Context sensitive television menu

• US 7,290,274 B1
• Filed: 10/20/2000
• Issued: 10/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tech 5 SAS
• Original Assignee: Scientific-Atlanta Incorporated (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Schlarb, John M., Banker, Robert O.
• Primary Examiner(s): VU, NGOC K
• Application Number:
  US09/693,606
• Time in Patent Office: 2,566 Days
• Field of Search: 725/37, 725/52, 725/59, 725/86, 725/100, 725/101, 725/104, 725/61, 725/39, 725/56, 725/134, 725/142, 707100-102, 707/104.1, 715/700, 715/708
• US Class Current: 725/37
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/472 End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/478 Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6118 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6168 involving cable transmission, e.g. using a cable modem
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A television menu system generates a television menu that is context sensitive based upon a service currently being provided to a user. In one implementation, a type of television service currently being viewed by a user determines whether particular menu items are presented to the user. In another implementations, determining which channel is being provided dictates whether particular menu options are included.

Claims

1. A method for providing a television menu comprising:

storing, in a memory associated with a settop terminal (STT), a channel data structure comprising a first channel entry and a second channel entry, the first channel entry comprising a first channel number and a first pointer to a first service identifier, the second channel entry comprising a second channel number and a second pointer to a second service identifier, the first and second service identifiers corresponding to first and second services provided in a cable television system;

storing, in the memory associated with the STT, a service data structure comprising a first service entry and a second service entry, the first service entry comprising the first service identifier, a first identifier of a first executable software application associated with the first service identifier, and a first menu option, the second service entry comprising the second service identifier, a second identifier of a second executable software application associated with the second service identifier, and a second menu option, the first and second menu options contextually related to the first and second services identifiers, respectively;

receiving user input to select one of the first channel number or the second channel number via the STT;

receiving an input signal from a user input to provide a television menu;

responsive to the input signal, automatically determining whether to present the first menu option or the second menu option to the user based on whether the first or second service identifier is linked by the respective first or second pointer associated with the selected television channel; and

displaying either the first or second menu option depending on the determination.

2. The method for providing a television menu of claim 1, further comprising providing the first or second service associated with the respective first or second service identifier, wherein the first or second service provided is identified by an operating system.

3. The method for providing a television menu of claim 1, further comprising providing the first or second service associated with the respective first or second service identifier, wherein the first or second service is identified by information previously stored in memory.

4. The method for providing a television menu of claim 1, wherein the input signal corresponds to a predefined input signal.

5. The method for providing a television menu of claim 1, wherein the first executable software application is the same application as the second executable software application.

6. The method for providing a television menu of claim 1, wherein the first executable software application is a different application than the second executable software application.

7. A programmable television services client device that provides television control services, said client device comprising:

a device configured to select one of a plurality of television channels;

memory with logic stored therein, the memory further configured to store;

a channel data structure comprising a first channel entry and a second channel entry, the first channel entry comprising a first channel number and a first pointer to a first service identifier, the second channel entry comprising a second channel number and a second pointer to a second service identifier, the first and second service identifiers corresponding to first and second services provided in a cable television system; and

a service data structure comprising a first service entry and a second service entry, the first service entry comprising the first service identifier, a first identifier of a first executable software application associated with the first service identifier, and a first menu option the second service entry comprising the second service identifier, a second identifier of a second executable software application associated with the second service identifier, and a second menu option, the first and second menu options contextually related to the first and second services identifiers, respectively; and

a processor coupled to said memory and configured with the logic to receive an input signal from a user input, and responsive to the input signal, automatically determine whether to present the first menu option or the second menu option to the user based on whether the first or second service identifier is linked by the respective first or second pointer associated with the selected television channel, and display either the first or second menu option depending on the determination.

8. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to present the first or second service corresponding to the respective first or second service identifier, the first or second service identified by information previously stored in memory.

9. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to present the first or second service corresponding to the respective first or second service identifier, the first or second service identified by an operating system.

10. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the input signal corresponds to a predefined input signal.

11. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the first executable software application is the same application as the second executable software application.

12. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the first executable software application is a different application than the second executable software application.

18. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the first executable software application is the same application as the second executable software application.

19. The programmable television services client device of claim 7, wherein the first executable software application is a different application than the second executable software application.

13. A programmable television services client device that provides television control services, said client device comprising:

a device configured to select one of a plurality of television services;

memory with logic stored therein, the memory configured to store;

a service data structure comprising a first service entry and a second service entry, the first service entry comprising the first application identifier, a first identifier of a first executable software application associated with the first application identifier, and a first menu option, the second service entry comprising the second application identifier, a second identifier of a second executable software application associated with the second application identifier, and a second menu option, the first and second menu options contextually related to the first and second applications identifiers, respectively; and

a processor coupled to said memory and configured with the logic to receive an input signal from a user input corresponding to a menu command, and responsive to receiving the input signal;

identify a television service that is currently being provided to the user, the television service being provided to the user by the first or second executable software application identified by the respective first or second application identifier;

automatically determine whether to present the first menu option or the second menu option based on the selected channel and based on associating entries in the channel data structure and the service data structure with the selected channel; and

display either the first or second menu option depending on the determination, wherein the first menu option and the second menu option are provided for each and every respective television service of the plurality of television services in response to selection thereof.

14. The programmable television services client device of claim 13, wherein the television service is selected from a group consisting of:

a purchasable media presentation, a non-purchasable media presentation, a digital transmission, an analog transmission, a television control service, an information service, and a communication service.

15. The programmable television services client device of claim 13, wherein the television service provided is identified by information previously stored in memory.

16. The programmable television services client device of claim 13, wherein the television service provided is identified by an operating system.

17. The programmable television services client device of claim 13, wherein the user input corresponds to a predefined input signal.

20. A method for providing a television menu comprising:

receiving a plurality of television services via a settop terminal (STT);

storing, in a memory associated with the STT, a service data structure comprising a first service entry and a second service entry, the first service entry comprising the first application identifier, a first identifier of an executable software application associated with the first application identifier, and a first menu option, the second service entry comprising the second application identifier, a second identifier of an executable software application associated with the second application identifier, and a second menu option, the first and second menu options contextually related to the first and second applications identifiers, respectively;

in response to receiving user input, selecting one of the plurality of television services via the STT;

receiving an input signal from a user input corresponding to a menu command to provide a television menu based on the selected television service;

responsive to receiving the input signal, identifying a television service that is currently being provided to the user via the STT, the television service being provided to a user by the executable software application identified by the respective first or second application identifier; and

providing a television menu corresponding to either the first or second menu option that is selected based on the identified television service that is currently being provided to the user via the STT, wherein the first menu option and the second menu option are provided for each and every respective television service of the plurality of television services in response to selection thereof.

21. The method for providing a television menu of claim 20, wherein the television service is selected from a group consisting of:

a purchasable media presentation, a non-purchasable media presentation, a digital transmission, an analog transmission, a television control service, an information service, and a communication service.

22. The method for providing a television menu of claim 20, wherein the television service provided is identified by an operating system.

23. The method for providing a television menu of claim 20, wherein the television service is identified by information previously stored in memory.

24. The method for providing a television menu of claim 20, wherein the input signal corresponds to a predefined input signal.