Systems and methods for caching data in media-on-demand systems

1. A method for searching for media data using an interactive media application, the method comprising:

storing a plurality of program listings locally at a user equipment device, wherein the locally stored program listings are retrieved from at least one of an on-demand server that stores program listings for on-demand programs and a non-on-demand server that stores program listings for non-on-demand programs;

receiving, with the interactive media application, a user input of a search criterion;

in response to receiving the user input of the search criterion, generating for display a first option to search the locally stored program listings and a second option to search all of (1) the locally stored program listings, (2) remotely stored program listings for on-demand programs from the on-demand server that stores the program listings for on-demand programs, and (3) remotely stored program listings for non-on-demand programs from the non-on-demand server that stores the program listings for non-on-demand programs;

receiving, with the interactive media application, a user selection of one of the first option and the second option;

in response to the user selection of the first option:

receiving search results from the locally stored program listings; and

generating for display the search results from the locally stored program listings;

in response to the user selection of the second option:

receiving search results from the locally stored program listings;

receiving search results from the remotely stored program listings;

combining the search results from the locally stored program listings and the search results from the remotely stored program listings; and

generating for display the combined search results from the locally stored program listings and the remotely stored program listings.

2. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the remotely stored program listings are different from the locally stored program listings.

3. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a user indication to access second media data;

determining whether the second media data is locally stored;

in response to determining the second media data is locally stored, generating for display the locally stored second media data; and

in response to determining the second media data is not locally stored, retrieving the second media data from a media data source and generating for display the retrieved second media data.

4. The method defined in claim 3 , wherein the second media data corresponds to content promoted in an advertisement.

5. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining that the user selects to view only non-on-demand program listings, and generating for display the non-on-demand program listings and locally stored on-demand program listings.

6. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the locally stored program listings are locally stored automatically and periodically based on a user history.

7. The method defined in claim 6 , further comprising monitoring user activity, and generating the user history based on the monitored user activity.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein each program listing includes at least one of a title, rating, cost, run-time, release date, rental period, viewing period, movie summary, actor/actress names, producer names, and production studio name.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved program listings are retrieved from multiple media data sources.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the retrieved program listings are retrieved periodically.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising organizing the combined search results according to a category.

12. A system for searching for media data using an interactive media application, comprising:

control circuitry configured to:

locally store a plurality of program listings, wherein the locally stored plurality of program listings is retrieved from at least one of an on-demand server that stores program listings for on-demand programs and a non-on-demand server that stores program listings for non-on-demand programs;

receive, with the interactive media application, a user input of a search criterion;

provide a first option to search the locally stored program listings and a second option to search all of (1) the locally stored program listings, (2) remotely stored program listings for on-demand programs from the on-demand server that stores the program listings for on-demand programs, and (3) remotely stored program listings for non-on-demand programs from the non-on-demand server that stores the program listings for non-on-demand programs;

receive, with the interactive media application, a user selection of one of the first option and the second option;

in response to the user selection of the first option:

receive search results from the locally stored program listings; and

generate for display the search results from the locally stored program listings;

in response to the user selection of the second option:

receive search results from the locally stored program listings;

receive search results from the remotely stored program listings;

combine the search results from the locally stored program listings and the search results from the remotely stored program listings; and

generate for display the combined search results from the locally stored program listings and the remotely stored program listings.

13. The system defined in claim 12 , wherein the remotely stored program listings are different from the locally stored program listings.

14. The system defined in claim 12 , the control circuitry further configured to:

receive a user indication to access second media data;

determine whether the second media data is locally stored;

in response to determining the second media data is locally stored, generate for display the locally stored second media data; and

in response to determining the second media data is not locally stored, retrieve the second media data from a media data source and generate for display the retrieved second media data.

15. The system defined in claim 14 , wherein the second media data corresponds to content promoted in an advertisement.

16. The system defined in claim 12 , the control circuitry further configured to:

determine that the user selects to view only non-on-demand program listings, and generate for display the non-on-demand program listings and locally stored on-demand program listings.

17. The system defined in claim 12 , wherein the locally stored program listings are locally stored automatically and periodically based on a user history.

18. The system defined in claim 17 , the control circuitry further configured to:

monitor user activity, and generate the user history based on the monitored user activity.

19. The system of claim 12 , wherein each program listing includes at least one of a title, rating, cost, run-time, release date, rental period, viewing period, movie summary, actor/actress names, producer names, and production studio name.

20. The system of claim 12 , wherein the retrieved program listings are retrieved from multiple media data sources.

21. The system of claim 12 , wherein the retrieved program listings are retrieved periodically.