Systems and methods for providing advanced information searching in an interactive media guidance application

• US 7,890,490 B1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Issued: 02/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: UV Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: United Video Properties Incorporated (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Bryant, Jay S., Haffner, Robin, Fereira, Edgar, Bovenschulte, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Trujillo; James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Moser; Bruce M
• Application Number:
  US11/479,745
• Time in Patent Office: 1,691 Days
• Field of Search: 707/104.1, 707/5, 707/999.104, 707/999.005, 707/708, 707/731
• US Class Current: 707/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0257 User requested

Abstract

The present invention relates to an interactive media guidance application that provides improved searching functionality for media information, such as media program listings, media programming information, celebrity information, and other related media information. Search objects may be defined in the entertainment context and applied to media information to enable efficient searching. Different types of media information may be categorized to enable proper organization of search results. A search object query may be performed based on a user entered search expression and the results may be a vertical slice through the organized categories of media information. User submitted tags may also be applied to the media information and used to search the media information. Atomic searching may be enabled for more generic search expressions, whereby an atomic search object is associated with a personalized atomic search algorithm comprised of individual searches. The search algorithm is determined by receiving both user metrics and editorial input. Context sensitive searching may also be provided by defining search objects with different context settings and determining a context setting of the user initiated search.

Claims

1. A method for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising:

providing a collection of the media information, wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

providing a database of search terms, wherein the search terms are relevant to the media information, and wherein the search terms differ from the plurality of categories;

associating the media information with at least one of the search terms in the database;

receiving a search expression from a user;

determining whether the search expression matches one of the search terms in the database;

when the search expression matches one of the search terms in the database, identifying media information that is associated with the matching search term;

displaying the media information identified; and

grouping the displayed media information according to the plurality of categories.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the plurality of categories comprise media program listings, media programming information, and celebrity information.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

querying the user whether to perform a search term-based search or a text-based search using the search expression; and

receiving a user indication to perform a search term-based search.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

querying the user whether to perform a search term-based search or a text-based search using the search expression;

receiving a user indication to perform a text-based search;

identifying media information that includes the text of the search expression; and

displaying the identified media information to the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving search expression from a user comprises receiving search expression from a user over an Internet communications link.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein displaying identified media information comprises:

providing the identified media information to the user over an Internet communications link; and

displaying the media information on the user'"'"'s device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein providing a database of search terms comprises at least one of automatically and editorially defining search terms.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein associating the media information with the at least one related search term in the database comprises at least one of automatically and editorially associating the media information with the at least one related search term.

11. A method for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising:

providing a database of search terms related to the media information, wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

associating each piece of media information with at least one of the search terms in the database;

defining a plurality of atomic search algorithms for different search expressions each based on both a user'"'"'s interest and editorial input, wherein each of the atomic search algorithms performs a plurality of unique searches using a different one of the search terms in the database;

receiving an input from the user matching one of the search expressions;

executing the atomic search algorithm associated with the search expression that matches the user input;

identifying media information based on the executed atomic search algorithm; and

displaying the identified media information; and

grouping the displayed media information according to the plurality of categories.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein defining an atomic search algorithm comprises associating a plurality of search terms in the database with the search expression.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein defining the atomic search algorithms comprises associating a text string with the search expression, and wherein identifying media information based on the executed atomic search algorithm comprises identifying media information based on the text string.

14. The method of claim 11 further comprising:

querying the user whether to perform the atomic search algorithm or a text-based search; and

receiving a user indication to perform the atomic search algorithm.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

17. A method for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising:

receiving expressions that each include at least one word submitted by at least one user for a piece of media information, wherein the submitted expressions are related to the piece of media information, and wherein the media information corresponds to playable media, and wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

filtering the submitted expressions to produce core tags, wherein each core tag is produced from at least two of the submitted expressions that have at least one word in common;

associating each piece of the media information with at least one of the produced core tags;

receiving a search expression from the user, wherein the search expression matches one of the produced core tags;

identifying media information that is associated with the matching core tag; and

displaying the identified media information to the user, wherein the displayed media information allows the user to play the playable media; and

grouping the displayed media information according to the plurality of categories.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein associating each piece of the media information comprises at least one of editorially associating one of the produced core tags with the media information and automatically associating one of the produced core tags with the media information.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein receiving expressions submitted by a user for a piece of media information comprises monitoring expressions entered by a user.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

22. A method for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising:

providing a database of a plurality of search terms related to the media information, wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

identifying the search terms in the database that each have a first meaning in a first context setting and a different second meaning in a second context setting;

linking each of the identified search terms with a respective first context modifier to indicate the respective first meaning;

linking each of the identified search terms with a respective second context modifier to indicate the respective different second meaning;

associating the media information with a corresponding one of the context modifiers;

receiving a search expression from a user, wherein the search expression matches a first of the plurality of search terms in the database that have the first and second meanings;

retrieving the first and second context modifiers that are linked to the first search term;

determining, without further user input, a context setting of the search by reference to a display page viewed by the user;

selecting one of the retrieved first and second context modifiers that corresponds to the determined context setting;

identifying media information that is associated with the first search term and the selected one of the first and second context modifiers;

displaying identified media information, and

grouping the displayed media information according to the plurality of categories.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the first context setting is a first cultural context setting and the second context setting is a second cultural context setting different from the first cultural context setting.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

26. A system for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising a memory, control circuitry and a display device, the control circuitry configured to:

access a collection of the media information stored in the memory, wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

access a database of search terms stored in the memory, wherein the search terms are relevant to the media information, and wherein the search terms differ from the plurality of categories;

associate the media information with at least one of the search terms in the database;

receive a search expression from a user;

determine whether the search expression matches one of the search terms in the database;

when the search expression matches one of the search terms in the database, identify media information that is associated with the matching search term; and

direct a display device to display the media information identified according to the plurality of categories.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein the plurality of categories comprise media program listings, media programming information, and celebrity information.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

query the user whether to perform a search term-based search or a text-based search using the search expression; and

receive a user indication to perform a search term-based search.

29. The system of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

query the user whether to perform a search term-based search or a text-based search using the search expression;

receive a user indication to perform a text-based search;

identify media information that includes the text of the search expression; and

direct the display device to display the identified media information to the user.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

31. The system of claim 26, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

32. The system of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to receive search expression from a user over an Internet communications link.

33. The system of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

provide the identified media information to the user over an Internet communications link; and

direct the display device to display the media information on the user'"'"'s device.

34. The system of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to at least one of automatically and editorially define search terms in the database.

35. The system of claim 26 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to at least one of automatically and editorially associate the media information with the at least one of the search terms in the database.

36. A system for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising a memory computer readable medium, control circuitry and a display device, the control circuitry configured to:

access a database of search terms stored in the memory computer readable medium wherein the search terms are related to the media information, and wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

associate each piece of media information with at least one of the search terms in the database;

define a plurality of atomic search algorithms for different search expressions each based on both a user'"'"'s interest and editorial input, wherein each of the atomic search algorithms performs a plurality of unique searches using a different one of the search terms in the database;

receive an input from the user matching one of the search expressions;

execute the atomic search algorithm associated with the search expression that matches the user input;

identify media information based on the executed atomic search algorithm; and

direct the display device to display the identified media information according to the plurality of categories.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to associate a search term with the search expression, and identify media information associated with the search term.

38. The system of claim 36 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to associate a text string with the search expression, and identify media information based on the text string.

39. The system of claim 36 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:

query the user whether to perform the atomic search algorithm or a text-based search; and

receive a user indication to perform the atomic search algorithm.

40. The system of claim 36, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

41. The system of claim 36, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

42. A system for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising control circuitry and a display device, the control circuitry configured to:

receive expressions that each include at least one word submitted by at least one user for a piece of media information, wherein the submitted expressions are related to the piece of media information, and wherein the media information corresponds to playable media, and wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

filter the submitted expressions to produce core tags, wherein each core tag is produced from at least two of the submitted expressions that have at least one word in common;

associate each piece of the media information with at least one of the produced core tags;

receive a search expression from a user, wherein the search expression matches one of the produced core tags;

identify media information that is associated with the matching core tag; and

direct the display device to display the identified media information to the user according to the plurality of categories, wherein the displayed media information allows the user to play the playable media.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to at least one of editorially associate one of the produced core tags with the media information and automatically associate one of the produced core tags with the media information.

44. The system of claim 42 wherein the control circuitry is further configured to monitor expressions entered by a user.

45. The system of claim 42, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

46. The system of claim 42, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.

47. A system for searching media information in an interactive media guidance application comprising a memory computer readable medium, control circuitry and a display device, the control circuitry configured to:

access a database of a plurality of search terms related to the media information, wherein the media information is organized in a plurality of categories;

identify the search terms in the database that each have a first meaning in a first context setting and different second meaning in a second context setting;

link each of the identified search terms with a respective first context modifier to indicate the respective first meaning;

link each of the identified search terms with a respective second context modifier to indicate the respective different second meaning;

associate the media information with a corresponding one of the context modifiers;

receive a search expression from a user, wherein the search expression matches a first of the plurality of search terms in the database that have the first and second meanings;

retrieve the first and second context modifiers that are linked to the first search term;

determine, without further user input, a context setting of the search by reference to a display page viewed by the user;

selecting one of the retrieved first and second context modifiers that corresponds to the determined context setting;

identify media information that is associated with the first search term and the selected one of the first and second context modifiers; and

direct the display device to display identified media information according to the plurality of categories.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the first context setting is a first cultural context setting and the second context setting is a second cultural context setting different from the first cultural context setting.

49. The system of claim 47, wherein the interactive media guidance application is an interactive program guide.

50. The system of claim 47, wherein the media program listings are television program listings.