Omni menu for an audio/visual network

A method for creating a single, unified graphical user interface menu to control consumer electronics within a networked environment comprising the steps of:

• a) installing a digital broadcast rendering device having a uniform menu Application Program Interface;
• b) introducing a plurality of content providers within said networked environment via said digital broadcast rendering device, said content providers containing corresponding individual menu items;
• c) identifying and controlling said content providers to achieve and maintain interoperability within said networked environment, wherein said individual menu items are registered by said uniform menu Application Program Interface;
• d) causing said uniform menu Application Program Interface to classify said menu items according to their control function;
• e) assembling a single, unified graphical user interface menu of all registered individual menu items, said single, unified graphical user interface menu assembled by causing said uniform menu Application Program Interface to assimilate said registered individual menu items into said single, unified graphical user interface menu;
• and
• f) selecting, for control, said content providers and said corresponding menu items within said networked environment from said single, unified graphical user interface menu.

A computer-readable memory configured so that it can direct a computer, contained within a consumer electronic network environment:

• a) to receive content information from a content provider into a digital broadcast rendering device, said content information is in the form of menu items;
• b) to register said menu items via a uniform menu Application Program Interface;
• c) to classify said menu items into submenus and menu items according to their control functions;
• d) to assemble a single, unified graphical user interface menu of all registered individual menu items by causing said uniform menu Application Program Interface to assimilate said registered individual menu items into said single, unified graphical user interface menu;
• and
• e) to allow a user to access said content information and control any of said content providers within said network environment from said single, unified graphical user interface menu.

A method for causing an Application Program Interface to assemble a single, unified graphical user interface menu, said method comprising the steps of:

• a) identifying and controlling a plurality of content providers to achieve and maintain interoperability within a networked environment, said content providers having respective individual menu items containing content information enabling control of said content provider;
• b) registering said individual menu items with said Application Program Interface;
• c) classifying said individual menu items, according to their respective control function, as either submenus or menu items;
• d) assimilating said menu items into a said single unified graphical user interface menu by initiating a message sequence to:
• i) add a said submenu to said single, unified graphical user interface menu, said submenu corresponding to a particular category of said content providers;
• ii) add at least one menu item to said submenu;
• and
• iii) activate said submenu to enable viewing and selection of said submenu.