Dennis J Mccarthy

US Patent:

61410586, Oct 31, 2000

Filed:

Dec 16, 1996

Appl. No.:

8/798049

Inventors:

William Adamson Lagoni - Indianapolis IN
Robert Lawrence O'Brien - Indianapolis IN
Dennis Ronald McCarthy - Syracuse NY

Assignee:

Thomson Licensing S.A. - Boulogne

International Classification:

H04N 5445

US Classification:

348563

Abstract:

A television receiver includes telephone network interface circuitry which allows the receiver to receive and process Caller-ID signals for display during the ringing period of the telephone set. The television receiver also includes circuitry which allows a list of priority callers to be entered. In this way, the incoming Caller-ID codes are compared to the telephone numbers of the priority callers. Upon detection, the Caller-ID information of a priority caller is displayed on screen during television viewing. The telephone numbers of those callers not listed as priority callers are not displayed during the ringing period of the telephone. Both displayed and non-displayed telephone numbers which correspond to unanswered telephone calls are stored in a Caller-ID list for display at the user's convenience. In this way, the user is able to enter data to select beforehand which calling telephone numbers are permitted to interrupt his or her television show by displaying Caller-ID information on the screen.