RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application claims the priority of the Indian Provisional
Patent of Application No. 1095/CHE/201 1 filed on 3 1March, 201 1 having the title
"Cross-Platform Interactive Content Development Platform", and the contents of
which are incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The invention herein generally relates to interactive content and
interactive applications development, and particularly to a framework for
development of cross-platform interactive content and applications. The invention
more particularly relates to a system and method for development of content suitable
for execution on multiple platforms or media running on different software,
middleware and operating system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Most internet users today access information and applications on
multiple devices such as personal computers (PC), mobile phones, Televisions (TV)
etc. Applications on devices such as mobile phones can be either native applications
or browser based applications. A native application is designed to run in a computing
environment (machine language and OS) being referenced and perform advanced
tasks such as telephony and GPS, unlike generic browser based applications. Native
applications are usually developed for a specific device such as a set top box or a
mobile phone. However, to develop applications that can run across multiple
platforms, for example different kinds of set top boxes or mobile phones or home
gateways which has ability to interface with native device features is complex.
[0004] A particular native application typically may be interpreted only on
one type of device and only on one operating platform provided in that device, for
example a mobile phone with an android operating system. Though generic browser
based applications can run across devices, they have limited functionality as these
applications fail to interface with native device interfaces referred to hereafter as
native device APIs.
[0005] Generally the client devices having different operating platforms and
user interfaces may request one or more applications. Depending on the type of
device and the platform, for example, a mobile device having symbian, windows CE,
or Embedded Linux operating platform, the application has to be customized by
developing it from scratch based on the platform requirements and/or constraints.
However, such an approach is quite expensive in terms of development and
deployment due to the amount of skilled resources required. Further, additional time
is required to reach the market if customized applications and content have to be
developed and deployed for each platform and device.
[0006] In view of the foregoing, there exists a need for representing content
and applications that are interactions on content which . can be interpreted and
rendered on multiple device platforms. Further such content and applications should
be able to interface with native device APIs.
[0007] The above mentioned requirements, shortcomings, disadvantages and
problems are addressed herein and which will be understood by reading and studying
the following specification.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The primary object of the invention is to provide a system and method
for generating and delivering platform independent interactive applications and
interactive content for a plurality of user devices.
[0009] Another object of the invention is to provide a framework for
developing platform independent interactive applications and content for a plurality
of user devices.
[0010] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a framework for
developing interactive applications and content adaptable for interfacing with the
native device APIs on the user device.
[001 1] Yet another object of the invention is to provide a framework for
developing interactive applications and content adaptable for execution and rendering
on multiple user device platforms.
[0012] Yet another object of the invention herein is to reduce the time
consumed in developing a device specific applications and content for a plurality of
user devices.
[0013] Yet another object of the invention herein is to provide an application
development framework for developing customized applications which can be
deployed for multiple user devices.
[0014] These and other objectives and advantages of the present disclosure
will become readily apparent from the following detailed description taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a system
for generating and delivering a platform independent interactive applications and
content for a plurality of user devices. The system comprises an application
development framework to generate a plurality of platform independent data formats,
a content generating server to generate a plurality of device specific data formats, a
content distribution server to create a schedule for delivering the plurality of device
specific data formats to the plurality of user devices and a device specific application
container to render the application on the user device based on the device specific
data format received from the content distribution server. The content generating
server includes a data format builder module which takes input from the application's
platform independent data format and its application metadata and invokes a device
specific application handler module to generate the plurality of device specific data
formats.
[0016] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the input of the
application's platform independent data format is in any of an Extensible Markup
Language (XML) format, a Hypertext Markup Language format (HTML), a C data
structure, a data structure of any programming language.
[0017] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of
user devices comprises at least one of a mobile communication device, a set top box
and a hybrid media device.
[0018] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device
specific data format is in at least one of an Extensible Markup Language (XML)
format, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format, a C data structure and a data
structure implemented in any programming language.
[0019] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the application
development framework provides a user interface for developing the application that
is a combination of user interface elements, actions allowed on them and content in
the form of images, audio and video. The user interface comprises a content builder
area which enables a user to create the application by assembling user interface
elements and specifying actions allowed on them, a component tool to enable the
user to choose from a set of user interface design elements, a properties tool to allow
the user to adjust properties of a project designed such as a positional co-ordinates, a
width, a height, a background color and a background image for the plurality of data
formats corresponding to device specific application elements, a project tool to allow
the user to open, save or reset one or more projects as required, a device mode tool to
allow the user to select a device resolution or a device display for the application, a
templates tool to enables the user to choose required templates for the application and
a workspace tool to specify and place the plurality of application elements for the
application. The application development framework generates platform independent
data formats corresponding to the application's elements when the project tool is used
to save the project.
[0020] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the content
distribution server delivers the plurality of device specific data formats to the
plurality of user devices based on at least one of a request from the user device or a
predefined data format delivery scheduled for the user device.
[0021] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of
user devices include a device specific application program interface (API) adapted to
subscribe to the content distribution server which requests and obtains the plurality of
device specific data formats from the content distribution server and store and cache
the plurality of data formats received from the content distribution server on the
corresponding plurality of user devices.
[0022] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system for
generating and delivering a platform independent application for a plurality of user
devices further comprises a means for interpreting a data format representing the
content such as but not limited to a text, an image and a graphical user interface
element for the application, a means for interpreting a plurality of events occurring on
or allowed to occur on a plurality of user interface elements described in the data
format delivered to the user device, a means for interpreting a plurality of responses
from a plurality of components of the application adapted to provide an appropriate
change to the plurality of user interface elements in the application of the user device,
a means for interpreting a placement of the content in the application, a means for
interpreting a plurality of actions such as but not limited to a clicking, a swiping, a
tapping and a variety of platform defined gestures on the user device, a means for
interpreting a plurality of responses such as but not limited to an image and a data
used to describe a part of the application from a plurality of components of the
content distribution server or native device APIs.
[0023] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the placement
interpreter comprises a means to determine a height, a width, a spacing, an opacity,
and a placement of the plurality of user interface elements on a display of the user
device
[0024] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the means for
interpreting a plurality of responses from a plurality of components of the content
distribution server or native device APIs comprises at least one means for requesting
a data from the user device.
[0025] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device
specific application container interfaces the plurality of applications to a plurality of
native components of the user device. The plurality of native components comprises a
means to determine a user's location, a means to determine an acceleration of the user
device at a point, a means to play a video or an audio content on the user device, a
means to communicate or capture a video and an audio content, a means for storing a
plurality of contacts, a means for providing messaging facility, a means for enquiring
status on the user device.
[0026] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device
specific application container comprises at least one means for deploying the
application on a plurality of user devices, requesting information from the plurality of
user devices using native device APIs, subscribing to changes in the user device,
responding to a plurality of requests from a plurality of user devices, integrating the
plurality of applications with a service operator such as but not limited to a television
operator, a mobile communication operator or a hybrid media network operator for
provisioning and billing of content and applications..
[0027] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device
specific application container further comprises a device specific renderer to parse a
device specific data format in the application, a device specific event handler to
process a plurality of device specific synchronous and asynchronous events and a
plurality of requests generated by the application and a device specific native
command handler to enable the plurality of applications to interface with the plurality
of device application programming interfaces (APIs) on the user device. The device
specific renderer renders a plurality of device specific user interface elements on the
user device based on the data format, fetches an application data from the content
distribution server and renders relevant components of the application on the user
device.
[0028] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the device
specific native command handler further integrates the plurality of applications with
any third party applications, social networking portals, search engines or any
mapping services.
[0029] Embodiments of the present invention further provide a method for
generating and delivering a platform independent interactive application and content
to a plurality of user devices such as but not limited to a mobile communication
device, a TV set top box and a hybrid media device. The method comprises steps of
generating a plurality of platform independent data formats representing the platform
independent interactive applications, requesting the plurality of platform independent
data formats representing interactive content and actions allowed on the application,
obtaining the plurality of data formats and the content and a metadata associated with
the application, interfacing the plurality of user devices with a content generation
server, generating a plurality of device specific data formats, packaging the plurality
of device specific data formats and the content with a device specific application
container into an application package, sending the application package to a content
distribution server, scheduling a delivery of the application package to the user device
and delivering the application package to the user device based on a request from the
user device or a pre-defined delivery scheduled for the user device. The application is
rendered on the user device by the device specific application container based on the
device specific data formats received from the content distribution server.
[0030] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the method for
creating and delivering platform independent interactive applications to a plurality of
user devices further comprises steps of generating a device specific application logic,
a plurality of user interface elements and associated application metadata, installing
the application on the user device, rendering the plurality of user interface elements
for the application on the user device, executing the application logic on the user
device, interfacing the plurality of applications to a plurality of native features of the
user device and invoking one or more operator classes for provisioning and billing of
the content and applications.
[0031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of
native device features on a TV set top box allows a user to perform activities such as
a media control, a service selection, a graphics rendition, tuning to a particular
service, finding a location of a set top box, rendering graphics, rendering audio or
video, finding out remote control events generated by a TV viewer and deriving
program information associated with each of the services broadcasted on the TV
platform.
[0032] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the native
device features on a mobile communication device allows a user to perform activities
such as acquiring locations, playing media, messaging, using contacts, finding
acceleration and various sensing applications on a mobile device.
[0033] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the native
device features on the hybrid media device allows the user to personalize display,
request for more content and information from a server, acquire location,
interpersonal and social media messaging, a media control, a service selection, a
graphics rendering, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of the hybrid
media device, rendering graphics, playing audio or video, finding out remote control
events generated by the user and deriving program information associated with each
of the services broadcasted on the hybrid media platform.
[0034] According to an embodiment of the present invention, the plurality of
device specific data formats are delivered to the user devices by push or pull activity
from or to the user devices.
[0035] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a pull activity
from a user device includes requests to the content distribution server where an
interactive application is hosted, requests to a TV or a Mobile application store, and
requests to a TV or Mobile operator.
[0036] According to an embodiment of the present invention, a push activity
to a user device includes streaming broadcast content that is multiplexed with
interactive applications generated by the application development framework, and a
mobile push notification that delivers the interactive applications.
[0037] These and other aspects of the embodiments herein will be better
appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following
description and the accompanying drawings. It should be understood, however, that
the following descriptions, while indicating preferred embodiments and numerous
specific details thereof, are given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many
changes and modifications may be made within the scope of the embodiments herein
without departing from the spirit thereof, and the embodiments herein include all
such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0038] The other objects, features and advantages will occur to those skilled
in the art from the following description of the preferred embodiment and the
accompanying drawings in which:
[0039] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for generating and
delivering a platform independent application for a plurality of user devices,
according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0040] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the content
generating server, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0041] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating components of the application
container, according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the user interface of an
application development framework, according to an embodiment of the present
invention.
[0043] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for generating and
delivering a platform independent application to a plurality of user devices, according
to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0044] Although the specific features of the present disclosure are shown in
some drawings and not in others. This is done for convenience only as each feature
may be combined with any or all of the other features in accordance with the present
disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0045] In the following detailed description, a reference is made to the
accompanying drawings that form a part hereof, and in which the specific
embodiments that may be practiced is shown by way of illustration. These
embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to
practice the embodiments and it is to be understood that the logical, mechanical and
other changes may be made without departing from the scope of the embodiments.
The following detailed description is therefore not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0046] The various embodiments of the present invention provide a common
framework for representing content and interactions on content associated with an
application that can be interpreted and rendered on one or more class of user devices
such as television set top boxes, mobile communication devices such as cell phone,
PDAs, and hybrid media devices such as media players and IP set top boxes. The
applications developed using the framework can interface with native device APIs.
Further representation of the content and interactions on the content associated with
the applications can be interpreted and rendered on multiple user device platforms.
[0047] The system for creating and delivering platform independent
interactive applications for a plurality of user devices comprises an application
development framework to generate a plurality of platform independent data formats,
a content generating server to generate a plurality of device specific data formats, a
content distribution server to create a schedule for delivering the plurality of device
specific data formats to the plurality of user devices and a device specific application
container to render the application on the user device based on the plurality of device
specific data formats received from the content distribution server. The content
generating server includes a data format builder module which takes input from the
application and an application metadata and invokes a device specific application
handler module to generate the plurality of device specific data formats.
[0048] Here the input is in any of an Extensible Markup Language (XML)
format, a Hypertext Markup Language format (HTML), a C data structure, a data
structure of any programming language and the plurality of user devices comprises at
least one of a mobile communication device, a set top box and a hybrid media device.
[0049] The device specific data format is in at least one of an Extensible
Markup Language (XML) format, Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) format, a C
data structure and a data structure implemented in any programming language.
[0050] The application development framework includes a user interface
which provides various parameters for developing the platform independent
application. The user interface comprises a content builder area which enables a user
to create an application from a plurality of device specific application elements , a
component tool to enable the user to choose from a set of user interface design
elements, a properties tool to allow the user to adjust properties of a project designed
such as a positional co-ordinates, a width, a height, a background color and a
background image for the plurality of data formats corresponding to device specific
application elements, a project tool to allow the user to open, save or reset one or
more projects as required, a device mode tool to allow the user to select a device
resolution or a device display for the application, a template tool to enables the user
to choose required templates for the application and a workspace tool to specify and
place the plurality of application elements for the application. An application's
platform independent device formats associated with its user interface elements and
actions allowed on them are generated when the application development
framework's project tool is used to save the application development project.
[0051] The content distribution server delivers the plurality of device specific
data formats to the plurality of user devices based on at least one of a request from the
user device or a predefined data format delivery scheduled for the user device.
[0052] The plurality of user devices include a device specific application
program interface (API) adapted to subscribe to the content distribution server,
request the plurality of device specific data formats from the content distribution
server and store and cache the plurality of data formats received from the content
distribution server on the user device:
[0053] The system for generating and delivering a platform independent
application for a plurality of user devices further comprises a means for interpreting a
data format representing the content such as but not limited to a text, an image and a
graphical user interface element for the application, a means for interpreting a
plurality of events occurring on a plurality of user interface elements described in the
data format delivered to the user device, a means for interpreting a plurality of
responses from a plurality of components of the application adapted to provide an
appropriate change to the plurality of user interface elements in the application of the
user device, a means for interpreting a placement of the content in the application, a
means for interpreting a plurality of actions such as but not limited to a clicking, a
swiping, a tapping and a variety of platform defined gestures on the user device, a
means for interpreting a plurality of responses such as but not limited to an image and
a data used to describe a part of the application from a plurality of components of the
content distribution server or from native device APIs.
[0054] The means of interpreting the placement of contents in an application
comprises a means to determine a height, a width, a spacing, an opacity, and a
placement of the plurality of user interface elements on a display of the user device
[0055] The means for interpreting a plurality of responses from a plurality of
components of the content distribution server comprises a means for requesting a data
from the user device. ,
[0056] The device specific application container interfaces the plurality of
applications to a plurality of native components of the user device. The plurality of
native components comprises a means to determine a user's location, a means to
determine an acceleration of the user device at a point, a means to play a video or an
audio content on the user device, a means to communicate or capture a video and an
audio content, a means for listing and storing a plurality of contacts, a means for
providing messaging facility, a means for enquiring device status on the user device.
[0057] The device specific application container comprises at least one means
for deploying the application on a plurality of user devices, requesting information
from the plurality of user devices, subscribing to changes in the user device,
responding to a plurality of requests from the plurality of user devices, integrating the
plurality of applications with a service operator such as but not limited to a television
operator, a mobile communication operator or a hybrid media network operator for
provisioning and billing of the content and the application.
[0058] The device specific application container further comprises a device
specific renderer to parse a device specific data format in the application, a device
specific event handler to process a plurality of device specific synchronous and
asynchronous events and a plurality of requests generated by the application and a
device specific native command handler to enable the plurality of applications to
interface with the plurality of device application programming interfaces (APIs) on
the user device. The device specific renderer renders a plurality of device specific
user interface elements on the user device based on the data format, fetches an
application data from the content distribution server and renders relevant components
of the application on the user device.
[0059] The device specific native command handler further integrates the
plurality of applications with any third party applications, social networking portals,
search engines or any mapping services.
[0060] The method for generating and delivering a platform independent
application to a plurality of user devices such as but not limited to a mobile
communication device, a TV set top box and a hybrid media device, comprises steps
of generating a plurality of platform independent data formats representing the
platform independent application, requesting the plurality of platform independent
data formats representing a content and actions allowed on the application's elements,
obtaining the plurality of data formats and the content and a metadata associated with
the application, interfacing the plurality of user devices with a content generation
server, generating a plurality of device specific data formats, packaging the plurality
of device specific data formats and the content with a device specific application
container into an application package, sending the application package to a content
distribution server, scheduling a delivery of the application package to the user device
and delivering the application package to the user device based on a request from the
user device or a pre-defined delivery time/location scheduled for the user device. The
application is rendered on the user device based on the device specific data formats
received from the content distribution server.
[0061] The method for generating and delivering a platform independent
application to a plurality of user devices further comprises steps of generating a
device specific application logic, a plurality of user interface elements and associated
application metadata, rendering the plurality of user interface elements for the
application on the user device, installing the application on the user device, executing
the application logic on the user device, interfacing the plurality of applications to a
plurality of native features of the user device and invoking one or more service
operator classes for provisioning and billing of the content and applications.
[0062] The plurality of native device features oh a TV set top box allows a
user to perform activities such as a media control, a service selection, a graphics
rendition, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of a set top box, rendering
graphics, rendering audio or video, finding out remote control events generated by a
TV viewer and deriving program information associated with each of the service
broadcasted on the TV platform.
[0063] The native device features on a mobile communication device allows a
user to perform activities such as acquiring locations, playing media, messaging,
listing contacts, finding acceleration and various sensing applications on the mobile
communication device.
[0064] The native device features on the hybrid media device allows the user
to personalize display, request for more content and information from a server,
acquire location, interpersonal and social media messaging, a media control, a service
selection* a graphics rendering, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of the
hybrid media device, rendering graphics, playing audio or video, finding out remote
control events generated by the user and deriving program information associated
with each of the service broadcasted on the hybrid media platform.
[0065] The plurality of device specific data formats are delivered to the user
devices by either a push to the user device or a pull activity from the user device.
[0066] The pull activity from the user device includes requests to content
distribution server where an interactive application is hosted, requests to a TV or a
Mobile application store, and requests to a TV or Mobile operator and the push
activity to a user device includes streaming broadcast content that is multiplexed with
an interactive application generated by the application development framework, and a
mobile push notification that delivers the interactive application.
[0067] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a system for generating and
delivering a platform independent application for a plurality of user devices,
according to an embodiment of the present invention. The system 100 comprises an
application development framework 101 to generate a plurality of platform
independent data formats, a content generating server 102 to generate a plurality of
device specific data formats, a content distribution server 103 to create a schedule for
delivering the plurality of device specific data formats to the plurality of user devices
user device 1 106a to user device N 106n and a device specific application container
104 to render the application on the user device based on the plurality of device
specific data formats received from the content distribution server 103. The user
devices user device 1, user device 2, user device N 106a-106n is at least one of
a mobile communication device, a television set top box, a hybrid media devices such
as connected hybrid media players, music players, etc. Each of the user devices
includes a plurality of native device APIs or device specific application program
interfaces (API). The application container 104 is integrated with a plurality of
service operators service operator 1 107a, service operator 2 107b, service
operator n 107n. The plurality of service operators 107a-107n is at least one of a
television operator, a mobile communication operator or a hybrid media network
operator.
[0068] The application development framework 101 takes an input from a
content and application developer in the form of the application and a metadata in
XML format and a plurality of modifiers associated with the application. The content
generating server 102 invokes the application metadata universal resource locator
(URL) from the application development framework 101. The content generating
server 102 processes at least one input by an input means. The input is in any of a
Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, a Hypertext Markup Language format
(HTML), a C data structure or a data structure of any programming language.
[0069] The content generating server 102 generates a plurality of device
specific data formats. The content generating server 102 packages the application
along with a device specific application container 104 for a user device platform. The
content distribution server 103 delivers the plurality of device specific data formats to
corresponding user device. The device specific data format is a data format
compatible with a data format of the user device. The data format of the user device is
at least one of a TV data format, a mobile data format, a hybrid media data format
stored in the content distribution server. The device specific data formats are
delivered based on at least one of a service subscribed by a user device or a push to
the user device.
[0070] The content distribution server 103 includes a device specific
scheduler for delivering the plurality of device specific data formats to the user
devices 106a-106n. The scheduler includes, but not limited to, a TV scheduler that
delivers TV data formats to a plurality of televisions, a mobile scheduler that delivers
mobile data formats to a plurality of mobile communication devices and a hybrid
media scheduler which delivers a hybrid media data formats to a plurality of hybrid
media devices.
[0071] The device specific application container 104 is an application
framework which executes and renders one or more applications on the plurality of
user devices 106a-106n based on the plurality of device specific data formats
received from the content distribution server 103. The device specific data formats
are be delivered by a push activity to the user devices or a pull activity from the user
devices 106a-106n.
[0072] According to one embodiment, the device specific application
container 104 renders the applications on a television set top box broadcasted over the
air by the push activity. The broadcasting system includes a content encoder, content
multiplexer and a content streamer. The content streamer streams the plurality of
device specific data formats to the set top box via at least one of a satellite, a cable or
a broadband link, etc.
[0073] In one embodiment, a push activity in mobile communication device
occurs as a notification. The notification is delivered on the mobile communication
device by the content distribution server 103. The plurality of device specific data
formats interface with a plurality of device specific application programming
interfaces (API's). The device specific application container 104 can also install the
application on the mobile communication device.
[0074] The plurality of native device features on a TV set top box allows a
user to perform activities such as a media control, a service selection, a graphics
rendition, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of a set top box, rendering
graphics, rendering audio or video, finding out remote control events generated by a
TV viewer and deriving program information associated with each of the services
broadcasted on the TV platform.
[0075] The plurality of native device features on a mobile communication
device allows a user to perform activities such as acquiring locations, playing media,
messaging, listing contacts, finding acceleration and various sensing applications on a
mobile device.
[0076] The native device features on the hybrid media device allows the user
to personalize display, request for more content and information from a server,
acquire location, interpersonal and social media messaging, a media control, a service
selection, a graphics rendition, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of the
hybrid media device, rendering graphics, rendering audio or video, finding out remote
control events generated by the user and deriving program information associated
with each of the services broadcasted on the hybrid media platform
[0077] The application deployed by the content distribution server 103
interfaces with the plurality of native device APIs. The device specific application
container 103 handles a user interface and an application's logic specified in any one
of the formats such as but not limited to XML, HTML, CSS, JavaScript or data
structures implemented in any other programming language. Event specific actions
such as time dependent rendering of applications (e.g., advertisements) on the user
devices 106a-106n can be enforced. The device specific application container 104
renders the application's user interface, executes application's logic and interfaces
with the plurality of native device platform features on the corresponding devices.
[0078] The user device have mechanisms for instantaneously constructing a
plurality of applications on multiple TV, mobile and connected hybrid media devices
from a plurality of data formats. In one embodiment, the user devices have
mechanisms for interpreting the placement of content in the applications. The content
includes user interface elements that are specific to a TV application for a TV
platform, a mobile application for a mobile platform, and a hybrid media application
for a hybrid media device platform. The content in the applications includes text,
images and graphical user interface elements on which users can perform activities on
the TV application, the mobile application and/or hybrid media application.
[0079] Further, the user devices includes a means for interpreting events
occurring on the user interface elements, a means for interpreting responses from one
or more components of the application from the content generating server or from
native device APIs and make appropriate changes to the user interface elements in the
application, a means for interpreting a placement of content comprising ways to
determine a height, a width, a spacing, an opacity, a placement of user interface
elements on a display output of the user device and a means for interpreting actions
allowed on the user interface elements. The actions may include but is not limited to
a clicking, a swiping, a tapping and a variety of platform defined gestures on the user
device.
[0080] The user device further includes a means for interpreting responses
from one or more components of the content distribution server 103. The responses
from one or more components include ways of requesting data from the user device.
The responses include one of an image or a data used to describe a part of the
application. The part of the application is constructed upon receipt of the response
from one or more components of the content distribution server 103.
[0081] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating components of the content
generating server, according to an embodiment of the present invention. The content
generating server 102 includes a data format builder module 201. The data format
builder module 201 takes input in the form of platform independent data formats
from the application development framework and an application metadata and
invokes a device specific application handler module 202 to generate the plurality of
device specific data formats. The input is in any of an Extensible Markup Language
(XML) format, a Hypertext Markup Language format (HTML), a C data structure or
a data structure of any programming language
[0082] For example, the content builder module specific to television invokes
the application handler module of the television. The content builder module specific
to TV generates a plurality of data formats that are specific to TV platform, an
application logic specific to TV, a user interface specific to TV and associated
metadata. Similarly, the content builder module specific to mobile communication
device invokes the application handler module of the mobile communication device.
The content builder module specific to mobile communication device generates a
plurality of data formats that are specific to a mobile communication device platform,
an application logic specific to a mobile communication device, a user interface
specific to a mobile communication device and associated metadata. Similarly, the
content builder module specific to hybrid media device invokes the application
handler module of the hybrid media device. The content builder module specific to
hybrid media device generates a plurality of data formats that are specific to a hybrid
media device, application logic specific to a hybrid media device, a user interface
specific to a hybrid media device and associated metadata.
[0083] The device specific application handler module 202 resides on the
content generating server 102. The device specific data formats are delivered to the
user device based on either a request from the user device or based on a schedule of
delivery to the user device. The plurality of user devices 106a-106n connected to the
content distribution server 103 have mechanisms to subscribe to or request data
formats from the content distribution server 103. The plurality of user devices 106a-
106n also have mechanisms to store and cache the data formats received from the
content distribution server 103.
[0084] The device specific application container 104 of FIG. 1 enables
rendering of the application user interface, execution of the application logic and
interfacing with the plurality of native device platform features. The device specific
application container 104 invokes service operator classes for provisioning and
billing of the content and applications.
[0085] The users can assign properties to applications that the device specific
application container 104 can enforce before and during application execution on the
user devices 106a-106n. For mobile communication devices, such properties may
include directives to charge application users before or during use of the application
or a number of installations permitted per charge. For set top boxes, such properties
may indicate conditional access directives on whether the device specific application
container 104 can render content or execute the application. Such properties are
provided in the form of separate configuration files or the metadata associated in the
application package that the device specific application container 104 evaluates at the
initiation of the application lifecycle. The device specific application container 104
enforces such properties provided either by validating against configuration files or
by interfacing with the plurality of service operators 107a-107n for provisioning and
billing interfaces.
[0086] FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the components of the
application container. The device specific application container 104 comprises a
policy block 301, a device specific renderer 302, a user interface (UI) element block
303, an activation queue 304, a task scheduler 305, an event handler 306, a native
command block 307, a device specific native command handler 308 and a collector
block 309.
[0087] The policy block 301 stores policies of a service operator
corresponding to the user device for the content and the application's use. The
policies are related to billing and provisioning systems of the service operator. The
policy is at least one of a provisioning policy, a billing policy, conditional access
policy. The provisioning systems indicate usage of the application by a user. The
usage of the application is such as but not limited to a number of times a user can
install/run the application without repaying for the application. The billing system
generates a bill for the service provided to the user based on the usage.
[0088] The device specific renderer 302 parses a device specific data format
in the application. The device specific renderer 302 renders a plurality of device
specific user interface elements on the user device based on the data format, fetches
the application from the content distribution server, parses the metadata associated
with the application and renders relevant components of the application on the
corresponding user device.
[0089] The user interface (UI) element block 303 a plurality of elements.
Each element has the ability to render a specific type of user interface such as but not
limited to a button or a scroll bar.
[0090] The activation queue 304 stores actions such as but not limited to
events and actions taken by the application's user. The actions pertain to specific
events triggered on certain user interface elements. For example, a button click may
qualify as an event that can trigger an action such as fetching a location of a mobile
communication device.
[0091] The task scheduler 305 stores and schedules tasks. The task scheduler
is useful in single threaded application environments such as a set top box. The task
scheduler may also invoke a time and a specific platform generated event.
[0092] The event handler 306 processes a plurality of device specific
synchronous events and asynchronous events and a plurality of requests generated by
the application. The event handler is invoked when an event occurs. For example, a
button click may be classified as a synchronous event if it leads to an immediate
change in the state of the application such as a need to display another page of the
application. In contrast, invoking a GPS on a mobile communication device to
acquire location information may be classified as an asynchronous event since the
duration after which the location data is available is not definite.
[0093] The native command block 307 has one or more methods for
interfacing the applications with the plurality of native platform features such as
media and service control functions on the set top boxes, contact managers, telephony
and GPS on the mobile communication device. The methods are implemented in a
programming language compatible to the user device platform and also provide one
or more interfaces for communicating with the application.
[0094] The device specific native command handler 308 enables the
application to interface with the plurality of device application programming
interfaces (APIs) on the user device. The device specific native command handler
further integrates the application with any third party applications, social networking
portals, search engines or any mapping services.
[0095] The collector block 309 collects one or more results from
asynchronous actions such as native platform invocations. After collecting the results,
the collector block notifies the renderer. The renderer uses the acquired data for
rendering the results.
[0096] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the user interface of an
application development framework, according to an embodiment of the present
invention. The user logs into the content generating server 102 by providing the login
credentials. On logging in and selecting the option from the menu, the user interface
of the application development framework 101 is displayed. The user interface
includes a content builder area 401, a component tool 402, a properties tool 403, a
project tool 404, a device mode tool 405, a templates tool 406 and a workspace tool
407. The content builder area 401 is the work area for the developer to create an
assembly of user interface elements that corresponds to a device specific application.
[0097] The component tool 402 enables the developer to choose from a set of
designing elements. The properties tool 403 allows the developer to adjust properties
of a project designed. In one embodiment, the properties tool 306 enables the
developer to adjust positional co-ordinates, a width, a height, a background color and
a background image for the plurality of data formats corresponding to the device
specific application.
[0098] The project tool 308 allows the user to open, save or reset a plurality
of projects as per requirement and saving a project generates an application's
platform independent data format. The device mode tool 405 allows the user to adjust
a device resolution or a device display for the application. The templates tool 406
enables the user to choose required templates for the application design. The
workspace tool 407 specifies the project on which the plurality of platform
independent data formats for a plurality of applications is generated. The application
development framework allows the developer to generate data formats that represent
a content and interactions on the content associated with an application on the content
builder area 401 with the help of a plurality of tools on the user interface of the
application development framework 101.
[0099] The plurality of platform independent data formats developed using
the application development framework 101 is sent to the contenting generating
server 102. Based on the plurality of platform independent data formats, the
contenting generating server 102 matches the plurality of platform independent data
formats with a plurality of device specific data formats stored in a database. Further,
based on the received data formats, the content generating server 102 generates the
plurality of device specific data formats representing the application..
[00100] The device specific application container 104 renders the
application based on the plurality of device specific data formats of the application.
The plurality of device specific data formats for a set top box includes but is not
limited to a platform type, a display color, a display texture, a foreground color, a
background color, an image style, properties, actionable elements such as but not
limited to buttons, a font size and a style. In addition to a platform type, a display
color, a display texture, a foreground color, a background color, an image style,
properties, actionable elements such as buttons, a font size and a style, the plurality of
device specific data formats for a mobile communication device includes scheduling
details such as time slots. Based on the time slots, appropriate notifications are
delivered to user mobile communication device.
[00101] FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method for generating and
delivering a platform independent application to a plurality of user devices, according
to an embodiment of the present invention. The method comprises steps of generating
a plurality of platform independent data formats representing the application 501,
requesting the plurality of platform independent data formats representing a content
and actions on content associated with the application 502, obtaining the plurality of
data formats and content and a metadata for the application 503, interfacing the
plurality of user devices with a content generation server 504, generating a plurality
of device specific data formats 505, packaging the plurality of device specific data
formats and content with a device specific application container into an application
package 506, sending the application package to a content distribution server 507,
scheduling a delivery of the application package to the plurality of user devices 508,
delivering the application package to at least one of the plurality of user devices 509
and executing the application container from the application package on the user
device 510. The application package is delivered to the user device based on at least
one of a request from the user device or based on a pre-defined delivery scheduled for
the user device. The application is rendered on the user device by the application
container based on the plurality of device specific data formats received from the
content distribution server. The plurality of device specific data formats are delivered
to the user device by a push or pull activity from or to the user devices.
[00102] The plurality of user devices comprises a mobile
communication device, a TV set top box and a hybrid media device.
[00103] The method for generating and delivering a platform
independent application to a plurality of user devices further comprises steps of
generating a device specific application logic, a plurality of user interface elements
and associated application metadata, installing the application on the user device,
rendering the plurality of user interface elements for the application o the user
device, executing the application logic on the user device, interfacing the plurality of
applications to a plurality of native features of the user device and invoking one or
more service operator classes for provisioning and billing of the content and
applications.
[00104] The plurality of native device features on a TV set top box
allows a user to perform activities such as a media control, a service selection, a
graphics rendition, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of a set top box,
rendering graphics, rendering audio or video, finding out remote control events
generated by a TV viewer and deriving program information associated with each of
the services broadcasted on the TV platform.
[00105] The native device features on a mobile communication device
allows a user to perform activities such as acquiring locations, playing media,
messaging, enabling contacts, messaging and telephony, finding acceleration and
various sensing applications on a mobile device.
[00106] The native device features on the hybrid media device allows
the user to personalize display, request for more content and information from a
server, acquire location, interpersonal and social media messaging, a media control, a
service selection, a graphics rendition, tuning to a particular service, finding a
location of the hybrid media device, rendering graphics, rendering audio or video,
finding out remote control events generated by the user and deriving program
information associated with each of the services broadcasted on the hybrid media
platform.
[00107] The embodiments of the present invention herein can take the
form of, an entirely software embodiment or an embodiment including both hardware
and software elements. The embodiments that are implemented in software include
but are not limited to firmware, resident software, microcode, etc. Furthermore, the
embodiments herein can take the form of a computer program product accessible
from a computer-usable or computer-readable medium providing program code for
use or in connection with a computer or any instruction execution system. For the
purposes of this description, a computer-usable or computer readable medium can be
any apparatus that can comprise, store, communicate, propagate, or transport the
program for use by or in connection with the instruction execution system, apparatus,
or device.
[00108] The medium can be an electronic, magnetic, optical,
electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system (or apparatus or device) or a
propagation medium. Examples of a computer-readable medium include a
semiconductor or solid state memory, magnetic tape, a removable computer diskette,
a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), a rigid magnetic disk
and an optical disk. Current examples of optical disks include compact disk - read
only memory (CD-ROM), compact disk - read/write (CD-R/W) and DVD. The
foregoing description of the specific embodiments will so fully reveal the general
nature of the embodiments herein that others can, by applying current knowledge,
readily modify and/or adapt for various applications such specific embodiments
without departing from the generic concept, and, therefore, such adaptations and
modifications should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and
range of equivalents of the disclosed embodiments. It is to be understood that the
phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not
of limitation. Therefore, while the embodiments herein have been described in terms
of preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that the
embodiments herein can be practiced with modification within the spirit and scope of
the appended claims.
ADVANTAGESOF THE INVENTION
[00109] The embodiments herein provide a system and method for
developing and delivering platform independent applications for a plurality of user
devices. The embodiments herein provide a framework for developing platform
independent applications for a plurality of user devices. Further the embodiments
herein provide a framework for developing applications able to interface with the
native applications on the user device.
[001 10] The embodiments herein provide a suitable way for reducing
the time consumed in developing a device specific application and content for a
plurality of user devices. The productivity of application and content development for
a plurality of user devices can be increased using the system and method described
herein.
[001 11] Although the embodiments herein are described with various
specific embodiments, it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art to practice the
disclosure with modifications. However, all such modifications are deemed to be
within the scope of the claims.
[001 12] It is also to be understood that the following claims are
intended to cover all of the generic and specific features of the embodiments
described herein and all the statements of the scope of the embodiments which as a
matter of language might be said to fall there between.
CLAIMS
What is claimed is:
1. A system for creating and delivering a platform independent application for a
plurality of user devices, the system comprises:
an application development framework to generate a plurality of platform
independent data formats;
a content generating server to generate a plurality of device specific data formats;
a content distribution server to create a schedule for delivering the plurality of device
specific data formats to the plurality of user devices; and
a device specific application container to render the application on the user device
based on the plurality of device specific data formats received from the content
distribution server;
wherein the content generating server includes a data format builder module which
takes input from the application, application's platform independent data format and
an application metadata and invokes a device specific application handler module to
generate the plurality of device specific data formats where the input of the
application's platform independent data format is in any of an Extensible Markup
Language (XML) format, a Hypertext Markup Language format (HTML), a C data
structure or a data structure of any programming language.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user devices comprises at least
one of a mobile communication device, a set top box and a hybrid media device.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of device specific data formats is
in at least one of an Extensible Markup Language (XML) format, Hypertext Markup
Language (HTML) format, a C data structure and a data structure implemented in any
programming language.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the application' development framework
provides an user interface for developing the application, wherein the user interface
comprises:
a content builder area which enables a user to create applications by assembling user
interface elements and specifying actions allowed on the applications;
a component tool to enable the user to choose from a set of user interface design
elements;
a properties tool to allow the user to adjust properties of a project designed, where the
properties include a positional co-ordinates, a width, a height, a background color and
a background image for the plurality of platform independent data formats
corresponding to the plurality of device specific application elements;
a project tool to allow the user to open, save or reset one or more applications as
required;
a device mode tool to allow the user to select a device resolution or a device display
for the application;
a template tool to enable the user to choose required templates for the application;
and
a workspace tool to specify and place the plurality of device specific application
elements for the application;
wherein the application development framework generates platform independent data
formats corresponding to the application's elements when a project tool is used to
save an application.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein the content distribution server delivers the
plurality of device specific data formats to the plurality of user devices based on at
least one of a request from the user device or a predefined data format delivery
scheduled for the user device.
6. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of user devices includes a device
specific application program interface (API) adapted to:
subscribe to the content distribution server;
request and obtain one or more device specific data formats from the content
distribution server; and
store and cache the one or more device specific data formats received from the
content distribution server on the corresponding plurality of user devices.
7. The system of claim 1, further comprises a means for:
interpreting a data format representing the content for the application, wherein the
content comprises a text, an image and a graphical user interface element;
interpreting a plurality of events occurring on a plurality of user interface elements
described in the data format delivered to the user device;
interpreting a plurality of responses from a plurality of components of the application,
wherein the means for interpreting the plurality of responses from the plurality of
components of the application is adapted to customize the plurality of user interface
elements in the device specific application;
interpreting a placement of the content in the application, wherein the interpreting
means comprises a means to determine a height, a width, a spacing, an opacity, and a
placement of the plurality of user interface elements on a display of the user device;
interpreting a plurality of actions allowed on the plurality of user interface elements,
wherein the plurality of actions comprises a clicking, a swiping, a tapping and a
variety of platform defined gestures on the user device; and
interpreting a plurality of responses from a plurality of components of the content
distribution server, wherein the plurality of responses comprises one of a image and a
data used to describe a part of the application constructed based on the plurality of
responses.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the device specific application container
interfaces the plurality of applications to a plurality of native components of the user
device, wherein the plurality of native components comprises a means to determine a
user's location, a means to determine an acceleration of the user device at a point, a
means to play a video or an audio content on the user device, a means to
communicate or capture a video and an audio content, a means for accessing and
storing a plurality of contacts, a means for providing messaging facility and a means
for enquiring device status on the user device.
9. The system of claim 1, wherein the device specific application container
comprises at least one means for:
deploying the application on the plurality of user devices;
requesting information from the plurality of user devices using native device APIs;
subscribing to changes in at least one of a plurality of user device;
responding to a plurality of requests from the plurality of user devices;
integrating the plurality of applications with a service operator and provisioning and
billing of the content and the applications., wherein the service operator is at least one
of a television operator, a mobile communication operator or a hybrid media network
operator.
10. The system of claim 1, wherein the device specific application container
further comprises of:
a device specific renderer to parse the plurality of device specific data formats in the
application, wherein the device specific renderer renders a plurality of device specific
user interface elements on the user device based on the data format, fetches a
application data from the content distribution server and renders relevant components
of the application;
a device specific event handler to process a plurality of device specific synchronous
events and asynchronous events and a plurality of requests generated by the
application; and
a device specific native command handler to enable the plurality of applications to
interface with the plurality of device application programming interfaces (APIs) on
the user device, wherein the device specific native command handler further
integrates the plurality of applications with any third party applications, social
networking portals, search engines or any mapping services.
1. A method for generating and delivering a platform independent application to
a plurality of user devices comprising steps of:
generating a plurality of platform independent data formats representing the platform
independent application;
requesting for the plurality of platform independent data formats representing a
content and action on content associated with the application;
obtaining the plurality of data formats, content and a metadata for the application;
interfacing the plurality of user devices with a content generation server;
generating a plurality of device specific data formats;
packaging the plurality of device specific data formats and the content with a device
specific application container into an application package;
sending the application package to a content distribution server;
scheduling a delivery of the application package to the plurality of user devices; and
delivering the application package to at least one of the plurality of user devices;
wherein the application package is delivered to the user device based on at least one
of a request from the user device or based on a pre-defined delivery scheduled for the
user device.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein the application is rendered on the user
device based on device specific data formats received from the content distribution
server.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein the plurality of user devices comprises a
mobile communication device, a TV set top box and a hybrid media device:
14. The method of claim 11, further comprising steps of :
generating a device specific application logic, a plurality of user interface elements
and associated application metadata;
installing the application on the user device;
rendering the plurality of user interface elements for the application on the user
device;
executing the application logic on the user device;
interfacing the plurality of applications to a plurality of native features of the user
device, and
invoking one or more service operator classes for provisioning and billing of the
content and applications.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein the plurality of native device features on a
TV set top box allows a user to perform activities such as a media control, a service
selection, a graphics rendition, tuning to a particular service, finding a location of a
set top box, rendering graphics, rendering audio or video, finding out remote control
events generated by a TV viewer and deriving program information associated with
each of the services broadcasted on the TV platform.
16. The method of claim 14, wherein the native device features on a mobile
communication device allows a user to perform activities such as acquiring locations,
playing media, messaging, accessing contacts, finding acceleration and various
sensing applications on the mobile communication device.
17. The method of claim 14, wherein the native device features on the hybrid
media device allows the user to personalize display, request for content and
information from a server, acquire location, interpersonal and social media
messaging, a media control, a service selection, a graphics rendition, tuning to a
particular service, finding a location of the hybrid media device, rendering graphics,
rendering audio or video, finding out remote control events generated by the user and
deriving program information associated with each of the services broadcasted on the
hybrid media platform.
18. The method of claim 11, wherein the one or more device specific data formats
are delivered to the user devices by a push activity or a pull activity from or to the
user device.
19. The method of claim 11, wherein the pull activity from the user device
includes request to the content distribution server where the interactive application is
hosted, requests to a TV or a Mobile application store, and requests to a TV or
Mobile operator.
20. The method of claim 11, wherein the push activity to the user device includes
streaming broadcast content which is multiplexed with the interactive application
generated by the application development framework and a mobile push notification
that delivers the interactive application to the user device.