System and method of searching for story-based media

• US 7,797,328 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2005
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thomas Lane Styles
• Original Assignee: Thomas Lane Styles
• Inventors: Styles, Thomas Lane
• Primary Examiner(s): Jalil; Neveen Abel
• Assistant Examiner(s): LIANG, VEI CHUNG
• Application Number:
  US11/306,178
• Publication Number:
  US 20080021894A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/758
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/36 Creation of semantic tools, e.g. ontology or thesauri
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/367 Ontology
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/914 Video

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating a search for story-based media search criteria for use in searching for story-based works are disclosed. The method may include the steps of: facilitating a search for and receiving input from a user that specifies a first desired character type, a desired type of interaction between a first character and a second character in a work, and/or other story-based search criteria, and searching a work database, and identifying at least one of the plurality of works that has a first work character type, desired type of interaction, and/or other story-based search criteria that is substantially similar to the specified story-based search criteria.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user in searching for a pre-existing complete story-based work based on what is in said pre-existing complete story-based work, said story-based work represented in a work database by a work name, wherein the user is a person, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving input from the user that specifies a first desired character type, wherein said first desired character type is a first desired story-character type, wherein said first desired character type is specified upon selection by the user of a first desired character quality from among a plurality of desired character qualities,

wherein said plurality of desired character qualities comprise at least one of;

various character personalities, various character religious viewpoints, level of positive portrayal of character, character'"'"'s level of success in portrayed endeavors;

receiving input from the user that further specifies said first desired character type, wherein said first desired character type is further specified upon selection by the user of a second desired character quality from among said plurality of desired character qualities;

a processor searching said work database, wherein said work database stores a plurality of work names associated respectively with a plurality of pre-existing complete story-based works, wherein each of said plurality of story-based works is associated with at least one work character, wherein each of said at least one work character is associated with more than one work character quality;

wherein said plurality of story-based works each comprise a complete work and each comprise one of a complete movie, a complete television program, a book, a novel, and a play;

storing in said work database a score for each work character quality representing the degree to which said at least one work character exhibits the respective work character quality in the respective work; and

identifying at least one of said plurality of pre-existing complete story-based works that has a first work character that has a character quality that is substantially similar to said specified first desired character type.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying step further comprises the step of displaying work names in order of relevancy beginning with the work names that are the most similar to said specified first desired character type.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving input from the user that specifies a second desired character type, wherein said second desired character type is specified upon selection by the user of a third desired character quality from among said plurality of desired character qualities;

wherein said work database further stores at least one character quality that is associated with a second work character who appears in at least one of said plurality of story-based works; and

identifying at least one of said plurality of story-based works that contain both said first and second work characters that respectively are substantially similar to said specified first and second desired character types.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an importance input from the user for each selected desired character quality for each specified desired character type, wherein each received importance input indicates the relative importance of the presence of the respective selected desired character quality relative to each other selected desired character quality; and

associating respectively a numeric importance value with each selected desired character quality based on each respective importance input, wherein each said numeric importance value represents the relative importance of each selected desired character quality.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:

receiving said input specifying a first desired character type by the user selecting tree nodes and sub-tree nodes under a first desired character node.

6. A method of assisting a user in searching for a pre-existing complete story-based work from a plurality of pre-existing complete story-based works, represented in a work database by a work name, based on specified desired character relationships within said pre-existing complete story-based work, wherein the user is a person, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a first input from the user specifying a desired type of relationship between a first character and a second character in said pre-existing complete story-based work,

wherein said desired type of relationship comprises at least one of;

a family relationship, an emotional relationship, an interpersonal relationship, a romance relationship, a friendship, an antagonistic relationship, a hierarchical relationship, a work or office relationship and a competitive relationship;

wherein said pre-existing complete story-based work is one of a complete movie, a complete television program, a book, a novel, and a play; and

a processor identifying, in said work database, said pre-existing complete story-based work that includes at least said first character and said second character whose relationship in said pre-existing complete story-based work is substantially similar to said specified desired type of relationship,

wherein said work database stores a plurality of work names associated respectively with said plurality of pre-existing complete story-based works.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said work database stores a score representing the amount of presence in said story-based work of said specified desired type of relationship between said first and second characters in said story-based work.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said first character and said second character are human beings.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising the steps of:

receiving further input from the user that specifies a first desired character type of said first character, wherein said first desired character type is specified by the user by selecting a first desired character quality from among a plurality of desired character qualities,

wherein said plurality of desired character qualities comprise at least one of;

various character occupations, various character belief systems, various character personalities, level of positive portrayal of character, age group of character, sex of character, character'"'"'s level of success in portrayed endeavors;

searching said work database, wherein said work database further stores at least one work character quality that is associated with a first work character who appears in at least one of said works; and

wherein said identifying step further requires that said first character has a character quality that is substantially similar to said specified first desired character type.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:

receiving further input from the user that specifies a second desired character type associated with said second character, wherein said second desired character type is specified by the user by selecting a second desired character quality from among said plurality of desired character qualities;

searching said work database, wherein said work database further stores at least one work character quality that is associated with a second work character who appears in at least one of said works; and

wherein said identifying step further requires that said second character has a character quality that is substantially similar to said specified second desired character type.

11. A method for assisting a user in a two-stage search for a pre-existing complete story-based work based on story-based criteria, wherein said pre-existing complete story-based work is represented in a work database by a work name, wherein the user is a person, and wherein the two stages comprise:

an initial stage entailing a search for a first desired story-based criterion, wherein said search comprises the steps of;

receiving at least one input from the user denoting the user'"'"'s interest in story-based criteria; and

receiving from the user a selection of said first desired story-based criterion, from among a plurality of story-based criteria, wherein said plurality of story-based criteria comprise at least one of;

prevalence of heroism in said story-based work, prevalence of various types of dramatic behaviors in said story-based work, degree of presence of various sociopolitical themes of said story-based work, prevalence of various types of sex appeal in said story-based work, and degree of various types of aggressive content in said story-based work; and

a subsequent stage comprising the steps of;

a processor searching a work database, wherein said work database stores a plurality of work names associated respectively with a plurality of pre-existing complete works, wherein said work database further stores at least one work story-based criterion that is associated with a first work of said plurality of pre-existing complete works, wherein said work database stores a score that is associated with each said at least one work story-based criterion, wherein each said score represents the degree to which said story-based work exhibits the story-based criterion, wherein said score has at least three possible values;

wherein said plurality of pre-existing complete works each comprise one of a complete movie, a complete television program, a book, a novel, and a play; and

identifying, from among said plurality of pre-existing complete works, at least one pre-existing complete story-based work whose score in said first desired story-based criterion is greater than or equal to the score in said first desired story-based criterion of each other of said plurality of pre-existing complete works in said work database.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein said initial stage further comprises the displaying of said plurality of story-based criteria in a hierarchal format, and wherein said initial stage step of receiving from the user a selection of said first desired story-based criterion further comprises the selecting by the user of at least one of said plurality of story-based criteria from the hierarchal display of said plurality of story-based criteria.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an importance input from the user for each selected desired story-based criterion, wherein each received importance input indicates the relative importance of the presence of the respective selected desired story-based criterion relative to all the other selected desired story-based criteria; and

associating respectively a numeric importance value with each selected desired story-based criterion based on each respective importance input, wherein each said numeric importance value represents the relative importance of each selected desired story-based criterion; and

wherein said identifying further comprises identifying at least one work whose total score is greater than or equal to the total score of each other of said plurality of pre-existing complete works in said work database, wherein the total score is computed as T=I₁S₁+I₂S₂, wherein I₁ is the numeric importance value associated with the first desired story-based criterion, and I₂ is the numeric importance value associated with the second desired story-based criterion.

13. A method for assisting a user in a two-stage search for a pre-existing complete story-based work based on story-based criteria, wherein said pre-existing complete story-based work is represented in a work database by a work name, wherein the user is a person, and wherein the two stages comprise:

an initial stage entailing a search for a first desired story-based criterion, wherein said search comprises the steps of;

receiving at least one input from the user denoting the user'"'"'s interest in story-based criteria; and

receiving from the user a selection of said first desired story-based criterion, from among a plurality of story-based criteria, wherein said plurality of story-based criteria comprise at least one of;

prevalence of heroism in said story-based work, prevalence of various types of dramatic behaviors in said story-based work, degree of presence of various sociopolitical themes of said story-based work, prevalence of various types of sex appeal in said story-based work, and degree of various types of aggressive content in said story-based work;

wherein said initial stage further entails a search for a second desired story-based criterion comprising the steps of;

receiving further input from the user that further denotes the user'"'"'s interest in story-based criteria; and

receiving from the user a selection of said second desired story-based criterion, from among said plurality of desired story-based criteria; and

a subsequent stage comprising the steps of;

a processor searching a work database, wherein said work database stores a plurality of work names associated respectively with a plurality of pre-existing complete works, wherein said work database further stores at least one work story-based criterion that is associated with a first work of said plurality of pre-existing complete works, wherein said work database stores a score that is associated with each said at least one work story-based criterion, wherein each said score represents the degree to which said story-based work exhibits the story-based criterion, wherein said score has at least three possible values;

wherein said plurality of pre-existing complete works each comprise one of a complete movie, a complete television program, a book, a novel, and a play; and

identifying, from among said plurality of pre-existing complete works, at least one work whose total score is greater than or equal to the total score of each other of said plurality of pre-existing complete works in said work database, wherein the total score T is computed as the sum of a function of S₁ and a function of S₂, wherein S₁ is the score in the first desired story-based criterion and S₂ is the score in the second desired story-based criterion.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the steps of:

receiving an importance input from the user for each selected desired story-based criterion, wherein each received importance input indicates the relative importance of the presence of the respective selected desired story-based criterion relative to all the other selected desired story-based criteria;

associating respectively a numeric importance value with each selected desired story-based criterion based on each respective importance input, wherein each said numeric importance value represents the relative importance of each selected desired story-based criterion; and

receiving from a user a first max/min input associated with said first desired story-based criterion indicating that the user desires that a work exhibit one of;

(a) as much of said first desired story-based criterion as possible, and (b) as little of said first desired story-based criterion as possible,

wherein said identifying further comprises identifying at least one work whose total score is greater than or equal to the total score of each other of said plurality of pre-existing complete works in said work database, wherein the total score is computed as T=w₁I₁S₁+I₂S₂, wherein w₁=1 if said first max/min input is (a) and w₁=−

1 if said first max/min input is (b), and wherein I₁ is the numeric importance value associated with the first desired story-based criterion, and I₂ is the numeric importance value associated with the second desired story-based criterion.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein said identifying further comprises identifying works in order of total score.

17. A graphical method for assisting a user in searching for a work, wherein the user is a person, the graphical method including the steps of:

displaying icons that represent character types desired by the user;

for one or more of said icons, receiving at least one user input specifying desired qualities of the character type, where each desired quality is selected from among a plurality of character qualities;

receiving an input, from a user, referencing two of said icons, and responding to said input by displaying a graphical connection between said icons, and wherein each graphical connection represents a relationship between characters of the character type represented by the icon;

wherein said relationship between characters comprises at least one of;

a family relationship, an emotional relationship, an interpersonal relationship, a romance relationship, a friendship, an antagonistic relationship, a hierarchical relationship, a work or office relationship and a competitive relationship;

receiving user input, associated with each said graphical connection, representing desired qualities of the relationship between the characters that correspond to the icons so connected, where each desired quality is selected from among a plurality of relationship qualities; and

a processor searching a work database that contains a plurality of works and identifying at least one of said plurality of works that has characters and relationships substantially similar to the character types and relationships desired by the user, wherein said plurality of works each comprise at least one of a complete movie, a complete television program, a book, a novel, and a play.

18. A method of assisting a user in searching for a pre-existing complete work through use of story-based criteria, wherein the user is a person, the method comprising the steps of:

assisting the user in finding and selecting story-based criteria comprising the steps of;

presenting a plurality of story-based search criteria, wherein the plurality of story-based search criteria comprise at least one of;

heroism, various types of dramatic behaviors, various sociopolitical themes, various types of sex appeal, and various types of aggressive content; and

receiving from the user inputs representing selections of story-based criteria that are to be used in a search;

receiving from the user, for each selected story-based criterion, an indication of the importance of that story-based criterion, wherein the importance of a criterion indicates how much the user wishes the criterion to affect the search results, relative to how much the other criteria affect the search results;

a processor searching a work database, wherein said work database stores a plurality of work names associated respectively with a plurality of pre-existing complete works, wherein each of said plurality of pre-existing complete works is associated with at least one work story-based criterion;

wherein said plurality of pre-existing complete works each comprise at least one of a complete movie, a complete television program, a book, a novel, and a play;

identifying at least one of said plurality of pre-existing complete works where said at least one of said plurality of pre-existing complete works comprise work story-based criteria that are substantially similar to said selected story-based criteria; and

presenting to the user said identified works in order of relevancy based on user provided indications of importance and on the degree to which said works comprise work story-based criteria that are substantially similar to said user provided selections of story-based criteria.