User customization of user interfaces for interactive television

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11070890-B2
Application number	US-63579903-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 5, 2003
Priority date	Aug 6, 2002
Publication date	Jul 20, 2021
Grant date	Jul 20, 2021

Abstract

A user interface by which network operators, programmers, broadcasters and advertisers can deploy and make accessible libraries of available content and allow viewers of iTV services to customize the presentation and content of the information being presented thereto includes one or more screens each having one or more navigable and selectable elements through which the viewers are permitted to customize presentation and content of iTV application environments other than those associated with the user interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method comprising:
causing, by a computing device, output of a user interface;
receiving, by the computing device, a first indication, via the user interface, of a selection of a first layout customization to a first layout for a first interactive content user interface associated with a first content application;
causing, by the computing device, output of the first interactive content user interface, wherein the first interactive content user interface is based on the first layout and the first layout customization;
receiving, by the computing device, a second indication of a selection of a second content application;
based on the selection of the second content application, receiving, by the computing device via a network, an application data package comprising:
a layout file indicating a second layout for a second interactive content user interface associated with the second content application, and
content, separate from the layout file, configured to populate the second interactive content user interface;

determining, by the computing device, and based on the first layout customization, the layout file indicating the second layout for the second interactive content use interface, and the content configured to populate the second interactive content user interface, the second interactive content user interface; and
causing, by the computing device, output of the second interactive content user interface.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first content application comprises an interactive content listing application, and wherein the second content application comprises a video-on-demand application.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first content application comprises an interactive content listing application, and wherein the second content application comprises an application for interactive sports content.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first content application is a first of one or more interactive content applications supported by the computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
configuring the computing device to support the second content application as a second of the one or more interactive content applications.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the layout file indicates one or more queries for populating, based on the content, the second layout, and wherein the one or more queries are associated with one or more locations within the second layout.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the layout file is in a binary format.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content comprises video data.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the video data is associated with one or more dynamic data feeds.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layout customization comprises a first location for one or more menu items.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first layout customization comprises a first location for video content and a second location for text content.

11. A method comprising:
receiving, by a computing device, a first application data package associated with a first application, the first application data package comprising:
a first layout file indicating a first layout for a first interactive content user interface, and
first content configured to populate the first interactive content user interface;

receiving a first indication, by the computing device via a different user interface, of a selection of a first layout customization;
causing, by the computing device, output of the first interactive content user interface comprising the first content, wherein the first interactive content user interface is based on the first layout and the first layout customization;
based on an indication of a selection of a second application, receiving, by the computing device via a network, a second application data package associated with the second application, the second application data package comprising:
a second layout file indicating a second layout for a second interactive content user interface, and
second content, separate from the second layout file, configured to populate the second interactive content user interface; and

determining, by the computing device, and based on the first layout customization, the second layout file indicating the second layout for the second interactive content user interface and the second content configured to populate the second interactive content user interface, the second interactive content user interface; and
causing, by the computing device and based on the second application data package, output of the second interactive content user interface comprising the second content.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first application is a first of one or more interactive content applications supported by the computing device, and wherein the method further comprises:
configuring the computing device to support the second application, associated with the second interactive content user interface, as a second of the one or more interactive content applications.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second layout file indicates one or more queries for populating, based on the second content, the second layout, and wherein the one or more queries are associated with one or more locations within the second layout.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the second layout file is in a binary format.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the second content comprises video data.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the video data is associated with one or more dynamic data feeds.

17. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first layout customization comprises a first location for one or more menu items.

18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the first layout customization comprises a first location for video content and a second location for text content.

19. A method comprising:
causing, by a computing device, output of a user interface;
receiving a first indication, by the computing device via the user interface, of a selection of a first layout customization to a first layout for a first interactive content user interface associated with a first content application;
causing, by the computing device, output of the first interactive content user interface based on the first layout and the first layout customization;
receiving a second indication, by the computing device, of a selection of a second content application;
based on the selection of the second content application, receiving, by the computing device via a network, a package of files for a second interactive content user interface associated with the second content application, wherein the package of files comprises:
a first file that indicates a second layout for the second interactive content user interface, and
a second file that indicates content configured to populate the second interactive content user interface; and

determining, by the computing device, and based on the first layout customization, the first file indicating the second layout for the second interactive content user interface and the second file indicating the content configured to populate the second interactive content user interface, the second interactive content user interface; and
causing, by the computing device, output of the second interactive content user interface.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the first content application is a first of one or more interactive content applications supported by the computing device, and wherein the met

Assignees

• Carney John
• De Andrade David
• Chu Viva
• Moreau Samuel
• Comcast Cable Communications Man Llc

Inventors

• Carney John
• De Andrade David
• Chu Viva
• Moreau Samuel

Classifications

• H04N21/472

  End-user interface for requesting content, additional data or services; End-user interface for interacting with content, e.g. for content reservation or setting reminders, for requesting event notification, for manipulating displayed content {(end-user interfaces for retrieving video data from a database G06F16/739; network services for supporting unicast streaming H04L65/612)} · CPC title

• H04N21/482

  End-user interface for programme selection · CPC title

• H04N21/4858 Primary

  for modifying screen layout parameters, e.g. fonts, size of the windows · CPC title

• H04N21/478

  Supplemental services, e.g. displaying phone caller identification, shopping application · CPC title

• H04N21/8173

  End-user applications, e.g. Web browser, game · CPC title