Multimedia search system
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A database search system that retrieves multimedia information in a flexible, user friendly system. The search system uses a multimedia database consisting of text, picture, audio and animated data. That database is searched through multiple graphical and textual entry paths. Those entry paths include an idea search, a title finder search, a topic tree search, a picture explorer search, a history timeline search, a world atlas search, a researcher'"'"'s assistant search, and a feature articles search.
-
Citations
149 Claims
-
1-79. -79. (canceled)
-
80. A method for retrieving information, comprising:
-
storing textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieving textual information based on input of the user in the textual browse entry path or the textual search entry path;
providing a first indicator associated with the retrieved textual information indicating the availability of associated graphical information;
retrieving the associated graphical information in response to input of the user associated with the first indicator;
retrieving graphical information based on input of the user in the graphics entry path;
providing a second indicator associated with the retrieved graphical information indicating the availability of associated textual information; and
retrieving the associated textual information in response to input of the user associated with the second indicator. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102)
-
-
103. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
-
store textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieve textual information based on input of the user in the textual browse entry path or the textual search entry path;
provide a first indicator associated with the retrieved textual information indicating the availability of associated graphical information;
retrieve the associated graphical information in response to input of the user associated with the first indicator;
retrieve graphical information based on input of the user in the graphics entry path;
provide a second indicator associated with the retrieved graphical information indicating the availability of associated textual information; and
retrieve the associated textual information in response to input of the user associated with the second indicator.
-
-
104. A method for retrieving information, comprising:
-
storing textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieving textual information based on input of the user in the textual search entry path;
providing a first indicator associated with the retrieved textual information indicating the availability of associated graphical information;
retrieving the associated graphical information in response to input of the user associated with the first indicator;
retrieving graphical information based on input of the user in the graphics entry path;
providing a second indicator associated with the retrieved graphical information indicating the availability of associated textual information; and
retrieving the associated textual information in response to input of the user associated with the second indicator.
-
-
105. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
-
store textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieve textual information based on input of the user in the textual search entry path;
provide a first indicator associated with the retrieved textual information indicating the availability of associated graphical information;
retrieve the associated graphical information in response to input of the user associated with the first indicator;
retrieve graphical information based on input of the user in the graphics entry path;
provide a second indicator associated with the retrieved graphical information indicating the availability of associated textual information; and
retrieve the associated textual information in response to input of the user associated with the second indicator.
-
-
106. A method for retrieving information, comprising:
-
storing textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieving at least a portion of the textual or graphical information through a selected entry path based on the input of the user;
providing an indicator associated with the retrieved textual or graphical information indicating the availability of associated graphical or textual information accessible through another entry path; and
retrieving the associated graphical or textual information in response to input of the user associated with the indicator.
-
-
107. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
-
store textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieve at least a portion of the textual or graphical information through a selected entry path based on the input of the user;
provide an indicator associated with the retrieved textual or graphical information indicating the availability of associated graphical or textual information accessible through another entry path; and
retrieve the associated graphical or textual information in response to input of the user associated with the indicator.
-
-
108. A method for retrieving information, comprising:
-
storing textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieving at least a portion of the textual or graphical information through a selected entry path based on the input of the user;
providing an indicator associated with the retrieved textual or graphical information indicating the availability of associated graphical or textual information accessible through another entry path; and
retrieving the associated graphical or textual information in response to input of the user associated with the indicator.
-
-
109. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
-
store textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieve at least a portion of the textual or graphical information through a selected entry path based on the input of the user;
provide an indicator associated with the retrieved textual or graphical information indicating the availability of associated graphical or textual information accessible through another entry path; and
retrieve the associated graphical or textual information in response to input of the user associated with the indicator.
-
-
110. A method for retrieving information, comprising:
-
storing textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieving at least a portion of the textual or graphical information through a selected entry path based on the input of the user;
providing an indicator associated with the retrieved textual or graphical information indicating the availability of associated graphical or textual information accessible through another entry path; and
retrieving the associated graphical or textual information in response to input of the user associated with the indicator.
-
-
111. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
-
store textual information and graphical information of any type in at least one database;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieve at least a portion of the textual or graphical information through a selected entry path based on the input of the user;
provide an indicator associated with the retrieved textual or graphical information indicating the availability of associated graphical or textual information accessible through another entry path; and
retrieve the associated graphical or textual information in response to input of the user associated with the indicator.
-
-
112. A search system for retrieving information, comprising:
-
a storing unit for storing textual information and graphical information of any type, said storing unit including at least one database;
a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, each of the entry paths capable of being used without regard to the other entry paths, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual browse entry path for allowing a user to select textual information from a predetermined list of textual information;
at least one textual search entry path for allowing a user to enter text to search for in the stored textual information; and
at least one graphics entry path for graphically searching at least a portion of the graphical information;
a first text retriever for retrieving textual information based on input of the user in the textual browse entry path or the textual search entry path;
first indicator associated with the retrieved textual information indicating the availability of associated graphical information;
a first graphics retriever for retrieving the associated graphical information in response to input of the user associated with the first indicator;
a second graphics retriever for retrieving graphical information based on input of the user in the graphics entry path;
a second indicator associated with the retrieved graphical information indicating the availability of associated textual information;
a second text retriever for retrieving the associated textual information in response to input of the user associated with the second indicator; and
an output unit for receiving search results and providing said search results to the user. - View Dependent Claims (113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149)
-
Specification