Interactive program guide system providing an application program interface for non-program guide applications

• US 10,003,848 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2015
• Issued: 06/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Thomas, William L., Knudson, Edward B., Hassell, Joel G., Easterbrook, Kevin B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hossain, Farzana
• Application Number:
  US14/610,378
• Publication Number:
  US 20150201235A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,236 Days
• Field of Search: 725 39- 61, 715700, 715716, 715719
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals

Abstract

A system is provided in which an interactive television program guide application and non-program-guide applications are at least partially implemented on user television equipment. A program guide program application interface is provided that is used to maintain a consistent user interface between the program guide application and the non-program-guide applications. Non-program-guide applications may be launched by the program guide application. The user may select certain non-program-guide applications as favorites and may set parental controls for certain non-program-guide applications. The program guide application may run in the background while a non-program-guide application operates. The applications may be located at a remote location such as on a server at a cable system headend or on a server on the Internet. The program application interface may perform authentication and access rights determination functions. Reminders may be set for the content of non-program-guide applications.

Claims

1. A method for launching an interactive non-program-guide application on a user equipment device, the method comprising:

generating for display, using a local interactive media guidance application implemented by the user equipment device, an indicator associated with the interactive non-program-guide application, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes interactive content;

receiving, with the local interactive media guidance application, a user selection of the indicator;

launching, using the local interactive media guidance application, the interactive non-program-guide application associated with the indicator;

setting the local interactive media guidance application as a background application and the interactive non-program-guide application as a foreground application;

monitoring, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, for events corresponding to user-selected actions that are related to media assets;

accessing, by the interactive non-program-guide application, a function of the local interactive media guidance application using an application program interface (API) of the local interactive media guidance application;

detecting, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, an event corresponding to a user-selected action that is related to a media asset; and

in response to detecting, with the local media guidance application while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, the event corresponding to the scheduled user-selected action, interrupting the foreground application and generating for display an indication of the event.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the function of the local interactive media guidance application includes on-screen display and navigation features.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the function of the local interactive media guidance application includes at least one of tuning to a channel of the user equipment device and program related functionality.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes an advertisement.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

while the interactive non-program-guide application is running, receiving user input with the local interactive media guidance application;

communicating the received user input to the interactive non-program-guide application; and

executing a function of the interactive non-program-guide application based on the user input communicated to the interactive non-program-guide application.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the local interactive media guidance application includes a web browser application, and wherein the interactive non-program-guide application is launched as a web page of the web browser application.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes functions of the API of the local interactive program guidance application.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

storing the interactive non-program-guide application in a storage device of the user equipment device; and

retrieving the interactive non-program-guide application from the storage device to launch the interactive non-program-guide application on the user equipment device responsive to the user selection.

9. A system for launching an interactive non-program-guide application on a user equipment device, the system comprising:

an input device; and

control circuitry configured to;

generate for display, using a local interactive media guidance application implemented by the user equipment device, an indicator associated with the interactive non-program-guide application, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes interactive content;

receive, from the input device with the local interactive media guidance application, a user selection of the indicator;

launch, using the local interactive media guidance application, the interactive non-program-guide application associated with the indicator;

set the local interactive media guidance application as a background application and the interactive non-program-guide application as a foreground application;

monitor, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, for events corresponding to user-selected actions that are related to media assets;

access, by the interactive non-program-guide application, a function of the local interactive media guidance application using an application program interface (API) of the local interactive media guidance application

detect, with the local media guidance application while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, an event corresponding to a user-selected action that is related to a media asset; and

in response to detecting, with the local media guidance application while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, the event corresponding to the scheduled user-selected action, interrupt the foreground application and generate for display an indication of the event.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the function of the local interactive media guidance application includes on-screen display and navigation features.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the function of the local interactive media guidance application includes at least one of tuning to a channel of the user equipment device and program related functionality.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes an advertisement.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

while the interactive non-program-guide application is running, receive user input with the local interactive media guidance application;

communicate the received user input to the interactive non-program-guide application; and

execute a function of the interactive non-program-guide application based on the user input communicated to the interactive non-program-guide application.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the local interactive media guidance application includes a web browser application, and wherein the interactive non-program-guide application is launched as a web page of the web browser application.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes functions of the API of the local interactive media guidance application.

16. The system of claim 9 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

store the interactive non-program-guide application in a storage device of the user equipment device; and

retrieve the interactive non-program-guide application from the storage device to launch the interactive non-program-guide application on the user equipment device responsive to the user selection.

17. A method for processing data by a local interactive media guidance application, the method comprising:

generating for display an indicator associated with an interactive non-program-guide application, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes interactive content;

receiving, with the local interactive media guidance application, a user selection of the indicator;

launching, using the local interactive media guidance application, the interactive non-program-guide application associated with the indicator;

setting the local interactive media guidance application as a background application and the interactive non-program-guide application as a foreground application;

monitoring, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, for events corresponding to user-selected actions that are related to media assets;

detecting, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, an event corresponding to a user-selected action that is related to a media asset; and

in response to detecting, with the local media guidance application while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, the event corresponding to the scheduled user-selected action, interrupting the foreground application and generating for display an indication of the event.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the scheduled user-selected action is at least one of program reminder, timer, and a scheduled recording.

19. A system for processing data by a local interactive media guidance application, the system comprising:

an input device; and

control circuitry configured to;

generate for display, on the display, an indicator associated with an interactive non-program-guide application, wherein the interactive non-program-guide application includes interactive content;

receive, from the input device with the local interactive media guidance application, a user selection of the indicator;

launch, using the local interactive media guidance application, the interactive non-program-guide application associated with the indicator;

set the local interactive media guidance application as a background application and the interactive non-program-guide application as a foreground application;

monitor, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, for events corresponding to user-selected actions that are related to media assets;

detect, while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, an event corresponding to a user-selected action that is related to a media asset; and

in response to detecting, with the local media guidance application while the local media guidance application is set as the background application, the event corresponding to the scheduled user-selected action, interrupt the foreground application and generate for display an indication of the event.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the scheduled user-selected action is at least one of program reminder, timer, and a scheduled recording.