Program guide application interface system
View Patent ↗A program guide system is provided that supports a program guide application and multiple non-guide applications. The program guide system has a program guide application interface that allows the non-guide applications to use both device resources and program guide resources. The application interface maintains a list of registered applications and directs control requests from various applications to the current primary application. The application interface also has a user interface input director that directs keystrokes and other user input commands to the appropriate application. If a keystroke for the program guide application is detected while a non-guide application is running, the program guide application is invoked.
1. A method for allowing non-guide applications implemented on user television equipment to use device resources within the user television equipment and program guide resources associated with an interactive television program guide implemented on the user television equipment, the method comprising:
receiving, with a program guide application interface, a request directly from a requesting non-guide application to use one of a device resource and a program guide resource; and
directing the request to the one of the device resource and the program guide resource using the program guide application interface.
2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the device resource is selected from the group consisting of an on-screen display resource, a front-panel display resource, a user input interface resource, a tuner resource, a communications circuitry resource, a set-top box resource, and a memory resource.
3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the program guide resource is selected from the group consisting of a tuning resource, a parental control resource, a graphics library resource, a pay program purchasing resource, a program guide database access resource, a scheduling resource, and a program guide menu resource.
4. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising maintaining a registered application list.
5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising processing control requests from the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
6. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising directing user input to the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
7. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising coordinating multiple requests to utilize the device resource.
8. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising coordinating multiple requests to utilize the program guide resource.
9. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising suspending the operation of one of the applications.
10. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising resolving conflicts between applications that desire access to a user input device at the same time.
11. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising resolving conflicts between applications that request access to the same remote control keys of a remote control at the same time.
12. A system for allowing non-guide applications implemented on user television equipment to use device resources within the user television equipment and program guide resources associated with an interactive television program guide implemented on the user television equipment, the system comprising:
means for receiving, with a program guide application interface, a request directly from a requesting non-guide application to use one of a device resource and a program guide resource; and
means for directing the request to the one of the device resource and the program guide resource using the program guide application interface.
13. The system defined in claim 12 wherein the device resource is selected from the group consisting of an on-screen display resource, a front-panel display resource, a user input interface resource, a tuner resource, a communications circuitry resource, a set-top box resource, and a memory resource.
14. The system defined in claim 12 wherein the program guide resource is selected from the group consisting of a tuning resource, a parental control resource, a graphics library resource, a pay program purchasing resource, a program guide database access resource, a scheduling resource, and a program guide menu resource.
15. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for maintaining a registered application list.
16. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for processing control requests from the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
17. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for directing user input to the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
18. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for coordinating multiple requests to utilize the device resource.
19. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for coordinating multiple requests to utilize the program guide resource.
20. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for suspending the operation of one of the applications.
21. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for resolving conflicts between applications that desire access to a user input device at the same time.
22. The system defined in claim 12 further comprising means for resolving conflicts between applications that request access to the same remote control keys of a remote control at the same time.
23. A system for allowing non-guide applications to use device resources and program guide resources, the system comprising:
user television equipment on which a plurality of device resources, an interactive television program guide having a plurality of program guide resources, and a program guide application interface are implemented; and
wherein the program guide application interface is configured to:
receive a request directly from a requesting non-guide application to use one of a device resource and a program guide resource; and
directing the request to the one of the device resource and the program guide resource.
24. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the device resource is selected from the group consisting of an on-screen display resource, a front-panel display resource, a user input interface resource, a tuner resource, a communications circuitry resource, a set-top box resource, and a memory resource.
25. The system defined in claim 23 wherein the program guide resource is selected from the group consisting of a tuning resource, a parental control resource, a graphics library resource, a pay program purchasing resource, a program guide database access resource, a scheduling resource, and a program guide menu resource.
26. The system defined in claim 23 , wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to maintain a registered application list.
27. The system defined in claim 23 , wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to process control requests from the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
28. The system defined in claim 23 , wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to direct user input to the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
29. The system defined in claim 23 , wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to coordinate multiple requests to utilize the device resource.
30. The system defined in claim 23 , wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to coordinate multiple requests to utilize the program guide resource.
31. The system defined in claim 23 , wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to suspend the operation of one of the applications.
32. The system defined in claim 23 further comprising:
a user input device; and
wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to resolve conflicts between applications that desire access to the user input device at the same time.
33. The system defined in claim 23 further comprising:
a remote control; and
wherein the program guide application interface is further configured to resolve conflicts between applications that request access to the same remote control keys of the remote control at the same time.
34. Computer-readable media for allowing non-guide applications implemented on user television equipment to use device resources within the user television equipment and program guide resources associated with an interactive television program guide implemented on the user television equipment, wherein the computer-readable media is encoded with a computer program thereon for:
receiving, with a program guide application interface, a request directly from a requesting non-guide application to use one of a device resource and a program guide resource; and
directing the request to the one of the device resource and the program guide resource using the program guide application interface.
35. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 wherein the device resource is selected from the group consisting of an on-screen display resource, a front-panel display resource, a user input interface resource, a tuner resource, a communications circuitry resource, a set-top box resource, and a memory resource.
36. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 wherein the program guide resource is selected from the group consisting of a tuning resource, a parental control resource, a graphics library resource, a pay program purchasing resource, a program guide database access resource, a scheduling resource, and a program guide menu resource.
37. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for maintaining a registered application list.
38. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for processing control requests from the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
39. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for directing user input to the interactive television program guide and non-guide applications.
40. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for coordinating multiple requests to utilize the device resource.
41. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for coordinating multiple requests to utilize the program guide resource.
42. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for suspending the operation of one of the applications.
43. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for resolving conflicts between applications that desire access to a user input device at the same time.
44. The computer-readable media defined in claim 34 , wherein the computer-readable media is further encoded with a computer program thereon for resolving conflicts between applications that request access to the same remote control keys of a remote control at the same time.