Patent ID: 7904933
Filing Date: 2011-03-08
Classification: H04N

Abstract:
1. A computer storage media, wherein the media is not a signal, having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, performs a method comprising: receiving from a content provider, by head-end equipment using an extended asset definition interface from a content provider, a digital television (DTV) application and its associated metadata, wherein the extended asset definition interface specifies a data structure including the DTV application and metadata attributes consisting of: an application identifier field for identifying the DTV application; an originator identifier field for identifying an originator of the DTV application; an application-type field for indicating a type of the DTV application and specifying a runtime environment needed to run the DTV application; a profile field for indicating a minimum profile of a system on which the DTV application will execute; a visibility field for indicating the degree of control a user has over the DTV application; a permission field for denoting “sandbox” security permission of the DTV application; and a rating field for indicating a rating of the DTV application; generating, by the head-end equipment, an application information table for conveying application signaling information to a DTV receiving unit, the application information table being generated based on the associated metadata; generating, by the head-end equipment, a content referencing identifier for the DTV application; registering, by the head-end equipment, an authority record with an authority to enable the DTV receiving unit to resolve the content referencing identifier; generating, by the head-end equipment, a data grouping having the application information table and the content referencing identifier; sending, by the head-end equipment, a transmission to the DTV receiving unit, wherein such transmission comprises the data grouping, whereby the application signaling information is used by the DTV receiving unit to discover and launch the DTV application, wherein the head-end equipment, the content provider, and the DTV receiving unit are each separate and distinct from each other, and wherein the extended asset definition interface is defined to correspond to information that an application signaling generator of the head-end equipment needs to generate the application information table.