SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING AND BROWSING FOR DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY MATCHING MEDIA CONTENT
First Claim
1. A method of searching for media content in a metadata database connected to a processor, the metadata database comprising metadata of a media article for being available at an article dispensing machine and metadata of a media selection for being available at an associated content provider, the method comprising:
- receiving a search request, the search request comprising search criteria;
matching the search criteria to the metadata of the matching media selection in the metadata database, in response to the search request;
utilizing a mapping of the metadata of the matching media selection to the metadata of a matching media article in the metadata database to select the matching media article, wherein the selected matching media article comprises at least one of the matching media selection in physical format, an indirectly matching media selection in physical format, or an indirectly matching media article;
identifying the associated content provider;
determining an availability of the matching media selection at the associated content provider;
determining an availability of the matching media article for distribution from the article dispensing machine; and
providing a search result set comprising the matching media article and the matching media selection, based on the determined availabilities of the matching media article and the matching media selection.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of searching for directly and indirectly matching media content in a metadata database is provided. Searching may include matching keywords in search criteria or using predefined search criteria for browsing of static or dynamic listings of media content. The method includes receiving a search request including search criteria, and searching the metadata database for a digital media selection matching the search criteria. A mapping of metadata of the media selection may be utilized to find a matching media article that directly or indirectly matches the search criteria. The method also includes determining availabilities of the matching media article and the matching media selection. A search result set with the matching media articles and matching media selections is provided, based on their availabilities. An associated content provider may be linked to the customer based on a subscription. The media selection may be accessed by an audio/visual display interface.
17 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method of searching for media content in a metadata database connected to a processor, the metadata database comprising metadata of a media article for being available at an article dispensing machine and metadata of a media selection for being available at an associated content provider, the method comprising:
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receiving a search request, the search request comprising search criteria; matching the search criteria to the metadata of the matching media selection in the metadata database, in response to the search request; utilizing a mapping of the metadata of the matching media selection to the metadata of a matching media article in the metadata database to select the matching media article, wherein the selected matching media article comprises at least one of the matching media selection in physical format, an indirectly matching media selection in physical format, or an indirectly matching media article; identifying the associated content provider; determining an availability of the matching media selection at the associated content provider; determining an availability of the matching media article for distribution from the article dispensing machine; and providing a search result set comprising the matching media article and the matching media selection, based on the determined availabilities of the matching media article and the matching media selection. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of searching for media content in a metadata database and an inventory database connected to a processor, the metadata database comprising metadata of a plurality of media articles and metadata of a plurality of media selections, the inventory database comprising availability of the plurality of media articles at a plurality of article dispensing machines, the method comprising:
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receiving a search request from an audio/visual display interface, the search request comprising a search keyword; selecting at least one media selection having metadata matching the search keyword from the metadata database; selecting at least one media article having metadata matching the metadata of the selected media selection from the metadata database by utilizing a mapping of the metadata of the selected media selection to the metadata of the plurality of media articles, wherein the selected media article comprises at least one of the selected media selection in physical format, an indirectly matching media selection in physical format, or an indirectly matching media article; identifying an associated content provider; determining an availability of the selected media selection for distribution from the associated content provider; determining an availability of the selected media article at the plurality of article dispensing machines using the inventory database; and providing a search result set comprising the selected media selection, the associated content provider where the selected media selection is available, the selected media article, and locations of the plurality of the article dispensing machines where the selected media article is available. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A network of article dispensing machines comprising:
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an article dispensing machine; a central memory remote from the article dispensing machine and containing a customer profile database, a metadata database, and an inventory database, the customer profile database containing a customer subscription with an associated content provider based on a unique customer identifier, the metadata database comprising metadata of a plurality of media articles and metadata of a plurality of media selections, and the inventory database comprising availability of the plurality of media articles at the network of article dispensing machines; and a central processor in communication with the article dispensing machine and the central memory, the central processor comprising a search engine, the central processor for; searching the metadata database for the media selection matching search criteria using the search engine, in response to receiving the search criteria from an audio/visual display interface; utilizing a mapping of the metadata of the matching media selection to the metadata of a matching media article in the metadata database to select the matching media article, wherein the selected matching media article comprises at least one of the matching media selection in physical format or an indirectly matching media selection in physical format; identifying the associated content provider in the customer profile database; determining an availability of the matching media selection for distribution from the associated content provider based on the customer subscription with the associated content provider; determining an availability of the matching media article at the article dispensing machine in the inventory database; and providing a search result set comprising the matching media article and the matching media selection, based on the determined availabilities of the matching media article and the matching media selection. - View Dependent Claims (30)
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Specification