Flexible application information formulation

• US 20030217369A1
• Filed: 05/17/2002
• Published: 11/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2002
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Heredia, Edwin Arturo
• Application Number:
  US10/150,616
• Publication Number:
  US 20030217369A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/152
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2007/1739 the upstream communication being transmitted via a separate link, e.g. telephone line
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2355 involving reformatting operations of additional data, e.g. HTML pages optimising the visualization of content for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/9577; tracking of instant messages H04L51/234; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23617 by inserting additional data into a data carousel, e.g. inserting software modules into a DVB carousel arrangements for broadcast or for distribution of identical information repeatedly in broadcast distribution systems H04H20/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4331 Caching operations, e.g. of an advertisement for later insertion during playback
• 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 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4886 for displaying a ticker, e.g. scrolling banner for news, stock exchange, weather data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8166 involving executable data, e.g. software arrangements for executing specific programs G06F9/44; broadcasting computer programmes in broadcast systems H04H20/91; involving the movement of software or configuration parameters H04L67/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8543 using a description language, e.g. Multimedia and Hypermedia information coding Expert Group [MHEG], eXtensible Markup Language [XML] information retrieval of semistructured data, the underlying structure being taken into account, e.g. mark-up language structure data G06F16/80
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/162 Authorising the user terminal, e.g. by paying; Registering the use of a subscription channel, e.g. billing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

A protocol enables flexible formulation of application information data structures for television-based entertainment systems. The protocol may be a textual-based language such as markup language, including an extensible markup language. The application information data structure includes information that enables a client device to access and/or to activate one or more applications. The one or more applications may be software modules, files, images, text, executable programs, and so forth, including both bound and unbound applications. An application information data structure, or table, may be created at a headend of a television system and stored there in memory. The application information table may also be transmitted from the headend to a client device and stored in a memory of the client device. The client device is able to determine the existence of, and relevant parameters for utilizing, applications at the client device using the application information table.

Claims

1. A client device for a television-based entertainment system, comprising:

one or more interfaces that are capable of receiving content and applications;

one or more processors that are adapted to process the content and the applications; and

one or more memories that store an application information table, the application information table including a plurality of fields that define applications in an extensible markup language (XML), the plurality of fields divided into a plurality of field sets, each field set of the plurality of field sets associated with an application field of a plurality of application fields;

wherein a service field begets the plurality of application fields.

2. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the client device comprises a set-top box.

3. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the one or more interfaces comprise at least one cable interface or at least one satellite interface.

4. The client device as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

at least one output that is capable of supplying audio and video information to a television.

5. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the service field includes a service identification attribute.

6. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the applications comprise one or more software modules, files, images, text, or executable programs.

7. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the client device is able to determine which of the applications are available for activation by accessing the application information table.

8. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the client device is able to determine how to activate the applications by accessing the application information table.

9. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of fields comprise identifier fields, transport fields, and access fields.

10. The client device as recited in claim 1, wherein the plurality of fields comprise a proxy field, the proxy field including a network address of a proxy server that stores a particular application of the applications;

and

wherein the one or more processors are programmed to cause the one or more interfaces to retrieve the particular application from the proxy server using the network address.

11. One or more computer-readable media comprising a schema, the schema comprising:

a routing element that lists at least one relation between a network address and a communication stream; and

a service element that admits a plurality of application elements, each application element of the plurality of application elements defining an associated application, each application element of the plurality of application elements capable of admitting children elements that further define the associated application;

wherein the schema is defined in a markup language and is utilizable in a television-based entertainment system.

12. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the children elements comprise an identifier element, a transport element, and an access element.

13. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the mark up language comprises an extensible markup language (XML).

14. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 11, wherein the associated application of each application element can be utilized by a client device in conjunction with a television.

15. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a proxy element that defines a network address of a proxy server that stores a particular application, the particular application being retrievable from the proxy server using the network address.

16. One or more computer-readable media comprising a schema, the schema comprising:

an application element that relates to an application that is capable of being utilized in conjunction with a television;

a transport element that is a first child of the application element, the transport element including at least one transport protocol that is capable of distributing the application; and

an access element that is a second child of the application element, the access element including at least one access parameter that enables execution of the application;

wherein the schema is applicable to television entertainment environments.

17. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more computer-readable media comprise at least one memory of a client device operable in a television entertainment environment.

18. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the one or more computer-readable media comprise at least one memory of a content distribution system of a television entertainment environment.

19. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the schema comports with an extensible markup language (XML).

20. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, wherein the schema enables a client device to access and utilize the application when the schema is provided to the client device from a headend of a television service provider.

21. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 16, further comprising:

an identifier element that is a third child of the application element, the identifier element including at least one of a title and an alphanumeric designation of the application.

22. One or more computer-readable media comprising a schema, the schema comprising:

a plurality of service elements, each service element of the plurality of service elements including a service identification attribute; and

a plurality of application elements that are children elements of a service element of the plurality of service elements, each application element of the plurality of application elements directed to an application of a plurality of applications;

each application of the plurality of applications having corresponding features, the corresponding features of each application being mapped to attributes and children elements of each application element;

wherein each application may be activated on a client device in a television entertainment environment by extracting and using information related to the corresponding features in the attributes and children elements of each application element.

23. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 22, wherein each application element of the plurality of application elements comprises at least one tag and corresponding argument of the at least one tag, the at least one tag comporting with an extensible markup language (XML).

24. One or more computer-readable media comprising a schema, the schema comprising:

at least one routing element that admits one or more route elements as children, the at least one routing element pertaining to one or more applications and defining one or more communication links thereof; and

at least one service element that admits one or more application elements as children, each application element of the one or more application elements relating to at least one application of the one or more applications;

each application element of the one or more application elements admitting an identifier element that includes identification parameters for an application, a transport element that includes at least one transport protocol for distributing the application, and an access element that includes access parameters for executing the application.

25. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, further comprising:

an application information table element, the application information table element admitting the at least one routing element and the at least one service element as children;

the application information table element including a version indicator.

26. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein a particular element of the schema may be omitted from an application information table if the particular element is not applicable to a particular application or applications of the one or more applications.

27. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the at least one routing element and the at least one service element are drafted in accordance with an extensible markup language (XML).

28. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the at least one application may be active on a client device of a television entertainment environment while a user of the client device changes channels.

29. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the identifier element admits a title element, an icon element, an application domain element, and an application identification element as children thereof.

30. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 29, wherein the title element includes a title of the application, the application identification element includes an identification of the application and an identification of an organization that provides the application, the application domain element includes an Internet-style domain, and the icon element includes at least one of a locator and a flag.

31. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the transport element admits a uniform resource locator (URL) element, a prefetch element, a proxy element, and a diilocation element as children thereof.

32. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 31, wherein the prefetch element includes at least one attribute indicating a preferred prefetching sequence for the application, the URL element includes a URL for multiprotocol encapsulation, the proxy element includes a network address of a proxy server that stores the application;

and the diilocation element includes at least one identifier of an object carousel.

33. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 24, wherein the access element admits a parameters element, a base directory element, an application identification values element, an initial class element, a classpath extension element, an initial path element, a physical root element, a boundaries label element, and a boundaries expression element as children thereof.

34. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 33, wherein the parameters element includes at least one start parameter for the application, the base directory element includes a base directory for ocap-j applications, the application identification values element includes an array of application identification values applicable to ocap-html applications, the initial class element includes an initial class for ocap-j applications, the classpath extension element includes a classpath extension for ocap-j applications, the initial path element includes an initial path for ocap-html applications, the physical root element includes a physical root for ocap-html applications, the boundaries label element includes a label for boundaries of ocap-html applications, and the boundaries expression element includes an expression for boundaries of ocap-html applications.

35. One or more computer-readable media comprising a schema, the schema comprising:

a service element that is capable of admitting a plurality of application elements as children elements thereof;

an application element that is a child element of the service element and that defines application-related attributes of at least one application;

a plurality of elements that are children elements of the application element, each element of the plurality of elements defining at least one attribute of a plurality of attributes of the at least one application;

the plurality of attributes enabling, at least partly, a client device in a television entertainment environment to utilize the at least one application;

wherein the application element defines the application-related attributes and the plurality of elements define the plurality of attributes of the at least one application using a text-based language.

36. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the text-based language comprises an extensible markup language (XML).

37. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the service element includes a service identification attribute.

38. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the application-related attributes include a launch order attribute, the launch order attribute defining a launch order of a plurality of applications of the plurality of application elements, the plurality of applications including the at least one application.

39. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the plurality of elements includes an application domain element that lists at least one domain name for directly invoking the at least one application.

40. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 35, wherein the plurality of elements includes a proxy element that includes an address of a proxy server, the proxy server storing the at least one application.

41. One or more computer-readable media comprising a data structure, the data structure comprising:

a first field defining an application in textual format; and

a second field defining at least one of an identification, a transport, and an access aspect of the application in the textual format;

wherein the application may be activated in a television entertainment environment.

42. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 41, wherein each of the first field and the second field comprise at least one tag and a corresponding argument.

43. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 41, wherein the one or more computer-readable media comprise a memory of a client device of the television entertainment environment.

44. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 41, wherein the textual format comprises a markup language.

45. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 44, wherein the markup language comprises an extensible markup language (XML).

46. The one or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 41, wherein the application comprises an unbound application that is not bound to a particular program or to a particular channel.

47. A client device for a television entertainment system, the client device comprising:

at least one memory, the at least one memory including;

a first field defining an application in textual format; and

a second field defining at least one of an identification, a transport, and an access aspect of the application in the textual format;

wherein the application may be activated by the client device using information from at least one of the first field and the second field.

48. The client device as recited in claim 47, wherein the first field includes at least one attribute of the application and an argument thereof.

49. The client device as recited in claim 47, wherein the textual format comports with an extensible markup language (XML).

50. The client device as recited in claim 47, further comprising:

at least one network interface for connecting the client device to a headend of the television entertainment system.

51. The client device as recited in claim 47, wherein the client device comprises a set-top box.

52. The client device as recited in claim 47, wherein the second field is directed to a proxy element and includes an address of a proxy server;

and wherein the client device is capable of retrieving the application from the proxy server.

53. The client device as recited in claim 47, wherein the first field comprises a version number whose declaration admits any integer number.

54. The client device as recited in claim 47, wherein the first field comprises at least one attribute selected from the group comprising:

version, launch order, type, monitor, control, visibility, and priority.

55. A method for creating an application information table, comprising:

receiving information that is associated with a plurality of applications from at least one application provider;

determining a plurality of options for the plurality of applications; and

building an application information table for the plurality of applications by grouping a plurality of application fields that correspond to the plurality of applications under a service field having a service identification, the application information table built responsive to the received information that is associated with the plurality of applications and the determined plurality of options for the plurality of applications;

wherein the application information table is utilizable in a television entertainment system.

56. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the action of building an application information table comprises selecting tags that pertain to at least one of (i) the received information that is associated with the plurality of applications and (ii) the determined plurality of options for the plurality of applications.

57. The method as recited in claim 55, further comprising:

transmitting the application information table to a client device over a network.

58. The method as recited in claim 55, further comprising:

storing the application information table in a memory of a headend of the television entertainment system.

59. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein the headend comprises an application information formulation system.

60. The method as recited in claim 58, wherein the headend comprises a content distribution system.

61. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the action of building an application information table comprises combining tags with argument data, the argument data ascertained, at least partially, responsive to at least one of (i) the received information that is associated with the plurality of applications and (ii) the determined plurality of options for the plurality of applications.

62. The method as recited in claim 55, wherein the action of building an application information table comprises building an instantiation of an extensible markup language (XML)-based protocol.

63. A method for communicating an application information table, comprising:

segmenting an application information table into a plurality of packets, the application information table based on an extensible markup language (XML);

the application information table including a plurality of entries, each entry of the plurality of entries directed to one or more applications that are capable of activation by a client device in a television-based entertainment system;

each entry of the plurality of entries organized under a service field, the service field including a service identification; and

transmitting the plurality of packets onto a network.

64. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein the network comprises at least one of a cable network, a satellite network, and the Internet.

65. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein at least one entry of the plurality of entries includes a transport field that defines, using at least one attribute of the transport field, how to distribute a file in a broadcast manner.

66. The method as recited in claim 63, further comprising:

assigning a packet identification to each packet of the plurality of packets.

67. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein the actions of segmenting and transmitting are performed at a headend of at least one of a cable system and a satellite system.

68. The method as recited in claim 63, wherein at least one entry of the plurality of entries includes at least two fields selected from the group comprising:

an application field, an identifier field, a transport field, and an access field.

69. A method for communicating an application information table, comprising:

receiving a plurality of packets, the plurality of packets including multiple packets directed to an application information table;

each packet of the multiple packets corresponding to a predetermined packet identifier;

amalgamating each packet of the plurality of packets that corresponds to the predetermined packet identifier; and

reconstructing the application information table responsive to the action of amalgamating and based on the multiple packets;

the application information table comporting with an extensible markup language (XML) and including at least one service field having a service identification, the at least one service field begetting at least one application field that is directed to one or more applications, the one or more applications being utilizable in a television-based entertainment system.

70. The method as recited in claim 69, wherein the actions of receiving, amalgamating, and reconstructing are performed by a client device in the television-based entertainment system.

71. The method as recited in claim 69, further comprising:

determining the predetermined packet identifier by consulting a program map table of the television-based entertainment system.

72. A method for utilizing an application information table, comprising:

accessing an application information table, the application information table including information on a plurality of applications, the information formulated in a markup language format and collected into groups that correspond to individual service providers as indicated by service identifiers;

activating at least one application of the plurality of applications to place the at least one application on active status;

switching from one channel to another channel; and

continuing the active status of the at least one application during the switching action.

73. The method as recited in claim 72, wherein the markup language format comprises an extensible markup language (XML) format.

74. The method as recited in claim 72, wherein the method is performed by a client device that is adapted to operate in a television entertainment system.

75. The method as recited in claim 72, further comprising:

determining, responsive to the accessing action, that the plurality of applications are available;

presenting at least a subset of the plurality of applications to a user; and

receiving at least one selection by the user from among the at least a subset of the plurality of applications to ascertain a selected application.

76. The method as recited in claim 75, wherein the activating action comprises activating the selected application.

77. The method as recited in claim 75, wherein the at least a subset of the plurality of applications comprises those applications that pertain to a current channel or a current program or that are unbound.

78. The method as recited in claim 72, wherein the switching action is performed responsive to user input.

79. The method as recited in claim 72, wherein placing the at least one application on active status comprises at least one of executing the at least one application, interacting with the at least one application, presenting data from the at least one application, and modifying an output of the at least one application.

80. A method for a client device, comprising:

accessing an application information table, the application information table including information on a plurality of applications, the application information table including a service field that begets an application field that begets at least one of an identifier field, a transport field, and an access field;

activating at least one application of the plurality of applications to place the at least one application on active status;

switching between at least two channels or at least two programs; and

continuing the active status of the at least one application during the action of switching;

wherein the client device is designed to operate in a television-based entertainment environment.

81. A method for a client device in a television-based entertainment environment, the method comprising:

accessing an application information table, the application information table formulated in a markup language format;

inspecting a field that defines a proxy server and that is directed to an application, the proxy server storing the application;

extracting a network address from the field, the network address corresponding to the proxy server; and

retrieving the application from the proxy server using the network address.

82. The method as recited in claim 81, further comprising:

activating the application.

83. The method as recited in claim 82, further comprising:

switching from a first channel to a second channel; and

continuing an active status of the application during the switching action.

84. The method as recited in claim 81, wherein the markup language format comprises an extensible markup language (XML) format.

85. The method as recited in claim 81, wherein the action of retrieving the application comprises at least one of the following actions:

retrieving the application over a cable network; and

retrieving the application over the Internet.

86. A content distribution system, comprising:

at least a transmitter for transmitting content and applications over a network;

one or more processors that are adapted to process the content and the applications; and

one or more memories that store an application information table, the application information table including a plurality of fields that define applications in an extensible markup language (XML), the plurality of fields divided into a plurality of field sets, each field set of the plurality of field sets associated with an application field of a plurality of application fields;

wherein a service field begets one or more application fields of the plurality of application fields.

87. The content distribution system as recited in claim 86, wherein the at least a transmitter comprises a transceiver, and the network comprises a bi-directional network.

88. The content distribution system as recited in claim 86, wherein the content comprises television-based entertainment content.

89. The content distribution system as recited in claim 86, wherein the one or more memories further store information that is associated with the applications.

90. The content distribution system as recited in claim 86, wherein the one or more memories further store an XML-based protocol for creating the application information table.

91. A system for a television-based entertainment environment, the system comprising:

at least one memory, the at least one memory including;

a first field defining an application in a textual format; and

a second field defining at least one of an identification, a transport, and an access aspect of the application in the textual format;

wherein the first field and the second field are communicated from the system to a plurality of client devices of the television-based entertainment environment.

92. The system as recited in claim 91, wherein the system comprises a content distribution system.

93. The system as recited in claim 91, wherein the system comprises an application information formulation system.

94. The system as recited in claim 91, wherein the textual format comports with an extensible markup language (XML).

95. The system as recited in claim 91, further comprising:

a stored on-demand applications unit that stores applications to be retrieved by the plurality of client devices.

96. An arrangement for a television-based entertainment system, the arrangement comprising:

means for interfacing with at least one network in order to receive content and applications;

means for processing the content and the applications; and

means for storing a means for conveying application information, the means for conveying application information including a plurality of fields that define applications in an extensible markup language (XML) and that are collected into sets that are associated with individual service identifications.

97. The arrangement as recited in claim 96, further comprising:

means for tuning to at least one television channel of the television-based entertainment system to acquire channel content from the at least one television channel; and

means for outputting audio information and video information that correspond to the channel content.

98. The arrangement as recited in claim 96, further comprising:

means for accessing the plurality of fields to determine how to activate at least one application of the applications; and

means for activating the at least one application.

99. An arrangement for a television-based entertainment system, the arrangement comprising:

means for receiving information that is associated with a plurality of applications;

means for determining a plurality of options for the plurality of applications; and

means for building means for conveying application information for the plurality of applications responsive to the received information that is associated with the plurality of applications and the determined plurality of options for the plurality of applications;

wherein the means for conveying application information organizes application information into sets according to respective service identifications that correspond to each application of the plurality of applications.

100. The arrangement as recited in claim 99, further comprising:

means for transmitting the means for conveying application information to client means for receiving television content over network means for propagating signaling.

101. The arrangement as recited in claim 99, further comprising:

means for transmitting the means for conveying application information to client means for receiving television content over network means for propagating signaling; and

wherein the means for transmitting includes at least one of the following means for distributing the plurality of applications to the client means;

means for distributing the plurality of applications via carouseling;

means for distributing the plurality of applications via server access; and

means for distributing the plurality of applications via a broadcast Internet protocol (IP) multicast stream.