Method and system for performing searches for television content using reduced text input

• US 20060101503A1
• Filed: 05/24/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Veveo, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Veveo, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Aravamudan, Murali, Rajanala, Pranav, Rajasekharan, Ajit, Barve, Rakesh D., Venkataraman, Sashikumar, Agrawal, Rahul
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,218 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/136
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/322 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• 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 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and system are provided for identifying a television content item desired by a television viewer from a set of television content items. Each of the television content items has one or more associated descriptors. The system receives from the television viewer a reduced text search entry directed at identifying the desired television content item. The search entry is a prefix substring of one or more words relating to the desired television content item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more television content items from the set of television content items having one or more descriptors matching the search entry as the television viewer enters each character of the search entry. The system then transmits the names of the one or more television content items of the identified group to be displayed on a device operated by the television viewer.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a television content item desired by a television viewer from a set of television content items, each of said television content items having one or more associated descriptors, said method comprising:

(a) receiving from the television viewer a reduced text search entry directed at identifying said desired television content item, said search entry comprising a prefix substring of each of one or more words relating to said desired television content item;

(b) dynamically identifying a group of one or more television content items from said set of television content items having one or more descriptors matching said search entry as said television viewer enters each character of said search entry; and

(c) transmitting identification of said one or more television content items of said group identified in (b) to be displayed on a device operated by said television viewer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words in an ordered format.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words in an unordered format.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words separated by a word separator.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said group comprises two or more television content items, and wherein said content items in said group are ordered for display in accordance with a given relevance function.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the given relevance function comprises popularity of the television content items.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the given relevance function comprises temporal relevance.

8. The method of claim 5 wherein the given relevance function comprises location relevance.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more words specify at least a portion of a title of said content item.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is implemented in a server system remote from said television viewer.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said method is implemented in a device included in or proximate to a television set for displaying said television content item.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining said descriptors prior to receiving said reduced text search entry from the television viewer.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein determining said descriptors comprises identifying a set of candidate terms comprising ordered or unordered words.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining a set of records of prefix sub strings of said candidate terms.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising identifying the location of stop words in said terms.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein determining said descriptors comprises adding phonetically equivalent words to said descriptors.

17. The method of claim 12 wherein determining said descriptors comprises adding commonly misspelled words of words in said descriptors.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a user with visual cues to assist the viewer in entering a generally optimal text input string for a search.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein said each descriptor includes title, cast, director, description, or keyword information relating to a content item.

20. A server system for distributing television content items to a plurality television systems over distribution network, comprising:

a database for storing a set of television content items and associated descriptors for each television content item; and

a processor for (a) receiving from a television viewer a reduced text search entry directed at identifying a desired television content item, said search entry comprising a prefix substring of each of one or more words relating to said desired television content item;

(b) dynamically identifying a group of one or more television content items from said set of television content items having one or more descriptors matching said search entry as said television viewer enters each character of said search entry; and

(c) transmitting identification of said one or more television content items of said group identified in (b) to be displayed on a device operated by said television viewer.

21. The system of claim 20 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words in an ordered format.

22. The system of claim 20 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words in an unordered format.

23. The system of claim 20 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words separated by a word separator.

24. The system of claim 20 wherein said group comprises two or more television content items, and wherein said content items in said group are ordered for display in accordance with a given relevance function.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein the given relevance function comprises popularity of the television content items.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein the given relevance function comprises temporal relevance.

27. The system of claim 24 wherein the given relevance function comprises location relevance.

28. The system of claim 20 wherein said one or more words specify at least a portion of a title of said content item.

29. The system of claim 20 wherein said television system comprises a television set and a television remote control device.

30. The system of claim 20 wherein said television system comprises a television set and a set top box control device.

31. The system of claim 20 wherein said processor determines said descriptors prior to receiving said reduced text search entry from the television viewer.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said descriptors are determined by identifying a set of candidate terms comprising ordered or unordered words.

33. The system of claim 31 wherein said descriptors are determined by determining a set of records of prefix substrings of said candidate terms.

34. The system of claim 31 wherein said descriptors are determined by identifying the location of stop words in said terms.

35. The system of claim 31 wherein said descriptors are determined by adding phonetically equivalent words to said descriptors.

36. The system of claim 31 wherein said descriptors are determined by adding commonly misspelled words of words in said descriptors.

37. The system of claim 20 wherein said processor further provides said television viewer with visual cues to assist the viewer in entering a generally optimal text input string for a search.

38. The system of claim 20 wherein said each descriptor includes title, cast, director, description, or keyword information relating to a content item.

39. A television content delivery system, comprising:

a server system for storing a set of television content items and associated descriptors;

a distribution network in communication with said server system for distributing television content items stored in said server system; and

a plurality of television systems in communication with said distribution network for receiving television content items from said distribution network, each television system operable by a television viewer for selecting a desired television content item from said set of television content items stored by said server system,

wherein each said television system receives from a television viewer a reduced text search entry directed at identifying said desired television content item, said search entry comprising a prefix substring of each of one or more words relating to said desired television content item,

wherein said server system receives said search entry from said television system and dynamically identifies a group of one or more television content items from said set of television content items having one or more descriptors matching said search entry as said television viewer enters each character of said search entry; and

transmits identification of said one or more television content items of said group to be displayed on the television system operated by said television viewer.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words in an ordered format.

41. The system of claim 39 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words in an unordered format.

42. The system of claim 39 wherein said search entry comprises at least two words separated by a word separator.

43. The system of claim 39 wherein said group comprises two or more television content items, and wherein said content items in said group are ordered for display in accordance with a given relevance function.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the given relevance function comprises popularity of the television content items.

45. The system of claim 43 wherein the given relevance function comprises temporal relevance.

46. The system of claim 43 wherein the given relevance function comprises location relevance.

47. The system of claim 39 wherein said one or more words specify at least a portion of a title of said content item.

48. The system of claim 39 wherein said television system comprises a television set and a television remote control device.

49. The system of claim 39 wherein said television system comprises a television set and a set top box control device.

50. The system of claim 39 wherein said processor determines said descriptors prior to receiving said reduced text search entry from the television viewer.

51. The system of claim 50 wherein said descriptors are determined by identifying a set of candidate terms comprising ordered or unordered words.

52. The system of claim 50 wherein said descriptors are determined by determining a set of records of prefix substrings of said candidate terms.

53. The system of claim 50 wherein said descriptors are determined by identifying the location of stop words in said terms.

54. The system of claim 50 wherein said descriptors are determined by adding phonetically equivalent words to said descriptors.

55. The system of claim 50 wherein said descriptors are determined by adding commonly misspelled words of words in said descriptors.

56. The system of claim 50 wherein said processor further provides said television viewer with visual cues to assist the viewer in entering a generally optimal text input string for a search.

57. The system of claim 39 wherein said each descriptor includes title, cast, director, description, or keyword information relating to a content item.

58. The system of claim 39 wherein said distribution system comprises a cable television network, a satellite television network, or an IP-based television network.