A method and apparatus for performing an integrated search is provided. An interface is provided that allows users to search and select any data related to a searchable term. Searchable terms may comprise titles of content, actors, and tags. Upon receiving results from the initial search, the user progresses through the initial search by selecting a result from the initial search and conducting a further search of that selection. The search may progress through many layers of searching in order to find information useful to the user and the user may perform actions based upon results of the search. The search implements a display with two columns, the first column displaying selectable data, and the second column displaying results to the selected data. The search is further customizable based upon a privacy level selected by the user.

Techniques to customize a media processing system are described. A media processing system is described capable of integrating a large set of heterogeneous electronic devices into a single integrated system with enhanced navigation capabilities and automated configuration services. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Items of video content offered for viewing on a video-on-demand (VOD) platform of a digital TV service provider are each assigned a respective title and hierarchical address corresponding to hierarchically-arranged categories and subcategories within which the title for the video content is to be categorized. The title is listed in a location of an electronic program guide (EPG) using the same categories and subcategories as its hierarchical address. Any TV subscriber can access the EPG and navigate through its categories and subcategories to find a title for viewing on the TV. The EPG dynamically adjust its display listings of each level of categories, subcategories, and titles in order to minimize the number of remote control keypresses needed for a viewer to navigate to a title of interest. In one basic form, the EPG display is reordered by listing more frequently visited categories or subcategories first, and other less frequently visited categories or subcategories lower on the listing or out-of-sight on another page of the display.

According to various embodiments, a content casting method of an electronic device may comprise: an operation of obtaining a content list including a plurality of pieces of content information from an external server; an operation of selecting at least one piece of content from the content list on the basis of at least one of the state of a user, the type of content, and the state of an external electronic device; and an operation of transmitting information on the selected at least one piece of content to the external electronic device so as to cause the external electronic device to play the selected at least one piece of content through a short-range wireless network. Additional various embodiments identified through the specification are possible.

Systems and methods are provided for recommending media content to users with disabilities. In response to determining that a user has a disability, a type of the disability is determined. A media content item to recommend to the user is determined, among a plurality of media content items, based on the determined type of disability and a favorability factor of the media content item for the determined type of disability. The favorability factor of the media content item corresponds to an ability of a user with the determined type of disability to comprehend the media content item. An identifier of the determined media content item is generated for presentation.

Methods, systems, and apparatuses for user engagement analysis are described herein. An analytics subsystem may use a plurality of activity data to generate a plurality of user profiles, corresponding user interest clouds for each user device of a plurality of user devices, and a first interest cloud associated with a particular client identifier. The analytics subsystem may generate a second interest cloud associated based on a subset of a plurality of media assets associated with a threshold quantity of engagements. The analytics subsystem may determine a plurality of clusters of the plurality of media assets and may generate a content interest cloud for each of the plurality of clusters.

The present disclosure relates to a method for enabling user-preferred trick-play modes. More particularly, the present disclosure provides a method for enabling user-preferred trick-play modes based on content classifications of a content item. In embodiments described herein, methods and systems are provided for varying the user experience with respect to trick-play operation. For example, experience may be varied based on the content being consumed or based on a combination of content being consumed and computing device being used.

Systems and methods are described herein for highlighting objects with a primary content that are likely to be of interest to a user viewing the primary content. More particularly, when the system receives a segment of primary content to be displayed on a user equipment device for consumption, the system analyzes the received segment to identify an object within the received segment. The system then checks a database storing supplemental content to determine whether supplemental content associated with the identified object is available. When supplemental content associated with the identified object is available within the database, the system modifies the received segment of the primary content to highlight the identified object and displays the modified segment of the primary content on the user equipment device for consumption.

Methods and systems of providing video content are disclosed. A request to view video content is received from a viewer. In response to the request, it is determined whether the viewer has advert-free rights to watch the video content. In response to determining that the viewer does not have the advert-free rights to watch the video content, an alternative advert (AA) query is prepared based on query rules, and the AA query is presented to the viewer. An AA query response to the AA query is received from the viewer. In response to determining that the AA query response is a first response, one or more AA offers are determined and the AA offers are sent to the viewer. The requested video content is streamed to a viewer device of the viewer without adverts.

Disclosed are various embodiments for associating and synchronizing extrinsic data with video content at particular points of time in the video content. In one embodiment, an application identifies a video content feature currently being presented via a display device. A current time in the video content feature are determined. Performers potentially depicted in the video content feature at the current time are determined. The application then generates a user interface configured to receive a user selection of a particular performer from the performers, where the user selection indicates that the particular performer is depicted in the video content feature at the current time.