Method for searching of an electronic program guide

• US 20040093616A1
• Filed: 08/21/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: InterDigital Madison Patent Holdings (InterDigital, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing SA (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Johnson, Carolynn Rae
• Granted Patent: US 7,810,119 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/53
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47 End-user applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

A method for assisting a user in selecting a program for viewing or listening comprising periodically receiving and storing electronic program guide information comprising records for forthcoming programs, the records having a plurality of fields; receiving a user selected text string and one more user selected fields; searching the program guide information for records having the user selected text string in one or more of the user selected fields; and displaying a list of the forth-coming programs corresponding to the matching records. This invention allows for more efficient and reliable searches of an electronic program guide for user desired programming.

Claims

1. A method for assisting a user in selecting a program for viewing or listening comprising:

periodically receiving and storing electronic program guide information comprising records for forthcoming programs, the records having a plurality of fields;

receiving a user selected text string and one more user selected fields;

searching the program guide information for records having the user selected text string in one or more of the user selected fields; and

displaying a list of the forthcoming programs corresponding to the matching records.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising saving the user selected text string and one or more user selected fields and repetitively searching the program guide information for records having the user selected text string in one or more of the user selected fields.

3. The method of claim 1 comprising providing a user interface for performing the search.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the user interface has a list of the records'"'"' fields and the user designates one or more of the fields as the user selected fields by marking the data field in the list.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein each record has a field for at least one of topic, theme, description, title, actors, roles, director, writer, production studio, awards, keywords, or release date.

6. An apparatus for assisting a user in selecting a program for viewing or listening comprising:

means for periodically receiving and storing electronic program guide information comprising records for forthcoming programs, the records having a plurality of fields;

a user interface comprising a display;

user control means for entering a user selected text string and one more user selected fields;

means for searching the program guide information for records having the user selected text string in one or more of the user selected fields; and

means for displaying a list of the forthcoming programs corresponding to the matching records.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the user interface has a list of the records'"'"' fields and the user designates one or more of the fields as the user selected fields by marking the data field in the list

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein each program record has a field for at least one of topic, theme, description, title, actors, roles, director, writer, production studio, awards, keywords, or release date.