Method and apparatus for searching through an electronic programming guide

• US 7,058,635 B1
• Filed: 10/30/1998
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intel Corporation
• Inventors: Shah-Nazaroff, Anthony A., Hackson, David N., Moore, Kenneth Alan, Iki, Jean M. Goldschmidt, Buscheck, Gregory D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): Colbert, Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/183,282
• Time in Patent Office: 2,776 Days
• Field of Search: 707/100, 345/327, 348/460, 348/569, 463/42, 725/1, 725/7, 725/39, 725/52
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4143 embedded in a Personal Computer [PC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4332 by placing content in organized collections, e.g. local EPG data repository interfaces, Database management systems or updating for information retrieval G06F16/23; details of retrieval of video data and associated meta data in video database G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/482 End-user interface for program selection broadcast systems using EPGs H04H60/72
• 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

Abstract

A method for managing entertainment system data includes obtaining a record corresponding to a first entertainment selection that is selected. A selectable identifier corresponding to a first set of entertainment system data in the record is presented on a display device. A search for a second entertainment selection having a corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data is performed when the selectable identifier is selected. A result of the search is presented on the display device.

Claims

1. A method for managing entertainment system data, comprising:

obtaining a record corresponding to a first entertainment selection;

presenting a first set of entertainment system data in the obtained record corresponding to the first entertainment selection on a display device;

presenting a selectable identifier corresponding to the first set of entertainment system data on the display device;

receiving a selection of the selectable identifier;

accessing instructions linked to the selectable identifier;

performing a search based on the accessed instructions for a second entertainment selection having a corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data; and

presenting a result of the search on the display device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein obtaining the record comprises referencing an entertainment selection identifier of the first entertainment selection in a database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the selectable identifier comprises generating an identifier that is distinguishable from non-selectable text.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the search comprises searching a database for the entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein presenting the result of the search comprises displaying the result of the search in a synopsis box on the display device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the search comprises performing a search of records of entertainment system data received from a plurality of different sources.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the entertainment selections are selected from the group comprising programs, music selections, software applications, files, and Internet broadcasts.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein performing the search comprises performing a search in accordance with instructions stored with the first set of entertainment system data to find other entertainment selections.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the second set of entertainment data is related to the first set of entertainment data in that an item of data corresponding to the same trait is the same in both sets of data.

10. A computer-readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions, the sequence of instructions including instructions which, when executed by a processor, causes the processor to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a record corresponding to a first entertainment selection;

presenting a first set of entertainment system data in the obtained record corresponding to the first entertainment selection on a display device;

presenting a selectable identifier corresponding to the first set of entertainment system data on the display device;

receiving a selection of the selectable identifier;

accessing instructions linked to the selectable identifier;

performing a search based on the accessed instructions for a second entertainment selection having a corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data; and

presenting a result of the search on the display device.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein obtaining the record comprises referencing an entertainment selection identifier of the first entertainment selection in a database.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein presenting the selectable identifier comprises generating an identifier that is distinguishable from non-selectable text.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein performing the search comprises searching a database for entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein presenting the result of the search comprises displaying the result of the search in a synopsis box on the display device.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein performing the search comprises performing a search of records of entertainment system data received from a plurality of different sources.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the entertainment selections are selected from the group comprising programs, music selections, software applications, files, and Internet broadcasts.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein performing the search comprises performing a search in accordance with instructions stored with the first set of entertainment system data to find other entertainment selections.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein the second set of entertainment data is related to the first set of entertainment data in that an item of data corresponding to the same trait is the same in both sets of data.

19. A system control agent, comprising:

a data parser that formats entertainment system data into an identifier portion and a data portion;

a data engine, coupled to the data parser, that stores the entertainment system data into a database according to corresponding entertainment selections; and

a query interface, coupled to the database, that configures a graphical user interface (GUI) having an identifier corresponding to a first set of entertainment system data of a first entertainment selection, the identifier being selectable to cause the query interface to execute instructions linked to the identifier that require a search to be performed in the data engine and to display a second entertainment selection, resulting from the search, having a corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data.

20. The system control agent of claim 19, wherein the query interface comprises:

a user interface unit that receives an identity of the identifier selected;

a database interface unit, coupled to the user interface, that searches the database for the second entertainment selection having the corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data; and

a synopsis box building unit, coupled to the database interface unit, that displays the identity of the second entertainment selection on a display device.

21. The system control agent of claim 20, wherein the database interface unit searches the database in accordance with instructions that it retrieves from storage with the first set of entertainment system data.

22. The system control agent of claim 19, wherein the entertainment system data is received from a plurality of different sources.

23. A computer system, comprising:

a bus;

a processor coupled to the bus;

a system control agent, coupled to the bus, that includes a data parser that formats entertainment system data into an identifier portion and a data portion, a data engine that stores the entertainment system data into a database according to corresponding entertainment selections, a query interface that configures a graphical user interface (GUI) having an identifier corresponding to a first set of entertainment system data of a first entertainment selection, the identifier being selectable to cause the query interface to execute instructions linked to the identifier that require a search to be performed in the data engine and to display a second entertainment selection, resulting from the search, having a corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data.

24. The computer system of claim 23, wherein the query interface comprises:

a user interface unit that receives an identity of the identifier selected;

a database interface unit, coupled to the user interface, that searches the database for the second entertainment selection having the corresponding second set of entertainment system data related to the first set of entertainment system data; and

a synopsis box building unit, coupled to the database interface unit, that displays the identity of the second entertainment selection on a display device.

25. A graphical user interface (GUI), comprising:

a first set of entertainment system data corresponding to a first entertainment system selection;

an identifier corresponding to the first set of entertainment system data of the first entertainment selection, the identifier being selectable to cause a query interface to execute instructions linked to the identifier that require a search to be performed in a data engine and to generate a synopsis box that displays a second set of entertainment system data of a second entertainment selection, resulting from the search, the second set of entertainment system data being related to the first set of entertainment system data.

26. The GUI of claim 25, further comprising non-selectable text corresponding to entertainment system data of the first entertainment selection.

27. The GUI of claim 26, wherein the selectable identifier is presented so that it is distinguishable from non-selectable text.

28. A method comprising:

obtaining a record at an entertainment system, the record containing descriptive data describing a first program;

presenting the descriptive data on a display device of the entertainment system;

presenting a selectable identifier on the display device, the selectable identifier corresponding to the descriptive data;

receiving a selection of the selectable identifier;

accessing instructions linked to the selectable identifier;

performing a search of records of the entertainment system based on the accessed instructions to identify a second program having descriptive data that is related to the descriptive data of the first program; and

presenting a result of the search on the display device.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein presenting the selectable identifier comprises generating an identifier that is distinguishable from non-selectable text.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein performing the search comprises searching a database of records for programs, the records having identifiers and a data portion for each identifier, the data portion containing the descriptive data.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein performing the search comprises performing a search of records of data received from a plurality of different sources.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein performing the search comprises performing a search in accordance with instructions stored with the first set of descriptive data to find other programs.

33. The method of claim 28, wherein the descriptive data of the second program is related to the descriptive data of the first program in that an item of data is the same in both.