Mobile rich media information system

Abstract

A system and method is described for providing an interactive rich media information service to users of mobile devices. The rich media information is presented to users in a plurality of interactive rich media channels. A subscriber-specific data stream is received at the mobile device containing channel data for each of the rich media channel that the user has subscribed to. The channel data is separated and stored corresponding to each such subscribed-to channel. An interactive multimedia runtime container (iMRC). is executed on the mobile device for each subscribed-to channel. The rich media channels are played on the iMRC and displayed on the display of the mobile device. Using the user interface elements of the mobile device, the user may navigate through the information on the channels, navigate between different channels, subscribe or un-subscribe to channels, and enter user preferences for further tailoring the information presented in the subscribed-to channels.

1 .- 77 . (canceled) 
     
     
         78 . A mobile device comprising:
 an operating system;   a memory comprising applications for visually presenting interactive multimedia content on the mobile device, wherein the applications present said content using data stored in the memory; and   a user interface comprising a touch screen displaying the interactive multimedia content of the applications and receiving input to navigate to different ones of the applications and to navigate within the interactive multimedia content; and   wherein the applications comprise one or more system applications and one or more other applications that are not system applications, wherein the applications comprise an application listing application providing information on available applications that are available to be added via download through a wireless network to the mobile device, wherein adding an available application of the available applications to the mobile device comprises adding the available application via download through the wireless network to the mobile device, wherein the mobile device restricts access to at least some system application data stored on the mobile device to be used only by said one or more system applications.   
     
     
         79 . The mobile device of  claim 78  further comprising a phone. 
     
     
         80 . The mobile device of  claim 78  wherein the applications present said interactive multimedia content using data stored in application-specific memory addresses of the memory. 
     
     
         81 . The mobile device of  claim 78  wherein the one or more other applications comprise a first application for which the mobile device receives updates without providing a complete data change for the first application. 
     
     
         82 . The mobile device of  claim 78  wherein the one or more other applications comprise a first application that only has access rights to data in a storage block of the memory that directly corresponds to the first application. 
     
     
         83 . A method comprising:
 displaying on a display of the mobile unit one or more channels providing interactive multimedia content, wherein said displaying of each of the one or more channels comprises retrieving a channel application and channel data from a memory of the mobile unit, wherein channel applications provide information for visually presenting each channel and channel data provides information displayed as part of each channel, wherein channel data is replaced when updated channel data is received at the mobile unit, wherein access to at least some channel data is restricted to access only by ones of said one or more channels associated therewith;   receiving input to navigate through said interactive multimedia content of the displayed one or more channels and to navigate to different ones of said one or more channels; and   receiving input to navigate to a channel listing channel, the channel listing channel providing information on a plurality of available channels that are available to be added to the mobile unit, wherein adding an available channel of the available channels to the mobile unit results in downloading the available channel's channel application and downloading the available channel's actual channel data through a wireless network to the mobile unit.   
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 83  further comprising receiving an interaction with a user interface of the mobile unit to subscribe to one or more newly-subscribed-to channels, wherein subscribing to said one or more channels results in the mobile unit receiving one or more new channel applications for the newly-subscribed-to channels. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 84  wherein subscribing to said one or more channels further results in the mobile unit receiving new channel data for the newly-subscribed-to channels. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 85  further comprising automatically receiving updates for said new channel data at the mobile unit. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 85  further comprising receiving updates for said new channel data responsive to a request from said mobile unit, wherein said request is issued according to one of: an update available signal received; and passing of a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the one or more channels comprise one or more system channels and one or more other channels, wherein the mobile unit restricts access to at least some system channel data stored on the mobile unit to said one or more system channels. 
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 88  wherein said one or more system channels comprises a channel for displaying a summary of subscribed to channels, said summary displayed in a single channel. 
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 88  further comprising:
 receiving at least one stream of channel data at said mobile unit; and 
 displaying at least one channel using said system channel data. 
 
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the input is received through a navigational mechanism on said mobile unit. 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 83  wherein the input is received through a touch screen on said mobile unit. 
     
     
         93 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium on which is encoded program code, the program code comprising:
 program code for displaying on a display of a mobile unit one or more channels providing interactive multimedia content, wherein said displaying of each of the one or more channels comprises retrieving a channel application and channel data from a memory of the mobile unit, wherein channel applications provide information for visually presenting each channel and channel data provides information displayed as part of each channel, wherein channel data is replaced when updated channel data is received at the mobile unit, wherein access to at least some channel data is restricted to access only by ones of said one or more channels associated therewith;   program code for receiving input to navigate through said interactive multimedia content of the displayed one or more channels and to navigate to different ones of said one or more channels; and   program code for receiving input to navigate to a channel listing channel, the channel listing channel providing information on a plurality of available channels that are available to be added to the mobile unit, wherein adding an available channel of the available channels to the mobile unit results in downloading the available channel's channel application and downloading the available channel's actual channel data through a wireless network to the mobile unit.   
     
     
         94 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 93  further comprising:
 program code for receiving an interaction with a user interface of the mobile unit to subscribe to one or more newly-subscribed-to channels, wherein subscribing to said one or more channels results in the mobile unit receiving one or more new channel applications for the newly-subscribed-to channels. 
 
     
     
         95 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 93  wherein subscribing to said one or more channels further results in the mobile unit receiving new channel data for the newly-subscribed-to channels. 
     
     
         96 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 95  further comprising program code for automatically receiving updates for said new channel data at the mobile unit. 
     
     
         97 . The non-transitory computer-readable medium of  claim 95  further comprising program code for receiving updates for said new channel data responsive to a request from said mobile unit, wherein said request is issued according to one of: an update available signal received; and passing of a predetermined period of time. 
     
     
         98 . The method of claim  1  wherein the applications for visually presenting interactive multimedia content on the mobile device comprise operating visual elements.