Multimedia content search system
First Claim
1. A method, comprising:
- receiving, from a client device at a server, a user request to search for information about a program series without the user indicating whether the search is for broadcast content or broadband content;
in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series;
automatically selecting, by the server, at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and at least one broadband multimedia content information database;
and sending, by the server, one or more search queries to the selected at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and to the selected at least one broadband multimedia content information database;
receiving, from the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database, first search results indicating one or more upcoming broadcast showings of one or more episodes of the program series;
receiving, from the at least one broadband multimedia content information database, second search results indicating the availability of one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources;
filtering the first search results to remove upcoming broadcast showings from channels to which the client device is not subscribed; and
causing display, at the client device, of a graphical user interface including both;
1) a first option to display information about the one or more upcoming broadcast showings of the one or more episodes of the program series from a channel to which the client device is subscribed, and
2) a second option to display information about the availability of the one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources;
in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series and in response to automatically selecting the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and the at least one broadband multimedia content information database;
generating a first query compatible with a first type of the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database; and
generating a second query compatible with a second type of the at least one broadband multimedia content information database;
wherein causing display of the graphical user interface includes generating a user interface screen that is suitable for the client device to display.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Techniques described herein enable a service to receive search requests from client systems and perform an integrated search across databases containing informational data for broadcast content and broadband content. The service receives the search request from the client device and formulates a query for at least one broadband database and at least one partner broadcast database. The service queries each broadband database with a compatible query that the service creates using information regarding the type of database queries each partner'"'"'s database requires. Partners pay the service provider a fee for placing data in the database or for having their database searched by the service. The service formats the data received from the searches of the databases into a user interface screen that is presentable by the client device. The screen information instructs the client device on how it should respond to any key presses by the user.
49 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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receiving, from a client device at a server, a user request to search for information about a program series without the user indicating whether the search is for broadcast content or broadband content; in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series; automatically selecting, by the server, at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and at least one broadband multimedia content information database; and sending, by the server, one or more search queries to the selected at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and to the selected at least one broadband multimedia content information database; receiving, from the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database, first search results indicating one or more upcoming broadcast showings of one or more episodes of the program series; receiving, from the at least one broadband multimedia content information database, second search results indicating the availability of one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources; filtering the first search results to remove upcoming broadcast showings from channels to which the client device is not subscribed; and causing display, at the client device, of a graphical user interface including both;
1) a first option to display information about the one or more upcoming broadcast showings of the one or more episodes of the program series from a channel to which the client device is subscribed, and
2) a second option to display information about the availability of the one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources;in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series and in response to automatically selecting the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and the at least one broadband multimedia content information database; generating a first query compatible with a first type of the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database; and generating a second query compatible with a second type of the at least one broadband multimedia content information database; wherein causing display of the graphical user interface includes generating a user interface screen that is suitable for the client device to display. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. An apparatus comprising:
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a client device communicator, implemented at least partially in hardware, that receives, from a client device, a user request to search for information about a program series without the user indicating whether the search is for broadcast content or broadband content; a database communicator, implemented at least partially in hardware, that, in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series; automatically selects at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and at least one broadband multimedia content information database; and sends one or more search queries to the selected at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and to the selected at least one broadband multimedia content information database; wherein the database communicator receives, from the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database, first search results indicating one or more upcoming broadcast showings of one or more episodes of the program series; wherein the database communicator receives, from the at least one broadband multimedia content information database, second search results indicating the availability of one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources; wherein the database communicator filters the first search results to remove upcoming broadcast showings from channels to which the client device is not subscribed; and wherein the client device communicator subsystem causes display, at the client device, of a graphical user interface including both;
1) a first option to display information about the one or more upcoming broadcast showings of the one or more episodes of the program series from a channel to which the client device is subscribed, and
2) a second option to display information about the availability of the one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources;wherein the database communicator;
in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series and in response to automatically selecting the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and the at least one broadband multimedia content information database;generates a first query compatible with a first type of the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database; and generates a second query compatible with a second type of the at least one broadband multimedia content information database; wherein causing display of the graphical user interface includes generating a user interface screen that is suitable for the client device to display. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media storing instructions, which when executed by one or more processors cause performance of:
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receiving, from a client device at a server, a user request to search for information about a program series without the user indicating whether the search is for broadcast content or broadband content; in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series; automatically selecting, by the server, at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and at least one broadband multimedia content information database; and sending, by the server, one or more search queries to the selected at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and to the selected at least one broadband multimedia content information database; receiving, from the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database, first search results indicating one or more upcoming broadcast showings of one or more episodes of the program series; receiving, from the at least one broadband multimedia content information database, second search results indicating the availability of one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources; filtering, at the server, the first search results to remove upcoming broadcast showings from channels to which the client device is not subscribed; and causing display, at the client device, of a graphical user interface including both;
1) a first option to display information about the one or more upcoming broadcast showings of the one or more episodes of the program series from a channel to which the client device is subscribed, and
2) a second option to display information about the availability of the one or more episodes of the program series from one or more broadband content sources;wherein the instructions cause performance of;
in response to receiving the user request to search for information about the program series and in response to automatically selecting the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database and the at least one broadband multimedia content information database;generating a first query compatible with a first type of the at least one broadcast multimedia content information database; and generating a second query compatible with a second type of the at least one broadband multimedia content information database; wherein causing display of the graphical user interface includes generating a user interface screen that is suitable for the client device to display. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification