Patent ID: 8175228

Claim:
A method for providing messages to a set top box, the method comprising: receiving by an internet protocol television gateway a communication that a message to a recipient party has been deposited in a message infrastructure, the message corresponding to a voicemail left by a calling party; mapping by the internet protocol television gateway a recipient party message address to a device address of the set top box of the recipient party; retrieving by the internet protocol television gateway the message from the message infrastructure; wherein the internet protocol television gateway is configured to communicate with a preferences server to determine the set top box, having requested to receive calling party identification information, out of a plurality of set top boxes at a subscriber location; and wherein the internet protocol television gateway is distinct from the subscriber location; and sending by the internet protocol television gateway a message waiting indication and the calling party identification information to the device address of the set top box; wherein the internet protocol television gateway is configured to connect to a media server for converting the voicemail into a format for the set top box; and wherein the internet protocol television gateway comprises a caller identification handler and an email handler.