Session initiation protocol enabled set-top device

A multimedia unit comprising:

• a session initiation protocol control unit, wherein the session initiation protocol control unit communicates with a server over a packet based network to receive multimedia content;
• and a multimedia interface, wherein the multimedia interface sends the multimedia content received by the session initiation protocol control unit to output devices for presentation, wherein the session initiation protocol unit communicates with the server to identify a user of the multimedia unit from a plurality of registered users of the multimedia unit, and wherein the multimedia interface receives multimedia content from the server based on the identification of the user of the multimedia unit;
• a processing unit coupled to the multimedia interface and the communication interface, wherein the processing unit determines a type of the multimedia content being sent to the output devices by the multimedia interface, determines if an alert may be output based on the type of the multimedia content, and output an alert if it is determined that an alert may be output based on the type of the multimedia content
• wherein the alert is based on a message being sent to the multimedia unit, and wherein if the processing unit determines that an alert cannot be output based on the type of the multimedia content, the processing unit determines if a timeout condition has occurred, and if a timeout condition has occurred, the message is stored for later presentation using the multimedia unit.

A set-top device comprising:

• first means for sending an identification of a user of the set-top device to a server, wherein a plurality of users of the set-top devices are registered as users of the set-top device;
• second sending means for sending a request for content to a server using a connection established with an application layer control protocol;
• receiving means for receiving the content from the server through the connection, wherein the content is received from the server based on the identification of the user of the set-top device;
• and
• presenting means for presenting the content on output devices connected to the set-top device
• means for determining a type of the content being sent to the output devices;
• means for determining if an alert may be output based on the type of the content;
• and
• means for outputting an alert if it is determined that an alert may be output based on the type of the content
• wherein the means for determining a type of the content, means for determining if an alert may be output, and means for outputting the alert operate in response to receiving at least one of a call being directed to the set-top device, a message being sent to the set-top device, and a Web page being pushed to the set-top device.

A computer program product in a recordable-type computer readable medium for providing services to a set-top device, the computer program product comprising:

• first instructions for sending an identification of a user of the set-top device to a server, wherein a plurality of users of the set-top device are registered as uses of the set-top device;
• second instructions for sending a request for content to a server using a connection established with an application layer control protocol;
• third instructions for receiving the content from the server through the connection, wherein the content is received from the server based on the identification of the user of the set-top device;
• and
• fourth instructions for presenting the content on output devices connected to the set-top device
• fifth instructions for determining a type of the content being sent to the output devices;
• sixth instructions for determining if an alert may be output based on the type of the content;
• and
• seventh instructions for outputting an alert if it is determined that an alert may be output based on the type of the content
• wherein the fifth instructions for determining a type of the content, sixth instructions for determining if an alert may be output, and seventh instructions for outputting the alert are executed in response to receiving at least one of a call being directed to the set-top device, a message being sent to the set-top device, and a Web page being pushed to the set-top device.