Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. A web-based Content Management System receives content uploaded online in industry-standard file formats with metadata for title and topical area, and automatically converts it into video data format compatible with the VOD content delivery system indexed by title and topical area. A User Interface for the system delivers listings data to the viewer's TV indexed by title and topical area.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, the higher-order display may be a product ad and the lower-order display may be an ad for a local retailer of the product.

Abstract: Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest.

Abstract: Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many, new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

Abstract: An online ordering system for ordering of items of real time availability in inventory online employs An interactive TV system connected to a plurality of TV equipment units via a TV services platform, whereby a TV viewer can view an advertisement for a transactable item on the TV display and send a request for ordering the item by signals sent by the TV remote control unit to the TV services platform. A transaction-ordering web server is co-located with and operatively connected to the TV services platform for processing requests from TV viewers into web orders sent online via Internet connection to online ordering websites for processing against real time vendor inventories and confirming transactions of ordered items. The TV system may be a hotel in-room TV system coupled to a hotel purchase management system to manage guest billings for purchases. The hotel in-room TV system can provide guests with updates of activities and advertisements for guest activities on the in-room TV.

Abstract: An online ordering system for ordering of items of real time availability in inventory online employs An interactive TV system connected to a plurality of TV equipment units via a TV services platform, whereby a TV viewer can view an advertisement for a transactable item on the TV display and send a request for ordering the item by signals sent by the TV remote control unit to the TV services platform. A transaction-ordering web server is co-located with and operatively connected to the TV services platform for processing requests from TV viewers into web orders sent online via Internet connection to online ordering websites for processing against real time vendor inventories and confirming transactions of ordered items. The TV system may be a hotel in-room TV system coupled to a hotel purchase management system to manage guest billings for purchases. The hotel in-room TV system can provide guests with updates of activities and advertisements for guest activities on the in-room TV.

Abstract: A method of tracking value transactions of on-demand TV program content on a TV services platform of a digital TV services provider includes uploading TV programs with respectively associated metadata for specifying positions of titles of the TV programs in a hierarchically categorized ordering of an electronic program guide, automatically listing the titles on the electronic program guide in their proper positions using their associated metadata, enabling a tracking system to track and collect data on selections of on-demand TV programs for viewing by TV service subscribers, and upon a TV service subscriber selecting a title of a TV program listed on the electronic program guide, enabling the tracking system to save tracking data for a value transaction related to the selection of the TV program for viewing.

Abstract: A method of common addressing of video content on the Internet and corresponding on-demand TV program content on a TV services platform of a digital TV service provider includes enabling converting and uploading of video content from a video content provider on the Internet into a formatted on-demand TV program to be uploaded to the TV services platform with associated metadata for specifying position of its title in a hierarchically categorized ordering of the electronic program guide. The metadata is structured as a string of category and subcategory terms separated by delimiters which represent the position of the title on the electronic program guide. The corresponding video content is accessible on the Internet at a URL address containing the same string of category and subcategory terms separated by delimiters for the position of the title in the electronic program guide in a common addressing scheme with the on-demand TV program accessible on the electronic program guide.

Abstract: Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, the higher-order display may be a product ad and the lower-order display may be an ad for a local retailer of the product.

Abstract: A system and method for online ordering of items of real-time availability from vendor inventories in which an online agent ordering server acts as an intermediary between a TV system and an online ordering website. The online agent ordering server stores TV ordering display templates for presenting displays on the TV system of TV ordering forms for respective items, and online ordering templates for formatting online orders that are recognized by the online ordering website. When a viewer inputs a request for a selected item to the TV system, the online agent ordering server provides a corresponding TV ordering form to the TV system for display. Upon the viewer inputting order selection data to the TV ordering form, the online agent ordering server automatically converts the data into an online order for the item that is recognized by the online ordering website.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system has a VOD Application Server which manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The templates include those for higher-order displays which have one or more links to lower-order displays of specific content. The VOD Application Server, in response to viewer request, displays a high-order templatized display, and in response to viewer selection of a link, displays the lower-order display of specific content. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate to an end subject of interest while having a unique visual experience of moving through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, the higher-order display may be a product ad and the lower-order display may be an ad for a local retailer of the product.

Abstract: Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many, new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

Abstract: Video content is uploaded via the Internet to a video-on-demand (VOD) server identified by a title and a hierarchical address of categories and subcategories for categorizing the title. The VOD server converts and stores the video content at a storage address in a video content database linked to the title. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as in its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. This can enable many, new blogging or podcasting-like programs by popular “Hosts” to be self-published on the Internet and readily navigated for display on TV. The EPG can also store TV program addresses as bookmarks and allow them to be shared with other subscribers or with friends and contacts online by sending to their email addresses.

Abstract: A video-on-demand (VOD) content delivery system for a digital television service provider manages a database of templates ordered in a hierarchy for presentation of video content elements of different selected types categorized in hierarchical order. The hierarchical templatized displays enable viewers to navigate through a series of displays to the end subject of interest. For example, a viewer can navigate from national product to local product ad, or classified ad category to specific classified ad, or bulletin board topic category to specific posting. In another embodiment, a web-based Content Management System converts video content uploaded online with metadata for title and topical area into digital TV program format compatible with the VOD content delivery system and indexed on a TV program menu by title and topical area.

Abstract: A system and method for online ordering of items of real-time availability from vendor inventories in which an online agent ordering server acts as an intermediary between a TV system and an online ordering website. The online agent ordering server stores TV ordering display templates for presenting displays on the TV system of TV ordering forms for respective items, and online ordering templates for formatting online orders that are recognized by the online ordering website. When a viewer inputs a request for a selected item to the TV system, the online agent ordering server provides a corresponding TV ordering form to the TV system for display. Upon the viewer inputting order selection data to the TV ordering form, the online agent ordering server automatically converts the data into an online order for the item that is recognized by the online ordering website.

Abstract: Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest.