Methods and apparatus for providing notifications in a media system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9747783-B2
Application number	US-201414245783-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 4, 2014
Priority date	Jan 5, 2005
Publication date	Aug 29, 2017
Grant date	Aug 29, 2017

Abstract

A system to convey user alert messages is disclosed. The system may have a alert service coupled between alert providers and a number of households. After receiving in the alert service an alert message from an alert provider, the alert service may alter the alert message to identify the household designated to receive the alert message. The alert service sends a notification to a home media system within the household designated to receive the alert message.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for an alert service, comprising:
receiving, at the alert service, an alert message from an alert provider;
determining, using control circuitry, a user designated to receive the alert message;
assigning, using the control circuitry, an alert level to the alert message based on settings for the alert provider that are associated with the user;
sending, from the alert service, the alert message to the user designated to receive the alert message;
prior to generating for display content of the alert message, determining whether the settings for the alert provider that are associated with the user permit automatically generating for display the content of the alert message;
determining that the settings for the alert provider that are associated with the user do not permit automatically generating for display the content of the alert message;
based on determining that the settings for the alert provider that are associated with the user do not permit automatically generating for display the content of the alert message:
generating for display an icon representing the alert message; and
receiving an input from the user to generate for display the content of the alert message.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising altering the alert message prior to sending the alert message to the user.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining, using control circuitry, an identification of the alert provider;
and wherein assigning, using the control circuitry, the alert level to the alert message is further based on the identification of the alert provider.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the alert message contains digital information indicating an authenticity of the alert message.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
validating the alert message to determine if the alert message is valid; and
in response to determining that an alert message is not valid, deleting and not distributing the alert message.

6. The method of claim 3 , further comprising receiving, from the user, a response to the alert message to execute a pre-defined action.

7. An alert message distribution system, comprising:
alert service control circuitry configured to:
receive an alert message from an alert provider;
determine a user designated to receive the alert message;
assign an alert level to the alert message based on the user's settings for the alert provider;
send the alert message to the user designated to receive the alert message;
prior to generating for display content of the alert message, determine whether the user's settings for the alert provider permit automatically generating for display the content of the alert message;
determine that the settings for the alert provider that are associated with the user do not permit automatically generating for display the content of the alert message; and
based on determining that the settings for the alert provider that are associated with the user do not permit automatically generating for display the content of the alert message:
generate for display an icon representing the alert message; and
receive an input from the user to generate for display the content of the alert message.

8. The alert message distribution system of claim 7 , wherein the alert service control circuitry is further configured to alter the alert message prior to sending the alert message to the user.

9. The alert message distribution system of claim 7 , wherein the alert service control circuitry is further configured to
determine an identification of the alert provider;
and wherein the control circuitry is further configured, when assigning the alert level to the alert message, to assign the alert level to the alert message based on the identification of the alert provider.

10. The alert message distribution system of claim 9 , wherein the alert message contains digital information indicating an authenticity of the alert message.

11. The alert message distribution system of claim 10 , wherein the alert service control circuitry is further configured to:
validate the alert message to determine if the alert message is valid; and
delete and not distribute the alert message in response to determining that an alert message is not valid.

12. The alert message distribution system of claim 9 , wherein the alert service control circuitry is further configured to receive, from the user, a response to the alert message to execute a pre-defined action.

Assignees

• Rovi Guides Inc

Inventors

• Putterman Daniel
• Peters Gregory
• Bullwinkle Richard
• Dykeman Kim R
• Dietrich Brad

Classifications

• G08B27/005 Primary

  with transmission via computer network · CPC title

• G08B27/00 Primary

  Alarm systems in which the alarm condition is signalled from a central station to a plurality of substations · CPC title

• G08B27/008 Primary

  with transmission via TV or radio broadcast · CPC title

• G08B27/006

  with transmission via telephone network · CPC title