System and method for providing a database of content having like associations

• US 6,542,882 B1
• Filed: 04/22/1999
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Gateway Incorporated (Acer, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, Kim C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Booker, Kelvin
• Application Number:
  US09/298,005
• Time in Patent Office: 1,440 Days
• Field of Search: 706/11, 706/46, 706/45, 345/327, 707/3, 707/6, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 706/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method, signal, system, interface, and software for creating a database containing information across all media source types are disclosed. The database contains preprocessed links established on the basis of being “like” in some manner. The pre-processed links are created giving regard to the media source type and are stored in a database based on whether a link has a basis in the same media type or for all media types. The information and links contained within the database are accessed by a search tool via a multimedia user interface.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising the following steps:

obtaining content information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types to create a database;

comparing a search item with the one or more database items of the plurality of content sources to determine whether content information of one or more of the plurality of content sources of one or more types is like content information of another one or more of the plurality of content sources of one or more types obtained in said obtaining step; and

creating at least one link of like associations to the content information when the search item and the database items are like or similar as determined in said comparing step, wherein the associations correspond to at least one content source type.

2. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the like associations include associations to like content information based upon like criteria.

3. The method, as defined in claim 1, wherein the like associations are pre-processed.

4. The method, as defined in claim 1, wherein the like associations further includes associations for same content source types.

5. The method, as defined in claim 1, wherein the like associations further includes associations for all content source types.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising dynamically updating the database.

7. A system, comprising:

at least one processor;

memory operably coupled to the processor;

a plurality of content sources of one or more types for providing content information; and

at least one link of like associations to the content information created by comparing a search item with the content information, wherein the associations correspond to at least one content source type, wherein said processor executes instructions stored in said memory to create the like associations to the content information of said database.

8. The system, as defined in claim 7, wherein said like associations include associations to like content information based upon like criteria.

9. The system, as defined in claim 7, wherein said like associations are pre-processed.

10. The system, as defined in claim 7, wherein said like associations further include associations for same content source types.

11. The system, as defined in claim 7, wherein said like associations further include associations for all content source types.

12. A graphical user interface (GUI) comprising:

means for obtaining content information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types;

means for comparing a search item with the content information to determine whether content information of one or more of the plurality of content sources of one or more types is like content information of another one or more of the plurality of content sources of one or more types obtained by said obtaining means; and

means for creating at least one link of like associations to the content information as determined by said comparing means wherein the associations correspond to at least one content source type.

13. The GUI, as defined in claim 12, wherein said like associations include associations to like content information based upon like criteria.

14. The GUI, as defined in claim 12, wherein said like associations are pre-processed.

15. The GUI, as defined in claim 12, wherein said like associations further includes associations for same content source types.

16. The GUI, as defined in claim 12, wherein said like associations further includes associations for all content source types.

17. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions, the program of instructions implementing the method of:

obtaining content information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types;

comparing a search item with the content information to determine whether content information of one or more of the plurality of content sources of one or more types is like content information of another one or more of the plurality of content sources of one or more types obtained in said obtaining step; and

creating at least one link of like associations to the content information as determined in said comparing step wherein the associations correspond to at least one content source type.

18. The computer readable medium, as defined in claim 17, wherein the like associations include associations to like content information based upon like criteria.

19. The computer readable medium, as defined in claim 17, wherein the like associations are pre-processed.

20. The computer readable medium, as defined in claim 17, wherein the like associations further includes associations for same content source types.

21. A signal embodied in a propagation medium, said signal comprising:

at least one instruction configured to provide content information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types; and

at least one instruction configured to create a database of like associations to the content information wherein the associations correspond to at least one content source type, wherein the associations are determined by comparing a search item with the content information.

22. A signal embodied in a propagation medium, said signal comprising:

at least one instruction configured to provide content information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types; and

at least one instruction configured to create a database of like associations to the content information wherein the associations correspond to at least one content source type.

23. The signal, as defined in claim 22, wherein the like associations include associations to like content information based upon like criteria.

24. The signal, as defined in claim 22, wherein the like associations are pre-processed.

25. The signal, as defined in claim 22, wherein the like associations further includes associations for same content source types.

26. The signal, as defined in claim 22, wherein the like associations further includes associations for all content source types.