Search engine for video and graphics

• US 8,341,137 B2
• Filed: 06/21/2010
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rovi Guides, Inc. (Adeia Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gemstar Development Corporation (Adeia Inc.)
• Inventors: Yuen, Henry C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly, Anh
• Application Number:
  US12/819,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20100313131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 918 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/711, 707/736, 707/770, 707/804, 707/723, 707/E17.108, 707/999.003
• US Class Current: 707/706
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/58 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/986 Document structures and storage, e.g. HTML extensions
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/816 involving special video data, e.g 3D video
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/858 Linking data to content, e.g. by linking an URL to a video object, by creating a hotspot
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method of selecting graphic or video files having corresponding locators used to locate such graphic or video files using a computer. Identifiers are created by searching an area within a web page near a graphic or video file for searchable identification terms and searching an area within a web page near links to a graphic or video for searchable identification terms. The identifiers are stored in a database. User requests for graphic or video file content are received and the database of identifiers is searched to find graphic and video files corresponding criteria of the user. Graphic or video file content is then provided to the user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of providing video information comprising:

receiving, at a server, a user submission of a video file;

receiving, at the server, a user submission of identifier information about the video file;

wherein the identifier information comprises a title of the video file;

storing, in a storage device, the identifier information about the video file;

receiving a user input of search criteria matching at least some of the identifier information about the video file;

in response to receiving the user input,

determining a location of at which the video file is accessible;

Providing, in a results page, a user-selectable link to the video file based on the determined location;

retrieving at least some of the identifier information from the storage device;

providing, in the results page, the retrieved identifier information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a user submission of a video file comprises receiving a submission of the video file to a server, and automatically storing the video file in the storage device, wherein the storage device is in communication with the server.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information about an item, wherein the item is at least one of a product, service, and website that is associated with the video file.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an instruction to perform an operation with the video file, wherein the operation comprises one or more of viewing, saving, downloading, and sending.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least some of the identifier information comprises at least one of an author of the video file and an owner of the video file.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating an identifier of the video file using the identifier information about the video file and saving the identifier in an electronic database.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the results page is provided through an Internet interface.

8. A computer-implemented method of providing video information comprising:

identifying, at a server, an electronically-stored video file;

receiving, at the server, a user submission of identifier information about the video file through an Internet interface;

wherein the identifier information comprises a title of the video file;

storing at least a portion of the identifier information about the video file in a memory as searchable identifier information;

receiving search criteria;

identifying the video file when the search criteria match the at least a portion of the searchable identifier information;

providing, in a results page, a user-selectable link to the video file based on a location at which the video file is accessible;

retrieving the stored identifier information from the memory;

providing, in the results page, at least some of the retrieved user identifier information.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically storing the video file in a storage device.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising providing information about an item, wherein the item is at least one of a product, service, and website that is associated with the video file.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising receiving an instruction to perform an operation with the video file, wherein the operation comprises one or more of viewing, saving, downloading, and sending.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least some of the identifier information comprises at least one of an author of the video file and an owner of the video file.

13. A system for providing video information comprising:

a storage device, operatively connected to a processor and configured to store user-provided information; and

the processor, configured to communicate with one or more user devices via the Internet, and to receive from at least one user device;

a user submission of a video file,

a user submission of identifier information about the video file, wherein the identifier information comprises a title of the video file; and

a user input of search criteria matching at least some of the identifier information about the video file,

further configured to, in response to receiving the user submission of the identifier information about the video file, store the identifier information about the video file in the storage device;

and further configured to, in response to receiving the user input of search criteria matching at least some of the identifier information about the video file;

determine a location at which the video file is accessible;

provide to at least one user device, in a results page, a user-selectable link to the video file based on the determined location;

retrieve the stored identifier information from the storage device; and

provide at least some of the retrieved identifier information in the results page.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically store the video file in the storage device.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to provide, in response to receiving the user input, information about an item, wherein the item is at least one of a product, service, and website that is associated with the video file.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to receive, from the user device, an instruction to perform an operation with the video file, wherein the operation comprises one or more of viewing, saving, downloading, and sending.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least some of the identifier information comprises at least one of an author of the video file and an owner of the video file.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to generate an identifier of the video file using the identifier information about the video file and store the identifier in the storage device.

19. The system of claim 13, wherein the results page is provided through an Internet interface.

20. The system of claim 13, wherein the displayable file is provided to a user device different from the user device that submitted the identifier information.

21. A computer-implemented method of providing video information comprising:

receiving, at a server, a user submission of a video file;

receiving, at the server, a submission of identifier information about the video file, wherein the identifier information comprises a title of the video file;

the submission provided to the server by a user using a user device;

storing, in a storage device, the identifier information about the video file;

receiving a user input;

In response to receiving the user input, retrieving the stored identifier information about the video file from the storage device and generating a results page including a link to a location of the video file and at least some of the retrieved identifier information.

22. A system for providing video information comprising:

a processor, configured to communicate with one or more remote user devices, and to receive from at least one user device;

a user submission of a video file,

a user submission of identifier information about the video file, wherein the identifier information comprises a title of the video file; and

a user input of search criteria matching at least some of the identifier information about the video file,

further configured to, in response to receiving the user submission of identifier information about the video file, store the identifier information about the video file in a storage device;

and further configured to, in response to receiving the user input of search criteria matching at least some of the identifier information about the video file;

retrieve the identifier information from the storage device; and

Transmit, to at least one user device, a results page including a link to a location of the video file and at least some of the retrieved identifier information.

23. A system for providing video information comprising:

a processor configured to;

receive a submission of identifier information about a video file, wherein the identifier information comprises a title of the video file;

through an Internet interface, from a user device;

store at least a portion of the identifier information about the video file in a storage device as searchable identifier information;

receive search criteria from a user device;

identify the video file when the search criteria match the at least a portion of the searchable identifier information;

retrieve the stored identifier information about the video file; and

Transmit, to a user device, a results page including a link to a location of the video file and at least some of the retrieved identifier information.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the results page is transmitted to a user device different from the user device that submitted the identifier information.