Method and apparatus for content metadata search

• US 20060085819A1
• Filed: 10/14/2004
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/14/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAN Simeon Films, LLC
• Original Assignee: SAN Simeon Films, LLC
• Inventors: Bruck, Timo, Hammer, Thomas R.
• Application Number:
  US10/966,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20060085819A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/52
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0237 using prediction or retrieval techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42214 using alphanumerical characters
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8405 represented by keywords

Abstract

A virtual dictionary contains keywords extracted from metadata describing multimedia content. A virtual keyboard of alphanumeric characters is configured for display on a display device such that as a character is selected from the virtual keyboard using navigation and selection controls associated with a set-top appliance only those alphanumeric characters which appear in sequence in one or more of the keywords contained in the virtual dictionary are displayed on the display device for a next selection.

Claims

1. A user interface, comprising:

a virtual dictionary containing keywords extracted from metadata describing multimedia content available for download to a set-top appliance communicatively coupled to a display device; and

a virtual keyboard of alphanumeric characters configured for display on the display device such that as a character is selected from the virtual keyboard using navigation and selection controls associated with the set-top appliance only those alphanumeric characters which appear in sequence in one or more of the keywords contained in the virtual dictionary are displayed on the display device for a next selection.

2. The user interface of claim 1, wherein the navigation and selection controls are included as part of a wireless remote control for the set-top appliance.

3. The user interface of claim 2, wherein the display device comprises a television.

4. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed as an endless loop of the alphanumeric characters.

5. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed as a grid of the alphanumeric characters.

6. The user interface of claim 3, wherein upon selection of a sufficient number of alphanumeric characters via the virtual keyboard such that only a single unique one of the keywords can be spelled thereby, the single unique keyword is presented for selection using the selection controls associated with the set-top appliance.

7. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the metadata collectively defines a program guide for Internet content.

8. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the virtual dictionary is stored on a computer-readable medium of the set-top appliance.

9. The user interface of claim 3, wherein the virtual dictionary is stored on a computer readable medium of a server remote from the set-top appliance but communicatively coupled thereto through one or more computer networks.

10. A method, comprising displaying, in response to a selection of an alphanumeric character from a virtual keyboard, only those alphanumeric characters which appear in sequence in one or more of keywords contained in a virtual dictionary, which keywords were extracted from metadata describing multimedia content available for download to a set-top appliance communicatively coupled to a display device on which the virtual keyboard is displayed.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the selection is made using navigation and selection controls associated with the set-top appliance.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed as an endless loop of the alphanumeric characters.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed as a grid of the alphanumeric characters.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising displaying a single unique one of the keywords for selection using the selection controls associated with the set-top appliance upon entry of a sufficient number of alphanumeric characters via the virtual keyboard such that only the single unique one of the keywords can be spelled thereby.

15. A method, comprising searching for multimedia content available for download via the Internet by entering a search query using a virtual keyboard of a set-top appliance, the virtual keyboard being displayed via a display device coupled to the set-top appliance and configured such that as each character is selected from the virtual keyboard only those alphanumeric characters which appear in sequence in one or more keywords contained in a virtual dictionary are displayed on the display device for a next selection.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the keywords of the virtual dictionary are extracted from metadata describing the multimedia content available for download.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein upon entry of a sufficient number of the alphanumeric characters via the virtual keyboard such that only a single unique one of the keywords can be spelled thereby, the single unique keyword is presented for selection.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein the characters are selected from the virtual keyboard using a wireless remote control associated with the set-top appliance.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed as an endless loop of the alphanumeric characters.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the virtual keyboard is displayed as a grid of the alphanumeric characters.