Simplified searching for media services using a control device
AssigneeThomson Licensing
InventorsBarry Jay Weber, Jennifer Lynn Kolar, Rajeev Madhukar Sahasrabudhe
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Abstract
A method and apparatus are disclosed for searching for a media content related to a selected media service. A selected media service, as selected by a user operable indicator, has related metadata that is used as the basis of a search query. Once the search query is formulated, the query is submitted to a search engine that returns search results of media content related to the selected media service. Media content then may be selected from the returned search results for rendering in a rendering environment.
Claims20
A method for conducting a search for a related media service of a rendered media service comprising the steps of:
- a. operating an indicator to select the media service rendered on a media device, wherein metadata is associated with said rendered media service
- b. activating a user operated switch to enable a search function, wherein said switch is on a user control device;
- c. formatting automatically a query for a search from the metadata associated with said rendered media service, wherein said search query is submitted for a search;
- d. preparing for display a search result listing the related media service.
An apparatus for conducting a search for a related media service of a rendered media service comprising:
- a. an indicator indicating the selected media service rendered on a media device, wherein metadata is associated with said rendered media service and is able to be processed by said apparatus;
- b. a user operated switch to enable a search function via a user operated control device;
- c. a processor for automatically formatting a query for a search from the metadata associated with said rendered media search, wherein said search query is submitted for a search;
- d. a video processor for displaying a link to the related media service as a search result.
An apparatus for conducting a multimedia search for a related media service of a rendered media service comprising the steps of:
- a. means for operating an indicator to select the media service rendered on a media device, wherein metadata is associated with said rendered media service;
- b. means for activating a user operated switch to enable a search function, wherein said switch is on a user control device;
- c. means for formatting automatically a query for a search from the metadata associated with the rendered media service, wherein the search query is submitted for a search;
- d. means for preparing for display a search result of the related media service for the media service.
A method for conducting a search for a media service related to a selected media service currently being rendered on a media device, the method comprises the steps of:
- a. using an indicator to select the selected media service to be searched, wherein said media indicator overlaps the selected media service, wherein the media service has an associated metadata;
- b. enabling a search by activating a search button on a user control device, the search button only one press to activate the search;
- c. formatting the associated metadata into a search query for submittal to a search engine;
- d. submitting the search query;
- e. receiving data comprising search results from a search conducted of the search query;
- f. preparing for display in a rendering environment the received search results, wherein the search results comprises at least one related media service that is capable of being rendered on the media device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.