Integrated program guide for broadcast and VOD applications

Abstract

An electronic device and method are provided for displaying a program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications. The electronic device receives a DTV signal containing program content items associated with a broadcast station application on the electronic device and extracts an in-band metadata set associated with the program content items. The electronic device selects a VOD asset set provided by at least one VOD application on the electronic device and extracts an out-of-band metadata set associated with the program content items and the selected VOD asset set from at least one metadata source. The electronic device parses the in-band metadata set and the out-of-band metadata set and combines the parsed metadata sets into a unified metadata file based on a master template. The electronic device controls a display device to render a program guide based on the unified metadata file.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS / INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE none

[0002] Various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to display devices and interactive user interfaces for display devices, and more particularly, to electronic devices and methods for displaying integrated program guides of content associated with broadcast and video-on-demand (VOD) applications. [Background technology]

[0003] A traditional broadcast television (TV) may generate and transmit a single digital signal over a designated RF channel to be received by the television, digitally tuned, decoded, and rendered on a TV screen occupying the entire screen or viewing area. The digital signal may include metadata related to program information and schedule information for various broadcast channels. For example, the program information may include virtual channel ID, channel call letters, program title, media duration, among other data points related to TV program listings. In general, the metadata may lack sufficient depth and detail to satisfy a consumer's curiosity about video programming. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Further limitations and disadvantages of the conventional approach will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon comparison of the described system with certain aspects of the present disclosure illustrated in the remaining portions of this application and with reference to the drawings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] Provided is an electronic device and method for displaying an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications substantially as illustrated and / or described in connection with at least one of the drawings and more fully set forth in the claims.

[0006] These and other features and advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description of the disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like elements throughout. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary network environment for display of an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 2] 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device for display of an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. [Diagram 3] 1 illustrates an exemplary operation for displaying an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 4] 1A-1C collectively illustrate example scenarios for the display of an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Diagram 5] 1 illustrates an example scenario of searching for content from a program guide, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] 4 is a flowchart illustrating an example operation for displaying an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The disclosed electronic device and method for display of an integrated program guide of content related to broadcast stations and VOD applications may find implementation as described below. Exemplary aspects of the present disclosure provide an electronic device (e.g., smart TV) that can control a display device to render a program guide. The program guide may include multiple viewing options and content descriptors for program content items and VOD assets. The program guide may be rendered based on an integrated metadata file that may be obtained based on a combination of metadata received from a digital television (DTV) signal (i.e., in-band metadata) and metadata received from other metadata sources (i.e., out-of-band metadata) that may be hosted on other accessible networks (such as websites accessible via the Internet or application programming interface (API) resource servers).

[0009] The DTV signal may include programming content items that may be associated with various broadcast station applications on an electronic device. In-band metadata associated with the programming content items may be extracted from the DTV signal. A set of out-of-band metadata associated with the programming content items may be extracted from at least one metadata source. A unified metadata file may be generated based on the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set. A program guide may be rendered on a display device based on the unified metadata file.

[0010] The program guide may provide users with detailed information about on-air broadcast or VOD content based on an integrated metadata file that includes in-band metadata and metadata components obtained from various out-of-band metadata sources. The program guide may also provide curated information aggregated from multiple sources, thus providing users with the ability to deeply search for content that may be of interest to them. Rendering the program guide with detailed information and the ability to deeply search for content may enhance the user experience.

[0011] The program guide can provide recommendations based on a user's past experience and recent user activity, and can provide a single interface that lists and plays all content items, regardless of the application associated with the content item, without the need to switch between broadcast and VOD applications.

[0012] A program guide can be considered as an application that can provide a monolithic integrated guide that is generated by parsing in-band and out-of-band metadata. Thus, all content channels can be viewed simultaneously in one monolithic guide, eliminating the need to have separate apps rooted for each channel. The combination of metadata IP and broadcast can enhance the ability to discover the actual content desired by simply consulting the monolithic integrated guide instead of running each individual broadcast application.

[0013] The foregoing Summary is provided to introduce in a simplified form a selection of concepts that are further disclosed in the Detailed Description of the Disclosure. This Summary is not intended to identify key or essential inventive concepts of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter.

[0014] FIG 1 illustrates an exemplary network environment for displaying a unified program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG 1 illustrates a diagram of a network environment 100. The network environment 100 includes an electronic device 102, an Advanced Televisions Systems Committee (ATSC) receiver 104, a display device 106, and a metadata source 108. The electronic device 102 may be communicatively coupled to the metadata source 108 via a communications network 110. The display device 106 may also be communicatively coupled to the electronic device 102 via an input / output (I / O) interface or a network interface of the electronic device 102.

[0015] Network environment 100 illustrates a number of broadcast station applications 112 and a VOD application 114 that may be accessed / installed on electronic device 102. Also illustrated in FIG.

[0016] Although FIG. 1 illustrates electronic device 102 and display device 106 as two separate devices, in some embodiments, the entire functionality of display device 106 may be included in electronic device 102 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0017] The electronic device 102 may include suitable logic, circuits, and interfaces that may be configured to render a program guide on the display device 106 based on an out-of-band metadata set obtained from a metadata source 108 and an in-band metadata set included in a digital television (DTV) signal. As used herein, an in-band metadata set may be associated with a plurality of program content items associated with a plurality of broadcaster applications 112. An out-of-band metadata set may be associated with a plurality of program content items and a set of VOD assets associated with a VOD application 114. The electronic device 102 may include appropriate middleware and codecs capable of simultaneously receiving and / or playing in-band program content items and out-of-band VOD assets. Examples of implementations of electronic device 102 include, but are not limited to, a smart television (TV), an Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), a digital media player (DMP), a microconsole, a set-top box, an over-the-top (OTT) player, a digital media streamer, a media extender / regulator, a digital media hub, a smartphone, a personal computer, a laptop, a tablet, a wearable electronic device, or any other display device capable of receiving, decoding, and playing content encapsulated in a broadcast signal from a cable or satellite network, an over-the-air broadcast, or an Internet-based communication signal.

[0018] The ATSC receiver 104 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and interfaces that may be configured to receive an over-the-air (OTA) broadcast signal and extract a DTV signal from the received OTA signal. The extracted DTV signal may include a plurality of program content items and a set of in-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items. In an exemplary embodiment, the ATSC receiver 104 may be implemented as an ATSC 3.0 tuner. In such an exemplary implementation, the DTV signal may be an ATSC 3.0 signal that may conform to the ATSC 3.0 standard specification.

[0019] Although FIG. 1 illustrates electronic device 102 and ATSC receiver 104 as two separate devices, in some embodiments, the entire functionality of ATSC receiver 104 may be included in electronic device 102 without departing from the scope of this disclosure.

[0020] Display device 106 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and interfaces that may be configured to render a program guide, such as program guide 116. In one embodiment, display device 106 may include a touch screen that allows a user of display device 106 to directly provide user input(s) via the touch screen. Display device 106 may be implemented with a number of known technologies, such as, but not limited to, at least one of liquid crystal display (LCD) display technology, light emitting diode (LED) display technology, plasma display technology, or organic LED (OLED) display technology, or other display devices. In at least one embodiment, display device 106 may be a display unit of a smart TV, a head mounted device (HMD), a smart glasses device, a see-through display, a head up display (HUD), an in-vehicle infotainment system, a projection display, an electrochromic display, or a transparent display.

[0021] The metadata source 108 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and interfaces that may be configured to store out-of-band metadata associated with a programming content item. In some embodiments, the metadata source 108 may also store out-of-band metadata associated with multiple VOD assets provided by a VOD application (such as the VOD application 114). Example implementations of the metadata source 108 may include, but are not limited to, a cloud server, a database server, a file server, a web server, a media server, or an application server. In one embodiment, the metadata source 108 may implement a server-side web application programming interface (API) with a publicly accessible endpoint. Any electronic device (such as the electronic device 102) with appropriate authorization may use such endpoint to access the out-of-band metadata.

[0022] The communication network 110 may include a communication medium that allows the electronic device 102 and the metadata source 108 to communicate with each other. The communication network 110 may be a wired or wireless communication network. Examples of the communication network 110 may include, but are not limited to, the Internet, a Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) network, a personal area network (PAN), a local area network (LAN), or a metropolitan area network (MAN).

[0023] The various devices in the network environment 100 may be configured to connect to the communications network 110 according to various wired and wireless communication protocols, including, but not limited to, at least one of the following: Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol (TCP / IP), User Datagram Protocol (UDP), Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP), File Transfer Protocol (FTP), ZigBee, EDGE, IEEE 802.11, Light Fidelity (Li-Fi), 802.16, IEEE 802.11s, IEEE 802.11g, multi-hop communications, wireless access point (AP), device-to-device communications, cellular communications protocols, and Bluetooth (BT) communications protocols.

[0024] In operation, the ATSC receiver 104 may receive an OTA broadcast signal from a satellite broadcast network (not shown) or a terrestrial broadcast network (not shown). The OTA broadcast signal may include a DTV signal(s) and a carrier signal(s). The ATSC receiver 104 may extract the DTV signal from the received OTA signal and transmit the extracted DTV signal to the electronic device 102. The electronic device 102 may receive the extracted DTV signal from the ATSC receiver 104. The extracted DTV signal may include a plurality of program content items and a set of in-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items. Each of the plurality of program content items may be associated with at least one of a plurality of broadcast station applications 112 on the electronic device 102. Every broadcast station application may correspond to a broadcast station or network, such as a TV network, that may broadcast program content items (e.g., TV programs or TV shows) and non-program content items (such as TV advertisements) via one or more television stations.

[0025] The electronic device 102 can extract in-band metadata sets associated with multiple program content items from the extracted DTV signal. The extracted in-band metadata sets can include program and schedule information associated with multiple program content items. The in-band metadata sets can also include program and schedule information associated with future program content items that multiple broadcaster applications may broadcast in the future (e.g., hours or days).

[0026] To prepare the integrated metadata file, VOD assets provided by a VOD application on the electronic device 102 can be selected. In one embodiment, the electronic device 102 can determine a context of each program content item of the plurality of program content items. The context of the program content item can match a context of each VOD asset of the plurality of VOD assets provided by a VOD application (such as the VOD application 114) on the electronic device 102. The electronic device 102 can select a set of VOD assets from the plurality of VOD assets based on a contextual match between the plurality of VOD assets and the plurality of program content items. Additionally or alternatively, the set of VOD assets can be selected based on user information, such as user activity data and user preference data. Details of the selection of VOD assets are shown, for example, in FIG. 3.

[0027] The electronic device 102 can extract out-of-band metadata sets from various metadata sources, such as the metadata source 108. The extracted out-of-band metadata sets can relate to a plurality of program content items and / or a selected set of VOD assets. The extracted out-of-band metadata sets can include additional content descriptors, such as, but not limited to, program title, genre / subgenre tags, cast and crew information, content ratings, user reviews, poster / trailer URLs, detailed plot or synopsis, for each of the plurality of program content items and / or the selected VOD assets. Each out-of-band metadata can be extracted as an independent metadata file in a specific format, such as Extensible Markup Language (XML) or JavaScript Object Notation (JSON). The format of one or more metadata files can be different. Thus, preparing a unified metadata file from the in-band and out-of-band metadata sets may require implementing a suitable parsing method to extract suitable metadata fields from such metadata sets into a unified metadata file. Parsing methods are described in detail, for example, in FIG. 3.

[0028] The electronic device 102 can parse the extracted in-band metadata sets and the extracted out-of-band metadata sets. The electronic device 102 can then combine the parsed in-band metadata sets and the parsed out-of-band metadata sets into a unified metadata file for the multiple program content items and the selected set of VOD assets. Such combination can be performed based on a master template that can act as a unified formatter for all the metadata files, i.e., the extracted in-band metadata sets and the extracted out-of-band metadata sets.

[0029] The electronic device 102 can control a display device to render a program guide (such as a program guide 116) based on the integrated metadata file. The program guide can include viewing options 118 for the program content items and the selected set of VOD assets. For example, the viewing options 118 can include in-app clickable thumbnails, content preview windows, video players, playable thumbnails, image / video carousels, slideshows, tiles, link previews, clickable grid cards, dynamic or static tables, and graphical UI elements integrated with a set of action-based offerings. The program guide 116 can also include content descriptors 120 for the program content items and the selected set of VOD assets. Each content descriptor can provide further details about the program content items or VOD assets (e.g., title, rating, and brief description, etc.).

[0030] Modifications, additions, or omissions may be made to Figure 1 without departing from the scope of this disclosure. For example, network environment 100 may include more or fewer elements than those shown and described in this disclosure.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an exemplary electronic device for displaying an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 2 is described with reference to the elements of FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows a block diagram 200 of an electronic device 102. The electronic device 102 can include circuitry 202, memory 204, input / output (I / O) devices 206, and a network interface 208. In at least one embodiment, the electronic device 102 can also include an ATSC receiver 104. In another embodiment, the electronic device 102 can also include a display device 106.

[0032] The circuitry 202 can be communicatively coupled to the memory 204, the I / O device 206, the network interface 208, the ATSC receiver 104, and the display device 106. The circuitry 202 can include suitable logic, circuits, and interfaces that can be configured to execute program instructions related to different operations to be performed by the electronic device 102. The circuitry 202 can include one or more specialized processing units that can be implemented as an integrated processor or processors that collectively perform the functions of one or more specialized processing units. The circuitry 202 can be implemented based on multiple processor technologies known in the art. Example implementations of the circuitry 202 can be an X86-based processor, a graphic processing unit (GPU), a reduced instruction set computing (RISC) processor, an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) processor, a complex instruction set computing (CISC) processor, a microcontroller, a central processing unit (CPU), and / or other computing circuitry.

[0033] Memory 204 may include suitable logic, circuits, and interfaces that may be configured to store program instructions to be executed by circuitry 202. In at least one embodiment, memory 204 may also store the extracted in-band metadata set, the extracted out-of-band metadata set, and an integrated metadata file that is the basis for rendering program guide 116 on electronic device 102. Memory 204 may also store user information associated with each of the broadcaster applications and VOD applications installed on or accessible on electronic device 102. Example implementations of memory 204 may include, but are not limited to, random access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD), CPU cache, and / or secure digital (SD) cards.

[0034] The I / O devices 206 may include suitable logic, circuitry, and interfaces that may be configured to receive input and provide output based on the received input. The I / O devices 206, including a variety of input and output devices, may be configured to communicate with the circuitry 202. Examples of the I / O devices 206 may include, but are not limited to, a remote console, a touch screen, a keyboard, a mouse, a joystick, a microphone, a display device (such as display device 106), and a speaker.

[0035] The network interface 208 may include suitable logic, circuits, and interfaces that may be configured to facilitate communication between the circuitry 202 and the metadata source 108 over the communications network 110. The network interface 208 may be implemented using various known technologies that support wired or wireless communication between the electronic device 102 and the communications network 110. The network interface 208 may include, but is not limited to, an antenna, a radio frequency (RF) transceiver, one or more amplifiers, a tuner, one or more oscillators, a digital signal processor, a coder-decoder (CODEC) chipset, a subscriber identity module (SIM) card, or a local buffer circuit.

[0036] The network interface 208 may be configured to communicate via wireless communication with a network, such as the Internet, an intranet, or a wireless network, such as a cellular telephone network, a wireless local area network (LAN), and a metropolitan area network (MAN). The wireless communication may use one or more of a number of communication standards, such as Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W-CDMA), Long Term Evolution (LTE), Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA), Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), Bluetooth, Wireless Fidelity (WiFi) (such as IEEE 802.11a, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, or IEEE 802.11n), Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), Light Fidelity (Li-Fi), or Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (Wi-MAX), protocols for email, instant messaging, and short message service (SMS).

[0037] The functions or operations performed by electronic device 102 as described in Figure 1 may be performed by circuitry 202. Operations performed by circuitry 202 are described in detail, for example, in Figures 3, 4 and 5.

[0038] FIG. 3 illustrates example operations for displaying an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 3 is described with reference to elements of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. FIG. 3 illustrates a block diagram 300 illustrating example operations 302-314 as described herein. The example operations illustrated in block diagram 300 may begin at 302 and may be performed by any computer system, apparatus, or device, such as electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. Although illustrated as discrete blocks, example operations associated with one or more blocks of block diagram 300 may be divided into additional blocks, combined into fewer blocks, or eliminated depending on the particular implementation.

[0039] Signal acquisition can be performed at 302. The circuit 202 can receive an OTA broadcast signal 302a from a terrestrial broadcast network or a satellite broadcast network. The received OTA broadcast signal 302a can be received from a broadcast channel and can include a DTV signal and a carrier signal. The circuit 202 can extract a DTV signal from the OTA broadcast signal 302a. The DTV signal can comply with an ATSC standard specification (such as ATSC 3.0). The extracted DTV signal can include multiple program content items (hereinafter referred to as program content items) that can be associated with various broadcast station applications installed on or accessible via the electronic device 102. In particular, the DTV signal can include respective program content items (e.g., TV episodes) for each broadcast station application of a respective television network.

[0040] At 304, in-band metadata can be extracted. The circuit 202 can extract an in-band metadata set from the extracted DTV signal. The extracted in-band metadata set (e.g., ATSC 3.0 TV metadata) can be associated with a programming content item and can include program and schedule information related to the programming content item. By way of example and not limitation, in-band metadata for a programming content item (contained in a DTV signal) can include a virtual channel ID, a channel call code, a program title, a media duration, a current play time, a time of day, and a content rating, among other data points that typically form a TV program listing.

[0041] In some embodiments, the extracted in-band metadata sets may also include program and schedule information related to future program content items that are scheduled to be broadcast in the future (e.g., hours or days). For example, if a basketball game is currently being broadcast through a live stream on a sports broadcaster application, the in-band metadata for the live stream may specify program and schedule information for upcoming sports programs on the sports broadcaster application. The extracted in-band metadata sets may also include information about audio content, subtitles, audience type, etc.

[0042] In-band metadata for DTV signals can be distributed from various local broadcast channels by each broadcaster managed individually. For example, ATSC 3.0 provides an extended metadata structure and content descriptors (found in the Event Information Table (EIT)). The transmission method and metadata structure in the ATSC 3.0 specification uses Program System Identifier Protocol (PSIP) data from a PSIP generator. In-band metadata can be distributed using the Programming Metadata Communication Protocol or PMCP. The PMCP, defined in ATSC A / 76B, can provide ATSC broadcasters with a standard means to exchange these data elements between systems that create and manage System Information (SI) or metadata (in-band metadata). Below is an example of in-band metadata in the form of an XML format: TIFF0007668993000001.tif249147 TIFF0007668993000002.tif251153

[0043] In the above example, the broadcaster application corresponds to a television channel number of 57-2. The in-band metadata includes a program description of a first program content item, namely "Barney and Chuck", that can be broadcast on Jan. 31, 2020 at 10:00 AM. The first program content item is described as a TV program related to exercise and dance and is suitable for children to watch. The audio and subtitle languages ​​of the first program content item are available in English. The in-band metadata also includes a program description of a second program content item, namely "Angels", that can be broadcast on Jan. 31, 2020 at 10:30 AM. The second program content item is suitable for all audience types. The audio and subtitle languages ​​of the second program content item are also available in English. The second program content item also includes an alternative audio for the visually impaired.

[0044] At 306, a VOD asset may be selected. Before such selection is made, all VOD offerings (including multiple VOD assets) of a VOD application installed on or accessible on the electronic device 102 may be identified. By way of example and not limitation, the VOD application on the electronic device 102 may correspond to one or more of an interactive VOD (IVOD) platform, a near VOD (NVOD) platform, a push VOD (PVOD) platform, a free VOD (FVOD) platform, an advertising-supported VOD (AVOD) platform, a subscription VOD (SVOD) platform, a transactional VOD (TVOD) platform, or an electronic sell-through (EST) platform. Such VOD platforms are well known to those skilled in the art, and thus a description of such VOD platforms is omitted from this disclosure for the sake of brevity.

[0045] Once all offerings of the VOD application have been identified, the circuitry 202 can select a set of VOD assets (hereinafter referred to as VOD assets) from the plurality of VOD assets (i.e., the identified offerings of the VOD application). Various methods of selecting VOD assets are presented herein.

[0046] In one embodiment, the circuit 202 can determine the context of a program content item(s) that the user may have recently viewed or may currently be viewing on the electronic device 102. The circuit 202 can also determine the context of each VOD asset of the multiple VOD assets. Each VOD asset can be selected based on a contextual match between the respective VOD asset and the program content item(s). Herein, the context can be determined in terms of genre or sub-genre tags, program title / description keywords, cast or crew members, past content ratings, script characters, or combinations thereof. For example, if a National Basketball Association (NBA) game is broadcast live as a program content item of a sports broadcaster application on the electronic device 102, each VOD asset that can be contextually related to the NBA game can be selected. To fine-tune the selection, additional attributes such as NBA team names or player information can also be used to search for similar VOD content / assets available on the VOD application.

[0047] In another embodiment, the selection of a VOD asset from the plurality of VOD assets can be performed based on user information 306a. The circuit 202 can collect user information 306a, which can include user activity data and user preference data. User activity data can include, for example, content viewing history, usage logs of broadcast or VOD applications on the electronic device 102, or a user's search history associated with the electronic device 102. Similarly, user preference data can include content subscriptions (e.g., subscriptions to horror-themed content on a VOD application), content tags most often selected by the user, search keywords, and other preference data points (such as age group, location, sex / gender, or expenditure / income) obtained from a user's profile or one or more data aggregators.

[0048] In another embodiment, the selection of the set of VOD assets may be based on a user's preference for one VOD application over another VOD application. In such a case, if the circuit 202 determines that the user prefers watching content on a first VOD application over other VOD applications, more VOD assets (e.g., video shows, episodes / seasons, etc.) of the first VOD application may be selected compared to the other VOD applications.

[0049] At 308, out-of-band metadata can be extracted from the metadata sources 108. Such out-of-band metadata from the metadata sources 108 can be extracted later in combination with the in-band metadata set (extracted at 304) to further detail the scope and quality of the overall content description. For example, there are various metadata sources that supplement the standard broadcast descriptors typically included in the in-band metadata. Each such metadata source can store selected metadata with unique data structures or metadata fields that can be based on the data formatting conventions of the respective metadata source provider. Traditionally, metadata sources have been managed by companies working to supplement cable guides for Multichannel Video Programming Distributors (MVPDs) or other independent broadcast networks. Each metadata source can provide the out-of-band metadata through a specific file format, such as XML, JSON, a structured data file format (such as the European Data Format (EDF)), a text file with separators / delimiters defined, or a template backed by a suitable scripting language (such as JavaScript).

[0050] The circuitry 202 can extract the out-of-band metadata sets from the metadata source 108 as individual metadata files. The extracted out-of-band metadata sets can be associated with program content items (at 302) and selected VOD assets (at 306). By way of example and not limitation, the out-of-band metadata sets can be extracted as JSON or XML files over WebSockets using standard HTML5 JavaScript commands. Once extracted, such files can be stored locally on the memory 204 or in a semi-permanent cache folder or directory on the electronic device 102.

[0051] The metadata source 108 is accessible via the Internet and may store curated content descriptors for programming content items associated with the broadcaster application. The metadata source 108 may also store additional content descriptors for VOD assets provided by a VOD application installed on or accessible on the electronic device 102. In an embodiment, the metadata source 108 may be a server / cloud-based resource that may be owned and maintained by one or more broadcaster networks or VOD service providers. Alternatively, the metadata source 108 may be a third-party server / cloud-based resource that may store additional curated content descriptors of multiple broadcaster networks or VOD service providers. By way of example and not limitation, the metadata source may maintain an online database of information related to movies, television programs, home videos, or online streaming content. The metadata source may provide a web API with publicly accessible endpoints for accessing information such as cast, production crew and personal biographies, plot synopses, trivia, fan and critical reviews, and content ratings. Below is an example of out-of-band metadata in XML format for programming content: TIFF0007668993000003.tif92166

[0052] The above example shows details of metadata fields such as title, year of production, rated audience, running time, cast and crew names, plot details, content rating, and content language. The details shown in the above example should not be construed as limiting the present disclosure. The present disclosure is applicable to other types of data fields or other file formats for out-of-band metadata without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

[0053] According to the ATSC specification, in-band metadata can be delivered as part of a Dynamic Adaptive Streaming over HTTP (DASH) XML manifest file (MPEG-DASH Media Presentation Description (MPD)) that can be transmitted along with the broadcast video stream via the OTA broadcast signal 302a. However, in-band metadata typically lacks sufficient depth and detail to satisfy consumer curiosity about the programming content items. As described herein, to complement the in-band metadata, extracted out-of-band metadata sets can be selectively parsed and later combined with the in-band metadata according to a master template.

[0054] At 310, a master template can be loaded into memory 204. The master template can also be referred to as a master data file (MDF). In some other embodiments, the electronic device 102 can load a broadcaster controlled master template or a locally controlled master template. The master template can be downloaded in-band through the DTV signal or out-of-band through an external IP-based source. The advantage of having a master template on the electronic device 102 is that it can be used to combine in-band and out-of-band metadata.

[0055] At 312, the in-band metadata set (from 304) and the out-of-band metadata set (from 308) can be parsed. The MDF or master template can act as a unified formatter for a unified metadata file that can be obtained after the in-band metadata set and the out-of-band metadata set are parsed and combined. In an embodiment, the circuit 202 can parse the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set. The circuit 202 can then combine the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on the master template (i.e., the MDF).

[0056] By way of example and not limitation, metadata parsing may read a master template to determine which metadata fields or components need to be selected from the out-of-band metadata and in-band metadata (i.e., ATSC 3.0 in-band metadata) (obtained from various IP sources) to be subsequently added to the unified metadata file in a particular format of the master template. Table 1 below provides examples of metadata fields or metadata components selected from the in-band and out-of-band metadata for "Barney and Chuck." TIFF0007668993000004.tif250163Table 1: Selected metadata fields from in-band and out-of-band metadata Below is an example of an integrated metadata file in XML format based on the metadata fields in Table 1. TIFF0007668993000005.tif99164

[0057] In another embodiment, the circuit 202 can update each metadata field or metadata component of the master template as a data element that is dynamically controlled and signaled to generate a unified metadata file. For example, the circuit 202 can query the metadata source 108 using the master template to update each metadata field of the master template individually. The updated metadata fields can then be combined with other metadata fields of the master template (which can be a unified structure).

[0058] Handling multiple videos, such as in-band program content items (broadcast videos) and VOD assets (broadband streaming videos) simultaneously on the electronic device 102, may require that metadata associated with such videos not only be managed in synchronization with the videos individually, but also between the videos as an entire event. Each event may consist of multiple live or curated videos that cooperate to form a multicast multiview event. Typically, each collaborative event has a live or timed component. Each event may have a synchronization or clocking component that can serve as a reference for playout so that audio, video and timed metadata signals are time-aligned. Thus, to address the synchronization issue of audio, video and timed metadata signals, a master template may be used to process out-of-band metadata from the metadata source 108.

[0059] For example, an event such as the Olympics may correspond to the broadcast of a series of carefully selected program content items (i.e., videos) of multiple sporting events according to a broadcast schedule. For each program content item, each metadata source may deliver out-of-band metadata to the electronic device 102 in the form of a structured file, often in a proprietary data format. If multiple out-of-band metadata files exist for a program content item, such data files may be segmented by file and then prioritized for use with the master template. The metadata fields of the prioritized files may then be selected as data sources for the respective metadata fields of the metadata template. As an example, for single point metadata components such as title, actor name, release date, or rating, the circuit 202 may query the metadata source 108 and selectively enter such metadata components into the integrated metadata file. In one embodiment, the circuit 202 may assign a master key code to each metadata file to control which metadata files (i.e., extracted out-of-band metadata) are prioritized for use in the metadata fields of the master template and which metadata files are skipped.

[0060] In one embodiment, a master template may contain information regarding metadata sources and methods for parsing metadata files (both in-band and out-of-band metadata) into discrete data fields and selectively transferring metadata fields from such files into a unified metadata file.

[0061] In another embodiment, the in-band and out-of-band metadata sets as metadata files can be parsed separately, reformatted separately, and combined based on the format structure. The metadata components of the in-band and out-of-band metadata are extracted separately, ranked, and reformatted based on a master template. The out-of-band metadata extracted as a file can have a unique key assigned to it, which can reference each metadata component or field. The circuit 202 constructs a template to generate a unified metadata file and parses the metadata components of the out-of-band metadata into the constructed template. The constructed template can then be used as a common template for all other metadata sources, such as the in-band metadata set and other out-of-band metadata. The circuit 202 can generate a unified metadata file by extracting data from such a template.

[0062] In another embodiment, the memory 204 can store a machine learning model that can be trained to parse various types of metadata structures to find suitable metadata components and known data formatting patterns for the master template. The machine learning model can be, for example, a deep neural network (DNN) that can parse text that can be represented in terms of word / sentence vectors.

[0063] The circuit 202 can implement a machine learning model that examines the metadata files (i.e., the in-band and out-of-band metadata sets) to locate metadata components based on known parameters for each type of metadata component, such as air date, air time, program title, cast members, or content ratings. For example, the known data format pattern can be that the content / program date of a network program event or TV program is in close proximity to the program title. Additionally or alternatively, the machine learning model can be implemented on a content server (not shown) that can be communicatively coupled to the electronic device 102. The circuit 202 can send the metadata files to the content server, which can execute an indexing program to evaluate, reevaluate, and parse the incomplete data structure of the metadata files to identify suitable metadata components for the master template.

[0064] It should be noted that metadata (in-band or out-of-band) can take many forms, formats, styles and lengths for each metadata field. The master template can specify the final format of the integrated metadata file and the conversion of the metadata from the initial source to a mezzanine file format for final conversion. In some cases, the metadata fields of the metadata file from a particular metadata source are known and can be programmed into the master template, which can include program instructions on how to parse the metadata file. However, this programming can be based on existing relationships and licenses for the metadata files used by either the electronic device 102 or the device manufacturer or the broadcaster / content owner.

[0065] At 314, a program guide 316 may be rendered on the display device 106. The circuitry 202 may control the display device 106 to render the program guide 316 based on the integrated metadata file. The program guide 316 may be rendered as a graphical interface on the display device 106 102 having programmatically updated UI elements that may enable a user to browse and view content items among various in-band and out-of-band content offerings, such as program content items (on a DTV signal) and selected VOD assets. The circuitry 202 may fill each UI element of the program guide 316 based on a respective metadata field or metadata component in the integrated metadata file.

[0066] The program guide 316 may include a first plurality of viewing options 318 for program content items and selected VOD assets. The first plurality of viewing options 318 may include, for example, clickable thumbnails, content preview windows, video players, playable thumbnails, image / video carousels, slide shows, tiles, and graphical UI elements integrated with a set of action-based offerings. For example, the program guide 316 may include preview thumbnails of on-air TV programs and upcoming programs from various TV channels. The program guide 316 may also include clickable thumbnails of selected VOD assets that may be contextually related to the on-air TV programs or may be related to past or recent user activity on the electronic device 102.

[0067] In some embodiments, the program guide 316 may also include multiple content descriptors for program content items and selected VOD assets. Examples of content descriptors may include, but are not limited to, plot or program descriptions, genre tags, content ratings, cast and crew information, images / videos (such as trailers / posters), reviews / comments, or content views (current and past viewership ratings).

[0068] In one embodiment, the circuitry 202 can cache the unified metadata file for playout as the program guide 316 on the display device 106. The master template can be programmed to attempt metadata updates on a scheduled basis. Thus, the unified metadata file can be updated periodically on a scheduled basis based on metadata updates. Once the unified metadata file is updated, the program guide 316 can be updated on a scheduled basis to provide new content viewing options with updated content descriptors. The master template (unified formatted), the unified metadata file, and all video and audio files (associated with program content items and VOD assets) can be synchronized with each other on the program guide 316.

[0069] Embodiments of user-related interactions with the program guide 316 are described herein. In one embodiment, the circuit 202 can receive a user input corresponding to a selection of a first viewing option from a first plurality of viewing options 318 on the program guide 316. The circuit 202 can select the content item as one of the program content items or selected VOD assets based on the user input. If multiple content descriptors are not displayed on the program guide 316, the circuit 202 can select a content descriptor from the multiple content descriptors associated with the selected content item and control the display device 106 to display a UI element including the selected content descriptor. The UI element can be displayed within a slot of the rendered program guide 316 or as a callout window adjacent to the selected viewing option. Once the circuit 202 reads the selected content descriptor, another user input on the program guide 316 can determine whether to continue playing the selected content item on the display device 106. Alternatively, the circuit 202 can simultaneously control playback of a portion of the selected content on the display device 106 102 while the selected content descriptor is displayed. If the user decides to select a different viewing option, the program guide 316 may be refreshed to reload the first plurality of viewing options 318.

[0070] Also, in some embodiments, the circuitry 202 can select a plurality of viewable content items from one or more of the program content items included in the received DTV signal, the selected VOD assets, or future program content items broadcast in a future time schedule. Such a selection can be based on one or both of associations between the plurality of viewable content items and the selected content item or the user information 306a. After a selection is made, the circuitry 202 can control the display device 106 to render a recommendation UI on the rendered program guide 316 and display a second plurality of viewing options on the recommendation UI as viewable recommendations linked to the selected plurality of viewable content items.

[0071] For example, the recommendation UI can be displayed next to the media player UI (or the viewing option selected by the user). While reading the content descriptor of the content item selected by the user, the user can see recommendations for programming (in-band or VOD) that are contextually related to the selected content item or based on user information 306a (including user preferences and user activity). From the recommendation UI, the user can decide whether to select another viewing option from a second plurality of viewing options. In either case, the user can be presented with a monolithic guide that gives the user the ability to discover, read, explore, and view content items or offerings of various content providers (broadcaster applications / VOD applications) on the display device 106 without switching or opening individual broadcaster or VOD applications. An example of a recommendation UI is shown in FIG. 4.

[0072] In another embodiment, the circuit 202 can create a database based on the integrated metadata file. The database can include an index of each of the program content items and the selected VOD assets. The program guide 316 can include a search UI that can link to the created database. At any point, the circuit 202 can receive a search query via the search UI of the rendered program guide 316. The circuit 202 can search the created database based on the received search query and select a set of viewable content items as one or more of the program content items and the selected VOD assets. The circuit 202 can then control the display device 106 to display the selected set of viewable content items as a search result set on the result UI of the rendered program guide 316. An example of a search UI is shown in FIG. 5.

[0073] Figure 4 collectively illustrates an exemplary scenario for the display of an integrated program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 is described with reference to elements of Figures 1, 2, and 3. Figure 4 illustrates an exemplary scenario 400.

[0074] The exemplary scenario 400 illustrates a TV 402, which is an exemplary implementation of the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. In this exemplary implementation, the TV 402 may be a smart TV with appropriate middleware and codecs capable of simultaneously receiving and / or playing in-band program content items and out-of-band VOD. A display panel 404 is further illustrated, which may be an exemplary embodiment of the display device 106 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. A landing page 406a of a program guide 406 rendered on the display panel 404 is further illustrated. On the landing page 406a of the program guide 406, multiple viewing options 408 of program content items included in the DTV signal (e.g., as described in 302) and the VOD assets (e.g., as described in 306) are illustrated. The multiple viewing options 408 include a first viewing option 408a, a second viewing option 408b, and a third viewing option 408c. Also shown on the landing page 406a is a simple content descriptor 410a for the first viewing option 408a, a simple content descriptor 410b for the second viewing option, and a simple content descriptor 410c for the third viewing option 408c.

[0075] The first viewing option 408a may be a clickable image thumbnail of a sports program item associated with a sports broadcaster application. The brief content descriptor 410a may be the title of the sports program (i.e., NBA game). Similarly, the second viewing option 408b may be a clickable video thumbnail of a VOD asset related to NBA history associated with a VOD application. The brief content descriptor 410b may be the title of the VOD asset (NBA history). Similarly, the third viewing option 408c may be another clickable video thumbnail of a program content item associated with a news broadcaster application. The brief content descriptor 410c may be the title of the program content item (the 9 o'clock news).

[0076] The circuitry 202 may receive user input corresponding to a selection of a viewing option from the plurality of viewing options 408 at any one time. The selected viewing option may be associated with either a broadcast station application or a VOD application. For example, the user input may correspond to a selection of a second viewing option 408b. The circuitry 202 may determine a content item associated with the second viewing option 408b. In this case, the content item associated with the second viewing option 408b is a VOD asset titled "NBA History" that may be provided by the VOD application.

[0077] The circuit 202 can load a player page 406b based on the selection of the second viewing option 408b and control the display panel 404 to render a media player UI 412 on the player page 406b of the rendered program guide 406. The media player UI 412 can be loaded to play the content item "NBA History". The circuit 202 can also control the display panel 404 to display a UI element 414 in a slot of the player page 406b on the program guide 406. The UI element 414 can include a content descriptor 416 that can provide a description of the content item to be played on the media player UI 412. As shown, the description can include, for example, the title, release year, genre, synopsis, director, writer, and stars / cast of the content item. In some embodiments, the UI element 414 can be displayed as a callout window adjacent to the first viewing option 408a on the landing page 406a. The description may be extracted from an integrated metadata file (e.g., obtained in 312) that includes program and schedule information contained in the extracted out-of-band metadata set and detailed content descriptions of the program content items (broadcast in-band).

[0078] In another embodiment, the circuit 202 can render a recommendation UI 420 on the player page 406b of the rendered program guide 406. The recommendation UI 420 can recommend content items to a user. The circuit 202 can select a plurality of viewable content items based on a unified metadata file for the program content items and the VOD asset to generate the recommendation UI 420. The plurality of viewable content items can be selected based on an association between the plurality of viewable content items and the selected content item, i.e., the VOD asset, i.e., the history of the NBA. The association can be established based on, for example, genre information, actors, title words, viewership ratings, or number of views.

[0079] For example, genre or subgenre information for a VOD asset (NBA history) may include sports, history, and documentary tags and a rating of 7.3 out of 10. Multiple viewable content items may be associated with the VOD asset. As shown, for example, the multiple viewable content items may include a VOD asset about baseball highlights rated 8, a television program featuring an NBA player as a guest, and another episode of a TV program that the user may have recently viewed on electronic device 102.

[0080] FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary scenario for content search from a program guide, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. FIG. 5 is described in conjunction with elements of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3. FIG. 5 illustrates an exemplary scenario 500. The exemplary scenario 500 illustrates a TV 502, which is an exemplary implementation of the electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. In this exemplary implementation, the TV 502 may be a smart TV with appropriate middleware and codecs capable of simultaneously receiving and / or playing in-band program content items and out-of-band VOD. Also illustrated is a display panel 504, which may be an exemplary embodiment of the display device 106 of FIG. 1 or FIG. 2. Also illustrated is a landing page 506a of a program guide 506 rendered on the display panel 504. Illustrated on the landing page 506a of the program guide 506 is a search UI 508 that may be provided to enable a user to easily search the program guide 506 to find in-band program content items and out-of-band VOD assets.

[0081] The program guide 506 can be rendered on the display panel 504 based on a unified metadata file that can be obtained based on a combination of the parsed in-band metadata set (e.g., as described in 312) and the parsed out-of-band metadata set. The TV 502 can store a database 510 that can be created based on the unified metadata file. The database 510 can include an index of each of the program content items and selected VOD assets augmented with the program and schedule information and detailed content descriptors in the unified metadata file. For example, each of the program content items and selected VOD assets can be indexed based on keywords included in the program and schedule information and detailed content descriptors.

[0082] As an example, the database 510 may be indexed based on genre as shown in Table 2 below. TIFF0007668993000006.tif178167Table 2 shows information relevant to only three genres for the sake of brevity.

[0083] The circuitry 202 may receive a search query 512 via a search UI 508 at any time. The circuitry 202 may search a database 510 based on the search query 512 and select a set of viewable content items. The selected set of viewable content items may be one or more of program content items (included in the DTV signal) and selected VOD assets (available on the VOD application). The circuitry 202 may control the display panel 504 to display the selected set of viewable content items as a search result set 514 on a results UI 516 of the rendered program guide 506.

[0084] As shown, the received search query 512 may be "comedy." Table 1 (representing database 510) may be searched for the genre "comedy." A set of viewable content items corresponding to the genre "comedy" may be selected. With reference to Table 1, the selected set of viewable options may include "comedy video 1," "comedy video 2," "movie 2," "comedy video 3," and "TV series 4." The selected set of viewable content items may be displayed as a search result set 514 on a results UI 516. In some embodiments, when a search result is selected from the search result set 514, the circuitry 202 may load a media player UI over the rendered program guide 506 and control the display panel 504 to play a content item associated with the selected search result.

[0085] Figure 6 is a flow chart illustrating example operations for displaying a unified program guide of content associated with broadcast stations and VOD applications, according to an embodiment of the disclosure. Figure 6 is described with reference to elements of Figures 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. Figure 6 illustrates a flow chart 600. Operations 602-616 may be performed by any computer system, such as electronic device 102 of Figure 1 or 2. Operations may begin at 602 and proceed to 604.

[0086] At 604, a DTV signal can be received. The DTV signal can include multiple program content items associated with multiple broadcaster applications 112 on the electronic device 102. In at least one embodiment, the circuit 202 can be configured to receive a DTV signal that can include multiple program content items.

[0087] At 606, a set of in-band metadata associated with the multiple program content items can be extracted from the received DTV signal. In at least one embodiment, the circuit 202 can be configured to extract a set of in-band metadata associated with the multiple program content items.

[0088] At 608, a set of VOD assets may be selected from a plurality of VOD assets provided by at least one VOD application (e.g., VOD application 114) on electronic device 102. In at least one embodiment, circuitry 202 may be configured to select the VOD assets from the plurality of VOD assets.

[0089] At 610, an out-of-band metadata set can be extracted from the metadata source 108. The out-of-band metadata set can be associated with a plurality of program content items and a selected set of VOD assets. In at least one embodiment, the circuit 202 can be configured to extract the out-of-band metadata set from the metadata source 108.

[0090] At 612, the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set can be parsed. In at least one embodiment, the circuitry 202 can parse the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set.

[0091] At 614, the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set can be combined into a unified metadata file based on the master template. In at least one embodiment, the circuit 202 can combine the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on the master template.

[0092] At 616, a program guide (such as program guide 116) may be rendered on display device 106 based on the integrated metadata file. In at least one embodiment, circuitry 202 may be configured to control display device 106 to render program guide 116 based on the integrated metadata file. Control may proceed to an end.

[0093] Various embodiments of the disclosure may provide a non-transitory computer-readable medium and / or storage medium having instructions stored thereon that a machine and / or computer may execute to operate an electronic device, such as electronic device 102. The instructions may cause the machine and / or computer to perform operations including receiving a digital television (DTV) signal. The DTV signal may include a plurality of program content items that may be associated with a plurality of broadcast station applications on the electronic device. The operations may further include extracting an in-band metadata set associated with the plurality of program content items from the received DTV signal and selecting a VOD asset set from a plurality of VOD assets. The plurality of VOD assets may be provided by at least one VOD application on the electronic device. The operations may further include extracting an out-of-band metadata set that may be associated with the plurality of program content items and the selected VOD asset set, and parsing the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set. The operations may further include combining the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on a master template, and controlling a display device (such as display device 106) to render a program guide based on the unified metadata file.

[0094] An exemplary aspect of the disclosure may include an electronic device (such as electronic device 102 of FIG. 1 ) including a circuit (such as circuit 202) communicatively coupleable to a display device (such as display device 106 of FIG. 1 ). In an embodiment, the electronic device may include an ATSC receiver (such as ATSC receiver 104) that may be configured to receive an over-the-air (OTA) broadcast signal (such as over-the-air (OTA) broadcast signal 302a) and extract a DTV signal from the received OTA signal. The DTV signal may be an ATSC 3.0 TV signal. The circuit may be configured to receive the DTV signal from the ATSC receiver. The DTV signal may include a plurality of program content items associated with a plurality of broadcast station applications (such as the plurality of broadcast station applications 112) on the electronic device. The circuit may be further configured to extract an in-band metadata set associated with the plurality of program content items from the received DTV signal. The in-band metadata set may include program and schedule information associated with the plurality of program content items included in the received DTV signal and future program content items to be broadcast by the plurality of broadcast station applications.

[0095] The circuitry may be further configured to select a set of VOD assets from a plurality of VOD assets provided by at least one VOD application (e.g., VOD application 114) on the electronic device. In an embodiment, the set of VOD assets may be selected based on a contextual match between the plurality of VOD assets and a plurality of program content items. In another embodiment, the set of VOD assets may be selected based on user information (e.g., user information 306a). The user information may include user activity data and user preference data that may be collected by the electronic device. The user activity data may include a content viewing history, a usage log of a plurality of broadcast applications or at least one VOD application on the electronic device, or a search history of a user associated with the electronic device.

[0096] The circuitry can be further configured to extract, from at least one metadata source (such as metadata source 108), an out-of-band metadata set associated with the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets. The extracted out-of-band metadata set can include additional content descriptors for at least the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets.

[0097] According to an embodiment, the circuitry can be configured to parse the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set. The circuitry can be further configured to combine the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on a master template, and control a display device to render a program guide (such as program guide 406) based on the unified metadata file.

[0098] According to some embodiments, the program guide may include a first plurality of viewing options (such as plurality of viewing options 118) for the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets. In some other embodiments, the program guide may also include a plurality of content descriptors (such as plurality of content descriptors 120) for the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets.

[0099] According to an embodiment, the circuitry can be further configured to receive user input regarding a viewing option of a first plurality of viewing options displayed on the program guide, and the circuitry can be further configured to select a content item as one of the plurality of program content items or the selected set of VOD assets based on the received user input.

[0100] According to an embodiment, the circuitry may be further configured to control a display device to render a media player user interface (UI) (such as media player UI 412) within the rendered program guide. The circuitry may be further configured to control playback of a selected content item within the rendered media player UI.

[0101] According to an embodiment, the circuitry can be further configured to select a content descriptor from the plurality of content descriptors. The selected content descriptor can be associated with the selected content item. The circuitry can be further configured to control a display device to display a UI element (such as UI element 414) that includes the selected content descriptor. The UI element can be displayed within a slot of a rendered program guide or as a callout window adjacent to viewing options.

[0102] According to an embodiment, the circuitry may be further configured to select a plurality of viewable content items from a plurality of program content items included in the received DTV signal, a selected set of VOD assets, or future program content items to be broadcast. The plurality of viewable content items may be selected based on one or more of relevance to the selected content item or user information.

[0103] According to an embodiment, the circuitry can be configured to render a recommendation UI (such as recommendation UI 420) on the rendered program guide. The circuitry can be further configured to display a second plurality of viewing options on the recommendation UI as viewable recommendations linked to the selected plurality of viewable content items.

[0104] According to an embodiment, the circuitry 202 may be configured to create a database (such as database 510) that may include an index of each of the plurality of program content items and the selected VOD asset set based on the integrated metadata file. The circuitry may be further configured to receive a search query via a search UI of the rendered program guide. The circuitry may be further configured to search the created database and select a set of viewable content items as one or more of the plurality of program content items and the selected VOD asset set based on the received search query. The circuitry may be further configured to control a display device to display the selected set of viewable content items as a search result set on a results UI (such as results UI 516) of the rendered program guide.

[0105] The present disclosure can be realized in hardware or in a combination of hardware and software. The present disclosure can be realized in a centralized manner in at least one computer system, or in a distributed manner where different elements can be distributed across several interconnected computer systems. Any computer system or other device adapted to perform the methods described herein can be suitable. The combination of hardware and software can be a general-purpose computer system that includes a computer program that, when loaded and executed, can control a computer system to perform the methods described herein. The present disclosure can be realized in hardware, including parts of an integrated circuit that also perform other functions.

[0106] The present disclosure may also be embodied in a computer program product, which includes all features enabling the implementation of the methods described herein and which is capable of executing these methods when loaded into a computer system. A computer program in this context means any expression, in any language, code or notation, of a set of instructions intended to cause a system capable of processing information to execute a particular function, either directly, or after a) conversion into another language, code or notation, b) reproduction in a different content form, or both.

[0107] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that various modifications can be made and equivalents substituted without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Many modifications can also be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Therefore, it is not intended that the present disclosure be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but rather, it is intended to include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims. [Explanation of symbols]

[0108] 102 Electronic equipment 104 ATSC Receiver 106 Display device 108 Metadata Sources 110 Communication Network 112 Broadcasting Station Application 114 VOD Applications 116 Program Guide 118 Viewing Options 120 Content Descriptors

Claims

1. 1. An electronic device comprising: a circuit communicatively coupled to the display device, the circuit comprising: receiving a digital television (DTV) signal including a plurality of program content items associated with a plurality of broadcast station applications on the electronic device; extracting from the received DTV signal a set of in-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items; selecting a set of video-on-demand (VOD) assets from a plurality of VOD assets provided by at least one VOD application on the electronic device; extracting from at least one metadata source a set of out-of-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; Parsing the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set; combining the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on a master template; controlling the display device to render a monolithic program guide based on the integrated metadata file; It is configured as follows: The circuit comprises: creating a database including an index for each of the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets based on the integrated metadata file; receiving a search query via a search UI of the rendered program guide; searching the created database based on the received search query to select a set of viewable content items as one or more of the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; controlling the display device to display the selected set of viewable content items as a search result set on the rendered program guide results UI. further comprising:

1. An electronic device comprising:

2. Receives over-the-air (OTA) broadcast signals; extracting the DTV signal from the received OTA broadcast signal; 13. The electronic device of claim 1, further comprising an Advanced Television Systems Committee (ATSC) receiver configured to:

3. The DTV signal is an ATSC 3.0 TV signal; 3. The electronic device of claim 2.

4. the extracted in-band metadata set includes program and schedule information relating to the plurality of program content items included in the received DTV signal and future program content items to be broadcast by the plurality of broadcast station applications; the extracted out-of-band metadata set includes additional content descriptors for at least the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets.

2. The electronic device of claim 1.

5. the circuitry is further configured to select the set of VOD assets based on a contextual match between the plurality of VOD assets and the plurality of program content items.

2. The electronic device of claim 1.

6. the circuitry is further configured to select the set of VOD assets from the plurality of VOD assets based on user information.

2. The electronic device of claim 1.

7. the circuitry is further configured to collect the user information including user activity data and user preference data.

7. The electronic device of claim 6.

8. The user activity data includes a content viewing history, a usage log of the plurality of broadcast station applications or the at least one VOD application on the electronic device, or a user search history associated with the electronic device.

8. The electronic device of claim 7.

9. The rendered program guide comprises: a first plurality of viewing options for the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; a plurality of content descriptors for the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; The electronic device of claim 1 .

10. The circuit comprises: receiving user input regarding a viewing option of the first plurality of viewing options displayed on the program guide; selecting a content item as one of the plurality of program content items or the selected set of VOD assets based on the received user input; The electronic device according to claim 9 , configured to:

11. The circuit comprises: controlling the display device to render a media player user interface (UI) within the rendered program guide; controlling playback of the selected content item within the rendered media player UI; The electronic device according to claim 10 , configured to:

12. The circuit comprises: selecting a content descriptor from the plurality of content descriptors that is associated with the selected content item; controlling the display device to display a UI element including the selected content descriptor; wherein the UI element is displayed within a slot of the rendered program guide or as a callout window adjacent to the viewing options.

11. The electronic device of claim 10.

13. the circuitry is configured to select a plurality of viewable content items from one or more of the plurality of program content items included in the received DTV signal, the selected set of VOD assets, or future program content items to be broadcast; the plurality of viewable content items are selected based on one or more of relevance to the selected content item or user information; 11. The electronic device of claim 10.

14. The circuit comprises: Rendering a recommendation UI over the rendered program guide; displaying a second plurality of viewing options on the recommendation UI as viewable recommendations linked to the selected plurality of viewable content items; The electronic device of claim 13 , configured to control the display device so as to:

15. Receiving a digital television (DTV) signal including a plurality of program content items associated with a plurality of broadcast station applications on an electronic device; extracting from the received DTV signal a set of in-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items; selecting a set of video-on-demand (VOD) assets from a plurality of VOD assets provided by at least one VOD application on the electronic device; extracting from at least one metadata source a set of out-of-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; parsing the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set; combining the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on a master template; controlling a display device to render a monolithic program guide based on the integrated metadata file; A method comprising: The method comprises: creating a database including an index for each of the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets based on the integrated metadata file; receiving a search query via a search UI of the rendered program guide; searching the created database based on the received search query to select a set of viewable content items as one or more of the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; controlling the display device to display the selected set of viewable content items as a search result set on the rendered program guide results UI. The method further comprising:

16. the extracted in-band metadata set includes program and schedule information relating to the plurality of program content items included in the received DTV signal and future program content items to be broadcast by the plurality of broadcast station applications; the extracted out-of-band metadata set includes additional content descriptors for at least the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets. The method of claim 15.

17. the selection of the VOD asset set is based on a contextual match between the plurality of VOD assets and the plurality of program content items; The method of claim 15.

18. the selection of the VOD asset set is based on user information; The method of claim 15.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a computer in an electronic device, cause the electronic device to: receiving a digital television (DTV) signal including a plurality of program content items associated with a plurality of broadcast station applications on the electronic device; extracting from the received DTV signal a set of in-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items; selecting a set of video-on-demand (VOD) assets from a plurality of VOD assets provided by at least one VOD application on the electronic device; extracting from at least one metadata source a set of out-of-band metadata associated with the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; parsing the extracted in-band metadata set and the extracted out-of-band metadata set; combining the parsed in-band metadata set and the parsed out-of-band metadata set into a unified metadata file based on a master template; controlling a display device to render a monolithic program guide based on the integrated metadata file; Executing an operation including The operation includes: creating a database including an index for each of the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets based on the integrated metadata file; receiving a search query via a search UI of the rendered program guide; searching the created database based on the received search query to select a set of viewable content items as one or more of the plurality of program content items and the selected set of VOD assets; controlling the display device to display the selected set of viewable content items as a search result set on the rendered program guide results UI.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium, further comprising:

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