MULTIMEDIA SEARCH SYSTEM
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Abstract
A database search system that retrieves multimedia information in a flexible, user friendly system. The search system uses a multimedia database consisting of text, picture, audio and animated data. That database is searched through multiple graphical and textual entry paths. Those entry paths include an idea search, a title finder search, a topic tree search, a picture explorer search, a history timeline search, a world atlas search, a researcher'"'"'s assistant search, and a feature articles search.
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Citations
112 Claims
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1-79. -79. (canceled)
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80. A computerized map system, comprising:
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a computer readable storage medium;
computer software stored on the storage medium and operable to;
cause an image of at least a portion of a map to be displayed on a display screen;
change the portion of the map displayed on the display screen in response to user input;
display a plurality of place indicators on the display screen, wherein a specific place indicator indicates the position of a place on the map and indicates that further information about the place is available;
display text information associated with one of the plurality of place indicators in response to input from a user indicating selection of the place indicator; and
provide a text search feature that allows the user to enter textual search information to search for a place, receive a list of places in response to the search, select a place from the list of places, and display an image of a part of the map indicating the location of the place.
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81. A method of electronically using a map, comprising:
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causing an image of at least a portion of a map to be displayed on a display screen;
changing the portion of the map displayed on the display screen in response to user input;
displaying a plurality of place indicators on the display screen, wherein a specific place indicator indicates the position of a place on the map and indicates that further information about the place is available;
displaying text information associated with a one of the plurality of place indicators in response to input from a user indicating selection of the place indicator; and
providing a text search feature that allows the user to enter textual search information to search for a place, receive a list of places in response to the search, select a place from the list of places, and display an image of a part of the map indicating the location of the place.
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82. A machine-implemented method for retrieving information, comprising:
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storing textual information and graphical information of any type on a computer-readable storage medium;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path configured to enable entry of text to search for in at least a portion of the stored textual information, and at least one graphics entry path configured to enable graphical searching of at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieving textual information based on in the entry of text in the textual search entry path;
providing a first indicator related to the retrieved textual information indicating associated graphical information;
retrieving the associated graphical information in response to activation of the first indicator;
retrieving graphical information based on an input in the graphics entry path;
providing a second indicator related to the retrieved graphical information indicating associated textual information; and
retrieving the associated textual information in response to activation of the second indicator.
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83. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable storage medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
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store textual information and graphical information of any type;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and graphical information, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path configured to enable entry of text to search for in at least a portion of the stored textual information, and at least one graphics entry path configured to enable graphical searching of at least a portion of the graphical information;
retrieve textual information based on the entry of text in the textual search entry path;
provide a first indicator related to the retrieved textual information indicating associated graphical information;
retrieve graphical information in response to activation of the first indicator;
retrieve graphical information based on an input in the graphics entry path;
provide a second indicator related to the retrieved graphical information indicating associated textual information; and
retrieve the associated textual information in response to activation of the second indicator.
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84. A machine-implemented method for retrieving information, comprising:
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storing textual information and images on a computer-readable storage medium in at least one database;
providing a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and images, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path configured to enable entry of text to search for in at least a portion of the stored textual information, and at least one graphics entry path configured to enable review of one or more of the images and to selection of one or more of the images;
retrieving textual information based on entry of text in the textual search entry path;
providing a first indicator related to the retrieved textual information indicating one or more associated images;
retrieving the associated images in response to activation of the first indicator;
providing one or more images for review in the graphics entry path;
providing a second indicator related to one or more of the provided images indicating associated textual information; and
retrieving the associated textual information in response to activation of the second indicator.
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85. Software for retrieving information, the software embodied on a computer-readable storage medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
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store textual information and images on a computer-readable storage medium in at least one database;
provide a plurality of entry paths for searching at least a portion of the stored textual and images, the entry paths comprising;
at least one textual search entry path configured to enable entry of text to search for in at least a portion of the stored textual information, and at least one graphics entry path configured to enable review of one or more of the images and to selection of one or more of the images;
retrieve textual information based on entry of text in the textual search entry path;
provide a first indicator related to the retrieved textual information indicating one or more associated images;
retrieve the associated images in response to activation of the first indicator;
provide one or more images for review in the graphics entry path;
provide a second indicator related to one or more of the provided images indicating associated textual information; and
retrieve the associated textual information in response to activation of the second indicator.
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86. A machine-implemented method for retrieving multimedia information, comprising:
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providing a textual search entry path configured to enable entry of one or more terms to search for in at least a portion of textual information stored on a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the textual search entry path is operable to access a stem index including a plurality of stems that are each associated with textual information and one or more related stems, the stems being concatenated in order to map each stem to other stems and to textual information that express a similar idea; and
searching the textual information using the stem index for textual information that closely resembles a search inquiry comprising one or more terms entered in the textual search entry path. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94)
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95. Software for retrieving multimedia information, the software embodied on a computer-readable storage medium and, when executed by a computer, operable to:
provide the multimedia information from independently accessible retrieval paths, the paths including;
a textual search entry path configured to enable entry of one or more terms to search for in at least a portion of textual information stored on a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the textual search entry path is operable to access a stem index including a plurality of stems that are each associated with textual information and one or more related stems, the stems being concatenated in order to map each stem to other stems and to textual information that express a similar idea, and search the textual information using the stem index for textual information that closely resembles a search inquiry comprising one or more terms entered in the textual search entry path. - View Dependent Claims (96, 97, 98, 99, 100, 101, 102, 103)
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104. A machine-implemented method for retrieving multimedia information, comprising:
providing separate and independently accessible retrieval paths, at least one of said paths including;
a textual search entry path configured to enable entry of one or more terms to search for in at least a portion of textual information stored on a computer-readable storage medium, wherein the textual search entry path is operable to access a stem index including a plurality of stems that are each associated with textual information and one or more related stems, the stems being concatenated in order to map each stem to other stems and to textual information that express a similar idea; and
searching the textual information using the stem index for textual information that closely resembles a search inquiry comprising one or more terms entered in the textual search entry path. - View Dependent Claims (105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112)
Specification