Patent ID: 8856849

Claim:
A method of operating a set-top box including a telephone connection, a media connection, and a modem, the method comprising: connecting to a media signal source via the media connection to receive a television signal, wherein the television signal includes telephone numbers corresponding to television programming included in the television signal; receiving, using a processor, an input from a user of the set-top box during a broadcast of a television program, wherein the input includes a call button input received in response to the user pressing a button on a remote control device associated with the set-top box; identifying a telephone number corresponding to the broadcast television program in response to receiving the input, wherein the telephone number corresponding to the broadcast television program is highlighted using a cursor in response to the telephone number being displayed on a screen, and wherein the cursor is configured to enable the user to select the telephone number in response to multiple telephone numbers associated with the broadcast television program being displayed on the screen; initiating, using the processor, an outbound telephone call via the telephone connection by using the modem to dial the telephone number while maintaining displaying of the television program on the screen; in response to detecting that the outbound telephone call is answered by a called party, connecting the called party to a media player; ringing a communication device of the user; in response to the user answering the communication device, connecting the outbound telephone call between the called party and the communication device of the user; and muting a sound component of the television program in response to connecting the outbound telephone call between the called party and the communication device of the user.