Interactive television system with programming-related links

Abstract

An interactive television system with programming-related links is provided. The system may include user television equipment on which interactive program guide and non-program-guide applications may be implemented. Information that is displayed in a display screen for a non-program-guide application may be related to programming. A display screen or overlay for programming that is related to the information may be displayed when a user selects the displayed information. The display or overlay for the programming may include advertisements, video, graphics, options, or programming descriptions. The display screen or overlay may have been displayed by the program guide application.

1 - 43 . (canceled) 
     
     
         44 . A method performed by user equipment on which a media guidance application and a non-media guidance application are each at least partially implemented, the method comprising:
 generating for display, in the non-media guidance application, a first selectable option that is related to the media guidance application, wherein the non-media guidance application is configured to be invoked by a user independently of the media guidance application;   generating for display, in the non-media guidance application, a second selectable option that is related to a communication operation between a first user and at least one other user;   receiving a user selection of the second selectable option;   based on receiving the user selection of the second selectable option:
 retrieving information relating to a communication between the first user and the at least one other user; and 
 generating for display in the non-media guidance application the retrieved information relating to the communication between the first user and the at least one other user; 
   receiving a user selection of the first selectable option that is related to the media guidance application;   based on receiving the user selection of the first selectable option, causing the media guidance application to:
 retrieve media asset identifier information related to a plurality of media assets, and 
 generate for display in the media guidance application a plurality of options associated with the retrieved media asset identifier information; 
   receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of options associated with the retrieved media asset identifier information; and   based on receiving the user selection of the one of the plurality of options:
 identifying the media asset identifier information associated with the selected one of the plurality of options; 
 transmitting a request to a media server based on the identified media asset identifier information to receive a media asset related to the identified media asset identifier information; 
 receiving a response from the media server that includes a portion of the media asset; and 
 generating for display using the media guidance application the received portion of media asset. 
   
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 generating for display the first selectable option in an overlay.   
     
     
         46 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 retrieving the media asset identifier information related to the plurality of media assets using an Internet communications path.   
     
     
         47 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising causing the media guidance application to retrieve the media asset identifier information related to the plurality of media assets by calling a function in an plurality of media assets application programming interface to transmit a request to the media server to request the media asset identifier information. 
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 44 , wherein the information relating to the communication between the first user and the at least one other user comprises a message comprising text. 
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 44 , further comprising:
 generating for display, in the media guidance application, a third selectable option;   receiving a user selection of the third selectable option; and   based on receiving the user selection of the third selectable option:
 retrieving information relating to the non-media guidance application; and 
 generating a display of the non-media guidance application. 
   
     
     
         50 . The method of  claim 49 , further comprising:
 generating for display, the third selectable option in an overlay.   
     
     
         51 . A user equipment on which a media guidance application and a non-media guidance application are each at least partially implemented, the user equipment comprising:
 control circuitry configured to:
 generate for display, in the non-media guidance application, a first selectable option that is related to the media guidance application, wherein the non-media guidance application is configured to be invoked by a user independently of the media guidance application; 
 generate for display, in the non-media guidance application, a second selectable option that is related to a communication operation between a first user and at least one other user; 
 receive, from a user input interface, a user selection of the second selectable option; 
 based on receiving the user selection of the second selectable option:
 retrieve information relating to a communication between the first user and the at least one other user; and 
 generate for display in the non-media guidance application the retrieved information relating to the communication between the first user and the at least one other user; 
 
 receive, from the user input interface, a user selection of the first selectable option that is related to the media guidance application; 
 based on receiving the user selection of the first selectable option, causing the media guidance application to:
 retrieve, using a communications path, media asset identifier information related to a plurality of media assets, and 
 generate for display a plurality of options associated with the retrieved media asset identifier information; 
 
 receive, from the user input interface, a user selection of one of the plurality of options associated with the retrieved media asset identifier information; and 
 based on receiving the user selection of the one of the plurality of options:
 identify the media asset identifier information associated with the selected one of the plurality of options; 
 transmit a request to a media server based on the identified media asset identifier information to receive a media asset related to the identified media asset identifier information; 
 receive a response from the media server that includes a portion of the media asset; and 
 generate for display using the media guidance application the received portion of the media asset. 
 
   
     
     
         52 . The user equipment of  claim 51 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display the first selectable option in an overlay.   
     
     
         53 . The user equipment of  claim 51 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 retrieve the media asset identifier information related to the plurality of media assets using an internet communications path.   
     
     
         54 . The user equipment of  claim 51 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 cause the media guidance application to retrieve the media asset identifier information related to the plurality of media assets by calling a function in an plurality of options application programming interface to transmit a request to the media server to request the media asset identifier information.   
     
     
         55 . The user equipment of  claim 51 , wherein the information relating to the communication between the first user and the at least one other user comprises a message comprising text. 
     
     
         56 . The user equipment of  claim 51 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display, in the media guidance application, a third selectable option;   receive, from the user input interface, a user selection of the third selectable option; and   based on receiving the user selection of the third selectable option:
 retrieving information relating to the non-media guidance application; and 
 generating a display of the non-media guidance application. 
   
     
     
         57 . The user equipment of  claim 56 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
 generate for display, the third selectable option in an overlay.   
     
     
         58 . A method performed by user equipment on which a media guidance application and a non-media guidance application are each at least partially implemented, the method comprising:
 generating for display, in the non-media guidance application, a first selectable option that is related to the media guidance application, wherein the non-media guidance application is configured to be invoked by a user independently of the media guidance application;   generating for display, in the non-media guidance application, a second selectable option that is related to a communication between a first user and at least one other user;   receiving a user selection of the second selectable option;   based on receiving the user selection of the second selectable option, generating for display information relating to the communication between the first user and the at least one other user;   receiving a user selection of the first selectable option that is related to the media guidance application;   based on receiving the user selection of the first selectable option, causing the media guidance application to:
 retrieve media asset identifier information related to a plurality of media assets, and 
 generate for display a plurality of options associated with the retrieved media asset identifier information; 
   receiving a user selection of one of the plurality of options associated with the retrieved media asset identifier information; and   based on receiving the user selection of the one of the plurality of options, generating for display a media asset associated with the user selected one of the plurality of options.   
     
     
         59 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising:
 generating for display the first selectable option in an overlay.   
     
     
         60 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising:
 retrieving the media asset identifier information related to the plurality of media assets using an Internet communications path.   
     
     
         61 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising causing the media guidance application to retrieve the media asset identifier information related to the plurality of media assets by calling a function in an application programming interface to transmit a request to a media server to request the media asset identifier information. 
     
     
         62 . The method of  claim 58 , wherein the information relating to the communication between the first user and the at least one other use comprises a message comprising text. 
     
     
         63 . The method of  claim 58 , further comprising:
 generating for display, in the media guidance application, a third selectable option;   receiving a user selection of the third selectable option; and   based on receiving the user selection of the third selectable option, generating a display of the non-media guidance application.