System for searching a data base for information associated with broadcast segments based upon broadcast time
First Claim
1. A search system for searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising:
- a portable input device including a storage means for storing time information representing a broadcast time at which a segment is broadcast;
communication means for transmitting the time information stored in said storage means;
a broadcast data base for storing in a computer readable medium the segments of broadcast information and related information, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast;
a search device including a content data base for accumulating data representing said segments and the broadcast times of respective segments a processor configured to access data from the contents database; and
search means for receiving the time information transmitted by said communication means to search said broadcast data base and said content data base for information associated with those a plurality of segments having broadcast times corresponding to the received time information.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A play list comprising the names of music pieces broadcasted from a broadcast station and broadcast time information are accumulated in a data base. If a user likes a music piece broadcasted from the broadcast station, he activates a book marker which stores time information representing the time at which the book marker is activated. The time information is supplied through a gateway device to a search engine which searches the data base for those broadcast stations in the user'"'"'s geographic area which broadcasted music pieces or the like at a time that matches the time information. The search results are transmitted to the gateway device and displayed.
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Citations
88 Claims
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1. A search system for searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising:
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a portable input device including a storage means for storing time information representing a broadcast time at which a segment is broadcast;
communication means for transmitting the time information stored in said storage means;
a broadcast data base for storing in a computer readable medium the segments of broadcast information and related information, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast;
a search device including a content data base for accumulating data representing said segments and the broadcast times of respective segments a processor configured to access data from the contents database; and
search means for receiving the time information transmitted by said communication means to search said broadcast data base and said content data base for information associated with those a plurality of segments having broadcast times corresponding to the received time information. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A search device for searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising:
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a broadcast data base implemented in a computer readable medium for storing the segments of broadcast information and related information;
accumulating means for accumulating a content data base representing said segments and broadcast times at which respective segments are broadcasted, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast; and
search means for searching the broadcast and content data bases for information associated with those a plurality of segments having broadcast times corresponding to time information which is input from a portable input device and represents the broadcast time at which a segment is broadcasted, said search means including a computer processor. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A portable input device for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base having accumulation means for accumulating information representing broadcast segments and broadcast times at which the segments are broadcasted, said input, device inputting time information to a search device for searching said broadcast and content data bases for information associated with a broadcast segment on the basis of the broadcast time at which the segment is broadcasted, comprising:
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storage means implemented in a computer readable medium for storing at least the time information representing the broadcast time at which the segment was broadcasted, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast, by a computer processor; and
communication means for transmitting the time information stored in said storage means. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37)
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38. A portable input device for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base having accumulation means for accumulating information representing broadcast segments and broadcast times at which the segments are broadcasted, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast, said input device inputting information corresponding to the broadcast time to a search device for searching said broadcast and content data bases for information associated with a broadcast segment, said input device comprising:
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a counter which counts predetermined clock signals;
storage means implemented in a computer readable medium for storing a count value of said counter at a time when a segment is broadcasted; and
communication means for transmitting the count value stored in said storage means said communication means including a processor. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54)
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55. A system for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base for information associated with music pieces broadcasted by a broadcast station, said data bases storing a play list of music pieces broadcasted by different broadcast stations at respective times, comprising:
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a portable book marker operable by a user to store in a computer readable medium information representing the time at which the book marker is operated;
a transmitter for transmitting the stored time information together with user identification (ID) information; and
a search engine including a computer processor for receiving the transmitted time and ID information and for searching said broadcast and content data bases as a function of said time and ID information to select information associated with music pieces that were broadcasted by a set of broadcast stations at a time that matches said time information, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast. - View Dependent Claims (56)
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57. A method of searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising the steps of:
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accumulating a broadcast data base for storing in a computer readable medium the segments of broadcast information and related information;
accumulating a content data base representing said segments and broadcast times of respective segments, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast;
registering time information representing the broadcast time at which a user-desired segment is broadcast in a portable input device;
transmitting the registered time information to a data base search engine; and
using the transmitted time information to search with a computer processor said broadcast and content data bases for information associated with those a plurality of segments having broadcast times which match the registered time information.
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58. A method of searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising the steps of:
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accumulating a broadcast data base implemented with a computer readable medium for storing the segments of broadcast information and related information, accumulating a content data base representing said segments and broadcast times at which respective segments are broadcasted, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast;
searching with a computer processor the broadcast and content data bases for information associated with those a plurality of segments having broadcast times which match time information that is input by a user through a portable input device, and that represents the broadcast time at which a user-desired segment is broadcasted.
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59. A method of inputting search parameters for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base comprised of information representing broadcast segments, broadcast times at which segments are broadcasted and broadcast stations over which the segments are broadcasted, said method comprising the steps of:
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registering, in a computer readable medium of a portable input device, at least time information representing the broadcast time at which a user-desired segment is broadcasted; and
transmitting as data base search parameters the registered time information, user identification information and geographic area information representing the geographic area at which said user is located, wherein said segments are registered in said data base during or after said broadcast. - View Dependent Claims (60, 61)
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62. A search system for searching related information associated with a broadcast content, comprising:
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a communication apparatus including;
an operation unit having a computer processor, a counter, and a communication unit configured to transmit a count value by said counter to a search apparatus, said count value being used for generating a differential time between an operate time of said operation unit and a transmission time of said count value;
the search apparatus including;
a timer configured to output a current time, a storage device implemented with a computer readable medium configured to store related information associated with said broadcast content and a broadcast time of said broadcast content, a differential time generator configured to generate said differential time according to said count value transmitted from said communication unit, an operate time determination mechanism configured to determine said operate time of said operation unit according to said current time from said timer and said differential time generated at by said differential time generator, and a search unit configured to search related information of said broadcast content that was broadcast at said operate time from said storage device based on said operate time determined by said operate time determination mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (63, 64, 65, 66)
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67. A communication apparatus configured to transmit information that is used for determining a broadcast time of broadcast content to a search apparatus having a storage device configured to store related information associated with the broadcast content and a broadcast time of said broadcast content, said related information being stored while or after said broadcast content is being broadcast said search apparatus being configured to search related information of said broadcast content based on a broadcast time from said storage device, comprising:
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an operation unit including a computer processor;
a counter; and
a communication unit configured to transmit a count value by said counter to the search apparatus, said count value being stored in a computer readable medium used to determine a differential time between an operate time of said operation unit and a transmission time of said count value, wherein said search apparatus derives said broadcast time using said count value.
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68. A search apparatus for searching related information associated with a broadcast content, comprising:
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a timer configured to output a current time;
a storage device implemented with a computer readable medium configured to store related information associated with said broadcast content and a broadcast time of said broadcast content;
a differential time generator configured to generate a differential time between an operate time of an operation unit of a communication apparatus and a transmission time of a count value according to said count value transmitted from said communication apparatus, which includes a counter;
an operate time determination mechanism configured to determine said operate time of said operation unit according to said current time from said timer and said differential time generated by said differential time generator; and
a search unit including a computer processor configured to search related information of said broadcast content broadcast at said operate time from said storage device based on said operate time determined by said operate time determination mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (69, 70, 71)
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72. A search system for searching related information associated with a broadcast content, comprising:
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a communication apparatus including an operation unit, and a communication unit configured to transmit request information for requesting a search apparatus to perform a search using said related information after an operate time of said operation unit; and
the search apparatus including;
a timer configured to output a current time, a storage device implemented with a computer readable medium configured to store related information associated with said broadcast content and a broadcast time of said broadcast content, said related information being stored while or after said broadcast content is being broadcast, an operate time determination mechanism configured to determine said operate time of said operation unit by referring back in time to a predetermined time from a transmitting time of said request information from said communication unit, and a search unit including a computer processor configured to search related information of said broadcast content broadcast at said operate time from said storage device based on said operate time determined by said operate time determination mechanism. - View Dependent Claims (73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79)
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80. A communication apparatus configured to transmit information used for determining a broadcast time to a search apparatus having a storage device implemented with a computer readable medium configured to store related information associated with a broadcast content and a broadcast time of said broadcast content, said related information being stored while or after said broadcast content is being broadcast said search apparatus being configured to search related information of said broadcast content based on a broadcast time from said storage device, comprising:
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an operation unit including a computer processor;
a receiving unit configured to receive a broadcast signal broadcast on a broadcast station that is tuned-in based on an operation by said operation unit;
a reproducing unit configured to receive a broadcast signal output from said receiving unit; and
a communication unit configured to transmit request information for requesting to search said related information and broadcast station information indicating said tuned broadcast station. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 84, 85)
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86. A search apparatus for searching related information associated with a broadcast content, comprising:
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a timer configured to output a current time;
a storage device implemented with a computer readable medium configured to store related information associated with said broadcast content and a broadcast time of said broadcast content, said related information being stored while or after said broadcast content is being broadcast;
an operate time determination mechanism configured to determine an operate time of said operation unit by referring back in time by a predetermined amount from a transmitting time of a request information for requesting to search related information from said communication apparatus including said operation unit;
a search unit including a computer processor configured to search related information of said broadcast content broadcast at said operate time from said storage device based on said operate time calculated by said operate time calculator. - View Dependent Claims (87, 88)
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Specification