Menu operation for access to television services

• US 20050044565A1
• Filed: 10/04/2004
• Published: 02/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta LLC (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schlarb, John M., Jerding, Dean F., Van Orden, Robert T., Crandall, Bindu, Banker, Robert O., Rodriguez, Arturo A.
• Application Number:
  US10/957,854
• Publication Number:
  US 20050044565A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/37
• 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 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4856 for language selection, e.g. for the menu or subtitles
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and system for accessing services in a television system. In one implementation, a DHCT presents a user a menu containing a plurality of selectable link representations corresponding to separate services or applications offered by the cable television system. The user navigates the menu with a remote device and selects a desired service by choosing the selectable link representation corresponding to the desired service or application. The DHCT receives the user input, translates the selectable link command into an executable call, and activates the service or application corresponding to the selected link representation from the menu chosen by the user.

Claims

1. A method to create a menu for a user to access a plurality of services by a client device coupled to a server device, comprising the steps of:

presenting a system operator a graphical list of the plurality of services provided by the server device for incorporation in the menu;

implementing the server device to incorporate a selectable link representation in the menu for each of the plurality of services designated for incorporation in the menu; and

communicating to each of a plurality of client devices the plurality of selectable link representations designated for incorporation in the menu.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

implementing the menu to enable a user of the client device to add one or more selectable link representations.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

implementing the menu to enable a user of the client device to disable one or more selectable link representations.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

implementing the menu for activation by the user of the client device upon inputting a channel mapped to the menu.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

implementing the menu for activation by the user of the client device upon selecting the menu denoted by a channel in an interactive program guide.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of:

implementing the menu for activation by the user of the client device upon the client device receiving a remote input mapped to the menu.