Causing Display of User-Selectable Content Types

Abstract

A user interface allows for blending of television program choices from which a viewer may select, the blending representing options for linear and non-linear programming presented together within a single hierarchy of a designated category. The blending may further include managed content relevant to the designated category, where desired. Such designated categories may include television programming categories and/or content categories. The options for linear and non-linear programming may be presented together within a single screen of the user interface.

1 . A system comprising:
 one or more content data stores that comprise user-selectable content; and   a computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:
 cause display of a combination of the user-selectable content for a content category in at least two levels of a hierarchy of levels, wherein: 
 the combination of the user-selectable content for the content category comprises a first content type and a second content type different from the first content type, and 
 the first content type and the second content type are presented together within the at least two levels. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one level of the at least two levels of the hierarchy of levels is for a sub-category of the content category. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first content type comprises linear content. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first content type comprises non-linear content. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second content type comprises managed content that provides information services associated with the first content type. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the information services comprise at least one of an advertisement, a message, a graphic, or a link. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one level of the at least two levels comprises a scrolling list of content options of the first content type and the second content type. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the content category comprises a sports category, a news category, a movie category, or a music category. 
     
     
         9 . A system comprising:
 a first computing device; and   a second computing device,   wherein the first computing device comprises:
 one or more first processors; and 
 first memory storing first instructions that, when executed by the one or more first processors, cause the first computing device to:
 receive a request for an application; and 
 responsive to the request, transmit the application, wherein:
 the application provides a blending of user-selectable content for a content category in at least two levels of a hierarchy of levels, 
 the blending of user-selectable content for the content category comprises at least two of linear content, non-linear content or managed content, and 
 the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content are presented together within the at least two levels; and 
 
 
   wherein the second computing device comprises:
 one or more second processors; and 
 second memory storing second instructions that, when executed by the one or more second processors, cause the second computing device to:
 send the request for the application. 
 
   
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein at least one level of the at least two levels of the hierarchy of levels is for a sub-category of the content category. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the blending of user-selectable content for the content category comprises linear content and non-linear content. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the linear content comprises programming that is scheduled to be transmitted at particular times, and wherein the non-linear content comprises on-demand programming. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the content category comprises a sports category or a movie category. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the first instructions, when executed by the one or more first processors, cause the first computing device to combine data describing the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content to produce the blending of user-selectable content for the content category. 
     
     
         15 . A system comprising:
 one or more content data stores that comprise user-selectable content; and   a computing device comprising:
 one or more processors; and 
 memory storing instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the computing device to:
 provide a blending of the user-selectable content for a content category in at least two levels of a hierarchy of levels, wherein: 
 the blending of the user-selectable content for the content category comprises at least two of linear content, non-linear content or managed content, and 
 the at least two of the linear content, the non-linear content or the managed content are presented together within the at least two levels. 
 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein at least one level of the at least two levels of the hierarchy of levels is for a sub-category of the content category. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the blending of the user-selectable content for the content category comprises linear content and non-linear content. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the linear content comprises programming that is scheduled to be transmitted at particular times, and wherein the non-linear content comprises on-demand programming. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the content category comprises a sports category. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the content category comprises a movie category.