SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TELEVISION SEARCH ASSISTANT
First Claim
1. A method comprising:
- receiving, over a network, from a user, a network search query comprising at least one token;
selecting, using a computing device, a plurality of suggested search terms from a suggested search term database that match the network search query, each of the plurality of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories;
ranking, using the computing device, the plurality of suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories;
determining, using the computing device, a number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, nc, for each of the plurality of categories, nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms;
creating, using the computing device, a consolidated result set by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked nc suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set;
transmitting, over the network, to the user, the consolidated result set;
receiving, over the network, from the user, a selection of a suggested search term; and
conducting, using the computing device, a network search using the selected suggested search term.
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Abstract
A television guide search query is received from a user. A plurality of suggested search terms are selected. Each of the plurality of suggested search terms is assigned to, and is ranked within, one of a plurality of categories A number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, nc, is determined for each of the plurality of categories, nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms. A result set is created by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked nc suggested search terms to the result set. The result set is transmitted to the user. A selection of a search term is received from the user and is used to conduct a television guide search.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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receiving, over a network, from a user, a network search query comprising at least one token; selecting, using a computing device, a plurality of suggested search terms from a suggested search term database that match the network search query, each of the plurality of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories; ranking, using the computing device, the plurality of suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories; determining, using the computing device, a number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, nc, for each of the plurality of categories, nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms; creating, using the computing device, a consolidated result set by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked nc suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set; transmitting, over the network, to the user, the consolidated result set; receiving, over the network, from the user, a selection of a suggested search term; and conducting, using the computing device, a network search using the selected suggested search term. - View Dependent Claims (2, 7, 8, 9)
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3. The method of claim 3, wherein the suggested search terms are selected from the list:
- a description of a channel, a program title and a name of a cast member, and wherein the plurality of categories comprise the categories;
channel, program title, and cast member. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6)
- a description of a channel, a program title and a name of a cast member, and wherein the plurality of categories comprise the categories;
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10. A system comprising:
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a search query receiving module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for receiving, over a network, from users, network search queries, each network search query comprising at least one token; a suggested search term selection module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for selecting from a suggested search term database, for each network search query received by the search query receiving module, a set of suggested search terms that match the respective network search query, each of the set of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories; a suggested search term ranking module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for ranking suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories within each set of suggested search terms selected by the suggested search term selection module; a category result determination module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for determining, for each set of suggested search terms ranked by the suggested search term ranking module, a number of suggested search terms to be returned in a consolidated result set, nc, for each of the plurality of categories, each nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to the total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a predetermined total number; a consolidated result set creation module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for creating the consolidated result set for each set of suggested search terms processed by the category result determination module by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, a top ranked nc suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set; a result set transmission module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for transmitting, over the network, consolidated result sets created by the consolidated result set creation module, to users whose query resulted in the creation of the respective consolidated result set; a search term selection receiving module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for receiving, over the network, from users who received consolidated result sets from the result set transmission module, selections of suggested search terms from the respective consolidated result set; a network search module comprising one or more processors programmed to execute software code retrieved from a computer readable storage medium storing software for conducting network searches using selected suggested search terms selected by the search term selection receiving module. - View Dependent Claims (11)
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12. A computer readable storage media for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions for a method comprising:
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receiving, over a network, from a user, a network search query comprising at least one token; selecting, using computing device, a plurality suggested search terms from a suggested search term database that match the network search query, each of the plurality of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories; ranking, using the computing device, the plurality of suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories; determining, using the computing device, a number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, nc, for each of the plurality of categories, nc being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms; creating, using the computing device, a consolidated result set by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked nc suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set; transmitting, over the network, to the user, the consolidated result set; receiving, over the network, from the user, a selection of a suggested search term; and conducting, using the computing device, a network search using the selected suggested search term. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15)
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Specification