Method and system for suggesting search queries on electronic devices

• US 8,176,068 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kunjithapatham, Anugeetha, Sheshagiri, Mithun, Rathod, Priyang, Messer, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Vu, Bai D.
• Application Number:
  US11/981,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20090112848A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 707/766
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/738 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7844 using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7867 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, title and artist information, manually generated time, location and usage information, user ratings
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques

Abstract

A method and system implementing a process for suggesting search queries on an electronic device is provided. The process involves displaying terms related to content accessed by a user for selection by the user, obtaining one or more key terms related to a user-selected term, and displaying the one or more key terms to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term. Obtaining one or more key terms involves obtaining one or more key terms related to the selected term, based on local content information and/or external content information.

Claims

1. A method for suggesting search queries on an electronic device, comprising:

receiving a request to access content from a user, wherein the content is a television program;

accessing information about the television program;

extracting, from the information about the television program, a first set of key terms related to the content currently accessed by a user by the electronic device without requiring user input;

displaying the first set of key terms for selection by the user;

receiving a selection of one of the key terms from the first set of key terms from the user;

automatically obtaining a second set of key terms related to the user selected key term from the first set of key terms, based on both local content information from available local content and search result snippets from external content information;

aggregating and ranking the key terms from the second set of key terms;

displaying the second set of key terms based on rank to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term;

receiving a selection from the user of one of the query suggestions; and

submitting the selected query suggestion as a query to retrieve additional content, wherein the extracting, displaying, automatically obtaining, aggregating, and displaying are all performed prior to a query being submitted.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a first set of key terms includes automatically obtaining key terms from one or more of closed-captions, subtitles and Electronic Program Guide (EPG), for the content.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a first set of key terms includes obtaining key terms from a local index of metadata related to the content.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting a first set of key terms includes obtaining key terms from user-related information.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the user-related information includes one or more of:

user profile, user preferences, content previously accessed by the user, terms previously selected by the user.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device comprises a consumer electronics (CE) device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the aggregated key terms are ranked based on user-selected search term history and user preferences.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting initial terms related to content accessed by a user comprises extracting initial terms from content accessed by the user.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein extracting initial terms from content accessed by the user comprises extracting initial terms based on locally available content information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the locally available content information comprises closed-caption information.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the electronic device is a digital television (DTV).

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the query suggestions corresponding to the selected term are displayed on the DTV.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein a user selects search terms via a remote control without entering query terms.

14. An apparatus for suggesting search queries on an electronic device, comprising:

a processor including a related data generation function configured for initiating extraction of initial terms related to content of a television program currently accessed by a user by the electronic device without requiring user input, displaying the initial terms for selection by the user, and receiving a selection of a term from the initial terms from the user;

a query suggestion function configured for automatically obtaining key terms related to a selected term selected from the initial terms, based on both local available content information and search result snippets from external content information, aggregating and ranking the key terms, and for displaying the key terms based on rank to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term; and

a query submission module configured for submitting at least one of the query suggestions as a query for additional content, wherein the extraction, displaying the initial terms, automatically obtaining, aggregating, and displaying the key terms are all performed prior to a query being submitted.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the query suggestion function includes:

a local information extractor configured for obtaining key terms related to the selected term based on locally available content information;

an external information extractor configured for obtaining key terms related to the selected term based on information available on external sources; and

the apparatus further including an aggregation function configured for aggregating the obtained key terms for display as query suggestions.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the local information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from one or more of closed-captions, subtitles and Electronic Program Guide (EPG), for the user accessed content.

17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the local information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from a local index of metadata related to locally available media content.

18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the local information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from user-related information.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the user-related information includes one or more of:

user profile, user preferences, content previously accessed by the user, terms previously selected by the user.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the external information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term based on information available on Internet sources.

21. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the external information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from Internet search result snippets.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein obtaining key terms that contain the selected term from Internet search results snippets further comprises:

sending the selected term to a search engine in the Internet;

obtaining search result snippets for the selected term from the search engine; and

analyzing search result snippets for key terms that contain the selected term.

23. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the electronic device comprises a consumer electronics (CE) device.

24. The apparatus of claim 14, further including a client module is configured for providing a user interface for displaying the key terms to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term.

25. A system for suggesting search queries, comprising:

an electronic device including a processor coupled with a client module configured for connection to a local network;

an information gathering function configured for suggesting search queries via the client module, the information gathering function comprising a related data generator configured for initiating extraction of initial terms related to content of a television program currently accessed by a user without requiring user input displaying the initial terms for selection by the user, and receiving a selection of initial terms from the user, and a query suggestion function configured for automatically obtaining key terms related to a selected term selected from the initial terms, based on both available local content information and search result snippets from external content information, aggregating and ranking the key terms, and for displaying the key terms based on rank to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term; and

a query submission module configured for submitting at least one of the query suggestions as a query for additional content, wherein the extraction, displaying the initial terms, automatically obtaining, aggregating, and displaying the key terms are all performed prior to a query being submitted.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the query suggestion function includes:

a local information extractor configured for obtaining key terms related to the selected term based on locally available content information;

an external information extractor configured for obtaining key terms related to the selected term based on information available on external sources; and

the system further including an aggregation function configured for aggregating the obtained key terms for display as query suggestions.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the query suggestion function is further configured for ranking the aggregated key terms for display as query suggestions.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the local information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from one or more of closed-captions, subtitles and Electronic Program Guide (EPG), for the user accessed content.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the local information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from a local index of metadata related to locally available media content.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the local information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from user-related information.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the user-related information includes one or more of:

user profile, user preferences, content previously accessed by the user, terms previously selected by the user.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the external information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term based on information available on Internet sources.

33. The system of claim 26, wherein the external information extractor is further configured for obtaining key terms that contain the selected term, from Internet search result snippets.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the client module comprises a consumer electronics device configured for providing a user interface for displaying the key terms to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term;

and wherein the client module and the information gathering module are further configured for communication via the network.

35. A program product stored on a computer for suggesting search queries on an electronic device, the program product comprising program code for causing a processor to:

initiate extraction of initial terms related to content of a television program currently accessed by a user without requiring user input;

display the initial terms for selection by the user;

receiving a selection of initial terms from the user;

automatically obtain key terms related to a user-selected term selected from the initial terms, based on both available local content information and search result snippets from external content information;

aggregate and rank the key terms;

display the key terms based on rank to the user as query suggestions corresponding to the selected term; and

submit at least one of the query suggestions as a query for additional content, wherein the extraction, displaying the initial terms, automatically obtaining, aggregating, and displaying the key terms are all performed prior to a query being submitted.