Interactive television program guide system that serves as a portal

Abstract

A system is provided in which an interactive television program guide application and non-program-guide applications are at least partially implemented on user television equipment. A program guide program application interface is provided that is used to maintain a consistent user interface between the program guide application and the non-program-guide applications. Non-program-guide applications may be launched by the program guide application. The user may select certain non-program-guide applications as favorites and may set parental controls for certain non-program-guide applications. The program guide application may run in the background while a non-program-guide application operates. While the non-program-guide application operates, the program guide may check for events that require immediate attention. When such an event is detected, operation of the non-program-guide application may be suspended and the user may be asked whether the detected event should take place or whether operation of the non-program-guide application should be resumed. The applications may be located at a remote location such as on a server at a cable system headend or on a server on the Internet. The program application interface may perform authentication and access rights determination functions. Reminders may be set for the content of non-program-guide applications.

1 - 126 . (canceled) 
     
     
         127 . A method for launching an interactive application on a user equipment device, the method comprising:
 displaying, using a local application implemented by the user equipment device, an indicator associated with the interactive application, wherein the interactive application includes interactive content, and wherein source code of the interactive application is received from a remote server;   receiving, with the local application, a user selection of the indicator;   in response receiving the user selection, launching, using the local application, the interactive application associated with the indicator according to the source code; and   accessing, by the interactive application, a function of the local application using an application program interface (API) of the local application.   
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein the local application is a program guide application and the interactive application is a non-guide application. 
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein the function of the local application includes on-screen display and navigation features. 
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 127  further comprising testing the code corresponding to the interactive application to check whether the interactive application can access the function of the local application. 
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein the function of the local application includes at least one of tuning to a channel of the user equipment device and program related functionality. 
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein the interactive application includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 127  further comprising:
 while the interactive application is running, receiving user input with the local application; 
 communicating the received user input to the interactive application; and 
 executing a function of the interactive application based on the user input communicated to the interactive application. 
 
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein the local application includes a web browser application, and wherein the interactive application is launched as a web page of the web browser application. 
     
     
         135 . The method of  claim 127 , wherein the source code includes functions of the API of the local application. 
     
     
         136 . The method of  claim 127  further comprising:
 storing the source code of the interactive application in a storage device of the user equipment device; and 
 retrieving the source code of the interactive application from the storage device to launch the interactive application on the user equipment device responsive to the user selection. 
 
     
     
         137 . A system for launching an interactive application on a user equipment device, the system comprising:
 control circuitry configured to:
 display, using a local application implemented by the user equipment device, an indicator associated with the interactive application, wherein the interactive application includes interactive content, and wherein source code of the interactive application is received from a remote server; 
 receive, with the local application, a user selection of the indicator; 
 in response receiving the user selection, launch, using the local application, the interactive application associated with the indicator according to the source code; and 
 access, by the interactive application, a function of the local application using an application program interface (API) of the local application. 
   
     
     
         138 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the local application is a program guide application and the interactive application is a non-guide application. 
     
     
         139 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the function of the local application includes on-screen display and navigation features. 
     
     
         140 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to test the code corresponding to the interactive application to check whether the interactive application can access the function of the local application. 
     
     
         141 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the function of the local application includes at least one of tuning to a channel of the user equipment device and program related functionality. 
     
     
         142 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the interactive application includes an advertisement. 
     
     
         143 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 while the interactive application is running, receive user input with the local application; 
 communicate the received user input to the interactive application; and 
 execute a function of the interactive application based on the user input communicated to the interactive application. 
 
     
     
         144 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the local application includes a web browser application, and wherein the interactive application is launched as a web page of the web browser application. 
     
     
         145 . The system of  claim 137 , wherein the source code includes functions of the API of the local application. 
     
     
         146 . The system of  claim 137  wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 store the source code of the interactive application in a storage device of the user equipment device; and 
 retrieve the source code of the interactive application from the storage device to launch the interactive application on the user equipment device responsive to the user selection.