System and method for providing dynamically updating applications in a television display environment

A system comprising:

• a processor;
• a user interface in communication with the processor, the user interface comprising a display screen;
• and
• memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to:
• display, via the display screen, a minimized state for an application, wherein the application is displayed in the minimized state with a first degree of user interactivity, wherein the application displays dynamically updated application content while in the minimized state, the dynamically updated application content generated from one or more parameters based upon a search query received from the user and information chosen from a group of information types consisting of a video program concurrently displayed on the display screen with the application in the minimized state, and a history of video programs previously viewed by a user of the system;
• update the minimized state for the application in response to updating content associated with a corresponding installed application;
• display, via the display screen, a maximized state for the application in response to selection of the application in the minimized state by the user via the user interface, wherein the application is displayed with a second degree of user interactivity in the maximized state, the second degree of user interactivity being greater than the first degree of user interactivity, and wherein the application displays the dynamically updated application content while in the maximized state;
• and
• displaying, via the display screen, a full-screen state for the application with a third degree of user interactivity that is greater than either the first degree of user interactivity or the second degree of user interactivity, wherein the full screen for the application is displayed in response to a remote control command.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to:

• display, via a display screen of a user interface for the computing device, a minimized state for an application, wherein the application is displayed in the minimized state with a first degree of user interactivity, and wherein the application displays dynamically updated application content while in the minimized state, the dynamically updated application content generated from one or more parameters based upon a search query received from the user and information chosen from a group of information types consisting of a video program concurrently displayed on the display screen with the application in the minimized state, and a history of video programs previously viewed by a user of the computing device;
• update the minimized state for the application in response to updating content associated with a corresponding installed application;
• display, via the display screen of the computing device, a maximized state for the application in response to selection of the application in the minimized state by the user via the user interface, wherein the application is displayed with a second degree of user interactivity in the maximized state, the second degree of user interactivity being greater than the first degree of user interactivity, and wherein the application displays the dynamically updated application content while in the widget maximized state;
• and
• providing, by the computing device, display, via the display screen of the computing device, a full-screen state for the application with a third degree of user interactivity that is greater than either the first degree of user interactivity or the second degree of user interactivity, wherein the full screen state for the application is displayed in response to a remote control command.