INTERACTIVE TELEVISION SYSTEM WITH TEMPLATES FOR MANAGING VENDOR-SPECIFIC VIDEO-ON-DEMAND CONTENT
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.
1 . A method for providing a media-on-demand display screen using an interactive media 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 actions associated with the at least one vendor-specific interface element are not provided by the media-on-demand vendor, wherein the actions execute respective functions of the interactive media application;
incorporating, using the processor, the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template; 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 media 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 media 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 media application comprises an interactive media guide, the method further comprising using the interactive media guide to display the media-on-demand display screen on the user equipment.
10 . The method of claim 1 further comprising using the interactive media 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.
15 . User equipment for providing a media-on-demand display screen using an interactive media 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 actions associated with the at least one vendor-specific interface element are not provided by the media-on-demand vendor, wherein the actions execute respective functions of the interactive media application;
incorporate the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template; 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 media application comprises an interactive media guide, the control circuitry is further configured to use the interactive media 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 media 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.
29 . A system for providing a media-on-demand display screen using an interactive media 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 actions associated with the at least one vendor-specific interface element are not provided by the media-on-demand vendor, wherein the actions execute respective functions of the interactive media application;
means for incorporating the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template; 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 media 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 media 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 media application comprises an interactive media guide, the system further comprising means for using the interactive media 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 media 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.
43 . Non-transitory computer-readable media for use in an interactive media application implemented on user equipment, in which the interactive media 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 actions associated with the at least one vendor-specific interface element are not provided by the media-on-demand vendor, wherein the actions execute respective functions of the interactive media application;
incorporating the at least one vendor-specific interface element into the interface template; 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 non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43 , wherein the interface template includes an invariant element.
45 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43 , wherein the interface template includes at least one default element.
46 . The non-transitory 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 non-transitory 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 non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43 , wherein the retrieving the interface template comprises providing the interface template to the interactive media application by a remote server.
49 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43 , wherein the retrieving the vendor-specific interface elements comprises providing the vendor-specific interface elements to the interactive media application by a remote server.
50 . The non-transitory 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 non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43 , wherein the interactive media application comprises an interactive media guide, the method further comprising using the interactive media guide to display the media-on-demand display screen on the user equipment.
52 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 43 further comprising using the interactive media 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 non-transitory 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 non-transitory 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 non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 54 , wherein the vendor-specified definitions include color definitions.
56 . The non-transitory computer-readable media of claim 54 , 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.
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.
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.
60 . The non-transitory computer-readable media 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.