Predictive phonetic data search

• US 7,412,441 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 08/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Baldwin, James Armand, McEnroe, Elizabeth Rose, Scott, Samuel Thomas III
• Primary Examiner(s): Corrielus; Jean M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen; Loan T
• Application Number:
  US11/141,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20060271522A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,169 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/3, 707/4, 707/6, 707/10, 707/101
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/332 Query formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3337 Translation of the query language, e.g. Chinese to English
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3343 using phonetics
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation

Abstract

Predictive phonetic data search is described. In an embodiment, a search request to locate a term is received, where the term can be a word, a group of words, and/or any combination of characters and numbers. A numeric index is then searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term designated in the search request. The term is obtained from a term index that is mapped to the number in the numeric index that matches the numerical equivalent of the term, and the term is returned in response to the search request.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for predictive phonetic data search in a television based entertainment system, comprising:

receiving a search request to locate a term;

facilitating the search request wherein the search request comprises elements, the elements comprising;

a combination of alphabetic characters and at least one numeric character;

a phonetic equivalent of the term;

a phonetic equivalent of the term which is a misspelling of the term;

a phonetic equivalent of the term which includes only consonants;

a phonetic equivalent of the term that includes a number in place of a word or part of a word;

searching a numeric index to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

obtaining the term from a term index that is mapped to the number in the numeric index which matches the numerical equivalent of the term; and

returning the term in response to the search request, wherein the term is returned as at least one of a program schedule, a broadcast television selection, an on-demand selection, or an application program.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search request is received as a sequence of characters entered on at least one of a numeric keypad or an alphanumeric keypad.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search request is received as a sequence of letters each associated with a channel number input key entered on a keypad of a television remote control device.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search request is received as a sequence of letters each associated with a telephone number input key entered on a keypad of a cellular phone.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the search request is received as a text-based input that includes a sequence of characters which correspond to two or more words.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising obtaining a translation of the term in a different language than a language of the search request, and returning the translation of the term in response to the search request.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising receiving an audio input of the term and converting the audio input into the search request to locate the term.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising returning a list of likely terms that correspond to the term in response to the search request.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising processing the search request to return the term based on a designated response instance of the term;

and

returning the term according to the designated response instance, wherein a plurality of instances of the term are returned, and wherein the designated response instance is one of multiple program types represented by the same term.

10. A computer implemented method for predictive phonetic data search in a television based entertainment system, comprising:

receiving text data from one or more text data sources, wherein the text data is received from the one or more text data sources that include at least one of an electronic program guide data source and a closed captioning data source corresponding to television content;

identifying search terms in the text data;

computing a numeric equivalent of each search term;

maintaining the numeric equivalent of each search term in a numeric index that is searched in response to a search request for a particular search term, wherein a numeric equivalent of a phonetic equivalent of a search term corresponds to at least one of a misspelling of the search term, a spelling of the search term that includes only consonants, or a number in place of a word in the search term; and

mapping each numeric equivalent in the numeric index to the corresponding search term in a term index such that when a numeric equivalent of the particular search term is located in the numeric index, the corresponding search term in the term index is returned in response to the search request, wherein the term is returned as at least one of a program schedule, a broadcast television selection, an on-demand selection, or an application program.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

computing additional numeric equivalents each corresponding to a phonetic equivalent of a search term, and maintaining the additional numeric equivalents in the numeric index.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

generating one or more translations of a search term;

maintaining the one or more translations in a translations index; and

mapping the one or more translations to a corresponding search term such that when the

numeric equivalent of the particular search term is located in the numeric index, a translation of the search term is returned in response to the search request.

13. A method of locating media, comprising:

receiving text data from one or more of a plurality of text data sources such that,

in an event that the media is future programming, the text data describes the programs and the program schedule;

in an event that the media is broadcast television, the text data describes the broadcasts and the broadcast schedule;

in an event that the media is an on-demand selection, the text data describes the on-demand selection;

in an event that the media is an application program, the text data describes the application;

identifying search terms in the text data;

computing a numeric equivalent of each search term wherein the numeric equivalent is the numbers used on a numeric keypad to enter the term;

maintaining the numeric equivalent of each search term in a numeric index that is searched in response to a search request for a particular search term;

mapping each numeric equivalent in the numeric index to the corresponding search term in a term index;

computing additional numeric equivalents each numeric equivalent corresponding to one of a plurality of a phonetic equivalents equivalent of each term a search term;

maintaining the additional numeric equivalents in the numeric index;

computing further additional numeric equivalents of a phonetic equivalent of each a search term corresponding to a plurality of at least one of a misspelling of the search term, the misspellings comprising;

a spelling of each the search term that includes only consonants, and a spelling of each the search term that includes a number in place of a word in the search term;

generating one or more translations of each a search term;

maintaining the one or more translations in a translations index;

mapping the one or more translations to each a corresponding search term;

receiving a search request from a user to locate a term such that;

in an event the search request is received as a sequence, of letters each associated with a channel number input key entered on a keypad of a television remote control device the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as a sequence of letters each associated with a telephone number input key entered on a keypad of a cellular phone the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as a text-based input that includes sequence of characters which correspond to two or more words the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as a combination of alphabetic characters and at least one numeric character the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as a phonetic equivalent of the term the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as the phonetic equivalent of a misspelling of the term the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the misspelling of the term;

in an event the search request is received as the phonetic equivalent which includes only consonants in the term and no vowels the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as the phonetic equivalent that includes a number in place of a word in the term the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

in an event the search request is received as an audio input of the term, the audio input is converted into the search request, the numeric index is searched to locate a number that matches a numerical equivalent of the term;

obtaining the term from a term index that is mapped to the number in the numeric index which matches the numerical equivalent of the term;

returning a list of at least one likely term that correspond to the term in response to the search, request wherein, the search request is processed to return the list based on a designated response instance of the term; and

returning the term according to the designated response instance.