Interactive television system and method having on-demand web-like navigational capabilities for displaying requested hyperlinked web-like still images associated with television content

A method for providing web-like navigational capabilities in an interactive television system, wherein the interactive television system comprises a video delivery system for providing video content, and at least one subscriber television including a display screen, wherein the subscriber television is coupled to the video delivery system, wherein the system further comprises a media server which stores a plurality of still images, the method comprising:

• the video delivery system broadcasting a plurality of video channels each comprising video content;
• the video delivery system broadcasting one or more still image channels, each comprising still images;
• the subscriber television receiving said plurality of video channels and said one or more still image channels;
• displaying on the screen one or more selection options, wherein said one or more selection options includes a first selection option which indicates a request to view a first still image;
• receiving user input selecting said first selection option which indicates said request to view said first still image;
• if said first still image is not currently being broadcast by the video delivery system, the subscriber television system providing said request to the media server, the media server providing said first still image to the video delivery system in response to said request, the video delivery system broadcasting said first still image on a first still image channel in response to receiving said first still image from the media server;
• and
• if said first still image is currently being broadcast by the video delivery system, capturing said first still image from a second still image channel;
• and
• the subscriber television displaying on the screen said first still image.

An interactive television system which displays still video images related to video content, the system comprising:

• a subscriber television including a display screen, wherein the subscriber television receives a plurality of video channels each comprising video content and displays video content from one of said plurality of video channels, wherein said subscriber television also receives at least one still image channel comprising a plurality of still images;
• wherein said subscriber television is configured to display one or more selection options during display of video content, wherein said one or more selection options includes a first selection option which indicates a request to view a first still image;
• wherein said subscriber television is configured to receive user input selecting said first selection option;
• wherein the subscriber television system is configured to provide said request to the media server if said first still image is not currently being broadcast by the video delivery system, the media server being configured to provide said first still image to the video delivery system in response to said request, the video delivery system being configured to broadcast said first still image on a first still image channel in response to receiving said first still image from the media server;
• and
• wherein the subscriber television system is configured to capture said first still image from a second still image channel if said first still image is currently being broadcast by the video delivery system;
• and
• wherein said subscriber television is configured to receive and display said first still image in response to said request.