coupled to the media processor via a femtocell. The computer instructions can be operable to present an audio portion of the call through a speaker of a presentation device operatively coupled to the media processor. Other embodiments are disclosed.