METHOD OF GENERATING SEARCH INFORMATION AND IMAGE APPARATUS USING THE SAME

• US 20090182721A1
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Published: 07/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Sung, Ju-yun, Cho, Bong-hyun, Lim, Eun-young, Her, Jee-young, Kwahk, Ji-young, Hwang, Sang-woong, YANG, Gyung-hye
• Granted Patent: US 8,666,995 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions

Abstract

A method of generating search information enables efficient navigation of content and an image apparatus therefore. The method of generating search information includes extracting and storing a portion of a plurality of searched screens, and generating search information using the stored screens. Accordingly, search information regarding digital content can be generated in a more convenient manner. In addition, since searched screens are generated as search information, search information which enables more efficient navigation can be provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method of generating search information of content from screens displayed on a display of an apparatus, the method comprising:

extracting images of a portion of a plurality of previously searched screens;

storing the extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens; and

generating the search information, which is used in a searching operation, using the stored extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search information comprises a search history in which the stored extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens are arranged in an order in which they are searched.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images includes extracting an image of a previously searched screen which has a hierarchical relationship with a previous extracted screen based on screen information contained in the previous extracted screen.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the screen information comprises information regarding items which are displayed on the previous extracted screen.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a search command;

determining if a screen searched according to the search command is similar to at least one of the stored extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens; and

displaying the search information or at least one of the extracted images in the search information, on the screen searched according to the search command if the screen searched according to the search command is similar to the at least one of the extracted images.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of previously searched screens is screens which are searched using a keyword.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

storing the generated search information along with the keyword.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images includes extracting the portion of the plurality of previously searched screens in reverse order from a search result screen to an initial search screen.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images includes extracting the portion of the plurality of previously searched screens during a preset period of time preceding a time when a search result screen is extracted.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images include extracting a portion of the previously searched screens which is displayed for the longest period of time.

11. An image apparatus to generate search information of contents from previously searched screens displayed on a display of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a storage unit which stores images of the previously searched screens; and

a control unit which extracts the images of a portion of a plurality of the previously searched screens, stores the extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens in the storage unit, and generates search information, which is used in a searching operation, using the stored extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens.

12. The image apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the search information is information regarding a search history in which the stored extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens are arranged in an order in which they are searched.

13. The image apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit extracts an image of a previously searched screen which has a hierarchical relationship with a previous extracted screen based on screen information contained in the previous extracted screen.

14. The image apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the screen information comprises information regarding items which are displayed on the previous extracted screen.

15. The image apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a user command receiving unit which receives a search command,

wherein if the user command receiving unit receives the search command, the control unit compares a screen searched according to the search command with at least one of the stored extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens, and displays the search information or at least one of the extracted images in the search information, on the screen searched according to the search command if the screen searched according to the search command is similar to the at least one of the extracted images.

16. The image apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of the previously searched screens are screens which are searched using a keyword.

17. The image apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control unit stores the generated search information along with the keyword in the storage unit.

18. The image apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit extracts the portion of the plurality of the previously searched screens in reverse order from a search result screen to an initial search screen.

19. The image apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit extracts the portion of the plurality of the previously searched screens during a preset period of time preceding the time when the search result screen is extracted.

20. The image apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the extracted screen is a portion of a view of a previously searched screen which is displayed for a longest period of time.

21. A method of generating an image search history of contents from a selected hierarchical sequence of screens displayed on an apparatus, comprising:

extracting respective screen images of the screens in a reverse order of the selected hierarchical sequence;

storing the extracted respective screen images after each extraction thereof; and

generating the image search history of the contents using the stored respective screen images in the selected hierarchical sequence.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein extracting of the respective screen images includes:

identifying a hierarchically higher screen based on screen information of a current screen; and

extracting the screen image of the hierarchically higher screen.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

performing a subsequent search of the contents through search screens via information items of the search screens linked to subsequent search screens by using the generated image search history as a guide,

wherein, stored respective screen images that are determined similar to the information items of the search screens are displayed in a vicinity of the information items of the search screens.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the generated image search history of the contents for later use in reaching a final screen of the hierarchical sequence of screens.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the hierarchical sequence of screens is a linked webpage displayed on a display of the apparatus.

26. An apparatus used to generate an image search history of contents from a selected hierarchical sequence of screens displayed on the apparatus, comprising:

a display to display the selected hierarchical sequence of screens;

a storage unit; and

a controller to extract respective screen images of the screens in a reverse order of the selected hierarchical sequence, control storage of the extracted respective screen images after each extraction thereof in the storage unit, and generate the image search history of the contents using the stored respective screen images in the selected hierarchical sequence.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein in extracting of the respective screen images, the controller further identifies a hierarchically higher screen based on screen information of a current screen, and extracts the screen image of the hierarchically higher screen.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller further performs a subsequent search of the contents through search screens via information items of the search screens linked to subsequent search screens by using the generated image search history as a guide, and displays stored respective screen images that are determined similar to the information items of the search screens in a vicinity of the information items of the search screens.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller stores the generated image search history of the contents for later use in reaching a final screen of the hierarchical sequence of screens.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein each of the hierarchical sequence of screens is a linked webpage.