US 10,097,899 B2 · Systems and methods for searching media content

Abstract

Systems and methods are described for searching media files using a set-top box (STB), a television receiver, digital video recorder (DVR), placeshifting device or other media device, or any type of network host that communicates with a media device of any sort. Search criteria is received from a user, and the search criteria is identified in listings of media programming available from one or more sources. In some implementations, a combined search result can be provided that identifies instances of the search criteria found in program guide listings, files stored on a digital video recorder (DVR), available on-demand content, or any other sources as desired. Some implementations may prioritize search results using information about files stored on a DVR, user preferences, or any other information as desired.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method executable by a data processing system to identify desired media programs, the method comprising:

receiving, by the data processing system, search criteria provided by a user that indicates the desired media programs;
searching, by the data processing system, for the search criteria in both of a first listing of media programs available from an electronic program guide and in a second listing of media programs available from a digital video recorder;
and
providing a combined search result from the data processing system that identifies instances of the search criteria found in both the first and the second listings of media programming, wherein the media programs in the second listing from the digital video recorder are presented in the combined search result with higher priority than the media programs in the first listing from the electronic program guide.

1 more element

A system that communicates via a network with a client and a media server having stored programming content, the system comprising:

a message server configured to communicate with the media server via the network;
and
a guide server configured to receive a request from the client via the network, to direct the message server to send a message to the media server in response to the request, to establish a session via the network with the media server, to receive information about the media content stored at the media server via the session, to receive search criteria from the client, to search for the search criteria in both program guide information and in the information about the media content stored at the media server, and to provide a combined search result to the client that identifies instances of the search criteria found in both the program guide information and in the media content stored at the media server, wherein the combined search result prioritizes the instances of the search criteria stored at the media server over instances found in the program guide information.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Systems and methods for searching media content

Life of this patent

Systems and methods for searching media content

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20