LOCAL CONTEXT NAVIGATION SYSTEM

• US 20060253417A1
• Filed: 05/05/2006
• Published: 11/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Starz Entertainment, LLC (Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation)
• Inventors: Barsook, Jonathan, Fukuda, John S., Lim, Rebecca R., Brownrigg, Richard T., Beyler, John C., Greene, Robert F., Liu, Agnes
• Granted Patent: US 8,584,171 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/44 Browsing; Visualisation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide methods, systems, and machine-readable media for browsing, navigating and searching a context sensitive entertainment-programming guide. According to one embodiment, a method for navigating an entertainment-programming guide can comprise establishing a connection from a client device to a server computer through a public network. A first content array can be received from the server computer over the public network. The first content array can comprise information describing a plurality of entertainment programs. The first content array can be stored on the client device and entertainment-program information can be presented based on the first content array stored on the client device.

Claims

1. A method for navigating an entertainment-programming guide, the method comprising:

establishing a connection from a client device to a server computer through a public network;

receiving a first content array from the server computer over the public network, the first content array comprising information describing a plurality of entertainment programs;

storing the first content array on the client device; and

presenting entertainment-program information based on the first content array stored on the client device.

2. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the entertainment-program information comprises graphics, icons, text, metadata, and/or links.

3. The method recited in claim 1, wherein the entertainment-program information comprises video clips extracted from each of the plurality of entertainment programs.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first content array comprises a scripting language content array.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting entertainment-program information based on the first content array comprises reading data related to a first set of elements of a user interface from the first content array, wherein the first set of elements comprises elements of a slider control, wherein each element represents a selectable option for navigating the plurality of entertainment programs.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising displaying the slider control on the user interface.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an item of the first content array based on a user selection of one of the elements of the slider control;

generating a first query based at least in part on the selection; and

sending the first query to the server computer over the public network.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising receiving a second content array from the server computer over the public network in response to the first query, the second content array comprising information further describing the plurality of entertainment programs.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising, reading data related to a second set of elements of a user interface from the second content array, wherein the second set of elements comprise sub-elements of the slider control, wherein each of the sub-elements of the slider control represents an additional selectable option for navigating the plurality of entertainment programs.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

causing the selected element of the slider control as displayed on the user interface to expand; and

displaying the sub-elements of the selected element under the selected element of the slider control.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an item of the second content array based on a user selection of one of the sub-elements of the slider control;

generating a second query based at least in part on the selection; and

sending the second query to the server computer over the public network.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising receiving a third content array from the server computer over the public network in response to the second query, the third content array comprising information further describing the plurality of entertainment programs.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising, reading data related to a third set of elements of a user interface from the third content array, wherein the third set of elements comprise a set of content items from the plurality of entertainment programs related to the selected sub-element of the slider control.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:

causing the slider control to collapse off of the user interface and to be replaced by a tab bar representing the slider control; and

displaying the content items on the user interface.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising, in response to a user selection of one of the content items, downloading the selected content item from the server to the client over the public network.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising, in response to a user selection of one of the content items, playing a preview of the selected content item.

17. A method for providing a context sensitive entertainment-programming guide, the method comprising:

generating a content array that comprises information describing a plurality of entertainment programs;

identifying establishment of a connection from a client device to a server computer through a public network; and

transmitting the content array from the server computer over the public network for storage on the client device, whereby a user may search for entertainment-programming information by accessing the content array stored on the client device.

18. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the information comprises graphics, icons, text, metadata, and/or links.

19. The method recited in claim 17, wherein the information comprises video clips extracted from each of the plurality of entertainment programs.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the content array comprises a scripting language content array.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein generating the content array comprises generating a portable format file containing the scripting language content array.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the portable format file comprises an eXtensible Markup Language (XML) file.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising, prior to generating the content array, receiving a query from the client device.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein generating the content array comprises:

reading data from the query;

reading a set of navigation data from pre-stored navigation data based on the data from the query; and

generating a response message including the content array, wherein transmitting the content array from the server computer over the public network for storage on the client device comprises transmitting the response message.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein reading the set of navigation data from pre-stored navigation data is further based on a set of user preferences associated with the client device.

26. A method for navigating a context sensitive entertainment-programming guide, the method comprising:

receiving a first content array from a server computer over a public network, the first content array comprising information describing a plurality of entertainment programs;

reading data related to a first set of elements of a user interface from the first content array, wherein the first set of elements comprise elements of a slider control;

inserting code for displaying the slider control into a first view of the user interface; and

displaying the first view of the user interface.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an item of the first content array based on a user selection of one of the elements of the slider control;

generating a first query based at least in part on the selection; and

sending the first query to the server computer over the public network.

28. The method of claim 27, further comprising receiving a second content array from the server computer over the public network in response to the first query, the second content array comprising information further describing the plurality of entertainment programs.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising, reading data related to a second set of elements of a user interface from the second content array, wherein the second set of elements comprise sub-elements of the slider control.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

inserting code into a second view of the user interface, wherein the code causes the selected element of the slider control to expand and the sub-elements of the selected element to be displayed under the selected element; and

displaying the second view of the user interface.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising:

receiving a selection of an item of the second content array based on a user selection of one of the sub-elements of the slider control;

generating a second query based at least in part on the selection; and

sending the second query to the server computer over the public network.

32. The method of claim 31, further comprising receiving a third content array from the server computer over the public network in response to the second query, the third content array comprising information further describing the plurality of entertainment programs.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising reading data related to a third set of elements of a user interface from the third content array, wherein the third set of elements comprise a set of content items from the plurality of entertainment programs related to the selected sub-element of the slider control.

34. The method of claim 33, further comprising:

inserting code into a third view of the user interface, wherein the code causes the slider control to collapse off of the page and to be replaced by a tab bar representing the slider control and the content items to be displayed; and

displaying the third view of the user interface.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising, in response to a user selection of one of the content items, downloading the content item from the server to the client over the public network.

36. The method of claim 34, further comprising, in response to a user selection of one of the content items, playing a preview of the selected content item.

37. A system for providing local, context-sensitive navigation of an entertainment-program guide, the system comprising:

a public network;

a server communicatively coupled with the public network and adapted to generate a first content array that comprises information describing a plurality of entertainment programs and transmit the first content array over the public network; and

a client device communicatively coupled with the public network and adapted to receive the first content array from the server computer over the public network and present entertainment-program information based on the first content array stored on the client device.

38. The system of claim 37, wherein the client device is adapted to present entertainment-program information based on the first content array by:

reading data related to a first set of elements of a user interface from the first content array, wherein the first set of elements comprises elements of a slider control; and

displaying the slider control on the user interface.

39. The system of claim 38, wherein the client device is further adapted to:

receive a selection of an item of the first content array based on a user selection of one of the elements of the slider control;

generate a first query based at least in part on the selection; and

send the first query to the server computer over the public network.

40. The system of claim 39, wherein the server computer is further adapted to:

read data from the first query;

read a set of navigation data from pre-stored navigation data based on the data from the first query; and

generate a second content array, the second content array comprising information further describing the plurality of entertainment programs and

transmit the second content array over the public network for storage on the client device.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the client device is further adapted to:

receive the second content array from the server computer over the public network in response to the first query;

read data related to a second set of elements of a user interface from the second content array, wherein the second set of elements comprise sub-elements of the slider control;

cause the selected element of the slider control as displayed on the user interface to expand; and

display the sub-elements of the selected element under the selected element of the slider control.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the client device is further adapted to:

receive a selection of an item of the second content array based on a user selection of one of the sub-elements of the slider control;

generate a second query based at least in part on the selection; and

send the second query to the server computer over the public network.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the server computer is further adapted to read data from the second query;

read a set of navigation data from pre-stored navigation data based on the data from the second query;

generate a third content array, the third content array comprising information further describing the plurality of entertainment programs; and

transmit the third content array over the public network for storage on the client device.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the client device is further adapted to:

receive the third content array from the server computer over the public network in response to the query;

read data related to a third set of elements of a user interface from the third content array, wherein the third set of elements comprise content items related to the sub-elements of the slider control;

cause the slider control to collapse off of the user interface and to be replaced by a tab bar representing the slider control; and

display the content items on the user interface.