Launching an application from a broadcast receiving apparatus

1. A method for use in an apparatus for receiving a broadcast stream, where the apparatus includes an application portal for launching a predefined application, the method comprising:

receiving application information including identification ID information for identifying the predefined application and receiving protocol information indicating a protocol to be used to launch the identified predefined application; and

determining whether the predefined application is available from the application portal by comparing the identification ID information for identifying the predefined application with identification ID information for the application portal in response to the ID information identifying the predefined application and the protocol information indicating the application portal and launching the predefined application from the application portal.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein prior to receiving the application information:

receiving an application information source identifier for identifying a network location from which the application information can be obtained; and

connecting to the network location to receive the application information.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:

selecting one of a plurality of broadcast services from the broadcast stream including information identifying a broadcast application associated with the selected broadcast service; and

launching the broadcast application,

wherein the predefined application is launched from the application portal in response to a command from the broadcast application.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the predefined application is a catch-up application for accessing online content through a network connection, the method further comprising:

controlling a display device to display an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) user interface for selecting one of a plurality of broadcast events; and

receiving a user command of selecting one of the broadcast events,

wherein the predefined application is launched to access content which corresponds to the selected broadcast event.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the EPG includes online availability information which indicates whether the content which corresponds to the selected broadcast event is available online, and

wherein the predefined application is only launched in response to the online availability information indicating that the content which corresponds to the selected broadcast event is available online.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application information includes version information for specifying a version of the application identified by the ID information.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the version information specifies a minimum version number of the identified application, and

wherein the predefined application is only launched from the application portal in response to the predefined application having at least the minimum version number.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application information includes application type information for identifying a type of the application, the method further comprising:

determining whether to launch the predefined application based on the application type.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application information further comprises an application source identifier for identifying a network location from which the application can be obtained, the method further comprising:

connecting to the network location to launch the application in response to a determination that the ID information does not identify the predefined application.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is a Digital Video Broadcasting DVB receiver and the application information is received as an Application Information Table AIT, the method further comprising:

comparing organization_ID and application_ID values in the received AIT to known organization_ID and application_ID values of the predefined application, in order to determine whether the ID information identifies the predefined application.

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a computer program which, when executed by an apparatus for receiving a broadcast stream, causes the apparatus to perform the method of claim 1 .

12. An apparatus for receiving a broadcast stream, the apparatus including an application portal for launching a predefined application, the apparatus comprising:

a processor, said processor executing the following modules:

a receiving module configured to receive application information, the application information including identification ID information for identifying the predefined application and protocol information indicating a protocol to be used to launch the identified predefined application; and

a portal control module configured to determine whether the predefined application is available from the application portal: by comparing the identification ID information for identifying the predefined application with identification ID information for the application portal in response to the ID information identifying the predefined application and the protocol information indicating the application portal, and launch the predefined application from the application portal.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the receiving module is configured to receive, prior to receiving the application information, an application information source identifier for identifying a network location from which the application information can be obtained; and

wherein the receiving module is arranged to connect to the network location to receive the application information.

14. The apparatus of claim 12 , further comprising:

a broadcast service selection module configured to select one of a plurality of broadcast services from the broadcast stream, the broadcast stream including information identifying a broadcast application associated with the selected broadcast service; and

a broadcast application module configured to launch the broadcast application,

wherein the portal control module launches the predefined application from the application portal in response to a command from the broadcast application.

15. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the predefined application is a catch-up application for accessing online content through a network connection, the apparatus further comprising:

an Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) user interface generator arranged to control a display device to display an EPG user interface for user selection of one of a plurality of broadcast events; and

a user input module arranged to receive a user command selecting one of the broadcast events,

wherein the portal control module is arranged to launch the predefined application to access online content which corresponds to the selected broadcast event.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 , wherein the EPG includes online availability information which indicates whether the content which corresponds to the selected broadcast event is available online, and

wherein the portal control module is arranged to only launch the predefined application in response to the online availability information indicates that the content which corresponds to the selected broadcast event is available online.

17. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the application information includes version information for specifying a version of the application identified by the ID information.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the version information specifies a minimum version number of the identified application, and

wherein the portal control module is arranged to only launch the predefined application from the application portal in response to the predefined application having at least the minimum version number.

19. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the application information includes application type information for identifying a type of the application, and

wherein the portal control module is arranged to determine whether to launch the predefined application based on the application type.

20. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the application information further comprises an application source identifier for identifying a network location from which the application can be obtained, the apparatus further comprising:

a network interface module arranged to connect to the network location to launch the application in response to a determination that the ID information does not identify the predefined application.

21. The apparatus of claim 12 , wherein the apparatus is a Digital Video Broadcasting (DVB) receiver and the application information is received as an Application Information Table (AIT), and

wherein the portal control module is arranged to compare organization_ID and application_ID values in the received AIT to known organization_ID and application_ID values of the predefined application, to determine whether the ID information identifies the predefined application.