Patent ID: 8107977

Claim:
A method for displaying a short message service (SMS) message on user media equipment, the user media equipment comprising a set-top box and a display, the method comprising: receiving with the set-top box the SMS message, wherein the SMS message includes information identifying a triggering event for displaying the SMS message, and wherein the identified triggering event for displaying the SMS message is independent of user action; storing the SMS message until occurrence of the identified triggering event; detecting the occurrence of the identified triggering event; and in response to detecting the occurrence of the identified triggering event, displaying the SMS message on at least a portion of the display of the user media equipment, wherein: an interactive media guidance application is implemented and displayed on the user media equipment, the at least a portion of the display is at least a portion of an interactive media guidance application display, and displaying the received SMS message comprises displaying the received SMS message in the at least a portion of the interactive media guidance application display.