Method and System for Supporting a User-Specified and Customized Interface for a Broadband Gateway
A method and system are provided in which a user interface application may be received by a broadband gateway and may be configured to generate a user interface for display in a display device. The user interface may be generated based on programming information and/or associated metadata received through one or more network access service providers. Each of the network access service providers may be handled by the broadband gateway through a corresponding physical layer access. More than one user interface application may be received by the broadband gateway. In such instances, the broadband gateway may enable the selection of one of the available user interface applications to generate the user interface. For each user interface application, the associated user interface that is generated may have a particular layout, visual characteristics, set of functions, and/or theme that is different from that of the other user interfaces.
1 . A method, comprising:
in a broadband gateway that enables communication with a plurality of devices, wherein the broadband gateway is operable to handle a plurality of physical layer connections to a plurality of corresponding network access service providers:
receiving a user interface application based on user input;
configuring the received user interface application; and
generating a user interface for display via a display device utilizing the configured user interface application, the user interface being generated based on programming information received through one or more of the plurality of corresponding network access service providers.
2 . The method of claim 1 , comprising configuring the received user interface application based on configuration information received in response to the user input.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is generated based on metadata associated with the received programming information, the metadata being received through one or more of the plurality of corresponding network access service providers.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is generated based on content stored in one or both of the broadband gateway and a device communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway through a local network.
5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the user interface is generated based on historical user preference information stored in the broadband gateway.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the user interface application is a first user interface application and the user interface is a first user interface; and
said broadband gateway enables:
receiving a second user interface application different from the first user interface application based on a separate user input;
configuring the received second user interface application;
selecting one of the configured first user interface application and the configured second user interface application; and
when the configured second user interface application is selected, generating a second user interface different from the first user interface for display via the display device utilizing the configured second user interface application, the second user interface being generated based on the received programming information.
7 . The method of claim 6 , comprising configuring the received second user interface application based on configuration information received in response to the separate user input.
8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein a layout associated with the first user interface is different from a layout associated with the second user interface.
9 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:
configuring the received first user interface application to enable a first set of functions;
configuring the received second user interface application to enable a second set of functions different from the first set of functions; and
each of the first set of functions and the second set of functions comprises one or more of information organization functions, information creation functions, information storage functions, information deletion functions, information management functions, and on-demand access functions.
10 . The method of claim 6 , comprising:
configuring the received first user interface application based on a first theme;
configuring the received second user interface application based on a second theme different from the first theme; and
each of the first theme and the second theme is one of a sports theme, a movie theme, a news theme, a children's television theme, a soap operas theme, a talk shows theme, a drama theme, a reality television theme, and a detective theme.
11 . A system, comprising:
a broadband gateway that enables communication with a plurality of devices, wherein the broadband gateway is operable to handle a plurality of physical layer connections to a plurality of corresponding network access service providers, the broadband gateway comprising one or more processors and/or circuits being operable to:
receive programming information through one or more of the corresponding plurality of network access service providers;
receive a user interface application based on user input;
configure the received user interface application; and
generate a user interface for display via a display device utilizing the configured user interface application, the user interface being generated based on the received programming information.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure the received user interface application based on configuration information received in response to the user input.
13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is generated based on metadata associated with the received programming information, the metadata being received through one or more of the plurality of corresponding network access service providers.
14 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is generated based on content stored in one or both of the broadband gateway and a device communicatively coupled to the broadband gateway through a local network.
15 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the user interface is generated based on historical user preference information stored in the broadband gateway.
16 . The system of claim 11 , wherein:
the user interface application is a first user interface application and the user interface is a first user interface; and
the one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to:
receive a second user interface application different from the first user interface application based on a separate user input;
configure the received second user interface application;
select one of the configured first user interface application and the configured second user interface application; and
when the configured second user interface application is selected, generate a second user interface different from the first user interface for display via the display device utilizing the configured second user interface application, the second user interface being generated based on the received programming information.
17 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to configure the received second user interface application based on configuration information received in response to the separate user input.
18 . The system of claim 16 , wherein a layout associated with the first user interface is different from a layout associated with the second user interface.
19 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to:
configure the received first user interface application to enable a first set of functions;
configure the received second user interface application to enable a second set of functions different from the first set of functions; and
each of the first set of functions and the second set of functions comprises one or more of information organization functions, information creation functions, information storage functions, information deletion functions, information management functions, and on-demand access functions.
20 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the one or more processors and/or circuits are operable to:
configure the received first user interface application based on a first theme;
configure the received second user interface application based on a second theme different from the first theme; and
each of the first theme and the second theme is one of a sports theme, a movie theme, a news theme, a children's television theme, a soap operas theme, a talk shows theme, a drama theme, a reality television theme, and a detective theme.