Podcast search engine

• US 20070078884A1
• Filed: 02/02/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Yahoo! Inc. (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Fukuda, Matt, Ott, Edward, Hayashi, Nathanael
• Granted Patent: US 8,108,378 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for subscribing to podcast feeds from a single location. A server-based search engine is provided that identifies podcasts located throughout a network that are available to a user'"'"'s rendering device and presents the user with a user interface from which the user can search for podcasts, subscribe to an identified podcast, listen to an identified podcast, or obtain additional information related to an identified podcast.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a server computer communicatively coupled with a network;

a data store, in communication with the server computer, containing feed information, each feed accessible from locations on the network remote from the server computer and the data store and, the feed information comprising a list of feeds and associated with each of feed in the list, series description information, a remote network location of the feed, and episode information including both episode description information and a network location for one or more episodes of the associated feed;

a search engine on the server computer operable to automatically search the network and retrieve, from locations on the network remote from the server computer and the data store, feed information not already stored in the data store, and store the retrieved feed information in the data store, the search engine generating a user interface operable to receive feed search requests from a client device;

in response to received client search requests, the search engine operable to select feeds and episodes of feeds from the feed information in the data store based on the received feed search requests and return search results to the client device from the data store related to the selected series and episodes; and

wherein the search results include at least some of the series information for selected feeds and episode information for selected episodes.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data store further comprises:

tag information associated with one or more feeds, the tag information including at least one tag previously selected by a third party as related to the associated feed.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the data store further comprises:

tag information associated with one or more episodes, the tag information including at least one tag previously selected by a third party as related to the associated episode.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the episode description information and series description information for each feed include information copied from the feed file located at the remote network location of the feed.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the feed data store includes third party data associated with at least one of the episodes and at least one of the feeds, the third party data received via the client interface from one or more client devices.

6. The system of claim 2 wherein the search engine automatically selects at least one tag to be associated with a newly-identified feed based on categorization data within the feed.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the search results include a user interface element associated with each selected feed displayed on the client device, the user interface element if activated causing the client device to subscribe to the associated feed.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the client interface is operable to receive feed search requests to display only episodes of feeds matching identified criteria.

9. A method for searching for feeds on a network comprising:

maintaining a feed database comprising a list of feeds accessible at remote network locations and, associated with at least one of the identified feeds, series description information, a remote network location of the feed, and episode information including both episode description information and a network location for each episode of the feed;

receiving a search request from a requesting computer to identify feeds on the network matching identified criteria;

selecting feeds and episodes of feeds from the feed database based on the identified criteria and information in the database;

transmitting search results to the requesting computer, the search results including series information and remote network locations for selected feeds and episode information for selected episodes.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the search request is a request to identify only episodes of feeds on the network matching identified criteria and selecting further comprises:

selecting only episodes of feeds from the feed database.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the search request is a request to identify only feeds on the network having series information that matches identified criteria and selecting further comprises:

selecting only feeds from the feeds database.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the search results include, associated each selected feed, a subscribe interface element that, if selected, subscribes the requesting computer to the associated feed at the remote network location.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the search results include, for each selected episode, a render interface element that, if selected, causes the requesting computer to retrieve and render the episode.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the search results include a user interface element associated with a first feed that allows a user of the requesting computer to transmit user-generated information descriptive of the first feed and further comprising:

receiving the user-generated information from the client computer;

associating the user-generated information with the first feed;

storing the user-generated information associated with the first feed in the database as additional series information for use when selecting feeds in response to search requests.

15. The method of claim 9 wherein the search results include a user interface element associated with a first episode that allows a user of the requesting computer to transmit user-generated information descriptive of the first episode and further comprising:

receiving the user-generated information from the client computer;

associating the user-generated information with the first episode;

storing the user-generated information associated with the first episode in the database as additional episode information for use when selecting episodes in response to search requests.

16. The method of claim 9 wherein maintaining comprises:

repeatedly searching the network for feeds;

revising the feed information in the feed database to include feed information from new feeds and changed feeds identified in the repeatedly searching operation.

17. A method for subscribing to a first feed accessible at a first location on a network comprising:

searching the network for feeds;

finding the first feed;

storing, in a feed database associated with a subscription server at a second location on the network, feed information derived from the first feed including a feed locator identifying the first location, wherein the second location is different from the first location;

receiving, by the subscription server, a request to subscribe to the feed from a processor at a third location on the network, the third location different from the second location; and

in response to the request to subscribe, transmitting a subscription command to the processor, the subscription command interpretable by the processor and causing the processor to subscribe to the feed accessible at the first location.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

repeatedly searching the network for feeds;

revising the feed information in the feed database to include feed information from the new feeds and updated feeds identified in the searching operation.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

comparing feed information obtained from the first feed with feed information in the feed database.

20. The method of claim 17 further comprising:

creating a new feed record in the feed database to store feed information obtained from the first feed with feed information in the feed database.

21. The method of claim 17 further

receiving, by the subscription server, a request to render an episode of the feed from a processor at a third location on the network, the episode accessible at a fourth location;

and

in response to the request to render, transmitting a media player user interface to the processor, the media player user interface interpretable by the processor and causing the processor to retrieve the episode from the fourth location and render the episode.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein the first location, the second location and the third location are network locations having different Internet Protocol addresses.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein the feed database includes a list of feeds accessible at remote network locations, the list including first feed and feed information associated with the first feed, the feed information including series description information, the feed locator identifying the first location, and episode information for one or more episodes of the first feed including, for each of the one or more episodes, episode description information and a network location identifier for the episode.

24. A graphical user interface generated for display to a user via a rendering device, the graphical user interface when displayed via the rendering device comprising:

a text box interface element for receiving search criteria;

a search interface element, a user selection of the search user interface element causing the server to search an associated feed database for feeds and episodes of feeds matching the search criteria that are accessible at computing devices remote from the server and the rendering device.

25. The graphical user interface of claim 24 further comprising:

a first display area displaying a first list of feeds, the first list identifying one or more feeds accessible at computing devices remote from the server and the rendering device.

26. The graphical user interface of claim 25 further comprising:

a render interface element associated with at least one feed identified in the first list, a user selection of the render interface element causing an episode of the feed, the episode located on a computing device remote from the server and the rendering device, to be rendered on the rendering device.

27. The graphical user interface of claim 25 further comprising:

a subscribe interface element associated with at least one feed identified in the first list, a user selection of the subscribe interface element causing the server to generate and transmit information to the rendering device causing the rendering device to subscribe to the feed.

28. The graphical user interface of claim 24 further comprising:

a search limiter interface element through which a user may limit a search to search for only feeds, only episodes or feeds and episodes that match the search criteria.

29. The graphical user interface of claim 24 further comprising:

one or more tag interface elements that, when selected by a user, causes the server to search the associated feed database for feeds and episodes of feeds matching the tag that are accessible at computing devices remote from the server and the rendering device.

30. The graphical user interface of claim 27 wherein the information transmitted to the rendering device includes a file conforming to the .pcast standard.

31. The graphical user interface of claim 29 wherein the one or more tag interface elements include

a first tag interface element comprising a first tag, that when selected by a user, causes the server to search the associated feed database for feeds and episodes of feeds having the first tag, wherein the first tag was provided by a first source;

and

a second tag interface element comprising the first tag displayed in manner such that the second tag interface is visually different from the first tag interface, the second tag interface when selected by a user causes the server to search the associated feed database for feeds and episodes of feeds having the first tag, wherein the first tag was provided by a second source.