IP Library › Granted Patent US 7,974,962
Granted Patent B2
US 7,974,962 · App. 10/905,489 · Granted Jul 5, 2011

Search engine for a video recorder

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,974,962
App. No.
10/905,489
Granted
Jul 5, 2011
Kind
B2
Abstract

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 displays 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 search for shows and receive results in an enhanced manner.

Claims (57)

1. A method for searching for shows comprising:

providing a search engine application;

receiving one or more characters in said search engine application, wherein said one or more characters are entered in an alpha-numeric input area;

matching said characters using said search engine application to one or more database entries;

providing results corresponding to said database entries in a results listing, wherein said results comprise one or more show listings and one or more selectable categories of shows;

receiving a user selection from said results listing of one of said selectable categories;

providing at least one additional show listing corresponding to said selected selectable category in response to the user selection of said selected selectable category; and

enabling a user to perform an action by selecting one of said at least one additional show listings.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said database entries are related to timeslot based programming.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said database entries are related to on-demand programming.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said database entries are related to saved shows.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said results further comprise titles of shows.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more characters are selected from one or more entries in said alpha-numeric input area.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising:

determining whether said one or more entries in said alpha-numeric input area are no longer valid;

disabling said entries that are no longer valid; and

providing a visual indication to a user as to which of said entries are no longer valid.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said visual indication comprises making inaccessible said entries that are no longer valid.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said one or more characters are entered using a keyword search field.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of enabling said user to perform an action comprises enabling said user to watch a show corresponding to said selected additional show listing.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of enabling said user to perform an action comprises enabling said user to record a show corresponding to said selected additional show listing.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of enabling said user to perform an action comprises enabling said user to schedule a show corresponding to said selected additional show listing to be recorded later.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of enabling said user to perform an action comprises enabling said user to obtain additional information corresponding to said selected additional show listing.

14. A system for searching for shows comprising:

an input device that receives inputs from a user; and

a search engine application configured to:

in response to receiving one or more characters from said input device that are entered in an alpha-numeric input area:

match said characters to one or more database entries;

provide results corresponding to said database entries to an output device, wherein said ⊖ results comprise one or more show listings and one or more selectable categories of shows; and

cause said output device to display said results in the results listing;

in response to receiving a user selection of one of said selectable categories in said results listing from said input device:

cause said output device to display at least one additional show listing corresponding to said selected selectable category; and

in response to receiving a user selection of one of said at least one additional show listings:

enable said user to perform an action.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said database entries are related to timeslot based programming.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein said database entries are related to on-demand programming.

17. The system of claim 14 wherein said database entries are related to saved shows.

18. The system of claim 14 wherein said results further comprise titles of shows.

19. The system of claim 14 wherein said input device enables said user to select said one or more characters from one or more entries in said alpha-numeric input area.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein said search engine application is further configured to determine whether said one or more entries in said alpha-numeric input area are no longer valid and disable said entries that are no longer valid.

21. The system of claim 19 , wherein said search engine application is further configured to provide a visual indication to said user indicating which of said entries are no longer valid.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein said search engine application is further configured to inactivate said entries that are no longer valid.

23. The system of claim 14 wherein said input device enables said user to enter said one or more characters using a keyword search field.

24. The system of claim 14 wherein said action comprises watching a show corresponding to said selected additional show listing.

25. The system of claim 14 wherein said action comprises recording a show corresponding to said selected additional show listing.

26. The system of claim 14 wherein said action comprises obtaining additional information corresponding to said selected additional show listing.

27. A computer readable medium for searching for shows, having computer readable program code recorded thereon for:

providing a search engine application;

receiving one or more characters in said search engine application, wherein said one or more characters are entered in an alpha-numeric input area;

matching said characters using said search engine application to one or more database entries;

providing results corresponding to said database entries in a results listing, wherein said results comprise one or more show listings and one or more selectable categories of shows;

receiving a user selection from said results listing of one of said selectable categories;

providing at least one additional show listing corresponding to said selected selectable category in response to the user selection of said selected selectable category; and

enabling a user to perform an action by selecting one of said at least one additional show listings.

28. The computer program product of claim 27 further comprising:

presenting priorities to said user; and

changing said priorities.

Assignments (10)
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 25, 2019
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: APTIV DIGITAL INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
Reel/Frame 051145/0090 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 1, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.
To: ROVI GUIDES, INC.
Reel/Frame 034289/0937 →
PATENT RELEASE Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 033396/0001 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 24, 2014
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ROVI GUIDES, INC.; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; SONIC SOLUTIONS LLC; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.; VEVEO, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 033407/0035 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2011
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC, A BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS COMPANY; ROVI CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI GUIDES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION, A DELAWARE CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC., A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 027039/0168 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 29, 2010
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A. (A NATIONAL ASSOCIATION)
To: ALL MEDIA GUIDE, LLC; APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; INDEX SYSTEMS INC.; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; ROVI DATA SOLUTIONS, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS TV GUIDE DATA SOLUTIONS, INC.); ROVI GUIDES, INC. (FORMERLY KNOWN AS GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.); ROVI SOLUTIONS CORPORATION (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION CORPORATION); ROVI SOLUTIONS LIMITED (FORMERLY KNOWN AS MACROVISION EUROPE LIMITED); ROVI TECHNOLOGIES CORPORATION; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 025222/0731 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 15, 2008
From: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.; GEMSTAR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; GEMSTAR-TV GUIDE INTERNATIONAL, INC.; INDEX SYSTEMS INC; MACROVISION CORPORATION; ODS PROPERTIES, INC.; STARSIGHT TELECAST, INC.; TV GUIDE ONLINE, LLC; UNITED VIDEO PROPERTIES, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 020986/0074 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 13, 2007
From: PIONEER DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
To: PDT INTERACTIVE, INC.
Reel/Frame 019558/0065 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jul 13, 2007
From: PDT INTERACTIVE, INC.
To: APTIV DIGITAL, INC.
Reel/Frame 019558/0070 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2005
From: KRAKIRIAN, HAIG H.; OMBAO, GEOFFREY Z.; BUMGARDNER, JAMES A.
To: PIONEER DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
Reel/Frame 015531/0015 →