Patent ID: 7124424
Filing Date: 2006-10-17
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A method for providing user interfaces at a terminal for a plurality of video-on-demand services offered by provider equipment of an information distribution system, comprising: providing a first application to support a first user interface for a first service associated with an interactive program guide (IPG); providing a second application to support a second user interface for a second service associated with video-on-demand (VOD); maintaining first and second message queues for the first and second applications, respectively; coordinating passing of control of the terminal between the first and second applications via a control mechanism, wherein the control mechanism passes control to the first and second applications via messages provided to the first and second message queues, respectively, wherein each of the first and second applications is operable in an active state or an inactive state, and the first and second applications transition to the active state in response to receiving a launch message in the first and second message queues, respectively, wherein the launch message comprises a keycode parameter; and in response to a termination of the second application, sending the launch message to the first message queue, wherein the keycode parameter of the launch message indicates the condition of the termination of the second application.