System, method and user interface for content search

• US 9,576,033 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2010
• Issued: 02/21/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Patent Holdings, Inc. (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Barrett, Timothy Allen, Crosby, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): Mahmoudi, Tony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wang, Dongming
• Application Number:
  US13/809,046
• Publication Number:
  US 20130117260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,416 Days
• Field of Search: 707/722
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/248 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/444 Spatial browsing, e.g. 2D maps, 3D or virtual spaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/48 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/54 Browsing; Visualisation therefor

Abstract

A system and method for searching content and user interface for presenting results of the search are provided, wherein visual elements representing the content are distributed in three dimensions on a display, with the various axes representing criteria that relate to a central starting point of the search and the proximity to the central point indicating the degree of relevance. The outer bounds of the display contain a large amount of varied material of various types to allow a user to select content of a different type, with the content at the periphery of the display being essentially random and representing little or no link to the starting point of the search. Any displayed element may be selected, as a source for a next level search, in which case content relationships will be re-drawn, with the selected content used as the center point for a next level search.

Claims

1. A method for searching for content on an interactive graphic display in response to an input device, the method comprising:

outputting for display a plurality of first visual elements in a three-dimensional arrangement on the display, each first visual element corresponding to a selectable content source or category of content;

selecting at least one of the first visual elements;

performing a search of the selectable content source or category of content using a set of search criteria based on at least one of information associated with the selected first visual element and the relative position of the selected first visual element in the three-dimensional arrangement; and

outputting for display results of the search as a plurality of second visual elements in a new three-dimensional arrangement on the display with a central element in the new three-dimensional arrangement being the selected first visual element, each second visual element corresponding to specific content or content category, the new three-dimensional arrangement including at least a first axis of direction beginning from the central element and extending in a direction away from the central element, wherein the second visual elements arranged along the at least one first axis of direction in the new three-dimensional arrangement represent the results of at least one first criteria of the set of search criteria relating to the central element of the new three-dimensional arrangement, and proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central element indicates a degree of relevance of each of the second visual elements to the central element based on the search, wherein a size of each of the second visual elements increases as the proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central element increases.

2. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

highlighting at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device; and

adjusting an appearance of the highlighted at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

3. The method as in claim 2, further comprising displaying additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

4. The method as in claim 3, further comprising:

performing an updated content search, in response to input from the input device, based on the additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element;

outputting for display the selected at least one second visual element as the central starting element; and

outputting for display the results of the updated content search based on the additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element as a plurality of third visual elements in another new three-dimensional arrangement on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific piece of content or content category.

5. The method as in claim 2, further comprising adjusting an appearance of the second visual elements surrounding the highlighted at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to each of the surrounding second visual elements.

6. The method as in claim 2, further comprising executing the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device.

7. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

highlighting at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device; and

adjusting an appearance of the highlighted at least one second visual element and surrounding second visual elements in a hyperbolic expansion to reveal information of the specific content associated to the highlighted at least one second visual element and the surrounding second visual elements without adjusting the relative positions of the second visual elements in the three-dimensional arrangement.

8. The method as in claim 1, further comprising:

selecting at least two second visual elements in response to input from the input device;

performing an updated content search, in response to input from the input device, based on additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least two second visual elements; and

outputting for display the results of the updated content search as a plurality of third visual elements in another new three-dimensional arrangement on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific content or content category.

9. The method as in claim 1, wherein the selectable content source includes video channels, video titles, music or applications.

10. The method as in claim 1, wherein the at least one first axis of direction represents genres, actors, directors or ratings regarding other content from other users.

11. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements indicates a type of the specific content.

12. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements indicates a source of the specific content.

13. The method as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements is dynamically created from the specific content.

14. The method as in claim 1, wherein the plurality of first visual elements further includes at least one visual element corresponding to specific content, the method further comprising executing the specific content from the displayed plurality of first visual elements in response to input from the input device.

15. The method as in claim 14, wherein the plurality of first visual elements is displayed in another new three-dimensional arrangement on the display, the central starting element of the another new three-dimensional arrangement of the plurality of first visual elements is based on user preference and proximity of each of the first visual elements to the central starting element indicates a degree of relevance to the central starting element.

33. The method as in claim 1, wherein the input device is a remote device.

34. The method as in claim 1, wherein the input device is a touch screen device.

35. The method of claim 1, wherein the new three-dimensional arrangement includes at least one second axis of direction beginning from the central element and extending in a direction away from the central element, the second visual elements arranged along the at least one second axis of direction in the new three-dimensional arrangement represent the results of at least one second criteria of the set of search criteria relating to the central element of the new three-dimensional arrangement and the second visual elements arranged between the at least one first axis of direction and the at least one second axis of direction share an association with the at least one first criteria and the at least one second criteria of the set of search criteria.

37. The method of claim 35, wherein the at least one first axis of direction and the at least one second axis of direction are disposed on a first plane that extends across the display.

39. The method of claim 7, wherein the appearance is adjusted in a hyperbolic expansion in at least one of a horizontal and vertical direction.

40. The method of claim 7, wherein the hyperbolic expansion includes a lens distortion effect of magnification.

16. An apparatus comprising:

a display interface that outputs for display a plurality of first visual elements in a three-dimensional arrangement on a display device, each first visual element corresponding to a selectable content source or category of content;

a user interface that selects, in response to input from an input device, at least one of the first visual elements;

a controller, coupled to the display interface and user interface, the controller performing a search of the selectable content source or category of content using a set of search criteria based on at least one of information associated with the selected first visual element and the relative position of the selected first visual element in the three-dimensional arrangement; and

the display interface further outputting for display results of the search as a plurality of second visual elements in a new three-dimensional arrangement on the display with a central element in the new three-dimensional arrangement being the selected first visual element, each second visual element corresponding to a specific content or content category, the new three-dimensional arrangement including at least a first axis of direction beginning from the central element and extending in a direction away from the central element, wherein the second visual elements arranged along the at least one first axis of direction in the new three-dimensional arrangement represent the results of at least one first criteria of the set of search criteria relating to the central element of the new three-dimensional arrangement, and proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central element indicates a degree of relevance of each of the second visual elements to the central element based on the search, wherein a size of each of the second visual elements increases as the proximity of each of the second visual elements to the central element increases.

17. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein in response to input from the input device selecting at least one second visual element, the display interface adjusts an appearance of the selected at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

18. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the display interface outputs for display additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element.

19. The apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the controller performs an updated content search, in response to input from the input device, based on the additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element;

and

the display interface outputs for display the selected at least one second visual element as the central starting element and displays the results of the updated content search as a plurality of third visual elements in another new three-dimensional arrangement on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific content.

20. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the display interface adjusts an appearance of the second visual elements surrounding the selected at least one second visual element to reveal information of the specific content associated to each of the surrounding second visual elements.

21. The apparatus as in claim 17, wherein the controller plays the specific content associated to the selected at least one second visual element in response to input from the input device.

22. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein in response to input from the input device highlighting at least one second visual element, the display interface adjusts an appearance of the highlighted at least one second visual element and surrounding second visual elements in a hyperbolic expansion to reveal information of the specific content associated to the highlighted at least one second visual element and the surrounding second visual elements without adjusting the relative positions of the second visual elements in the three-dimensional arrangement.

23. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the input device is a remote device.

24. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the input device is a touch screen device.

25. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the plurality of first visual elements further includes at least one visual element corresponding to specific content, the controller executes the specific content from the displayed plurality of first visual elements in response to input from the input device.

26. The apparatus as in claim 25, wherein the display interface outputs for display the plurality of first visual elements in another new three-dimensional arrangement on the display, the central starting element of the another new three-dimensional arrangement of the plurality of first visual elements is based on user preference and proximity of each of the first visual elements to the central starting element indicates a degree of relevance to the central starting element.

27. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein in response to input from the input device selecting at least two second visual elements, the controller performs an updated content search, based on additional information of the specific content associated to the selected at least two second visual elements and the display interface outputs for display the results of the updated content search as a plurality of third visual elements in another new three-dimensional arrangement on the display, each third visual element corresponding to a specific content or content category.

28. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the selectable content source includes video channels, video titles, music or applications.

29. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the at least one first axis of direction represents genres, actors, directors or ratings regarding other content from other users.

30. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements indicates a type of the specific content.

31. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements indicates a source of the specific content.

32. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein at least one of the first and second visual elements is dynamically created from the specific content.

36. The apparatus as in claim 16, wherein the new three-dimensional arrangement includes at least one second axis of direction beginning from the central element and extending in a direction away from the central element, the second visual elements arranged along the at least one second axis of direction in the new three-dimensional arrangement represent the results of at least one second criteria of the set of search criteria relating to the central element of the new three-dimensional arrangement and the second visual elements arranged between the at least one first axis of direction and the at least one second axis of direction share an association with the at least one first criteria and the at least one second criteria of the set of search criteria.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one first axis of direction and the at least one second axis of direction are disposed on a first plane that extends across the display.

41. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the display interface adjusts the appearance in a hyperbolic expansion in at least one of a horizontal and vertical direction.

42. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the hyperbolic expansion includes a lens distortion effect of magnification.