User interface for searching a bundled service content data source

• US 9,031,848 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2012
• Issued: 05/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Cheong, Yuen-Keen, Hatch, Steven A., Young, Hoi L., Koivuniemi, Tapio I.
• Primary Examiner(s): ROBERTS, SHAUN A
• Application Number:
  US13/587,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20140052451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 999 Days
• Field of Search: 704/275, 725 37- 61
• US Class Current: 704/275
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4821 using a grid, e.g. sorted out by channel and broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4828 for searching program descriptors retrieval of video data G06F16/739

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for providing a search interface for an electronic device including a tuner configured to tune the electronic device to receive scheduled programming content. A search query is received and one or more data sources including information about media content are searched based, at least in part, on the search query. The results of the search are presented on a user interface using a time-based axis and a time-independent axis.

Claims

1. A digitally-tunable electronic device comprising:

at least one processor programmed to;

provide a user interface that enables the electronic device to receive a search query regardless of which of a plurality of screens is displayed on the user interface when the search query is received, wherein the search query comprises a search for content to display and/or playback on the digitally-tunable electronic device;

receive the search query as voice input;

initiate a search for content corresponding to the search query in response to receiving the search query, wherein initiating a search for content comprises initiating a search for content on at least one bundled service content data source that includes bundled service content available for display and/or playback at any time;

receive search results from a plurality of data sources including the at least one bundled service content data source; and

order the received search results based, at least in part, on which of the plurality of data sources the search results are received.

2. The digitally-tunable electronic device of claim 1, wherein initiating a search for content comprises sending a query for content to the plurality of data sources, wherein at least one of the plurality of data sources is connected to the electronic device by one or more networks.

3. The digitally-tunable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

display, on the user interface, one or more icons indicating input a user may use to initiate a search for content.

4. The digitally-tunable electronic device of claim 1, wherein the at least one processor is further programmed to:

associate a plurality of voice commands with the user interface, wherein the plurality of voice commands includes a first voice command and a second voice command, wherein the first voice command invokes a first action and the second voice command invokes a second action.

5. The digitally-tunable electronic device of claim 4, wherein the first action and/or the second action corresponds to initiating a search for content.

15. The digitally-tunable electronic device of claim 1, wherein initiating a search for content comprises initiating a search for content on at least one scheduled programming content data source that includes scheduled programming content available for display and/or playback at scheduled times.

6. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

providing a user interface that enables an electronic device to receive a search query regardless of which of a plurality of screens is displayed on the user interface when the search query is received, wherein the search query comprises a search for content to display and/or playback on the electronic device;

receiving the search query as voice input;

initiating a search for content corresponding to the search query in response to receiving the search query, wherein initiating a search for content comprises initiating a search for content on at least one bundled service content data source that includes bundled service content available for display and/or playback at any time;

,

receiving search results from a plurality of data sources including the at least one bundled service content data source; and

ordering the received search results based, at least in part, on which of the plurality of data sources the search results are received.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein initiating a search for content comprises sending a query for content to the plurality of data sources, wherein at least one of the plurality of data sources is connected to the electronic device by one or more networks.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, further comprising:

associating a plurality of voice commands with the user interface, wherein the plurality of voice commands includes a first voice command and a second voice command, wherein the first voice command invokes a first action and the second voice command invokes a second action.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the first action and/or the second action corresponds to initiating a search for content.

16. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein initiating a search for content comprises initiating a search for content on at least one scheduled programming content data source that includes scheduled programming content available for display and/or playback at scheduled times.

10. A computer-readable storage medium encoded with a plurality of instructions that, when executed by at least one computer, perform a method comprising:

providing a user interface that enables the electronic device to receive a search query regardless of which of a plurality of screens is displayed on the user interface when the search query is received, wherein the search query comprises a search for content to display and/or playback on the digitally-tunable electronic device;

receiving the search query as voice input;

initiating a search for content corresponding to the search query in response to receiving the search query, wherein initiating a search for content comprises initiating a search for content on at least one bundled service content data source that includes bundled service content available for display and/or playback at any time;

receiving search results from a plurality of data sources including the at least one bundled service content data source; and

ordering the received search results based, at least in part, on which of the plurality of data sources the search results are received.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein initiating a search for content comprises sending a query for content to the plurality of data sources, wherein at least one of the plurality of data sources is connected to the electronic device by one or more networks.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

displaying, on the user interface, one or more icons indicating input a user may use to initiate a search for content.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the method further comprises:

associating a plurality of voice commands with the user interface, wherein the plurality of voice commands includes a first voice command and a second voice command, wherein the first voice command invokes a first action and the second voice command invokes a second action.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the first action and/or the second action corresponds to initiating a search for content.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein initiating a search for content comprises initiating a search for content on at least one scheduled programming content data source that includes scheduled programming content available for display and/or playback at scheduled times.