CHANNEL SEARCHING BY CONTENT TYPE

• US 20100154005A1
• Filed: 11/12/2009
• Published: 06/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Baxter, John W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,490,138 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/56
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/4387 by the use of playlists
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

Systems and method for receiving user channel search criteria, searching for channels based on representative content information, and presenting the channel results to the user. The interactive media guidance application prompts the user to enter channel search criteria by selecting categories or inputting keywords. The interactive media guidance application gathers information about channels in the form of channel attribute data. The channel attributed data identifies attributes of the typical programs provided by the channel over time. The application compares the channel attribute data for each channel with the user-entered channel search criteria. Matches or lack thereof are then displayed to the user by the interactive media guidance application.

Claims

1. A method for searching for channels of programming based on the type of programming provided by the channels over time, comprising:

receiving channel search criteria entered by a user;

comparing the channel search criteria to channel attribute data of a plurality of channels to determine whether the channel attribute data matches the search criteria, wherein the channel attribute data for a particular channel is generated based on characteristics of a plurality of program listings for the particular channel over time; and

generating a results display indicating the channels having channel attribute data matching the channel search criteria.

2. The method defined in claim 1 wherein

the method further comprises generating a display of a plurality of categories;

receiving the channel search criteria comprises receiving a selected category; and

comparing the channel search criteria to the channel attribute data comprises comparing the selected category to the channel attribute data.

3. The method defined in claim 1 wherein

the method further comprises generating a display of a plurality of keywords;

receiving the channel search criteria comprises receiving a selected keyword from the plurality of keywords; and

comparing the channel search criteria comprises comparing the selected keyword to the channel attribute data.

4. The method defined in claim 1 wherein

receiving the channel search criteria comprises receiving a user-entered keyword or a partial keyword;

and

comparing the channel search criteria comprises comparing the user-entered keyword or the partial keyword to the channel attribute data.

5. The method defined in claim 1 further comprising:

retrieving, for each of the plurality of channels, from a guidance application database, program attributes for programs provided by the channel over time; and

generating channel attributes for each channel based on the program attributes of the programs provided by the channel over time.

6. The method defined in claim 1 wherein the results display is a mosaic wherein each cell of the mosaic represents a channel.

7. The method defined in claim 6 wherein at least one cell of the mosaic contains a graphic representing a channel.

8. The method defined in claim 6 wherein at least one cell of the mosaic contains video representing a channel.

9. A system for searching for channels of programming based on the type of programming provided by the channels over time, comprising:

a user input device; and

control circuitry configured to;

receive channel search criteria entered by a user using the user input device;

compare the channel search criteria to channel attribute data of a plurality of channels to determine whether the channel attribute data matches the search criteria, wherein the channel attribute data for a particular channel is generated based on characteristics of a plurality of program listings for the particular channel over time; and

generate a results display indicating the channels having channel attribute data matching the channel search criteria.

10. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the channel search criteria comprise a category selected by the user from a display of a plurality of categories using the user input device.

11. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the channel search criteria comprise a keyword selected by the user from a display of a plurality of keywords using the user input device.

12. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the channel search criteria comprise a user-entered keyword or a partial keyword, entered by the user using the user input device.

13. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the system further comprises a storage device, and the control circuitry is further configured to:

retrieve, for each of the plurality of channels, from a guidance application database stored on the storage device, program attributes for programs provided by the channel over time; and

generate channel attributes for each channel based on the program attributes of the programs provided by the channel over time.

14. The system defined in claim 9 wherein the results display is a mosaic wherein each cell of the mosaic represents a channel.

15. The system defined in claim 14 wherein at least one cell of the mosaic contains a graphic representing a channel.

16. The system defined in claim 14 wherein at least one cell of the mosaic contains video representing a channel.