System and method for construction, delivery and display of itv content

Abstract

iTV content is created and deployed using a server component adapted to allow content developers to create applications according to an authoring specification that describes a framework for same; a transport component including an operator-deployed application management system configured to optimize and deliver the aplications to one or more clients; and a client component adapted to render the applications through a television so as to permit user interaction therewith. The authoring specification provides for the presentation of content through one or more templates defined therein, allowing application definition and behavior to remain common across multiple client device types, middleware platforms, and / or iTV operating environments. The framework for applications accommodates advertising, promotions, content placement packages and / or programming campaign definitions, so as to permit a selection of a specific advertisement, promotion or content at a time of preparation of the iTV content by the server, and / or a time of execution of the applications by the client.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] The present application is a Contiuation-in-Part of, claims the priority benefit of and incorporates by reference the following U.S. patent applications, each assigned to the assignee of the present application: [0002] 1 application Ser. No. 10 / 247,901, filed Sep. 19, 2002, entitled “Interactive User Interface for Television Applications”; and [0003] 2 application Ser. No. 10 / 306,752, filed Nov. 27, 2002, entitled “Broadcast Database”. [0004] 3 application Ser. No. 10 / 390,064, filed Mar. 14, 2003, entitled “System and method for Construction, Delivery and Display of iTV Content”.FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0005] The present invention relates to systems and methods for enabling and automating the delivery of interactive television content to subscribers. BACKGROUND [0006] Interactive television (iTV) is currently available in varying forms. The terminology used to describe the various elements within the iTV services and applications landscape is varied and a ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention provides a system for creating interactive television (iTV) applications. The system includes a server, a transport, and a client component. The server creates the applications based on an authoring specification and sends them to the transport. The transport manages the applications and delivers them to client devices. The client component executes the applications through a television and allows user interaction with them. The system is designed to allow developers to create customizable applications for different types of client devices and operating environments. The applications can include advertisements, promotions, content placement packages, and programming campaigns. The system also allows for user-specific rules and programmable opportunities for advertisements, promotions, data inclusion, and optimization of the applications. Overall, the system improves the efficiency and flexibility of creating and delivering iTV applications.

Problems solved by technology

However, each application has specific integration, management and distribution issues that arise depending on the environment that the network operators choose to deploy and significant problems are experienced by application providers and distributors in deploying and managing their iTV applications as a result.

Stated differently, application providers and distributors face problems in developing and managing their iTV applications beause there exists a proliferation of technologies and standards for the delivery of iTV applications and different network operators have chosen to deploy different combinations of these technologies.

For their part, network operators must deploy, configure, manage and operate iTV applications on each different network configuration individually, increasing cost, complexity, and staffing needs, while reducing the number of service that can be deployed, and the quality of those services.

Another significant problem for the deployment of iTV applications in the United States is that the majority of in-service set-top boxes, such as the Motorola DCT1200 and DCT2000 families and the Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000, Explorer 2100, Explorer 3000 and Explorer 3100 families, have relatively low power (e.g., slow clock speed) processors and a limited amount of onboard memory (both flash memory and DRAM) with which to store and process iTV applications.

These set-top limitations make it very difficult to support the features, functions and viewer response times for iTV applications that are required for a compelling and rich user experience.

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