Systems, methods and computer program products for searching within movies (SWiM)

• US 10,606,889 B2
• Filed: 08/25/2017
• Issued: 03/31/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property II LP (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Byers, Simon D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hoang, Son T
• Application Number:
  US15/686,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20170351756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 949 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/738 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/78 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7844 using original textual content or text extracted from visual content or transcript of audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9538 Presentation of query results
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer-readable media process a series of media files into a searchable format. The method includes generating a media database by processing each of a plurality of programs. The steps of the method include extracting a subtitle track from each of the programs, retrieving at least one frame associated with the subtitle track, adding metadata to the extracted subtitle track and at least one frame, processing the subtitle track, program statistics and at least one frame in a media database. Another aspect includes receiving a user query associated with dialog in a program, searching the media database and presenting a listing of results, receiving a user selection or program from their listing and transmitting at least one frame, a portion of associated subtitle track and prompts for ordering the program.

Claims

1. A method, implemented by at least one computing device, comprising:

receiving a query from a viewing user;

searching, based on the query, a relational media database comprising a plurality of media presentations, wherein the relational media database, for a respective media presentation of the plurality of media presentations, comprises a subtitle track being a textual representation of a dialog within the respective media presentation, a frame from the respective media presentation associated with the subtitle track, program statistics based on analysis of the subtitle track, and a statistical index associated with a respective type of the program statistics, to yield search results; and

transmitting the search results to a device associated with the viewing user, the search results comprising the frame and a prompt for ordering the respective media presentation associated with the frame.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving, from a restricted access database, additional metadata associated with the subtitle track, wherein the relational media database is distinct from the restricted access database.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving metadata that identifies a particular feature of the frame.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata is further defined manually by another user different from the viewing user.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the metadata comprises a viewer rating on a scene-by-scene basis for the respective media presentation.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a user query associated with a specific dialog within the respective media presentation;

searching the relational media database for video presentations corresponding to the user query and presenting a list of results;

receiving a user selection of a specific video presentation from the list of results; and

transmitting a specific video presentation representative frame, a portion of a subtitle track associated with the specific video presentation, and a prompt for ordering the specific video presentation.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising presenting options for selecting a second metadata associated with the specific video presentation representative frame.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising presenting individual statistics for each video presentation in the list of results.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the list of results comprises a user approval rating for respective scenes associated with the list of results.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving a user query based on a dialog in a plurality of video presentations comprising the video presentation, the plurality of video presentations being included in a user personal library; and

presenting, as a result of searching the plurality of video presentations, a list of video presentations comprising the program statistics.

11. A system comprising:

a hardware processor; and

a computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored which, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a query from a viewing user;

searching, based on the query, a relational media database comprising a plurality of media presentations, wherein the relational media database, for a respective media presentation of the plurality of media presentations, comprises a subtitle track being a textual representation of a dialog within the respective media presentation, a frame from the respective media presentation associated with the subtitle track, program statistics based on analysis of the subtitle track, and a statistical index associated with a respective type of the program statistics, to yield search results; and

transmitting the search results to a device associated with the viewing user, the search results comprising the frame and a prompt for ordering the respective media presentation associated with the frame.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations further comprising:

retrieving, from a restricted access database, additional metadata associated with the subtitle track, wherein the relational media database is distinct from the restricted access database.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving metadata that identifies particular features of the frame.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the metadata is further defined manually by another user different from the viewing user.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the metadata comprises a viewer rating on a scene-by-scene basis for the respective media presentation.

16. The system of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations further comprising:

receiving a user query associated with a specific dialog within the respective media presentation;

searching the relational media database for video presentations corresponding to the user query and presenting a list of results;

receiving a user selection of a specific video presentation from the list of results; and

transmitting a specific video presentation representative frame, a portion of a subtitle track associated with the specific video presentation, and a prompt for ordering the specific video presentation.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the computer-readable storage medium stores additional instructions which, when executed by the hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform operations further comprising:

presenting options for selecting a second metadata associated with the specific video presentation representative frame.

18. A computer-readable storage device having instructions stored which, when executed by a processor of a computing device, cause the processor of the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving a query from a viewing user;

searching, based on the query, a relational media database comprising a plurality of media presentations, wherein the relational media database, for a respective media presentation of the plurality of media presentations, comprises a subtitle track being a textual representation of a dialog within the respective media presentation, a frame from the respective media presentation associated with the subtitle track, program statistics based on analysis of the subtitle track, and a statistical index associated with a respective type of the program statistics, to yield search results; and

transmitting the search results to a device associated with the viewing user, the search results comprising the frame and a prompt for ordering the respective media presentation associated with the frame.