INTERACTIVE TELEVISION PROGRAM GUIDE SYSTEM THAT SERVES AS A PORTAL

• US 20110209180A1
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Published: 08/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/1998
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ellis, Michael D., Hassell, Joel G., Thomas, William L., Knudson, Edward B., Easterbrook, Kevin B.
• Application Number:
  US13/099,647
• Publication Number:
  US 20110209180A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/42
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• 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 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47815 Electronic shopping payment schemes, payment architectures or payment protocols for electronic shopping systems G06Q20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4782 Web browsing , e.g. WebTV
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8173 End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/60 for the sound signals

Abstract

A system is provided in which an interactive television program guide application and non-program-guide applications are at least partially implemented on user television equipment. A program guide program application interface is provided that is used to maintain a consistent user interface between the program guide application and the non-program-guide applications. Non-program-guide applications may be launched by the program guide application. The user may select certain non-program-guide applications as favorites and may set parental controls for certain non-program-guide applications. The program guide application may run in the background while a non-program-guide application operates. While the non-program-guide application operates, the program guide may check for events that require immediate attention. When such an event is detected, operation of the non-program-guide application may be suspended and the user may be asked whether the detected event should take place or whether operation of the non-program-guide application should be resumed. The applications may be located at a remote location such as on a server at a cable system headend or on a server on the Internet. The program application interface may perform authentication and access rights determination functions. Reminders may be set for the content of non-program-guide applications.

Claims

1-126. -126. (canceled)

127. A method for launching an interactive application on a user equipment device, the method comprising:

displaying, using a local application implemented by the user equipment device, an indicator associated with the interactive application, wherein the interactive application includes interactive content, and wherein source code of the interactive application is received from a remote server;

receiving, with the local application, a user selection of the indicator;

in response receiving the user selection, launching, using the local application, the interactive application associated with the indicator according to the source code; and

accessing, by the interactive application, a function of the local application using an application program interface (API) of the local application.

128. The method of claim 127, wherein the local application is a program guide application and the interactive application is a non-guide application.

129. The method of claim 127, wherein the function of the local application includes on-screen display and navigation features.

130. The method of claim 127 further comprising testing the code corresponding to the interactive application to check whether the interactive application can access the function of the local application.

131. The method of claim 127, wherein the function of the local application includes at least one of tuning to a channel of the user equipment device and program related functionality.

132. The method of claim 127, wherein the interactive application includes an advertisement.

133. The method of claim 127 further comprising:

while the interactive application is running, receiving user input with the local application;

communicating the received user input to the interactive application; and

executing a function of the interactive application based on the user input communicated to the interactive application.

134. The method of claim 127, wherein the local application includes a web browser application, and wherein the interactive application is launched as a web page of the web browser application.

135. The method of claim 127, wherein the source code includes functions of the API of the local application.

136. The method of claim 127 further comprising:

storing the source code of the interactive application in a storage device of the user equipment device; and

retrieving the source code of the interactive application from the storage device to launch the interactive application on the user equipment device responsive to the user selection.

137. A system for launching an interactive application on a user equipment device, the system comprising:

control circuitry configured to;

display, using a local application implemented by the user equipment device, an indicator associated with the interactive application, wherein the interactive application includes interactive content, and wherein source code of the interactive application is received from a remote server;

receive, with the local application, a user selection of the indicator;

in response receiving the user selection, launch, using the local application, the interactive application associated with the indicator according to the source code; and

access, by the interactive application, a function of the local application using an application program interface (API) of the local application.

138. The system of claim 137, wherein the local application is a program guide application and the interactive application is a non-guide application.

139. The system of claim 137, wherein the function of the local application includes on-screen display and navigation features.

140. The system of claim 137 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to test the code corresponding to the interactive application to check whether the interactive application can access the function of the local application.

141. The system of claim 137, wherein the function of the local application includes at least one of tuning to a channel of the user equipment device and program related functionality.

142. The system of claim 137, wherein the interactive application includes an advertisement.

143. The system of claim 137 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

while the interactive application is running, receive user input with the local application;

communicate the received user input to the interactive application; and

execute a function of the interactive application based on the user input communicated to the interactive application.

144. The system of claim 137, wherein the local application includes a web browser application, and wherein the interactive application is launched as a web page of the web browser application.

145. The system of claim 137, wherein the source code includes functions of the API of the local application.

146. The system of claim 137 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

store the source code of the interactive application in a storage device of the user equipment device; and

retrieve the source code of the interactive application from the storage device to launch the interactive application on the user equipment device responsive to the user selection.