System and method for television search assistant

• US 9,477,746 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2012
• Issued: 10/25/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Herron, Jon Michael, Reyzelman, Vicki, Jaini, Shiva
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEEMA, AZAM M
• Application Number:
  US13/554,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20120290586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,558 Days
• Field of Search: 707/706, 707/713, 707/722, 707/723, 707731-737, 707748-754, 707759-772
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3322 using system suggestions G06F16/3325 takes precedence
• 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

Abstract

A television guide search query is received from a user. A plurality of suggested search terms are selected. Each of the plurality of suggested search terms is assigned to, and is ranked within, one of a plurality of categories A number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user, n_c, is determined for each of the plurality of categories, n_c being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms. A result set is created by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked n_c suggested search terms to the result set. The result set is transmitted to the user. A selection of a search term is received from the user and is used to conduct a television guide search.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, over a network from a user, a network search query comprising at least one token;

selecting, using a computing device, a plurality of suggested search terms from a suggested search term database that match the network search query, each of the plurality of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories;

ranking, using the computing device, the plurality of suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories;

determining, using the computing device, a number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user for each of the plurality of categories, the determined number of suggested search terms returned to the user being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms, such that a respective timestamp for each category is calculated dependent upon each category type and is associated with a suggested search term in a category, the timestamp corresponding to a respective end time, such that search terms having a respective timestamp less than the current time are not selected; and

creating, using the computing device, a consolidated result set by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein, the network search query is a program search query for searching an online programming guide, the suggested search term database relates to the online programming guide, the selected suggested search term is used to search the online programming guide.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the suggested search terms are selected from the list:

a description of a channel, a program title and a name of a cast member, and wherein the plurality of categories comprise the categories;

channel, program title, and cast member.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein only suggested search terms associated with a channel in a channel map associated with the user are selected.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein only suggested search terms that match the network search query at the beginning of a word within the respective suggested search term are selected.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein plurality of suggested search terms are ranked such that suggested search terms that include the network search query at the start of the respective suggested search term are ranked first, and remaining suggested search terms are ranked by an electronic programming ranking and by a relevancy of the suggested search terms to the network search query.

7. The method of claim 1, such that where the respective end time relates to a channel, the timestamp is equivalent to an end time for the last program scheduled for the channel.

8. The method of claim 1, such that where the respective end time relates to a program title, the timestamp is equivalent to a last end time for the program scheduled on a channel.

9. The method of claim 1, such that where the respective end time relates to a cast member, the timestamp is equivalent to a last end time for a program associated with the cast member is scheduled on a channel.

10. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

transmitting, over the network, to the user, the consolidated result set.

11. The method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

receiving, over the network, from the user, a selection of a suggested search term.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the steps of receiving a network search query, selecting a plurality suggested search terms, ranking, determining, creating, and transmitting are repeated a plurality of times until a selection of a suggested search term is received.

13. The method of claim 11, the method of claim 1 additionally comprising:

conducting, using the computing device, a network search using the selected suggested search term.

14. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having tangibly stored thereon computer-executable instructions, that when executed by a processor, perform a method:

receiving, by the computing device over a network from a user, a network search query comprising at least one token;

selecting, using the computing device, a plurality of suggested search terms from a suggested search term database that match the network search query, each of the plurality of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories;

ranking, using the computing device, the plurality of suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories;

determining, using the computing device, a number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user for each of the plurality of categories, the determined number of suggested search terms returned to the user being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms, such that a respective timestamp for each category is calculated dependent upon each category type and is associated with a suggested search term in a category, the timestamp corresponding to a respective end time, such that search terms having a respective timestamp less than the current time are not selected; and

creating, using the computing device, a consolidated result set by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14, additionally comprising:

transmitting, over the network, to the user, the consolidated result set.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 15 additionally comprising:

receiving, over the network, from the user, a selection of a suggested search term.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the steps of receiving a network search query, selecting a plurality suggested search terms, ranking, determining, creating, and transmitting are repeated a plurality of times until a selection of a suggested search term is received.

18. A system comprising:

a processor;

a non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon program logic for execution by the processor, the program logic comprising;

logic executed by the processor for receiving, over a network from a user, a network search query comprising at least one token;

logic executed by the processor for selecting a plurality of suggested search terms from a suggested search term database that match the network search query, each of the plurality of suggested search terms being assigned to one of a plurality of categories;

logic executed by the processor for ranking the plurality of suggested search terms within each of the plurality of categories;

logic executed by the processor for determining, using the computing device, a number of suggested search terms to be returned to the user for each of the plurality of categories, the determined number of suggested search terms returned to the user being equal to a ratio of the number of suggested search terms in the respective category to a total number of suggested search terms multiplied by a total number of displayed search terms, such that a respective timestamp for each category is calculated dependent upon each category type and is associated with a suggested search term in a category, the timestamp corresponding to a respective end time, such that search terms having a respective timestamp less than the current time are not selected; and

logic executed by the processor for creating, using the computing device, a consolidated result set by adding, for each of the plurality of categories, the top ranked suggested search terms in the respective category to the consolidated result set.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the program logic additionally comprises:

logic executed by the processor for transmitting, over the network, to the user, the consolidated result set; and

logic executed by the processor for receiving, over the network, from the user, a selection of a suggested search term.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein receiving a network search query, selecting a plurality suggested search terms, ranking, determining, creating, and transmitting are repeated a plurality of times until a selection of a suggested search term is received.