System and method for managing interactive programming and advertisements in interactive broadcast systems

An interactive enabling system for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, the system comprising:

• an interactive enabling device coupled for receiving a broadcast stream generated by a broadcast sponsor and for responding to program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers inserted into the broadcast stream for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content in advance of when the content is needed, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content and the commercial spots;
• and
• at least one interactive content server coupled through a communication link for communicating with an interactive control application in the interactive enabling device;
• wherein the interactive enabling device executes the interactive control application to manage the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content in response to the program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers;
• wherein the interactive enabling device is operable to respond to a commercial pre-trigger embedded in the enhanced program content and a program pre-trigger embedded in a commercial spot;
• wherein the interactive enabling device is configured for receiving interactive program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers that were inserted into the broadcast stream by the broadcast sponsor at a specific time in advance of when the interactive program and commercial content is needed, based on estimates for communication link speed;
• and
• wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed.

A method for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, comprising:

• receiving a broadcast stream, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program content in series with the commercial spots, the broadcast stream further including program pre-triggers, interactive program triggers, commercial pre-triggers, and interactive commercial triggers for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content from at least one interactive content server;
• managing the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content from the at least one interactive content server in response to the program and commercial pre-triggers, and the availability of the interactive program and commercial content in response to the interactive program and commercial triggers,
• wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed;
• and
• receiving and responding to the program pre-triggers, the interactive program triggers, the commercial pre-triggers, and the interactive commercial triggers embedded in the broadcast stream to ensure that the interactive program and commercial content do not overlap and interfere with each other.

A method for managing interactive program content associated with enhanced program content and interactive commercial content associated with commercial spots, comprising:

• receiving a broadcast stream generated by a broadcast sponsor and responding to program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers inserted into the broadcast stream for retrieving the interactive program and commercial content in advance of when the content is needed, based on estimates for communication link speed, said broadcast stream including the enhanced program
• content and the commercial spots;
• and
• managing the retrieval of the interactive program and commercial content in response to the program pre-triggers and commercial pre-triggers, said managing including retrieving interactive commercial content in response to receiving a commercial pre-trigger embedded in the enhanced program content, and retrieving interactive program content in response to receiving a program pre-trigger embedded in a commercial spot,
• wherein the interactive program and commercial content includes a plurality of segments, each segment including multiple pre-triggers, and each pre-trigger of the multiple pre-triggers for a segment corresponding to a particular type of communication link speed.