Method and apparatus for providing interactive program guide (IPG) and video-on-demand (VOD) user interfaces

• US 20070033631A1
• Filed: 10/03/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cox Communications Incorporated (Cox Enterprises Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Sedna Patent Services LLC
• Inventors: Bayrakeri, Sadik, Son, Yong Ho, Ludvig, Edward, Gordon, Donald, Edmonds, Jeremy, Colligan, Mike
• Granted Patent: US 8,191,104 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/132
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/262 Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43074 of additional data with content streams on the same device, e.g. of EPG data or interactive icon with a TV program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4316 for displaying supplemental content in a region of the screen, e.g. an advertisement in a separate window
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/845 Structuring of content, e.g. decomposing content into time segments

Abstract

An apparatus for providing multiple session-based services at a terminal, an exemplary apparatus includes a memory configured to support a plurality of software layers including a service layer communicating with terminal resources via a root layer disposed therebetween; and a processor, for executing instructions associated with a plurality of service layer applications, a root layer application and a control mechanism; each of the service layer applications communicating with terminal resources to provide thereby a respective user interface; wherein the control mechanism selectively causing at least one of the service layer applications to enter an active state, the user interface associated with a service layer application being adapted in response to the service layer application entering the active state.

Claims

1. Apparatus for providing multiple session-based services at a terminal, comprising:

a memory configured to support a plurality of software layers including a service layer communicating with terminal resources via a root layer disposed therebetween; and

a processor, for executing instructions associated with a plurality of service layer applications, a root layer application and a control mechanism;

each of said service layer applications communicating with terminal resources to provide thereby a respective user interface;

said control mechanism selectively causing at least one of said service layer applications to enter an active state, the user interface associated with a service layer application being adapted in response to the service layer application entering the active state.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein user interface imagery associated with an active service layer application is overlayed upon user interface imagery associated with a non-active service layer application.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said control mechanism comprises a plurality of message queues operable to store messages for the plurality of service layer applications.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the root application supports communication between the plurality of service layer applications.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism causes a service layer application to enter an active state in response to a signal associated with the service layer application.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the control mechanism causes a service layer application to enter an active state in response to a signal indicative of an activation of a remote control key associated with the service layer application.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the root layer application is adapted to enable operation of the service layer applications on each of a plurality of terminal types.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the root layer application comprises a common platform adapted to enable the execution of service layer applications on each of a plurality of terminal types.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the root layer application comprises a common platform for service layer applications.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein service layer applications communicate with the root layer application via a set of application programming interfaces (APIs).

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the service layer applications is adapted to become a controlling service layer application in response to a message received via a message queue.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein imagery associated with a controlling service layer application is emphasized with respect to imagery associated with a non-controlling service layer application.

13. Apparatus for providing multiple session-based services at a terminal, comprising:

a memory configured to support a plurality of software layers including a service application layer communicating with terminal resources via a root application layer disposed therebetween; and

a processor, for executing instructions associated with applications within said service application layer and said root application layer;

said service application layer supporting a plurality of session-based service applications, each of said session-based service applications adapted to become a controlling session-based service application in response to a respective control indicative message received via a respective message queue;

said root application layer supporting a root application in communication with said plurality of session-based service applications via a set of application programming interfaces (APIs).

14. A computer readable medium for storing instructions which, when executed by a processor, perform a method, comprising:

configuring a memory to support a plurality of software layers including a service layer communicating with terminal resources via a root layer disposed therebetween; and

executing instructions associated with each of a plurality of service layer applications, one root layer application and a control mechanism;

each of the service layer applications communicating with terminal resources to provide thereby a respective user interface;

the control mechanism selectively causing at least one of the service layer applications to enter an active state, the user interface associated with a service layer application being adapted in response to the service layer application entering the active state.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein user interface imagery associated with an active service layer application is overlayed upon user interface imagery associated with a non-active service layer application.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the control mechanism comprises a plurality of message queues operable to store messages for the plurality of service layer applications, the control mechanism causing a service layer application to enter an active state in response to a signal associated with the service layer application.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the root layer application is adapted to enable operation of the service layer applications on each of a plurality of terminal types.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the root layer application comprises a common platform for service layer applications on each of the plurality of terminal types.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the root layer application comprises a common platform adapted to enable the execution of service layer applications on each of a plurality of terminal types.

20. A method for providing multiple session-based services at a terminal, comprising:

providing a plurality of service applications, each of said plurality of service applications communicating with terminal hardware via one root application responsive to a set of application programming interfaces (APIs);

each of said service applications adapted to become a controlling service application in response to control indicative messages received via a respective message queue;

said controlling service application causing said terminal to provide respective user interface imagery.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein user interface imagery associated with an active service application is overlayed upon user interface imagery associated with a non-active service application.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

providing message queues operable to store messages for the plurality of service applications.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein a service application enters an active state in response to a signal indicative of an activation of a remote control key associated with the service application.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein said root application is adapted to enable operation of said service applications on each of a plurality of terminal types.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein said root application comprises a common platform adapted to enable the execution of service applications on each of the plurality of terminal types.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the root application comprises a common platform for service layer applications.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein each of the service application is adapted to become a controlling service application in response to a message received via a message queue.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein a first service application supports an interactive program guide (IPG) service and a second service application supports a video-on-demand (VOD) service.