Methods and systems for performing dynamic searches using a media guidance application
Methods and systems are discussed herein for improving the efficiency and ease of navigating and selecting media content without the need for additional keys, buttons, or other inputs. For example, in response to the same user input, the media guidance application may determine different numbers of content sources to skip, in a dynamic fashion, based on the total number of content sources, the order of the content sources, the direction a user wishes to navigate, and/or prior user inputs related to navigating the content sources.
1. A method of navigating media content, the method comprising:
navigating, using control circuitry, to a first content selection within a graphical user interface (GUI) display of content selections in response to a first user request, wherein the GUI comprises a plurality of content selections of content categories, providers, and programs;
receiving, using the control circuitry, a second user request to navigate away from the first content selection;
determining, using the control circuitry, whether a GUI navigation direction associated with the first user request corresponds to a direction associated with the second user request, wherein a direction corresponds to a direction of change between one of content categories, content providers, advertisements, or content programs within the GUI display; and
in response to determining that the direction associated with the first user request corresponds to the direction associated with the second user request:
determining, using the control circuitry, a number of content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection; and
determining, using the control circuitry and based on the determined number of content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, to skip an increased number of the selections when navigating away from the first content selection than the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, wherein the increased number of selections is independent of a time of the first user request.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, using the control circuitry and based on the determined number of content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, to skip the increased number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection than the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, comprises:
increasing the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection by one.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining, using the control circuitry and based on the determined number of content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, to skip the increased number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection than the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, comprises:
increasing the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection by a factor of two.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
in response to determining that the direction associated with the first user request does not correspond to the direction associated with the second user request, skipping a default number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the default number of content selections is zero.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the direction associated with the first user request corresponds to either ascending through the content selections or descending through the content selections.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether the second user request was received within a predetermined time of a first user request; and
in response to determining that the second user request was not received within the predetermined time of the first user request, skipping a default number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining whether a threshold number of requests was received prior to the second user request; and
in response to determining that the threshold number of requests was not received prior to the second user request, skipping a default number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection.
9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising determining whether the threshold number of requests was received prior to the second user request within a predetermined time.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the threshold number of requests all correspond to a first direction.
11. A system for navigating media content, the system comprising:
user input interface circuitry configured to receive user requests; and
control circuitry configured to:
navigate to a first content selection within a graphical user interface (GUI) display of content selections in response to a first user request received from the user input interface circuitry;
receive from the user input interface circuitry a second user request to navigate away from the first content selection;
determine whether a GUI navigation direction associated with the first user request corresponds to a direction associated with the second user request, wherein a direction corresponds to a direction of change between one of content categories, content providers, advertisements, or content programs within the GUI display; and
in response to determining that the direction associated with the first user request corresponds to the direction associated with the second user request:
determine a number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection; and
determine, based on the determined number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, to skip an increased number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection than the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, wherein the increased number of selections is independent of a time of the first user request.
12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to determine, based on the determined number of content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, to skip the increased number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection than the number of the content selection that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, is further configured to:
increase the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection by one.
13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry configured to determine, based on the determined number of content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, to skip the increased number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection than the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection, is further configured to:
increase the number of the content selections that were skipped when navigating to the first content selection by a factor of two.
14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
in response to determining that the direction associated with the first user request does not correspond to the direction associated with the second user request, skip a default number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection.
15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the default number of content selections is zero.
16. The system of claim 11 , wherein the direction associated with the first user request corresponds to either ascending through the content selections or descending through the content selections.
17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine whether the second user request was received within a predetermined time of a first user request; and
in response to determining that the second user request was not received within the predetermined time of the first user request, skip a default number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection.
18. The system of claim 11 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to:
determine whether a threshold number of requests was received prior to the second user request; and
in response to determining that the threshold number of requests was not received prior to the second user request, skip a default number of the content selections when navigating away from the first content selection.
19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the control circuitry is further configured to determine whether the threshold number of requests was received prior to the second user request within a predetermined time.
20. The system of claim 18 , wherein the threshold number of requests all correspond to a first direction.