Patent ID: 8755335

Claim:
A system comprising: a set top box control processor, comprising, a common-layer application interface and a control plug-in framework comprising a plurality of control plug-in processes in communication between the common-layer application interface and a set top box in communication with the set top box control processor, wherein the plurality of control plug-in processes allow for control of control features of the set top box by way of the common-layer application interface; and an interactive voice response unit in communication with the common-layer application interface of the set top box control processor to obtain voice inputs from a voice call sent from a location remote from the set top box over a communication network using a telephone access point, and to associate the voice inputs with a plurality of set top box commands that when presented to the common-layer application interface, are usable to remotely access a plurality of control features of the set top box by way of the plurality of control plug-in processes, wherein the plurality of set top box commands comprise a power-on command from a powered off state, wherein the set top box control processor is operative to route a set top box command of the plurality of set top set top box commands to a control plug-in process of the plurality of control plug-in processes of the control plug-in framework by way of the common-layer application interface to control remotely a control feature of the plurality of control features of the set top box comprising changing channels and controlling volume without user intervention and without user presence at the set top box, and wherein the interactive voice response unit interactively transmits voice prompts and generates the set top box command of the plurality of set top box commands based on a voice input received without interaction with the set top box.