Information processing apparatus for searching broadcast program and method therefore

• US 7,797,714 B1
• Filed: 07/11/2000
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Hanai, Tomoyuki, Nagasaka, Mitsuru, Koyabu, Aki, Oyabu, Tomoko
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen-Ba; Hoang-Vu A
• Application Number:
  US09/614,024
• Time in Patent Office: 3,717 Days
• Field of Search: 725/53, 725/61, 725/58, 707/706, 715/856, 345/157
• US Class Current: 725/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/70 of video data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/466 Learning process for intelligent management, e.g. learning user preferences for recommending movies services using the results of monitoring in broadcast systems H04H60/61
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

When a viewer (listener) wants to search a particular broadcast programs on a receiver, a keyword search processing is executed to an EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data. In this case, a search key for the keyword search processing is able to be registered by selecting a user preference keyword among EPG data displayed on a monitor screen of the receiver. Upon selecting user preference keywords, the viewer (listener) controls a cursor by a remote commander, and thus selected user preference keywords can be stored in a memory of the receiver. These user preference keywords in the memory are used as search key for searching favorite programs among daily updated EPG data.

Claims

1. A method of processing program information, consisting essentially of the steps of:

controlling a display of the program information on a display unit;

controlling a display of a first cursor over text of the program information;

designating a first word in the text by a user placing the first cursor over the word;

starting a keyword registration process by pressing a keyword registration key on a remote commander;

displaying detailed program information of a user-selected program on the display of the program information;

controlling the display of a cursor over text in the detailed program information;

designating a start position and an ending position of a second word by moving a cursor from a first letter of the second word to an end letter of the second word in the text of the detailed program information;

storing the second designated word when a user pushes the enter key;

once the user stores the second word with the enter key, displaying a message indicating that the registration of keyword has been completed;

displaying a search image showing keywords previously registered; and

searching the program information based on the first designated word and the second designated word upon a pushing of a search execute button.

2. The method for processing program information as claimed in claim 1,

wherein the designating step designates the first designated word by the user moving the cursor from a start position to an end position of the first designated word.

3. The method for processing program information as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a plurality of words can be stored, and each of said plurality of words is included in said searching.

4. The method for processing program information as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

navigating a list of a plurality of the stored words; and

searching the program information based on one or more words selected from the list by the user.

5. The method for processing program information as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

recording programs related to a search result obtained by said searching step.

6. The method for processing program information as claimed in claim 1, further comprising the step of:

receiving program information from a predetermined transmission station.

7. An information processing apparatus, comprising:

a first controlling unit configured to control displaying of program information on a display unit;

a second controlling unit configured to control displaying of a first cursor over text of the program information;

a first designating unit configured to designate a first word in the text,

wherein the first designated word having been designated by a user placing the first cursor over the word;

a third controlling unit configured to start a keyword registration process by pressing a keyword registration key on a remote commander;

a displaying unit for displaying detailed program information of a user-selected program on the display of the program information;

a fourth controlling unit for controlling the display of a second cursor over the text in the detailed program information;

a second designating unit for designating a start position and an ending position of a second designated word by moving a cursor from a first letter of the second word to an end letter of the second word in the text of the detailed program information,

wherein a storing unit stores the second designated word upon a user pushing the enter key;

a display unit for displaying a message indicating that the registration of keyword has been completed once the second word is stored and for displaying a search image showing keywords previously registered; and

a searching unit configured to search the program information based on the first designated word and the second designated word.

8. The information processing apparatus of claim 7,

wherein the first designating unit designates the first designated word by a user moving the cursor from a start position to an end position of the first designated word.

9. The information processing apparatus of claim 7,

wherein a plurality of words can be stored, and each of said plurality of words is included in said search.

10. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a navigating unit configured to navigate a list of a plurality of the stored words; and

the searching unit further configured to search the program information based on one or more words selected from the list by the user.

11. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a recording unit configured to record one or more programs related to a search result obtained by said searching unit.

12. The information processing apparatus of claim 7, further comprising:

a receiving unit configured to receive program information from a predetermined transmission station.

13. A program receiving apparatus for storing a computer program on a computer readable medium, the computer program comprising the steps of:

receiving programs and program information;

controlling display of program information on a display unit;

controlling display of a first cursor over the text of the program information;

designating a first word in the text by a user placing the first cursor over the first word;

start a keyword registration process by pressing a keyword registration key on a remote commander;

displaying detailed program information of a user-selected program on the display of the program information;

controlling the display of a cursor over text in the detailed program information;

designating a start position and an ending position of a second word by moving a cursor from a first letter of the second word to an end letter of the second word in the text of the detailed program information;

storing the second designated word when a user pushes the enter key;

once the user stores the second word with the enter key, displaying a message indicating that the registration of keyword has been completed;

displaying a search image showing keywords previously registered; and

searching the program information based on the first designated word and the second designated word.