Dynamically determining and utilizing an application programming interface of an electronic device

• US 9,374,441 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2010
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Dish Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Echostar Technologies LLC (Echostar Corporation)
• Inventors: Engbers, Dennis, Hillen, Peter, de Jong, Menno, van Rozen, Riemer Andries, Bekedam, Harmen Henrie Karel
• Primary Examiner(s): Sough, H S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Phuong N
• Application Number:
  US12/901,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20110107346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4431 characterized by the use of Application Program Interface [API] libraries
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4433 Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP]

Abstract

A method of dynamically determining and utilizing an application programming interface within an electronic device is presented. In the method, a definition of an object is received from the application programming interface, wherein the definition describes at least a portion of the application programming interface. The object is then generated based on the definition, wherein the object includes data for controlling the electronic device. The object is transferred to the application programming interface.

Claims

1. A method of dynamically determining and utilizing an application programming interface within a television set-top box, the method comprising:

determining, at execution time, specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box that are embodied in the application programming interface;

receiving, from the application programming interface within the television set-top box, a data structure definition based on the specific requirements and capabilities, wherein the data structure definition describes types and forms of data required for accessing one or more applications of the television set-top box using the application programming interface;

transmitting, via an external communications link of the television set-top box, the data structure definition to a web browser application executing on a remote electronic device, wherein receiving the data structure definition at the web browser application allows the web browser application to generate data structures that conform to the specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box, thereby facilitating access to the application programming interface by the remote electronic device without the web browser application being revised, recompiled, or reloaded;

generating, within the television set-top box, a digital video recorder (DVR) data structure for accessing a DVR application of the television set-top box based on the definition;

receiving data at the external communications link of the television set-top box, wherein receiving the data includes receiving a first JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein the data has a type and form suitable for accessing the DVR application of the television set-top box, wherein the data is received from the web browser application of the remote electronic device, and wherein the web browser application of the remote electronic device includes a DVR component that generates the data based on input provided by an end-user of the web browser application for controlling the DVR application of the television set-top box;

updating the DVR data structure with the received data; and

transferring the updated DVR data structure to the application programming interface by transferring a second JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein receiving the updated DVR data structure at the application programming interface causes the television set-top box to control the DVR application according to the input provided by the end-user to the web browser application of the remote electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

after transferring the updated DVR data structure to the application programming interface, transmitting, via the external communications link of the television receiver, response data generated by the DVR application of the television set-top box, wherein the response data is transmitted to the web browser application of the remote electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data structure definition occurs in response to an initialization of the television set-top box.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a connection message at the external communications link; and

wherein transmitting the data structure definition includes transmitting the data structure definition across a communication connection in response to the connection message.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the application programming interface comprises an interface for a plurality of applications of the television set-top box.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a command to be executed by the DVR application of the television set-top box.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a request for the DVR application of the television set-top box to report an event.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein data comprises a command for the DVR application of the television set-top box to record a television program received by a tuner of the television set-top box.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating, within the television set-top box, an additional data structure for accessing an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) application of the television set-top box based on the definition;

receiving additional data at the external communications link of the television set-top box, wherein the additional data has a type and form suitable for accessing the EPG application of the television set-top box, wherein the additional data is received from the web browser application of the remote electronic device, and wherein the web browser application of the remote electronic device generates the additional data based on additional input provided by an end-user of the web browser application for requesting data from the EPG application of the television set-top box;

updating the EPG data structure with the received data; and

transferring the updated EPG data structure to the application programming interface, wherein receiving the updated EPG data structure at the application programming interface causes the television set-top box to request data from the EPG application according to the additional input provided by the end-user to the web browser application of the remote electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the data structure definition includes receiving the data structure definition at a JavaScript Object Notation server of the television set-top box.

11. A method of dynamically facilitating use of an application programming interface within a television set-top box, the method comprising:

determining, at execution time, specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box that are embodied in the application programming interface;

receiving, from the application programming interface within the television set-top box, a data structure definition based on the specific requirements and capabilities the application programming interface, wherein the data structure definition describes types and forms of data required for accessing one or more applications of the television set-top box using the application programming interface;

generating an instance of a digital video recorder (DVR) data structure based on the definition, wherein generating includes adapting the DVR data structure to conform to the specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box, thereby facilitating access to the application programming interface by a web browser application executing on a remote electronic device without the web browser application being revised, recompiled, or reloaded;

transferring the instance of the DVR data structure to the web browser application executing on the remote electronic device, wherein transferring the instance of the DVR data structure includes transferring a first JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein receiving the instance of the DVR data structure at the web browser application causes the web browser application to update the instance of the DVR data structure with command data generated by a DVR component of the web browser application in response to receipt of input provided by an end-user of the remote electronic device;

receiving the updated instance of the DVR data structure from the web browser application, wherein receiving the updated instance of the DVR data structure includes receiving a second JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein the received updated instance of the DVR data structure comprises the command data generated by the DVR component of the web browser application for the application programming interface to control the DVR application according to the input provided by the end-user; and

transferring the updated instance of the DVR data structure to the application programming interface, wherein receiving the updated instance of the DVR data structure at the application programming interface causes the television set-top box to control the DVR application according to the input provided by the end-user of the remote electronic device;

wherein transferring the instance of the DVR data structure to the web browser application occurs over a sockets communication connection between the television set-top box and the remote electronic device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein receiving the data structure definition includes receiving the data structure definition at a JavaScript Object Notation server of the television set-top box.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the remote electronic device includes a JavaScript Object Notation client for receiving the instance of the DVR data structure and passing the instance of the DVR data structure to the web browser application.

14. A television set-top box, comprising:

non-transitory data storage configured to store software components comprising instructions; and

a processor configured to execute the instructions of the software components;

wherein the software components comprise;

an application programming interface;

a digital video recorder (DVR) application; and

communication software configured to facilitate communication between the application programming interface and a web browser application that is deployed on a remote electronic device, wherein the web browser application includes a DVR component to enable an end-user to control the DVR application based on input provided by an end-user to the web browser application directly via the remote electronic device;

wherein the application programming interface is configured to register a data structure definition, wherein the data structure definition describes types and forms of data required for accessing one or more applications of the television set-top box using the application programming interface;

wherein the communication software is configured to;

determine, at execution time, specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box that are embodied in the application programming interface,

receive the data structure definition,

generate a DVR data structure that conforms to the specific requirements and capabilities based on the data structure definition such that receiving the DVR data structure at the web browser application facilitates access to the application programming interface by the web browser application without the web browser application being revised, recompiled, or reloaded,

transfer an instance of the DVR data structure to the web browser application by transferring a first JavaScript Object Notation object,

receive an updated instance of the DVR data structure from the web browser application by receiving a second JavaScript Object Notation object that includes command data generated by a DVR component of the web browser application in response to the input provided by the end-user, and

transfer the updated instance of the DVR data structure to the application programming interface;

wherein the application programming interface is configured to receive the updated instance of the DVR data structure and to control the DVR application based on the command data.

15. The television set-top box of claim 14, wherein:

the application programming interface is configured to generate response data associated with the command data, to update the instance of the DVR data structure with the response data, and to transfer the instance of the DVR data structure to the communication software; and

the communication software is configured to receive the instance of the DVR data structure from the application programming interface, and to transfer the instance of the DVR data structure to the web browser application for processing.

16. The television set-top box of claim 14, wherein the communication software comprises a communication client and a communication server, wherein the communication client facilitates communication between the web browser application and the communication server, and wherein the communication server facilitates communication between the communication client and the application programming interface.

17. The television set top box of claim 14, further comprising:

a tuner for receiving one or more channels of television programming, wherein the command data comprises a command for the DVR application of the television set-top box to record a television program received by the tuner.

18. The television set top box of claim 14, wherein the communications software includes a JavaScript Object Notation server.