Method of generating search information and image apparatus using the same

• US 8,666,995 B2
• Filed: 06/13/2008
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Yang, Gyung-hye, Lim, Eun-young, Kwahk, Ji-young, Cho, Bong-hyun, Hwang, Sang-woong, Sung, Ju-yun, Her, Jee-young
• Primary Examiner(s): Casanova, Jorge A
• Application Number:
  US12/138,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20090182721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,090 Days
• Field of Search: 707/654, 707/752, 707/751
• US Class Current: 707/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/437 Administration of user profiles, e.g. generation, initialisation, adaptation, distribution
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/532 Query formulation, e.g. graphical querying
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/90324 using system suggestions

Abstract

A method of generating search information enables efficient navigation of content and an image apparatus therefore. The method of generating search information includes extracting and storing a portion of a plurality of searched screens, and generating search information using the stored screens. Accordingly, search information regarding digital content can be generated in a more convenient manner. In addition, since searched screens are generated as search information, search information which enables more efficient navigation can be provided to the user.

Claims

1. A method of generating search information of content from screens displayed on a display of an apparatus, the method comprising:

extracting respective screen images of at least a portion of a plurality of previously searched screens;

storing the extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens after each extraction thereof;

generating the search information, of the content using the stored extracted images;

in a subsequent search, comparing image content of search screens of the subsequent search with content in the search information; and

if the image content of the search screens of the subsequent search are similar to the content in the search information, displaying the search information including respective screen images similar to image contents of the subsequent search screens.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the search information comprises a search history in which the stored extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens are arranged in an order in which they are searched.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images includes extracting an image of a previously searched screen which has a hierarchical relationship with a previous extracted screen based on screen information contained in the previous extracted screen.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the screen information comprises information regarding items which are displayed on the previous extracted screen.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a search command;

determining if a screen searched according to the search command is similar to at least one of the stored extracted images of the plurality of previously searched screens; and

displaying the search information or at least one of the extracted images in the search information, on the screen searched according to the search command if the screen searched according to the search command is similar to the at least one of the extracted images.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of previously searched screens comprises screens which are searched using a keyword.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising:

storing the generated search information along with the keyword.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images includes extracting the portion of the plurality of previously searched screens in reverse order from a search result screen to an initial search screen.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images includes extracting the portion of the plurality of previously searched screens during a period of time preceding a time when a search result screen is extracted.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the extracting of the images include extracting a portion of the previously searched screens which is displayed for a longest period of time.

11. An image apparatus to generate search information of contents from previously searched screens displayed on a display of the apparatus, the apparatus comprising:

a storage unit which stores images of the previously searched screens; and

a control unit which extracts the images of at least a portion of a plurality of the previously searched screens, stores the extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens in the storage unit after each extraction thereof, generates search information of the contents using the stored extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens, compares in a subsequent search image contents of search screens of the subsequent search with contents in the search information, and, if the image contents of the search screens of the subsequent search are similar to the contents in the search information, displays the search information including respective screen images similar to image contents of the subsequent search screens.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the search information comprises information regarding a search history in which the stored extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens are arranged in an order in which they are searched.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit extracts an image of a previously searched screen which has a hierarchical relationship with a previous extracted screen based on screen information contained in the previous extracted screen.

14. The apparatus according to claim 13, wherein the screen information comprises information regarding items which are displayed on the previous extracted screen.

15. The apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising:

a user command receiving unit which receives a search command,

wherein if the user command receiving unit receives the search command, the control unit compares a screen searched according to the search command with at least one of the stored extracted images of the plurality of the previously searched screens, and displays the search information or at least one of the extracted images in the search information, on the screen searched according to the search command if the screen searched according to the search command is similar to the at least one of the extracted images.

16. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the plurality of the previously searched screens comprise screens which are searched using a keyword.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the control unit stores the generated search information along with the keyword in the storage unit.

18. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit extracts the portion of the plurality of the previously searched screens in a reverse order from a search result screen to an initial search screen.

19. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the control unit extracts the portion of the plurality of the previously searched screens during a period of time preceding a time when the search result screen is extracted.

20. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the extracted screen comprises a portion of a view of a previously searched screen which is displayed for a longest period of time.

21. A method of generating and displaying an image search history of contents from a selected hierarchical sequence of screens displayed on an apparatus, comprising:

extracting respective screen images of the screens in a reverse order of the selected hierarchical sequence;

storing the extracted respective screen images after each extraction thereof;

generating the image search history of the contents using the stored respective screen images in the selected hierarchical sequence;

in a subsequent search, comparing image contents of search screens of the subsequent search with the contents in the image search history; and

if the image contents of the search screens of the subsequent search are similar to the contents in the image search history, displaying the image search history including respective screen images similar to image contents of the subsequent search screens.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein extracting of the respective screen images includes:

identifying a hierarchically higher screen based on screen information of a current screen; and

extracting the screen image of the hierarchically higher screen.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the subsequent search of the contents is performed through search screens via information items of the search screens linked to subsequent search screens by using the generated image search history as a guide,

wherein, stored respective screen images that are determined similar to the information items of the search screens are displayed in a vicinity of the information items of the search screens.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising storing the generated image search history of the contents for later use in reaching a final screen of the hierarchical sequence of screens.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein each of the hierarchical sequence of screens is a linked webpage displayed on a display of the apparatus.

26. An apparatus used to generate and display an image search history of contents from a selected hierarchical sequence of screens displayed on the apparatus, comprising:

a display to display the selected hierarchical sequence of screens;

a nonvolatile storage unit; and

a controller to extract respective screen images of the screens in a reverse order of the selected hierarchical sequence, control storage of the extracted respective screen images after each extraction thereof in the storage unit, and generate the image search history of the contents using the stored respective screen images in the selected hierarchical sequence,

wherein each of the screen images comprises a whole screen image displayed on the apparatus, and

wherein, in a subsequent search, the controller compares image contents of search screens of the subsequent search with the contents in the image search history and, if the image contents of the search screens of the subsequent search are similar to the contents in the image search history, displays the image search history including respective screen images similar to image contents of the subsequent search screens.

27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein in extracting of the respective screen images, the controller further identifies a hierarchically higher screen based on screen information of a current screen, and extracts the screen image of the hierarchically higher screen.

28. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller performs the subsequent search of the contents through search screens via information items of the search screens linked to subsequent search screens by using the generated image search history as a guide, and displays stored respective screen images that are determined similar to the information items of the search screens in a vicinity of the information items of the search screens.

29. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the controller stores the generated image search history of the contents for later use in reaching a final screen of the hierarchical sequence of screens.

30. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein each of the hierarchical sequence of screens is a linked webpage.