SEARCH ENGINE FOR A VIDEO RECORDER
The present invention is directed to a search engine for a video recorder. One embodiment of the present invention operates in an environment that includes one or more set-top boxes connected to or integrated within one or more output devices. The set-top boxes are used to transfer shows from a broadcast input source to one or more types of storage devices and to play back the shows from the storage devices to the output devices, either in a delayed-live fashion or at a later time of the user's choosing. The set-top box couples displays the display of a graphical user interface (GUI), which gives the user the ability to watch and/or record timeslot based programming, to order on-demand programming, and to playback previously recorded shows that reside on a local or remote storage device. A search engine is added to the GUI that lets the user receive results comprising all three types of programming with a single search.
1 . A method for searching for shows comprising:
providing a search engine application with one or more input fields;
matching said input fields to one or more common keys in a first, a second, and a third database, said first, second and third databases including at least one database of timeslot based entries, and at least one database of non-timeslot based entries; obtaining one or more results from said first, second, and third databases; and
presenting said results on an output device.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein said first database is a database having entries related to timeslot based programming.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein said second database is a database having entries related to on-demand programming.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein said third database is a database having entries related to saved shows.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein said step of presenting further comprises:
obtaining one or more of said results;
sorting said results; and
presenting said results as a list on said output device.
6 . The method of claim 5 wherein said step of presenting said results as a list further comprises adding visual indicators to each of said results.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein said list comprises one or more links that are used to invoke external applications.
8 . The method of claim 6 wherein said list comprises entries that are acted on by said search engine application.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein said input fields include a title, a time, an actor, or a category.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein said method for searching for shows takes place using a personal video recorder.
11 . A system for searching for shows comprising:
a search engine application with one or more input fields;
a first, a second, and a third database with one or more common keys for matching said input fields to said common keys;
one or more results obtained from said first, second, and third databases; and
a list of said results.
12 . The system of claim 11 wherein said first database is a database having entries related to timeslot based programming.
13 . The system of claim 11 wherein said second database is a database having entries related to on-demand programming.
14 . The system of claim 11 wherein said third database is a database having entries related to saved shows.
15 . The system of claim 11 further comprising an application for sorting said results.
16 . The system of claim 15 wherein said list further comprises one or more visual indicators that may be added to each of said results.
17 . The system of claim 16 wherein said list comprises one or more links that are used to invoke external applications.
18 . The system of claim 16 wherein said list comprises entries that are acted on by said search engine application.
19 . The system of claim 11 wherein said input fields include a title, a time, an actor, or a category.
20 . The system of claim 11 wherein said shows are searched for using a personal video recorder.
21 . A computer program product comprising:
a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein configured to cause a computer to for search for shows comprising:
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to provide a search engine application with one or more input fields;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to match said input fields to one or more common keys in a first, a second, and a third database, said first, second and third databases including at least one database of timeslot based entries, and at least one database of non-timeslot based entries;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain one or more results from said first, second, and third databases; and
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to present said results on an output device.
22 . The computer program product of claim 21 wherein said first database is a database having entries related to timeslot based programming.
23 . The computer program product of claim 21 wherein said second database is a database having entries related to on-demand programming.
24 . The computer program product of claim 21 wherein said third database is a database having entries related to saved shows.
25 . The computer program product of claim 21 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to further comprises:
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to obtain one or more of said results;
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to sort said results; and
computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to present said results as a list on said output device.
26 . The computer program product of claim 25 wherein said computer readable program code configured to cause a computer to present said results as a list further comprises adding visual indicators to each of said results.
27 . The computer program product of claim 26 wherein said list comprises one or more links that are used to invoke external applications.
28 . The computer program product of claim 26 wherein said list comprises entries that are acted on by said search engine application.
29 . The computer program product of claim 21 wherein said input fields include a title, a time, an actor, or a category.
30 . The computer program product of claim 21 wherein said shows are searched for using a personal video recorder.