Method for delivering and caching preprocessed search results to improve performance of background information searches on a convergence device

• US 6,839,705 B1
• Filed: 02/10/1998
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Spotware Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grooters, Brandon A.
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US09/021,362
• Time in Patent Office: 2,520 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 6, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/501, 707/513, 709/217, 709/218, 709/215, 455/2, 455/5.1, 455/3.1, 455/3.2, 455/3.3, 455/4.1, 348/6, 348/7, 348/10, 348/13, 345/327, 345/721, 725/47, 725/50, 725/87, 380/20, 380/211
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90335 Query processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method and apparatus for providing viewer specific program information is described. A user of an integrated personal computer and television convergence device requests specific programming information from a remote server using an electronic program guide. The remote server performs a database search based upon the requested information and caches the results of the database search in a local storage device. The database search result information is viewer specific and appended to or integrated with the requested electronic program guide. Advanced searching techniques may be utilized to manipulate and filter the searched information to maintain the viewer specific integrity thereof. The database search result information is thereby provided to the client or convergence device along with the requested programming information. The database search result information thereby supplements and augments the viewing experience of the viewer.

Claims

1. A method for delivering data base search results in conjunction with an information request, the method comprising:

receiving a request for information from a remote device, the information containing predetermined content;

performing a search of a database based upon the predetermined content of the information whereby a database search result is obtained; and

determining whether a time period has been reached, wherein if the time period is not reached, storing the database search result and if the time is reached, delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining the relevancy of the database search result to the predetermined content;

upon the database search result being irrelevant, discarding the database search result, and repeating said performing step.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining the relevancy of the database search result to the predetermined content;

and, upon the data base search result being relevant, implementing said delivering step.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of obtaining the information from an information source.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of obtaining the information and merging the database search result with the information.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining the proper time to send the database search result, and sending the search result to the remote device at the proper time.

7. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of determining the proper time to deliver the database search result, storing the database search result until the proper time is reached, and implementing said delivering step at the proper time.

8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said performing step includes performing multiple searches of one or more databases based upon the predetermined content.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the database search result for subsequent retrieval.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said delivering step includes delivering the database search result to the remote device.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said delivering step includes delivering the database search result along with the information to the remote device.

12. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said delivering step includes concurrently delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

13. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of displaying the database search result and the information on a user interface.

14. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of storing the database search result in the remote device.

15. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of retrieving the data base search result from the remote device.

16. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said performing step includes performing a metatag based search.

17. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said delivering step includes the step of delivering the database search result and the information to a personal computer and television convergence device.

18. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of updating the database search result.

19. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the remote device is a computer based information handling system.

20. A method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of concurrently displaying the database search result and the information on a user interface.

21. A computer readable medium whose contents cause a computer to perform method steps for delivering data base search results in conjunction with an information request, the method steps comprising:

receiving a request for information from a remote device, the information containing predetermined content;

performing a search of a database based upon the predetermined content of the information whereby a database search result is obtained; and

determining whether a time period has been reached, wherein if the time period is not reached, storing the database search result, and if the time is reached, delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

22. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of determining the relevancy of the database search result to the predetermined content wherein the database search result is discarded and said performing step is repeated if the database search result is irrelevant.

23. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of determining the relevancy of the database search result to the predetermined content wherein said delivering step is implemented if the data base search result is relevant.

24. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of obtaining the information from a source thereof.

25. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of obtaining the information and merging the database search result with the information.

26. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the steps of determining the proper time to send the database search result and sending the search result to the remote device at the proper time.

27. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein said performing step includes performing multiple searches of one or more databases based upon the predetermined content.

28. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of storing the database search result for subsequent retrieval.

29. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein said delivering step includes delivering selected database search result into the remote device.

30. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein said delivering step includes delivering the database search result along with the information to the remote device.

31. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein said delivering step includes concurrently delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

32. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of displaying the database search result and the information on a us er interface.

33. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of storing the database search result in the remote device.

34. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of selectively retrieving the data base search result from the remote device.

35. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein said performing step includes performing a metatag based search.

36. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein the remote device is a personal computer and television convergence device.

37. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, the method steps further comprising the step of updating the database search result.

38. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, wherein the remote device is a computer based information handling system.

39. A computer readable medium as claimed in claim 21, further comprising the step of concurrently displaying the database search result and the information on a user interface.

40. An information handling system for delivering data base search results in conjunction with an information request, comprising:

means for receiving a request for information from a remote device, the information containing predetermined content;

means for performing a search of a database based upon the predetermined content of the information whereby a database search result is obtained;

means for determining whether a time period has been reached, wherein if the time period is not reached, storing the database search result, and if the time period is reached, delivering that database search result and the information; and

means for delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

41. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for determining the relevancy of the database search result to the predetermined content wherein the database search result is discarded and said performing means is activated if the database search result is irrelevant.

42. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40 further comprising means for determining the relevancy of the database search result to the predetermined content wherein said delivering means is activated if the data base search result is relevant.

43. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for obtaining the information from a source thereof.

44. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for obtaining the information and merging the database search result with the information.

45. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for determining the proper time to send the database search result and for sending the search result to the remote device at the proper time.

46. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said performing means includes means for performing multiple searches of one or more databases based upon the predetermined content.

47. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for storing the database search result for subsequent retrieval.

48. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said delivering means includes means for delivering selected database search result into the remote device.

49. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said delivering means includes means for delivering the database search result along with the information to the remote device.

50. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said delivering means includes concurrently means for delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

51. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for displaying the database search result and the information on a user interface.

52. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for storing the database search result in the remote device.

53. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for selectively retrieving the database search result from the remote device.

54. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein said performing means includes means for performing a metatag based search.

55. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein the remote device is a personal computer and television convergence device.

56. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for updating the database search result.

57. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, wherein the remote device is a computer based information handling system.

58. An information handling system as claimed in claim 40, further comprising means for concurrently displaying the database search result and the information on a user interface.

59. An information handling system for delivering data base search results in conjunction with an information request, comprising:

a server for receiving a request for information from a remote device, the information containing predetermined content;

a search engine operating on said server for performing a search of a database based upon the predetermined content of the information whereby a database search result is obtained and determining if a time period has been reached, wherein if the time period is not reached, storing the database search result, and if the time period is reached, delivering that database search result and the information; and

a network for delivering the database search result and the information to the remote device.

60. An information handling system as claimed in claim 59, wherein said search engine is adapted for performing multiple searches of one or more databases based upon the predetermined content.

61. An information handling system as claimed in claim 59, further comprising a storage medium coupled to said server for storing the database search result for subsequent retrieval.

62. An information handling system as claimed in claim 59, further comprising a storage medium coupled to the remote device for storing the database search result.

63. An information handling system as claimed in claim 59, wherein said search engine is a metatag search engine.

64. An information handling system as claimed in claim 59, wherein the remote device is a personal computer and television convergence device.