TV search

• US 20100242077A1
• Filed: 03/19/2009
• Published: 09/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Wong, Ling Jun, Pandya, Utkarsh, Kota, Kalyana
• Granted Patent: US 8,789,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/110
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42204 User interfaces specially adapted for controlling a client device through a remote control device; Remote control devices therefor constructive details of casings for the remote control device H01H9/0235; user interfaces for controlling a tuning device of a television receiver through a remote control H03J9/00; remote control of peripheral devices connected to a television receiver through the remote control device of the television receiver H04B1/205
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4263 involving specific tuning arrangements, e.g. two tuners
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4725 using interactive regions of the image, e.g. hot spots details of information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6112 involving terrestrial transmission, e.g. DVB-T
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6125 involving transmission via Internet transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6175 involving transmission via Internet broadcast-related systems characterised by the transmission system being the Internet H04H60/82
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/24 Systems for the transmission of television signals using pulse code modulation H04N21/00 takes precedence

Abstract

A device consistent with certain embodiments has a television receiver and an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) receiver. A decoder decodes television programming from either of the television receiver or the IPTV receiver. A programmed processor(s) retrieves metadata relating to television programming, IPTV content, any installed Widgets, and the television (TV) receiver device'"'"'s function, all of which are considered search targets. The programmed processor stores tags from the metadata in a database and associates the tags with their targets. A search engine searches the database for tags in response to a search query and to retrieve the associated target on command. The control processor executes the target by either tuning to the target'"'"'s program content or by launching or resuming a Widget or TV device function. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Claims

1. A television receiver device, comprising:

a television receiver;

an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) receiver;

a decoder that decodes television programming from either of the television receiver or the IPTV receiver;

one or more programmed processors having one or more program modules that retrieves metadata relating to television programming, metadata relating to IPTV content, metadata relating to any installed Widgets, and metadata associated with the television (TV) receiver device'"'"'s function;

the television programming, the IPTV content, the Widgets and the TV receiver device functions comprising search targets;

the programmed processor storing tags from said metadata in a database and associating the tags with their targets;

a search engine that runs as a functional module on the one or more programmed processors to search the database for tags in response to a search query and to retrieve the associated target on command; and

the control processor executing the target by either tuning to the target'"'"'s program content or by launching or resuming a Widget or TV device function.

2. The device according to claim 1, where the search engine presents potential targets for selection by a user prior to execution of the target.

3. The device according to claim 2, where the selection by the user comprises selecting one of a plurality of search results.

4. The device according to claim 1, where the tags are indexed in the database.

5. The device according to claim 1, where IPTV tags are associated with Universal Resource Locator links in the database.

6. The device according to claim 1, where the Widget tags are associated with a command to launch the associated Widget.

7. The device according to claim 1, where the processor retrieves or updates all metadata on a periodic basis.

8. The device according to claim 1, where the processor retrieves or updates metadata on a periodic basis, with a different period for metadata associated with at least two of the types of targets.

9. The device according to claim 1, where at least a portion of the metadata are pushed to the television receiver device by a source on the Internet.

10. The device according to claim 1, where the TV system function metadata are retrieved only when there is an update of the metadata.

11. The device according to claim 1, where the Widget metadata are retrieved only for Widgets loaded into the TV receiver device.

12. The device according to claim 1, where the Widget metadata are retrieved for Widgets available for loading into the TV receiver device.

13. The device according to claim 1, where the database and program modules are stored on flash memory.

14. A television receiver device, comprising:

a television receiver;

an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) receiver;

a decoder that decodes television programming from either of the television receiver or the IPTV receiver;

one or more programmed processors having one or more program modules stored on a flash memory that retrieves metadata relating to television programming, metadata relating to IPTV content, metadata relating to any installed Widgets, and metadata associated with the television (TV) receiver device'"'"'s function;

the television programming, the IPTV content, the Widgets and the TV receiver device functions comprising search targets;

the programmed processor storing tags from said metadata in a database and associates the tags with their targets;

a search engine that runs as a functional module on the one or more programmed processors to search the database for tags in response to a search query and to retrieve associated targets as a result of the search command; and

the control processor executing a user selected target selected from among search results by either tuning to the target'"'"'s program content or by launching or resuming a Widget or TV device function.

15. The device according to claim 14, where the tags are indexed in the database.

16. The device according to claim 14, where IPTV tags are associated with Universal Resource Locator links in the database, and where the Widget tags are associated with a command to launch the associated Widget.

17. The device according to claim 14, where the processor retrieves or updates all metadata on a periodic basis.

18. The device according to claim 14, where the processor retrieves or updates metadata on a periodic basis, with a different period for metadata associated with at least two of the types of targets.

19. The device according to claim 14, where the TV system function metadata are retrieved only when there is an update of the metadata.

20. The device according to claim 14, where the Widget metadata are retrieved only for Widgets loaded into the TV receiver device.

21. The device according to claim 14, where the Widget metadata are retrieved for Widgets available for loading into the TV receiver device.

22. A television receiver device, comprising:

a television receiver;

an Internet Protocol television (IPTV) receiver;

a decoder that decodes television programming from either of the television receiver or the IPTV receiver;

one or more programmed processors having one or more program modules stored on a flash memory that retrieves metadata relating to television programming, metadata relating to IPTV content, metadata relating to any installed Widgets, and metadata associated with the television (TV) receiver device'"'"'s function;

the television programming, the IPTV content, the Widgets and the TV receiver device functions comprising search targets;

the programmed processor indexing and storing tags from said metadata in a database and associates the tags with their targets, where IPTV tags are associated with Universal Resource Locator links in the database, and where the Widget tags are associated with a command to launch the associated Widget;

a search engine that runs as a functional module on the one or more programmed processors to search the database for tags in response to a search query and to retrieve associated targets as a result of the search command;

the control processor executing a user selected target selected from among search results by either tuning to the target'"'"'s program content or by launching or resuming a Widget or TV device function; and

where the processor retrieves or updates all metadata on a periodic basis, and where the Widget metadata are retrieved only for Widgets loaded into the TV receiver device.