Patent ID: 8281355

Claim:
A method comprising: receiving a video signal into a cable-television host device, the video signal comprising an encoded first identifier associated with a first telephone; displaying the video signal, wherein displaying the video signal comprises displaying a prompt associated with the first identifier; receiving a command from a user into the cable-television host device, the command (a) being associated with the displayed prompt and (b) requesting establishment of a telephone call between the first telephone and a second telephone, the second telephone being associated with the user; and in response to receiving the command, the cable-television host device transmitting a message via a packet-switched network from the cable-television host device to a network entity, wherein the message comprises content based at least in part on the first identifier, wherein the message further comprises at least one identifier of the cable-television host device, and wherein the message further comprises content for causing the network entity to (i) map the at least one identifier of the cable-television host device to a telephone number of the second telephone and (ii) invoke third-party call control at least in part by using (a) the content based at least in part on the first identifier and (b) the telephone number of the second telephone to attempt to establish the telephone call between the first telephone and the second telephone.