Navigational user interface for interactive television

Abstract

The present invention is a navigational user interface for interactive television. The invention uses an intuitive interactive interface for navigating through service options preferably offered by a cable television service. Services offered such as video on demand, purchasing delivery foods, restaurant selection, banking and community events is all navigated using the present invention.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for providing a viewer e-commerce services via a client terminal and a television screen comprising the steps of: 
 displaying at least one service-oriented application on the television screen in response to the viewer tuning the client terminal to a predetermined television channel;    displaying a specific service-oriented application in response to the viewer focusing on the selected application via a remote control;    displaying at least one category item icon node in response to the selected application;    focusing on a category item icon node in response to the viewer navigating the at least one category item icon node into focus via the remote control; and    ordering a consumer product associated with the focused category item icon node in response to the viewer pressing an ordering button on the remote control,    wherein a signal indicating the ordered category item icon node is provided from the client terminal to a data center via a distribution network for further processing.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 in response to the viewer pressing a cancellation button on the remote control, canceling the ordered category item icon node,    wherein a signal indicating the canceled category item icon node is provided from the client terminal to the data center.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 in the data center, providing a return signal to the client terminal in response to the ordering signal, wherein the return signal indicates receipt of the ordered category item icon node; and    displaying the receipt of the ordered category item icon node on the television screen.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 displaying at least one menu item icon node in response to the focused category item icon node;    focusing on a menu item icon node in response to the viewer navigating the at least one menu item icon node into focus via the remote control; and    ordering a consumer product associated with the menu item icon node in response to the viewer pressing the ordering button.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the steps of: 
 displaying a drawable in response to the focused menu item icon node, wherein the drawable contains information associated with the focused menu item icon node.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of: 
 displaying the at least one category item icon node in response to the viewer pressing a return button on the remote control.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of: 
 timing out the e-commerce services after a predetermined amount of time of viewer inactivity.    
     
     
         8 . A distribution network for transmitting a plurality of signals between a data center and a plurality of client terminals, the plurality of client terminals each connected to a viewing screen, the viewing screen for displaying signals including video and audio signals, the plurality of client terminals each including a navigational interface for television e-commerce, a client terminal comprising: 
 a tuner for tuning to a predetermined television channel including the navigational interface, the navigational interface comprising:    at least one application cell including a service-oriented application for displaying on the viewing screen;    a focus box for focusing on one cell;    navigational cues for indicating a plurality of buttons on a remote control, wherein when a viewer presses a navigational button, the focus box navigates to an application cell in accordance with the navigational button pressed;    a select cue for indicating a select button on the remote control for selecting the focused application cell;    at least one category item cell including a consumer product for displaying on the viewing screen in response to the selected application cell; and    an ordering cue for indicating an order button on the remote control,    wherein when the viewer navigates the focus box on one category item cell and, subsequently, presses the order button on the remote control, the client terminal sends an order signal associated with the focused consumer product to the data center for further processing.    
     
     
         9 . The client terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the navigational interface further comprises: 
 a cancellation cue for indicating a cancel button on the remote control, wherein, in response to the viewer pressing the cancel button, the client terminal sends a cancellation signal indicating cancellation of the ordered consumer product.    
     
     
         10 . The client terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the navigational interface further comprises: 
 a receipt screen for displaying receipt of the order signal that is associated with the ordered consumer product in response to the client terminal receiving a receipt signal from the data center.    
     
     
         11 . The client terminal of  claim 10 , wherein the receipt screen includes displaying an address that is in closest proximity to the ordering client terminal, wherein the ordered consumer product is located at the displayed address.  
     
     
         12 . The client terminal of  claim 8 , wherein the navigational interface further comprises: 
 in response to the viewer navigating the focus box on a category item cell, at least one menu item cell associated with the focused category item cell, wherein the at least one menu item cell offers further products associated with the focused consumer product included in the category item cell; and    the ordering cue for indicating the order button on the remote control, wherein when the viewer navigates the focus box on one menu item cell and, subsequently, presses the order button on the remote control, the client terminal sends an order signal associated with the focused menu item cell to the data center.    
     
     
         13 . The client terminal of  claim 12 , wherein the navigational interface further comprises: 
 a drawable for displaying on a separate area of the viewing screen, wherein the drawable contains information associated with the focused menu item cell.    
     
     
         14 . The client terminal of  claim 8 , the navigational interface further comprising: 
 a return cue for indicating a return button on the remote control, wherein in response to the viewer pressing the return button, the navigational interface returns to displaying the at least one application cell.    
     
     
         15 . The client terminal of  claim 8 , the navigational interface further comprising: 
 a program for timing out the television e-commerce after a predetermined amount of time of viewer inactivity.