Method of processing EPG metadata in network device and network device for controlling the same

1. A method of processing an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) metadata in a network device, the method comprising:

performing a services discovery procedure utilizing multiple service discovery metadata components supplied by a service provider;

requesting specific results; and

performing a batch delivery of a query response by issuing an initial query that returns the first batch of results, and then issuing follow-up queries to return additional batches if a query identifier to identify the initial query that generated the returned results is returned, and

wherein the results correspond to SGDDs (service guide delivery descriptors) or service guide fragments,

wherein the step of performing comprises:

receiving a master SI table which locates in a master SI table location in provisioning information,

receiving a virtual channel map table which locates in virtual channel map locations in the received master SI table,

receiving a virtual channel description table which locates in virtual channel description table locations in the received virtual channel map table, and

receiving a source table which locates in source table locations in the received virtual channel description table, and

wherein the step of requesting comprises:

requesting specific SGDDs by using first key information on the time interval and second key information on levels identifying list, lite or full profile versions in requests for specific SGDDs, and

requesting specific service guide fragments by using third key information on the time interval, fourth key information on levels identifying list, lite or full profile versions, and fifth key information identifying whether the service guide fragments are top fragments of a group hierarchy of an EPG metadata service.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method comprises a step of performing a batch delivery of a query response using range information on what results are contained in the query response.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the range information is contained in a sub-element of a service guide (SG) response element.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the range information has the first attribute on an identifier for the initial query that generated returned results, the second attribute giving the total number of results generated by the initial query, the third attribute giving the index of the first result in the query response and the fourth attribute giving the number of results contained in the query response.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the provisioning information is obtained by the network device during a SP (service provider) attachment.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the network device corresponds to at least one of an ITF (IPTV Terminal Function) device, a mobile device and a digital television.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein a delivery of the EPG metadata performs using a service guide delivery unit (SGDU) containing a collection of service guide fragments that meet a grouping criteria, and a grouping of the service guide fragments in the SGDU conforms to the grouping criteria declared for the SGDU in SGDDs (Service Guide Delivery Descriptors) announcing the SGDU.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein the grouping criteria is based on at least one of a start time, an end time, a service ID, and genre properties of schedule events.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the service guide fragments correspond to at least one of a program information fragment, a schedule fragment, and a review fragment.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein

requesting the specific service guide fragments comprises:

requesting the specific service guide fragments by further using sixth key information on the same member in the group hierarchy in requests for specific service guide fragments.

11. A network device for processing an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) metadata, the network device comprising:

a service discovery manager performs a services discovery procedure utilizing multiple service discovery metadata components supplied by a service provider,

a requesting module requests specific SGDDs (service guide delivery descriptors) or specific service guide fragments, and

a controller performs a batch delivery of a query response by issuing an initial query that returns the first batch of the specific SGDDs or the specific service guide fragments, and then issuing follow-up queries to return additional batches if a query identifier to identify the initial query that generated the returned results is returned,

wherein the service discovery further: receives

a master SI table which locates in a master SI table location in provisioning information,

receives a virtual channel map table which locates in virtual channel map locations in the received master SI table,

receives a virtual channel description table which locates in virtual channel description table locations in the received virtual channel map table, and

receives a source table which locates in source table locations in the received virtual channel description table, and

wherein the requesting module further:

requests SGDDs by using first key information on the time interval and second key information on levels identifying list, lite or full profile versions in requests for specific SGDDs, and

requests service guide fragments by using third key information on the time interval, fourth key information on levels identifying list, lite or full profile versions, and fifth key information identifying whether the service guide fragments are top fragments of a group hierarchy of an EPG metadata service.

12. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the network device comprises a controller for performing a batch delivery of a query response using range information on what results are contained in the query response.

13. The network device of claim 12 , wherein the range information is contained in a sub-element of a service guide (SG) response element.

14. The network device of claim 13 , wherein the range information has the first attribute on an identifier for the initial query that generated returned results, the second attribute giving the total number of results generated by the initial query, the third attribute giving the index of the first result in the query response and the fourth attribute giving the number of results contained in the query response.

15. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the provisioning information is obtained by the network device during a SP (service provider) attachment.

16. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the network device corresponds to at least one of an ITF (IPTV Terminal Function) device, a mobile device and a digital television.

17. The network device of claim 11 , wherein a delivery of the EPG metadata performs using a service guide delivery unit (SGDU) containing a collection of service guide fragments that meet a grouping criteria, and a grouping of the service guide fragments in the SGDU conforms to the grouping criteria declared for the SGDU in SGDDs (Service Guide Delivery Descriptors) announcing the SGDU.

18. The network device of claim 17 , wherein the grouping criteria is based on at least one of a start time, an end time, a service ID, and genre properties of schedule events.

19. The network device of claim 17 , wherein the service guide fragments correspond to at least one of a program information fragment, a schedule fragment, and a review fragment.

20. The network device of claim 11 , wherein the requesting module further configured to:

request the service guide fragments by further using sixth key information on the same member in the group hierarchy in requests for specific service guide fragments.