Dynamically determining and utilizing an application programming interface of an electronic device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9374441-B2
Application number	US-90121010-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 8, 2010
Priority date	Oct 9, 2009
Publication date	Jun 21, 2016
Grant date	Jun 21, 2016

Abstract

A method of dynamically determining and utilizing an application programming interface within an electronic device is presented. In the method, a definition of an object is received from the application programming interface, wherein the definition describes at least a portion of the application programming interface. The object is then generated based on the definition, wherein the object includes data for controlling the electronic device. The object is transferred to the application programming interface.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of dynamically determining and utilizing an application programming interface within a television set-top box, the method comprising:
determining, at execution time, specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box that are embodied in the application programming interface;
receiving, from the application programming interface within the television set-top box, a data structure definition based on the specific requirements and capabilities, wherein the data structure definition describes types and forms of data required for accessing one or more applications of the television set-top box using the application programming interface;
transmitting, via an external communications link of the television set-top box, the data structure definition to a web browser application executing on a remote electronic device, wherein receiving the data structure definition at the web browser application allows the web browser application to generate data structures that conform to the specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box, thereby facilitating access to the application programming interface by the remote electronic device without the web browser application being revised, recompiled, or reloaded;
generating, within the television set-top box, a digital video recorder (DVR) data structure for accessing a DVR application of the television set-top box based on the definition;
receiving data at the external communications link of the television set-top box, wherein receiving the data includes receiving a first JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein the data has a type and form suitable for accessing the DVR application of the television set-top box, wherein the data is received from the web browser application of the remote electronic device, and wherein the web browser application of the remote electronic device includes a DVR component that generates the data based on input provided by an end-user of the web browser application for controlling the DVR application of the television set-top box;
updating the DVR data structure with the received data; and
transferring the updated DVR data structure to the application programming interface by transferring a second JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein receiving the updated DVR data structure at the application programming interface causes the television set-top box to control the DVR application according to the input provided by the end-user to the web browser application of the remote electronic device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
after transferring the updated DVR data structure to the application programming interface, transmitting, via the external communications link of the television receiver, response data generated by the DVR application of the television set-top box, wherein the response data is transmitted to the web browser application of the remote electronic device.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the data structure definition occurs in response to an initialization of the television set-top box.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving a connection message at the external communications link; and
wherein transmitting the data structure definition includes transmitting the data structure definition across a communication connection in response to the connection message.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the application programming interface comprises an interface for a plurality of applications of the television set-top box.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises a command to be executed by the DVR application of the television set-top box.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data comprises a request for the DVR application of the television set-top box to report an event.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein data comprises a command for the DVR application of the television set-top box to record a television program received by a tuner of the television set-top box.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, within the television set-top box, an additional data structure for accessing an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) application of the television set-top box based on the definition;
receiving additional data at the external communications link of the television set-top box, wherein the additional data has a type and form suitable for accessing the EPG application of the television set-top box, wherein the additional data is received from the web browser application of the remote electronic device, and wherein the web browser application of the remote electronic device generates the additional data based on additional input provided by an end-user of the web browser application for requesting data from the EPG application of the television set-top box;
updating the EPG data structure with the received data; and
transferring the updated EPG data structure to the application programming interface, wherein receiving the updated EPG data structure at the application programming interface causes the television set-top box to request data from the EPG application according to the additional input provided by the end-user to the web browser application of the remote electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving the data structure definition includes receiving the data structure definition at a JavaScript Object Notation server of the television set-top box.

11. A method of dynamically facilitating use of an application programming interface within a television set-top box, the method comprising:
determining, at execution time, specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box that are embodied in the application programming interface;
receiving, from the application programming interface within the television set-top box, a data structure definition based on the specific requirements and capabilities the application programming interface, wherein the data structure definition describes types and forms of data required for accessing one or more applications of the television set-top box using the application programming interface;
generating an instance of a digital video recorder (DVR) data structure based on the definition, wherein generating includes adapting the DVR data structure to conform to the specific requirements and capabilities of the television set-top box, thereby facilitating access to the application programming interface by a web browser application executing on a remote electronic device without the web browser application being revised, recompiled, or reloaded;
transferring the instance of the DVR data structure to the web browser application executing on the remote electronic device, wherein transferring the instance of the DVR data structure includes transferring a first JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein receiving the instance of the DVR data structure at the web browser application causes the web browser application to update the instance of the DVR data structure with command data generated by a DVR component of the web browser application in response to receipt of input provided by an end-user of the remote electronic device;
receiving the updated instance of the DVR data structure from the web browser application, wherein receiving the updated instance of the DVR data structure includes receiving a second JavaScript Object Notation object, wherein the received updated instance of the DVR data structure comprises the command data generated by the DVR component of the web browser application for the application programming interface to control the DVR application according to the input provided by the end-user; and

Assignees

• Engbers Dennis
• Hillen Peter
• De Jong Menno
• Van Rozen Riemer Andries
• Bekedam Harmen Henrie Karel
• Echostar Technologies Llc

Inventors

• Engbers Dennis
• Hillen Peter
• De Jong Menno
• Van Rozen Riemer Andries
• Bekedam Harmen Henrie Karel

Classifications

• G06F9/541

  via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications · CPC title

• G06F9/465

  Distributed object oriented systems (remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548) · CPC title

• H04L67/34 Primary

  involving the movement of software or configuration parameters  (network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416) · CPC title

• H04L67/025

  for remote control or remote monitoring of applications · CPC title

• H04N21/4433

  Implementing client middleware, e.g. Multimedia Home Platform [MHP] · CPC title