Search engine for video and graphics

• US 6,859,799 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 02/22/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewis, Cheryl R.
• Application Number:
  US09/452,287
• Time in Patent Office: 1,911 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/2, 707/3, 707/104.1, 707/102, 707/4, 345/716, 345/719, 345/760, 345/762, 345/835, 345/848, 725/2, 725/53, 725/59, 725/60, 725/61, 725/112, 725/40, 725/41, 725/45, 725/44, 725/47
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method of selecting graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer. Identifiers are created by searching an area within a web page near a graphic or video file for searchable identification terms and searching an area within a web page near links to a graphic or video for searchable identification terms. The identifiers are stored in a database. User requests for graphic or video file content are received and the database of identifiers is searched to find graphic and video files corresponding criteria of the user. Graphic or video file content is then provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method of searching for graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer comprising:

automatically acquiring identifier information related to a graphic or video file without user input, wherein the identifier information is acquired by searching an area near the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms;

creating an identifier of searchable file information based on the identifier information;

storing the identifier and a locator for the graphic or video file in a database;

receiving search criteria;

searching the identifiers in the database based on the search criteria; and

sending or displaying the results of the search.

2. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein the identifier comprises information comprising at least one of:

a unique identification number, format, size, play time, whether sound is contained, date of creation, category, whether conditional access or payment is required, text description, content author, content director, year made, category, actor/actress, owner, star rating, parental control code, representative frame, representative audio, number of segments, number of frames, and linking information of a file.

3. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is embedded within the graphic or video file.

4. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is embedded within the periphery of each frame of the video.

5. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 4 further comprising appending a border to the video file to cover the identifier information.

6. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 further comprising storing a portion of a video stream in the database for further identification.

7. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 further comprising aggregating identifier elements to display to a user.

8. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to select a specific video or a specific graphic file for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, erasing, recording, downloading, and sending.

9. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 8 wherein enabling a user to select a specific file is dependent on and integrated with a conditional access system or a payment system.

10. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 further comprising enabling a user to select a class of video or graphic files for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, recording, downloading, grouping, erasing, concatenating, segmenting, integrating or sending.

11. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 further comprising integrating items associated with a video or a graphic file into the video or graphic file identifier.

12. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is acquired by searching an area near a link to the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms.

13. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is acquired by parsing the text in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

14. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is acquired by searching the text for keywords in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

15. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is acquired by searching a file related to the graphic or video file.

16. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein identifier information is provided by the content provider.

17. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 1 wherein the database is stored on a storage device comprising one or more of a hard disk, an optical disk, and a floppy disk.

18. A method of searching for graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer comprising:

automatically acquiring identifier information related to a graphic or video file without user input;

creating an identifier of searchable file information from the identifier information;

storing the identifier and a locator for the graphic or video file in a database;

receiving search criteria;

searching the identifiers in the database based on the search criteria;

sending or displaying the results of the search; and

integrating video or graphic file information with television programs that are receivable by the user.

19. A method of selecting graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer comprising:

automatically acquiring identifier information related to a graphic or video file without user input, wherein the identifier information is acquired by searching an area near the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms;

building identifiers based on the identifier information;

storing the identifiers in a database;

receiving a user request for graphic or video file content;

searching the identifiers in the database based on the user request; and

providing the graphic or video file content to the user.

20. A method of selecting graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer comprising:

automatically acquiring identifier information related to a graphic or video file without user input, wherein the identifier information is acquired by searching an area near a link to the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms;

building identifiers based on the identifier information;

storing the identifiers in a database;

receiving a user request for graphic or video file content;

searching the identifiers on the database based on the user request; and

providing the graphic or video file content to the user.

21. A method of selecting graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer comprising:

automatically acquiring identifier information embedded within graphic and video files without user input;

building a searchable database of identifiers from the identifier information;

receiving a user request for graphic or video file content;

searching the identifiers in the database based on the user request; and

providing graphic or video file content to the user.

22. The method of selecting graphic or video files using a computer of claim 21 wherein the user request further comprises filtering, selecting or blocking segments or frames of a video file.

23. A method of selecting graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer comprising:

automatically acquiring identifier information embedded within graphic and video files without user input;

building a searchable database of identifiers from the identifier information;

receiving a user request for graphic or video file content;

searching the identifiers in the database based on the user request; and

providing the graphic or video file content to the user,

wherein the user request further comprises smart filtering of both existing graphic and video files and future generated graphic and video files.

24. A system for searching for graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files comprising:

means for automatically acquiring identifier information related to a video or graphic file without user input, wherein the identifier information is embedded within the graphic or video file;

means for creating an identifier containing searchable file information from the identifier information;

a database for saving an identifier;

an input for receiving search criteria;

a search engine for searching the identifiers in the database based on the search criteria;

an output for sending or displaying the results of the search.

25. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 wherein the identifier comprises information comprising at least one of:

a unique identification number, format, size, play time, whether sound is contained, date of creation, category, whether conditional access or payment is required, text description, content author, content director, year made, category, actor/actress, owner, star rating, parental control code, representative frame, representative audio, number of segments, number of frames, and linking information of a file.

26. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 wherein identifier information is embedded within the periphery of each frame of the video.

27. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 26 wherein a border is appended to the video file to cover the identifier information.

28. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising a database for storing a portion of a video stream in the storage device for further identification.

29. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means for aggregating identifier elements to send or display to a user.

30. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means enabling the user to select a specific video or a specific graphic file for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, erasing, recording, downloading, and sending.

31. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 30 wherein enabling a user to select a specific file is dependent on and integrated with a conditional access system or a payment system.

32. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means for enabling a user to select a class of video or graphic files for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, recording, downloading, grouping, erasing, concatenating, segmenting, integrating or sending.

33. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means for integrating items associated with the video or graphic file into the video or graphic file identifier.

34. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by searching an area near a graphic or a video file within a web page for searchable identification terms.

35. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising a search engine for acquiring identifier information by searching an area near a link to the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms.

36. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by parsing the text in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

37. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by searching the text for keywords in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

38. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising a search engine for acquiring identifier information by searching a file related to the graphic or video file.

39. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 24 further comprising an input for receiving identifier information from the content provider.

40. The method of searching for graphic or video files using a computer of claim 24 further comprising a storage device wherein the database is stored comprising one or more of a hard disk, an optical disk, and a floppy disk.

41. A system for searching for graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files comprising:

means for automatically acquiring identifier information related to a video or graphic file without user input;

means for creating an identifier containing searchable file information from the identifier information;

a database for saving an identifier;

an input for receiving search criteria;

a search engine for searching the identifiers in the database based on the search criteria;

an output for sending or displaying the results of the search; and

means for integrating the video or graphic file information with television programs that are receivable by the user.

42. A system for searching for graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files comprising:

means for automatically acquiring identifier information related to a video or graphic file without user input, wherein the identifier information is acquired by searching an area near the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms;

means for creating an identifier containing searchable file information from the identifier information;

a database for saving an identifier;

an input for receiving search criteria;

a search engine for searching the identifiers in the database based on the search criteria; and

an output for sending or displaying the results of the search.

43. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 wherein the identifier comprises information comprising at least one of:

a unique identification number, format, size, play time, whether sound is contained, date of creation, category, whether conditional access or payment is required, text description, content author, content director, year made, category, actor/actress, owner, star rating, parental control code, representative frame, representative audio, number of segments, number of frames, and linking information of a file.

44. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 wherein identifier information is embedded within the graphic or video file.

45. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 wherein identifier information is embedded within the periphery of each frame of the video.

46. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 wherein a border is appended to the video file to cover the identifier information.

47. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for placing identifier information in a video or a graphic file as the video or graphic file is created.

48. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for placing identifier information in a video or a graphic file after the video or graphic file is created.

49. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising a database for storing a portion of a video stream in the storage device for further identification.

50. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for aggregating identifier elements to send or display to a user.

51. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means enabling the user to select a specific video or a specific graphic file for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, erasing, recording, downloading, and sending.

52. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 wherein enabling a user to select a specific file is dependent on and integrated with a conditional access system or a payment system.

53. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for enabling a user to select a class of video or graphic files for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, recording, downloading, grouping, erasing, concatenating, segmenting, integrating or sending.

54. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for integrating the video or graphic file information with television programs that are receivable by the user.

55. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for integrating items associated with the video or graphic file into the video or graphic file identifier.

56. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising a search engine for acquiring identifier information by searching an area near a link to the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms.

57. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by parsing the text in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

58. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by searching the text for keywords in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

59. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising a search engine for acquiring identifier information by searching a file related to the graphic or video file.

60. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising an input for receiving identifier information from the content provider.

61. The system of searching for graphic or video files of claim 42 further comprising a storage device wherein the database is stored comprising one or more of a hard disk, an optical disk, and a floppy disk.

62. A system for searching for graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files comprising:

means for automatically acquiring identifier information related to a graphic or video file without user input, wherein the identifier information is acquired by searching an area near a link to the graphic or video file within a web page for searchable identification terms;

means for creating an identifier containing searchable file information from the identifier information;

a database for saving an identifier;

an input for receiving search criteria;

a search engine for searching the identifiers in the database based on the search criteria; and

an output for sending or displaying the results of the search.

63. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 wherein the identifier comprises information comprising at least one of:

a unique identification number, format, size, play time, whether sound is contained, date of creation, category, whether conditional access or payment is required, text description, content author, content director, year made, category, actor/actress, owner, star rating, parental control code, representative frame, representative audio, number of segments, number of frames, and linking information of a file.

64. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 wherein identifier information is embedded within the graphic or video file.

65. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 wherein identifier information is embedded within the periphery of each frame of the video.

66. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 wherein a border is appended to the video file to cover the identifier information.

67. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for placing identifier information in a video or a graphic file as the video or graphic file is created.

68. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for placing identifier information in a video or a graphic file after the video or graphic file is created.

69. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising a database for storing a portion of a video stream in the storage device for further identification.

70. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for aggregating identifier elements to send or display to a user.

71. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means enabling the user to select a specific video or a specific graphic file for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, erasing, recording, downloading, and sending.

72. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 wherein enabling a user to select a specific file is dependent on and integrated with a conditional access system or a payment system.

73. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for enabling a user to select a class of video or graphic files for one or more of the following:

viewing, saving, recording, downloading, grouping, erasing, concatenating, segmenting, integrating or sending.

74. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for integrating the video or graphic file information with television programs that are receivable by the user.

75. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for integrating items associated with the video or graphic file into the video or graphic file identifier.

76. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by searching an area near a graphic or a video file within a web page for searchable identification terms.

77. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by parsing the text in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

78. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising means for acquiring identifier information by searching the text for keywords in an area within a web page near a link to the graphic or video file.

79. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising a search engine for acquiring identifier information by searching a file related to the graphic or video file.

80. The system for searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising an input for receiving identifier information from the content provider.

81. The system of searching for graphic or video files of claim 62 further comprising a storage device wherein the database is stored comprising one or more of a hard disk, an optical disk, and a floppy disk.