IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,367,237
Granted Patent B2
US 12,367,237 · App. 18/654,565 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Facilitating video search

Inventors: Edwin Seng Eng Ong (San Francisco, CA); Aleksandra R. Vikati (San Francisco, CA)
Assignee: Gracenote Media Services, LLC
G06F16/71G06F16/7867G06F16/9535H04N21/23H04N21/23109H04N21/4782H04N21/84
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,367,237
App. No.
18/654,565
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for facilitating video search are disclosed. An example apparatus includes one or more processors to execute instructions to process first metadata associated with video to identify the video as corresponding to an episode of a television show, the video made available by a first device. The example one or more processors are to update a database to include first information concerning the episode of the television show based on the first metadata and access second metadata associated with the video, the second metadata collected from a second device. Additionally, the example one or more processors are to process the second metadata to determine second information about the episode of the television show and augment the database with the second information about the episode of the television show.

Claims (27)

1. A method comprising:

receiving into a video search engine a search query;

matching, by the video search engine, the received search query against (i) a video description obtained from a first webpage, the video description being a description of a video accessible through the first webpage and (ii) indexed additional information obtained, based on the video description, from a secondary data source, wherein matching includes:

applying a weighting equation to differentially weight a match based on the additional information versus a match based on the video description; and

based on the matching, returning the video in response to the search query.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video description comprises a name of the video.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video has an airdate, and wherein the video description comprises the airdate.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary data source comprises a second webpage different than the first webpage.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the secondary data source comprises a local data source.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video comprises a television show, and wherein the additional information comprises a television-show recap.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video comprises a news video, and wherein the additional information comprises a news article.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video comprises a sports video, and wherein the additional information comprises information selected from the group consisting of a play-by-play recap, player information, and team information.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video comprises a movie, and wherein the additional information comprises a script.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the video comprises an entertainment video, and wherein the additional information comprises information selected from the group consisting of cast information and crew information.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the additional information is indexed, in advance of the matching, by at least a web crawler and an indexing engine.

12. A video search engine comprising:

a processor configured to programmatically search for and return video content, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a search query,

match the received search query against (i) a video description obtained from a first webpage, the video description being a description of a video accessible through the first webpage and (ii) indexed additional information obtained, based on the video description, from a secondary data source, wherein the match includes:

application of a weighting equation to differentially weight a match based on the additional information versus a match based on the video description, and

return, based on the matching, the video in response to the search query.

13. The video search engine of claim 12 , wherein the video description comprises a name of the video.

14. The video search engine of claim 12 , wherein the video has an airdate, and wherein the video description comprises the airdate.

15. The video search engine of claim 12 , wherein the secondary data source comprises a second webpage different than the first webpage.

16. The video search engine of claim 12 , wherein the secondary data source comprises a local source.

17. The video search engine of claim 12 , wherein the video and additional information are selected from the group consisting of (i) a television show a television-show recap, (ii) a news video and a news article, (iii) a sports video and at least one of a play-by-play recap, player information, or team information, (iv) a movie and a script, and (v) an entertainment video and at least one of cast information or crew information.

18. The video search engine of claim 12 , wherein the additional information is indexed, in advance of the matching, by at least a web crawler and an indexing engine.

Assignments (2)
MERGER Recorded May 23, 2024
From: CASTTV INC.
To: GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC
Reel/Frame 067504/0538 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2024
From: ONG, EDWIN SENG ENG; VIKATI, ALEKSANDRA
To: CASTTV INC.
Reel/Frame 067488/0217 →
Continuity (7)
Continuation 17967530 · Oct 17, 2022
Continuation 16428280 · May 31, 2019
Continuation 15166918 · May 27, 2016
Continuation 14259083 · Apr 22, 2014
Continuation 11891301 · Aug 8, 2007
Provisional Application 60821704 · Aug 8, 2006
Related Publication 20240281469A1 · Aug 22, 2024
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