# US 2008/0120294 A1 · Computer-implemented systems and methods for media asset searching and access

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- Number: US 2008/0120294 A1
- Document ID: US20080120294A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 11/601,457
- Filed: 2006-11-17
- Published: 2008-05-22
- Earliest claimed: 2006-11-17
- Assignees: X.com.Inc
- Inventors: Ruddman Davis
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20080120294A1

## CPC

- G06Q 30/02: Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

Computer-implemented systems and methods for handling media assets in a networked environment. Media assets located in a data store are searched and through use of a level of relatedness algorithm, a subset of media assets are returned to a user's device. The subset of media assets are displayed in a tiered arrangement to a user.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for operation upon a device having a processor, comprising:
receiving search input from a user for searching a plurality of media digital assets stored in a data store;
wherein metadata is associated with the media digital assets;
using the metadata associated with the media digital assets to determine an asset's relevance with respect to the received search input;
ranking the media digital assets based upon the determined assets' relevance;
retrieving media digital assets from the data store based upon the ranking of the media digital assets;
automatically displaying the retrieved media digital assets on a display device.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a data structure is used to associate the metadata with the media digital assets;
wherein only a pre-specified list of values populate the data structure, thereby preventing users from providing random key words for searching.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the media digital assets are associated with a pre-specified category, thereby allowing focused terms to be used to populate the data structure.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the user is guided by a predictive database search mechanism which matches keywords pre-existing in the data structure to what the user is entering.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the data structure includes a hierarchical category structure to indicate that a first category is more important than a second category.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 further comprising:
scoring a key word within the data structure in order to weight the search results.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein said ranking includes a first determination of a degree of separation based upon the metadata associated with the media digital assets.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7 further comprising:
identifying a group of media digital assets based upon said first determination of degree of separation;
performing a second determination of a degree of separation based upon the metadata associated with the identified group of media digital assets.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein a pre-specified criterion determines number of widgets to be displayed to the user.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein one or more search key words are associated with an advertiser.

### Claim 11 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11, wherein an auction is used to determine which search key words are to be associated with the advertiser.

### Claim 12

A system for operation upon a device having a processor, comprising:
software instructions to receive search input from a user for searching a plurality of media digital assets stored in a data store;
wherein metadata is associated with the media digital assets;
wherein the metadata associated with the media digital assets is used to determine an asset's relevance with respect to the received search input;
software instructions to rank the media digital assets based upon the determined assets' relevance;
software instructions to retrieve media digital assets from the data store based upon the ranking of the media digital assets;
wherein the retrieved media digital assets are automatically displayed on a display device.

### Claim 13

Computer software stored on one or more computer readable mediums, the computer software comprising program code for carrying out a method comprising the steps of:
receiving search input from a user for searching a plurality of media digital assets stored in a data store;
wherein metadata is associated with the media digital assets;
using the metadata associated with the media digital assets to determine an asset's relevance with respect to the received search input;
ranking the media digital assets based upon the determined assets' relevance;
retrieving media digital assets from the data store based upon the ranking of the media digital assets;
automatically displaying the retrieved media digital assets on a display device.