Searching media program databases
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:
- identifying, by a computing device, a synonym including one or more search terms that is determined to be synonymous with a term;
accepting, by the computing device, a general search query including the term from a user computer, wherein the general search query has not been identified as being directed to any particular media program category in a plurality of media program categories;
associating, by the computing device, the synonym with the term in the general search query;
selecting, by the computing device, a search term in the one or more search terms for the synonym for use in identifying a media program category;
using, by the computing device, the search term of the synonym to identify the media program category in the plurality of media program categories;
performing, by the computing device, a categorical search of a media program database based on the general search query and the identified media program category to obtain a categorical search result including a list of media programs that are categorized in the identified media program category; and
outputting, by the computing device, the categorical search result in conjunction with the identified media program category.
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Abstract
A method, apparatus, article of manufacture for providing list of a plurality of media programs responsive to a user search query is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of accepting an general search query from a user computer, identifying a synonym for the general search query, identifying a category for the general search query according to the identified synonym, performing a categorical search of a media program database using the identified synonym and the identified category to obtain a search result, and transmitting the search result to the user computer for presentation on a display communicatively coupled to the user computer.
71 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method comprising:
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identifying, by a computing device, a synonym including one or more search terms that is determined to be synonymous with a term; accepting, by the computing device, a general search query including the term from a user computer, wherein the general search query has not been identified as being directed to any particular media program category in a plurality of media program categories; associating, by the computing device, the synonym with the term in the general search query; selecting, by the computing device, a search term in the one or more search terms for the synonym for use in identifying a media program category; using, by the computing device, the search term of the synonym to identify the media program category in the plurality of media program categories; performing, by the computing device, a categorical search of a media program database based on the general search query and the identified media program category to obtain a categorical search result including a list of media programs that are categorized in the identified media program category; and outputting, by the computing device, the categorical search result in conjunction with the identified media program category. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium containing instructions, that when executed, control a computer system to be configured for:
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identifying a synonym including one or more search terms that is determined to be synonymous with a term; accepting a general search query including the term from a user computer, wherein the general search query has not been identified as being directed to any particular media program category in a plurality of media program categories; associating the synonym with the term in the general search query; selecting a search term in the one or more search terms for the synonym for use in identifying a media program category; using the search term of the synonym to identify the media program category in the plurality of media program categories; performing a categorical search of a media program database based on the general search query and the identified media program category to obtain a categorical search result including a list of media programs that are categorized in the identified media program category; and outputting the categorical search result in conjunction with the identified media program category. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. An apparatus comprising:
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one or more computer processors; and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed, control the one or more computer processors to be configured for; identifying a synonym including one or more search terms that is determined to be synonymous with a term; accepting a general search query including the term from a user computer, wherein the general search query has not been identified as being directed to any particular media program category in a plurality of media program categories; associating the synonym with the term in the general search query; selecting a search term in the one or more search terms for the synonym for use in identifying a media program category; using the search term of the synonym to identify the media program category in the plurality of media program categories; performing a categorical search of a media program database based on the general search query and the identified media program category to obtain a categorical search result including a list of media programs that are categorized in the identified media program category; and outputting the categorical search result in conjunction with the identified media program category.
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Specification