Internet and Database Searching with Handheld Devices

• US 20090012944A1
• Filed: 09/16/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rodriguez, Tony F., Stewart, Steven W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,058,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2425 Iterative querying; Query formulation based on the results of a preceding query
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results

Abstract

The presently claimed invention relates to network searching and handheld devices. One claim recites a method including: from a first wireless device, wirelessly communicating with a second wireless device to determine whether the second wireless device has performed an internet or database search; receiving, at the first wireless device, information from the second wireless device regarding the internet or database search, if the information satisfies predetermined criteria on the first wireless device, requesting from the second wireless device at least a subset of results obtained from the internet or database search. Another claim recites: a method of searching comprising: receiving search criteria in a first, handheld mobile device; upon sensing a second, handheld mobile device by the first, handheld mobile device, automatically and wirelessly querying the second, handheld mobile device to determine whether the second, handheld mobile device has any content stored thereon corresponding to the search criteria; and receiving content corresponding to the search criteria from the second, handheld mobile device. Of course, other claims and combinations are also provided.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

from a first mobile device, wirelessly querying a second mobile device to determine whether the second mobile device has internet or database search results relating to predetermined search criteria;

receiving at least a subset of the search results; and

presenting or displaying at least some of the subset of the search results to a user of the first mobile device.

2. The method of claim 1 where the first device queries the second mobile device to determine whether the second mobile device has content related to the predetermined search criteria.

3. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 1.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the first mobile device and the second mobile device each comprise Bluetooth functionality, the act of wirelessly querying is carried out via the Bluetooth functionality.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first mobile device further comprises cell phone functionality.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first mobile device or the second mobile device comprises a music player.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising establishing a password or security protocol to enable the first mobile device to communicate with the second mobile device.

8. A method comprising:

from a first wireless device, wirelessly communicating with a second wireless device to determine whether the second wireless device has performed an internet or database search;

receiving, at the first wireless device, information from the second wireless device regarding the internet or database search;

if the information satisfies predetermined criteria on the first wireless device, requesting from the second wireless device at least a subset of results obtained from the internet or database search;

obtaining the subset of results from the second wireless device; and

presenting or displaying at least some of the subset of the results to a user of the first wireless device via the first wireless device.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined criteria is selected by a user of the first wireless device.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined criteria is automatically determined based on at least one previous internet search or database search carried out by the first wireless device or a computer associated with the first wireless device.

11. The method of claim 8 wherein the predetermined criteria is automatically determined based on previous internet browsing carried out by the first wireless device or a computer associated with the first wireless device.

12. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 8.

13. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 10.

14. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 11.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein the first wireless device comprises a cell phone or music player.

16. The method of claim 8 wherein the subset of results comprises an audio or video file.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein prior to receiving the audio or video file from the second wireless device, communicating with a remote registry to obtain permission to receive the audio or video file.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the audio or video file comprise digital watermarking hidden therein, and the act of communicating utilizes plural-bit information carried by the digital watermarking.

19. A method comprising:

receiving search criteria in a first, handheld mobile device;

upon sensing a second, handheld mobile device by the first, handheld mobile device, automatically and wirelessly querying the second, handheld mobile device to determine whether the second, handheld mobile device has any content stored thereon corresponding to the search criteria;

receiving content corresponding to the search criteria from the second, handheld mobile device, in the first, handheld mobile device; and

presenting or displaying at least some of the content via the first, handheld mobile device.

20. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 19.

21. The method of claim 19 wherein prior to receiving content corresponding to the search criteria from the second, handheld mobile device, wirelessly communicating with a remote computer to obtain permission to receive content.

22. A computer readable medium comprising instructions or circuitry to perform the method of claim 21.

23. The method of claim 19 wherein the first, handheld mobile device comprises a cell phone.

24. The method of claim 19 wherein the first, handheld mobile device comprises a music player.

25. The method of claim 19 further comprising establishing a password or security protocol to enable the first, handheld mobile device to communicate with the second, handheld mobile device.

26. The method of claim 19 wherein the search criteria is automatically determined based on at least one previous internet search or database search carried out by the first, handheld mobile device or a computer associated with the first, handheld mobile device.

27. The method of claim 19 wherein the search criteria is automatically determined based on previous internet browsing carried out by the first, handheld mobile device or a computer associated with the first, handheld mobile device.