System and method for construction, delivery and display of iTV applications that blend programming information of on-demand and broadcast service offerings
A user interface allows for blending of television program choices from which a viewer may select, the blending representing options for linear and non-linear programming presented together within a single hierarchy of a designated category. The blending may further include managed content relevant to the designated category, where desired. Such designated categories may include television programming categories and/or content categories. The options for linear and non-linear programming may be presented together within a single screen of the user interface.
1. A method comprising:
combining, by a computing device, data describing at least two of linear content, non-linear content or managed content to produce a blending of user-selectable content from the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content in at least two levels of a hierarchy of levels; and
transmitting the blending of user-selectable content to one or more devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the linear content comprises programming that is scheduled to be transmitted at particular times, and wherein the non-linear content comprises on-demand programming.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the at least two levels comprises a combined list of user-selectable content options from the linear content and the non-linear content.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the transmitting the blending of user-selectable content to the one or more devices comprises broadcasting the blending of user-selectable content to the one or more devices.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
inserting the blending of user-selectable content into a carousel for transmission.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein a first of the at least two levels comprises a scrolling list of content options from the linear content and the non-linear content.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the one or more devices comprises one or more set top boxes.
8. A method comprising:
combining, by a computing device, data describing at least two of linear content, non-linear content or managed content to produce a blending of user-selectable content from the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content in at least two levels of a hierarchy of levels;
causing display of the blending of user-selectable content; and
based on one or more user interactions with the blending of user-selectable content, causing display of, within a video window, a portion of first content from the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the one or more user interactions with the blending of user-selectable content represent a navigation of an on-screen cursor.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the blending of user-selectable content comprises linear content and non-linear content.
11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the linear content comprises programming that is scheduled to be transmitted at particular times, and wherein the non-linear content comprises on-demand programming.
12. The method of claim 8 , wherein causing display of the blending of user-selectable content comprises causing a set-top box to generate the blending of user-selectable content for display.
13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the computing device comprises a set-top box.
14. A method comprising:
combining, by a computing device, data describing at least two of linear content, non-linear content or managed content to produce a user interface that comprises a hierarchy of levels and that blends user-selectable content from the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content in at least two levels of the hierarchy of levels; and
transmitting the user interface to one or more devices.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the linear content comprises programming that is scheduled to be transmitted at particular times, and wherein the non-linear content comprises on-demand programming.
16. The method of claim 14 , wherein a first of the at least two levels comprises a combined list of content options from the linear content and the non-linear content.
17. The method of claim 14 , wherein the transmitting the user interface to the one or more devices comprises broadcasting the user interface to the one or more devices.
18. The method of claim 14 , wherein a first of the at least two levels comprises a scrolling list of content options from the linear content and the non-linear content.
19. The method of claim 14 , wherein the one or more devices comprises one or more set top boxes.
20. The method of claim 14 , wherein the user interface comprises a video window, and wherein the method further comprises:
based on one or more user interactions with the user interface, generating, within the video window, a portion of first content from the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content.