Tvworks, LLC

Comcast Cable Communications Management, LLC

Comcast Cable Communications, LLC

David Brandyberry

John Carney

David De Andrade

Matt Marenghi

Lena Chane

Viva Chu

Alex Chung

Sithampara Babu Niranjan

Greg Thomson

Leon Franzen

Ruth Dawson

Prakash Hegde

Glenn A Adams

Elliot Poger

Connie Mace

Ali Crakes

Prakash Hedge

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 configured to optimize and deliver the applications 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.

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

A database is packed up for broadcast over an iTV system by packaging, compressing, and streaming the database via one or more carousels. The packing up process creates one or more data modules, each including record sets, and one or more modules containing computer-readable instructions for resolving queries using the record sets. These modules, along with a table of contents module that includes descriptions of how the data modules are composed and interfaces to the modules containing the computer-readable instructions, are downloaded at a set top box in order to resolve queries from television users and/or other applications. Thereafter, the computer-readable instructions are executed to resolve the queries. When available, the results produced by executing the query may be displayed on a television. Information regarding the queries may be used to modify the packing up and/or broadcast processes.

Method and system for enabling data-rich interactive television using broadcast database

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 applications 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.

Enhanced television content is processed and displayed by the execution of computer-readable instructions formatted in a binary interchange format (BIF) of an enhanced television BIF (EBIF) application via user agent at a client by interpreting the computer-readable instructions directly and without additional compilation. A key identifier may be used by the EBIF application to identify a content programming engine to locate and retrieve programmable content to be displayed at the client.

Optimized application on-the-wire format for construction, delivery and display of enhanced television content

Growing community of inventors

San Rafael, CA, United States of America

David Brandyberry