Abstract: A method includes receiving, via an internet protocol television network, a broadcast signal comprising video content at a device. The device is associated with a person. The method includes receiving, via the internet protocol television network, a message notification directed to a communication address associated with the person. The message notification includes a visual indication based at least in part on the communication address. The method also includes sending a display signal to a display device. The display signal includes the broadcast signal and the visual indication.

Abstract: A method is provided for customizing a call control rule by a subscriber at a graphical user interface. The method includes providing a first display, including multiple conditions relating to identifying calls involving the at least one telephone number, and receiving a first selection of at least one identifying condition. The method further includes providing a second display, including multiple call dispositions relating to processing the calls based on the at least one selected condition, and receiving a second selection of at least one call disposition. The identifying condition and the call disposition are stored as the call control rule in association with the telephone number, and calls involving the telephone number are processed in accordance with the stored call control rule. The method may also include providing a third display describing the call control rule contemporaneously with receiving the first and second selections.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for broadcasting Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) messages. A method incorporating teachings of the present disclosure may include receiving an indication that a message should be delivered to a plurality of recipients. In response, contact information for the plurality of recipients may be identified, and an outbound packetized call to each of the recipients may be launched. In practice, the packetized call may be in a VoIP form or some other appropriate packetized form. If a call is answered, the call may be connected to a multicast server capable of playing the to-be-delivered message.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, via an internet protocol television network, a broadcast signal comprising video content at a device. The device is associated with a person. The method includes receiving, via the internet protocol television network, a message notification directed to a communication address associated with the person. The message notification includes a visual indication based at least in part on the communication address. The method also includes sending a display signal to a display device. The display signal includes the broadcast signal and the visual indication.

Abstract: A system and method of publishing contact information is disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the method includes receiving a command to publish a collection of contacts to a plurality of recipients, where the collection of contacts is associated with a network address book of a sender. The method also includes receiving a distribution list that identifies the plurality of recipients. Additionally, the method includes sending a notification to each of the plurality of recipients, where the notification includes an invitation to subscribe to the collection of contacts. The method also includes sending the collection of contacts to at least one of the plurality of recipients who subscribes to the collection of contacts.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a device, a request to initiate a call with respect to a contact and a communication device associated with a caller. In a particular embodiment, the method may further include initiating presentation, at a display device, of a selectable call placement indicator to initiate the request. In another particular embodiment, the method may further include sending display data to the display device, where the display data indicates that the call has been placed to the contact.

Abstract: Methods and systems of message notification and access via a video distribution network are disclosed. A method may include receiving, via an Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) network, a data stream including video content. The method may also include receiving, via the IPTV network, a notification of a message directed to a communication address associated with a subscriber. The method may also include selecting a first visual message indication based at least partially on the communication address.

Abstract: Before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device; caller identification information for the calling telephony device is obtained for the call. If standard caller identification information is not available, the caller is prompted to provide spoken caller identification information. The caller identification information is communicated to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol such as VoIP where a continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points. The called party is given call disposition options. The process which controls this operation may be located anywhere in the network, including at switching equipment and at the called telephony device.

Abstract: A voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) telephone server is disclosed and includes a computer readable medium that is accessible to a processor. A centralized address book is embedded within the computer readable medium. Further, a computer program is embedded within the computer readable medium and the computer program utilizes the centralized address book to selectively restrict incoming telephone calls and outgoing telephone calls. The centralized address book can include a plurality of address books and each of the plurality of address books is associated with a corresponding VoIP telephone coupled to the VoIP telephone server. The computer program can include instructions to determine whether an address book only calling lock is on for the VoIP telephone. Moreover, the computer program can include instructions to determine whether an originating telephone number associated with an incoming telephone is stored within the centralized address book.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that receives an incoming call at an electronic device, where the incoming call includes caller identification information. Further, the method determines whether a personal address book stored remotely from the electronic device includes an entry associated with the caller identification information. Additionally, an audio alert associated with the entry is inserted into a multimedia data stream, where the audio alert is determined based at least in part on the entry.

Abstract: A method is presented of providing voice communication, including receiving at a set-top box device a selection of a first contact, receiving data indicating that a first call has been placed to a phone associated with the first contact, and sending data to a display device coupled to the set-top box device indicating that the first call has been placed to the phone associated with the first contact. The method may further include sending data identifying the first contact and the user phone to a communication server of an Internet Protocol Television system, wherein the communication server places the first call to the phone associated with the first contact and routes the first call to the user phone.

Abstract: A method and system is disclosed that includes receiving an incoming call including caller identification information at an input responsive to a network. An audio alert and display information associated with the incoming call are sent to a multimedia device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a telephone customer to configure telephone service for multiple users at a single location associated with the customer. The location has at least two telephones, at least two phone numbers and a voice mail box. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign one of the phone numbers to one of the telephones. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign each of the multiple users exclusive access to at least one of the telephone numbers via their account identifier. The telephone customer is visually provided the option to, for each of the multiple users, allow access or deny access via their account identifier to the voicemail box.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a telephone customer to configure telephone service for multiple users at a single location associated with the customer. The location has at least two telephones, at least two phone numbers and a voice mail box. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign one of the phone numbers to one of the telephones. The telephone customer is visually provided an option to assign each of the multiple users exclusive access to at least one of the telephone numbers via their account identifier. The telephone customer is visually provided the option to, for each of the multiple users, allow access or deny access via their account identifier to the voicemail box.

Abstract: Before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device; caller identification information for the calling telephony device is obtained for the call. If standard caller identification information is not available, the caller is prompted to provide spoken caller identification information. The caller identification information is communicated to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol such as VoIP where a continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points. The called party is given call disposition options. The process which controls this operation may be located anywhere in the network, including at switching equipment and at the called telephony device.

Abstract: Before completing a call initiated at a calling telephony device for a called telephony device; caller identification information for the calling telephony device is obtained for the call. If standard caller identification information is not available, the caller is prompted to provide spoken caller identification information. The caller identification information is communicated to the called telephony device via a connectionless protocol such as VoIP where a continuing connection does not exist between communicating end points. The called party is given call disposition options. The process which controls this operation may be located anywhere in the network, including at switching equipment and at the called telephony device.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for facilitating a custom ring in connection with a call. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, an electronic device operable to support telephonic communication. The electronic device may have a housing component at least partially defining an enclosure. A memory may be located within the enclosure and may be storing ring tone information representing a custom ring tone. The device may also have a user interface capable of receiving user inputs that could indicate, for example, a desire to place a call to a called party. In some embodiments, the device may have an output engine capable of initiating communication of the ring tone information to the called party such that a telephonic device of the called party outputs the select ring tone as an indication of the call.

Abstract: A method for interacting with a calling party during a call session in a VoIP system includes determining rules to apply to the call session before, during, and after the call based on parameters associated with the calling party or a called party, where the called party and the calling party participate in the call session; storing the rules in a database such as an address book; applying the determined rules to the calling party's incoming call; outputting a prompt to the calling party; and receiving the calling party's incoming call.

Abstract: A method of backing up a video data file, comprising receiving a user input identifying a video signal. The method further includes recording the video signal to the video data file and sending an instruction to a backup server. The instruction causes the backup server to concurrently record the video signal to a second video data file.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus to provide voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) services are disclosed. An example method comprises initiating a voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) session to a service entity, initiating a data transfer session to the service entity based upon a parameter associated with the VoIP session, the data transfer session to occur during a first time period, the VoIP session occurring during a second time period at least partially overlapping the first time period, and transferring account information to the service entity via the data transfer session.