System and method bridging cloud based user interfaces
View Patent ↗Systems and apparatus providing UI functionality at a client device via a video decoder/renderer operates to decode a compressed video stream bearing UI imagery and a messaging proxy is adapted to process user interaction data indicative of a local function to invoke an application programming interface (API) associated with the local function in order to select an appropriate channel of the decoded compressed video stream.
1. A method for implementing a user interface (UI) at a client device, comprising:
receiving encoded UI video assets via a predefined video transport channel;
at a UI renderer, decoding said received UI video assets to produce a video presentation stream suitable for use by a display device;
at a message proxy, in response to receiving user interaction data indicative of a local function, invoking an application programming interface (API) associated with said local function to select an appropriate channel of said video presentation stream.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said client device comprises one of a subscriber terminal, a set-top box (STB), a set-top terminal (STT), a smart phone and a computing device.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein said encoded UI video assets are provided by a UI generator at a service provider.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein said encoded UI video assets are received via the predefined video transport channel within a service provider network.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said predefined video transport channel is changed in response to a control signal received from the service provider.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising propagating user interaction data not indicative of a local function toward a service provider via a back channel.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising propagating all user interaction data toward a service provider via a back channel.
8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising associating a local function indicator with user interaction data indicative of a local function propagated toward said service provider.
9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising said message proxy invoking the API associated with said UI renderer to adapt the operation of said UI renderer.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said message proxy adapts the operation of said UI renderer in response to the occurrence of one or more conditions.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein said conditions comprise any of a DVR listing, a DVR capacity, a tuner state, and operating system (OS) attribute, the hardware attribute and a level of available memory.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message proxy is adapted to receive messages from external devices via a socket dedicated to said message proxy.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said messages from external devices comprise one or more of caller ID messages, interactive advertising messages and remote tuning commands, wherein said messages from external devices are pushed from a mobile communications device.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message proxy is adapted to receive messages from external devices via an in-band channel or an out-of-band channel.
15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message proxy is adapted to propagate state and usage information associated with said client device.
16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said state and usage information includes DVR status information and channel tuning activity.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the message proxy is adapted to fetch encoded UI video assets or portions thereof via a broadband connection associated with said client device.
18. A user interface (UI) system, comprising:
a UI generator at an access node, for encoding UI imagery to provide an encoded video stream bearing said UI imagery;
a UI renderer at a set-top box (STB), for decoding said encoded video stream to retrieve therefrom said UI imagery and to produce a video presentation stream suitable for use by a display device; and
a message proxy at said STB, for receiving received user interaction data indicative of a local function;
wherein said message proxy, in response to receiving user interaction data indicative of a local function, invokes an application programming interface (API) associated with said local function to select an appropriate channel of said video presentation stream.
19. Apparatus including a processor configured for implementing a user interface (UI) at a client device by performing the steps of:
receiving encoded UI video assets via a predefined video transport channel;
at a UI renderer, decoding said received UI video assets to produce a video presentation stream suitable for use by a display device;
at a message proxy, in response to receiving user interaction data indicative of a local function, invoking an application programming interface (API) associated with said local function to select an appropriate channel of said video presentation stream.
20. A tangible and non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions which, when executed by a computer, adapt the operation of the computer to provide a user interface (UI) method, the method comprising:
receiving encoded UI video assets via a predefined video transport channel;
at a UI renderer, decoding said received UI video assets to produce a video presentation stream suitable for use by a display device;
at a message proxy, in response to receiving user interaction data indicative of a local function, invoking an application programming interface (API) associated with said local function to select an appropriate channel of said video presentation stream.