SYSTEM, METHOD AND USER INTERFACE FOR CONTENT SEARCH

• US 20130117260A1
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Published: 05/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Crosby, Ben, Barrett, Timothy Allen
• Granted Patent: US 9,576,033 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/722
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• 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: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

A system and method for searching content and user interface for presenting results of the search are provided, wherein visual elements representing the content are distributed in three dimensions on a display, with the various axes representing criteria that relate to a central starting point of the search and the proximity to the central point indicating the degree of relevance. The outer bounds of the display contain a large amount of varied material of various types to allow a user to select content of a different type, with the content at the periphery of the display being essentially random and representing little or no link to the starting point of the search. Any displayed element may be selected, as a source for a next level search, in which case content relationships will be re-drawn, with the selected content used as the center point for a next level search.

Claims

1. A method for searching for content on an interactive graphic display in response to an input device, the method comprising the steps of:

displaying a plurality of first visual elements in an array on the display, each first visual element corresponding to a selectable content source or category of content;

selecting at least one of the first visual elements to perform a search of the selectable content source or category of content; and

displaying results of the search as a plurality of second visual elements in three dimensional array on the display, each second visual element corresponding to specific content or content category, wherein at least one axis of the display represents search criteria relating to a central starting point of the three dimensional array and proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central starting point indicates a degree of relevance to the search.

2. The method as in claim 1, wherein a relative size of each of the plurality of second visual elements is based on the degree of relevance to the search.

3. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

highlighting at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device; and

adjusting an appearance of the highlighted at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising displaying additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

5. The method as in claim 4, further comprising:

performing an updated content search, in response to input from the input device, based on the additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element;

displaying the selected at least one second visual element as the central starting point; and

displaying the results of the updated content search based on the additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element as a plurality of third visual elements in a three dimensional array on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific piece of content or content category.

6. The method as in claim 3, further comprising adjusting an appearance of the second visual elements surrounding the highlighted at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to each of the surrounding second visual elements.

7. The method as in claim 3, further comprising executing the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device.

8. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device; and

adjusting an appearance of the selected at least one second visual element and surrounding second visual elements in a hyperbolic expansion to reveal information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element and the surrounding second visual elements.

9. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least two second visual elements in response to input from the input device;

performing an updated content search, in response to input from the input device, based on additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least two second visual elements; and

displaying the results of the updated content search as a plurality of third visual elements in a three dimensional array on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific content or content category.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the selectable content source includes video channels, video titles, music or applications.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one axis of the display represents genres, actors, directors or ratings regarding other content from other users.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements indicates a type of the specific content.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements indicates a source of the specific content.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements is dynamically created from the specific content.

15. The method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first visual elements further includes at least one visual element corresponding to specific content, the method further comprising executing the specific content from the displayed plurality of first visual elements in response to input from the input device.

16. The method as in claim 15, wherein the plurality of first visual elements is displayed in a three dimensional array on the display, the central starting point of the three dimensional array of the plurality of first visual elements is based on user preference and proximity of each of the first visual elements to the central starting point indicates a degree of relevance to the central starting point.

17. A system for searching for content comprising:

a display interface for displaying a plurality of first visual elements in an array on a display device, each first visual element corresponding to a selectable content source or category of content;

a user interface for selecting, in response to input from an input device, at least one of the first visual elements;

a controller for performing a search of the selectable content source or category of content based on the selected at least one first visual element; and

the display interface for displaying results of the search as a plurality of second visual elements in three dimensional array on the display, each second visual element corresponding to a specific content or content category, wherein at least one axis of the display represents search criteria relating to a central starting point of the three dimensional array and proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central starting point indicates a degree of relevance to the search.

18. The system as in claim 17, wherein a relative size of each of the plurality of second visual elements is based on the degree of relevance to the search.

19. The system as in claim 18, wherein in response to input from the input device selecting at least one second visual element, the display interface adjusts an appearance of the selected at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

20. The system as in claim 19, wherein the display interface displays additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

21. The system as in claim 20, wherein the controller performs an updated content search, in response to input from the input device, based on the additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element;

and

the display interface displays the selected at least one second visual element as the central starting point and displays the results of the updated content search as a plurality of third visual elements in a three dimensional array on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific content.

22. The system as in claim 19, wherein the display interface adjusts an appearance of the second visual elements surrounding the selected at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to each of the surrounding second visual elements.

23. The system as in claim 19, wherein the controller plays the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device.

24. The system as in claim 17, wherein in response to input from the input device selecting at least one second visual element, the display interface adjusts an appearance of the selected at least one second visual element and surrounding second visual elements in a hyperbolic expansion to reveal information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element and the surrounding second visual elements.

25. The system as in claim 17, wherein the input device is a motion sensing remote controller.

26. The system as in claim 17, wherein the input device is a touch screen remote device.

27. The system as in claim 17, wherein the plurality of first visual elements further includes at least one visual element corresponding to specific content, the controller executes the specific content from the displayed plurality of first visual elements in response to input from the input device.

28. The system as in claim 27, wherein the display interface displays the plurality of first visual elements in a three dimensional array on the display, the central starting point of the three dimensional array of the plurality of first visual elements is based on user preference and proximity of each of the first visual elements to the central starting point indicates a degree of relevance to the central starting point.

29. A graphic user interface for content search comprising:

means for displaying a plurality of first visual elements in an array on a display, each first visual element corresponding to a selectable content source or category of content;

means for selecting at least one of the first visual elements to perform a search of the selectable content source or category of content; and

means for displaying results of the search as a plurality of second visual elements in three dimensional array on the display, each second visual element corresponding to a specific content or content category, wherein at least one axis of the display represents search criteria relating to a central starting point of the three dimensional array and proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central starting point indicates a degree of relevance to the search.