INTERACTIVE TELEVISION SYSTEM WITH TEMPLATES FOR MANAGING VENDOR-SPECIFIC VIDEO-ON-DEMAND CONTENT

• US 20100153997A1
• Filed: 11/23/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Walker, Todd A., Baumgartner, Joseph P.
• Application Number:
  US12/623,541
• Publication Number:
  US 20100153997A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/39
• 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 21/47214 for content reservation or setting reminders; for requesting event notification, e.g. of sport results or stock market stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; notification of incoming messages in packet switching networks H04L51/224

Abstract

An interactive television system is provided in which a user can use an interactive television application to access and request media-on-demand programming from one or more specific vendors. The interactive television application may display vendor-specific interface screens that allow the user to access and request content from a particular vendor. The application may generate a vendor-specific interface screen by incorporating vendor-specific interface elements into an interface template. The template may include vendor-invariant interface elements and attributes for the incorporated elements. The generated vendor-specific interface screen may then be displayed on the user equipment. The system may also include a remote server to provide vendor-specific interface elements and templates to the application, and memory on the user equipment where these elements and templates may be stored.

Claims

1. A method for providing a media-on-demand display screen using an interactive television application implemented on user equipment, the method comprising:

retrieving, using a processor, an interface template;

retrieving, using the processor, at least one vendor-specific interface element associated with a media-on-demand vendor;

determining, using the processor, if visual attributes of the at least one vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation into the interface template;

incorporating, using the processor, the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template when the at least one vendor-specific interface element is appropriate for incorporation; and

in response to receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor, displaying a media-on-demand display screen that is associated with the vendor, wherein the display includes the interface template and the incorporated interface element.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface template includes an invariant element.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the interface template includes at least one default element.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the incorporating comprises:

incorporating the default element into the interface template when visual attributes of a vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation, wherein the default element corresponds to the vendor-specific interface element with the inappropriate visual attributes.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the incorporating comprises:

determining if a vendor-specific interface element is absent; and

incorporating the default element that corresponds to the absent vendor-specific interface element into the interface template.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving the interface template comprises providing the interface template to the interactive television application by a remote server.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises providing the vendor-specific interface elements to the interactive television application by a remote server.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises accessing the vendor-specific interface elements stored locally on the user equipment.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive television application comprises an interactive program guide, the method further comprising using the interactive program guide to display the media-on-demand display screen on the user equipment.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising using the interactive television application to display multiple media-on-demand display screens on the user equipment, wherein each of the media-on-demand display screens is associated with a different media-on-demand vendor.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the media-on-demand display screen includes video-on-demand listings, the method further comprising displaying the video-on-demand listings as part of the vendor-specific media-on-demand display screen.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the vendor-specific interface elements include vendor-specified definitions, the method further comprising displaying the at least one vendor-specific interface element as part of the vendor-specific interface screen such that the at least one interface element complies with the definitions.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include color definitions.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include pattern definitions.

57. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor comprises receiving a user request to display a listing of the media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor.

15. User equipment for providing a media-on-demand display screen using an interactive television application implemented on the user equipment, the user equipment comprising:

a display;

control circuitry configured to;

retrieve an interface template;

retrieve at least one vendor-specific interface element associated with a media-on-demand vendor;

determine if visual attributes of the at least one vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation into the interface template;

incorporate the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template when the at least one vendor-specific interface element is appropriate for incorporation; and

in response to receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor, display a media-on-demand display screen that is associated with the vendor, wherein the display screen includes the interface template and the incorporated interface element.

16. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the interface template includes an invariant element.

17. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the interface template includes at least one default element.

18. The user equipment of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry, when configured to incorporate the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template, is configured to:

incorporate the default element into the interface template when visual attributes of a vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation, wherein the default element corresponds to the vendor-specific interface element with the inappropriate visual attributes.

19. The user equipment of claim 17, wherein the control circuitry, when configured to incorporate the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template, is configured to:

determine if a vendor-specific interface element is absent; and

incorporate the default element that corresponds to the absent vendor-specific interface element into the interface template.

20. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry, when configured to retrieve the interface template, is configured to receive the interface template from a remote server.

21. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry, when configured to retrieve the vendor-specific interface elements, is configured to receive the vendor-specific interface elements from a remote server.

22. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry, when configured to retrieve the vendor-specific interface elements, is configured to access the vendor-specific interface elements stored locally on the user equipment.

23. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the interactive television application comprises an interactive program guide, the control circuitry is further configured to use the interactive program guide to display the media-on-demand display screen on the user equipment.

24. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to use the interactive television application to display multiple media-on-demand display screens on the user equipment, wherein each of the media-on-demand display screens is associated with a different media-on-demand vendor.

25. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the media-on-demand display screen includes video-on-demand listings and the control circuitry is further configured to display the video-on-demand listings as part of the vendor-specific media-on-demand display screen.

26. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein the vendor-specific interface elements include vendor-specified definitions and the control circuitry is further configured to display the at least one vendor-specific interface element as part of the vendor-specific interface screen such that the at least one interface element complies with the definitions.

27. The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include color definitions.

28. The user equipment of claim 26, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include pattern definitions.

58. The user equipment of claim 15, wherein receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor comprises receiving a user request to display a listing of the media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor.

29. A system for providing a media-on-demand display screen using an interactive television application implemented on user equipment, the system comprising:

means for retrieving an interface template;

means for retrieving at least one vendor-specific interface element associated with a media-on-demand vendor;

means for determining if visual attributes of the at least one vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation into the interface template;

means for incorporating the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template when the at least one vendor-specific interface element is appropriate for incorporation; and

means for displaying, in response to receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor, a media-on-demand display screen that is associated with the vendor, wherein the display includes the interface template and the incorporated interface element.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the interface template includes an invariant element.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the interface template includes at least one default element.

32. The system of claim 31, wherein the means for incorporating comprises:

means for incorporating the default element into the interface template when visual attributes of a vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation, wherein the default element corresponds to the vendor-specific interface element with the inappropriate visual attributes.

33. The system of claim 31, wherein the means for incorporating comprises:

means for determining if a vendor-specific interface element is absent; and

means for incorporating the default element that corresponds to the absent vendor-specific interface element into the interface template.

34. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for retrieving the interface template comprises means for providing the interface template to the interactive television application by a remote server.

35. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises means for providing the vendor-specific interface elements to the interactive television application by a remote server.

36. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises means for accessing the vendor-specific interface elements stored locally on the user equipment.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the interactive television application comprises an interactive program guide, the system further comprising means for using the interactive program guide to display the media-on-demand display screen on the user equipment.

38. The system of claim 29 further comprising means for using the interactive television application to display multiple media-on-demand display screens on the user equipment, wherein each of the media-on-demand display screens is associated with a different media-on-demand vendor.

39. The system of claim 29, wherein the media-on-demand display screen includes video-on-demand listings, the system further comprising means for displaying the video-on-demand listings as part of the vendor-specific media-on-demand display screen.

40. The system of claim 29, wherein the vendor-specific interface elements include vendor-specified definitions, the system further comprising means for displaying the at least one vendor-specific interface element as part of the vendor-specific interface screen such that the at least one interface element complies with the definitions.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include color definitions.

42. The system of claim 40, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include pattern definitions.

59. The system of claim 29, wherein the means for displaying, in response to receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor, comprises means for displaying, in response to receiving a user request to display a listing of the media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor.

43. Computer-readable media for use in an interactive television application implemented on user equipment, in which the interactive television application provides a media-on-demand display screen, wherein the media is encoded with computer-readable instructions for performing the method comprising:

retrieving an interface template;

retrieving at least one vendor-specific interface element associated with a media-on-demand vendor;

determining if visual attributes of the at least one vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation into the interface template;

incorporating the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template when the at least one vendor-specific interface element is appropriate for incorporation; and

in response to receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor, displaying a media-on-demand display screen that is associated with the vendor, wherein the display includes the interface template and the incorporated interface element.

44. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the interface template includes an invariant element.

45. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the interface template includes at least one default element.

46. The computer-readable media of claim 45, wherein the incorporating comprises:

incorporating the default element into the interface template when visual attributes of a vendor-specific interface element are inappropriate for incorporation, wherein the default element corresponds to the vendor-specific interface element with the inappropriate visual attributes.

47. The computer-readable media of claim 45, wherein the incorporating comprises:

determining if a vendor-specific interface element is absent; and

incorporating the default element that corresponds to the absent vendor-specific interface element into the interface template.

48. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the retrieving the interface template comprises providing the interface template to the interactive television application by a remote server.

49. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises providing the vendor-specific interface elements to the interactive television application by a remote server.

50. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises accessing the vendor-specific interface elements stored locally on the user equipment.

51. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the interactive television application comprises an interactive program guide, the method further comprising using the interactive program guide to display the media-on-demand display screen on the user equipment.

52. The computer-readable media of claim 43 further comprising using the interactive television application to display multiple media-on-demand display screens on the user equipment, wherein each of the media-on-demand display screens is associated with a different media-on-demand vendor.

53. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the media-on-demand display screen includes video-on-demand listings, the method further comprising displaying the video-on-demand listings as part of the vendor-specific media-on-demand display screen.

54. The computer-readable media of claim 43, wherein the vendor-specific interface elements include vendor-specified definitions, the method further comprising displaying the at least one vendor-specific interface element as part of the vendor-specific interface screen such that the at least one interface element complies with the definitions.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include color definitions.

56. The method of claim 54, wherein the vendor-specified definitions include pattern definitions.

60. The method of claim 43, wherein receiving a user request for media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor comprises receiving a user request to display a listing of the media-on-demand content associated with the media-on-demand vendor.