Patent ID: 7430718

Claim:
A system for creating interactive television applications, the system comprising: a template author system comprising: a display; a user interface; and a processor coupled to the display and the user interface, the processor comprising: a component for presenting a layout window on the display; a component for assigning one or more display elements to the layout window using the user interface; a component for assigning a placeholder object to at least one of the display elements using the user interface; and a component for saving the assigned display elements and placeholder object as a template application; and a episodic creator system comprising: a display; a user interface; and a processor coupled to the display and the user interface, the processor comprising: a component for presenting a saved template application on the display; a component for presenting previously assigned placeholder objects and display elements on the display; a component for selecting a placeholder object using the user interface; a component for recording changes to one of the display elements that is associated with the selected placeholder object; and a component for saving the display elements as an episode application.