# US 2024/0205503 A1 · Methods and techniques for adaptive search > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2024/0205503 A1 - Document ID: US20240205503A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 18/591,553 - Filed: 2024-02-29 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2008-12-31 - Assignees: TiVo Solutions Inc. - Applicants: TiVo Solutions Inc. - Inventors: Shelly Glennon; Brian Beach; James Cheng; Richard Lee; Kimberly Paluch; Robert Poniatowski; Margret Schmidt - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20240205503A1 ## CPC - H04N 21/47: End-user applications - G06F 3/0482: Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus - G06F 16/33: Querying - G06F 16/335: Filtering based on additional data, e.g. user or group profiles (filtering in web context G06F16/9535, G06F16/9536) - H04N 21/482: End-user interface for programme selection - H04N 21/4828: {for searching programme descriptors (retrieval of video data G06F16/739)} - H04N: PICTORIAL COMMUNICATION, e.g. TELEVISION - G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N) ## Abstract A method and system are provided for a prefix-based search system. The system stores a first data structure for a prefix. The system stores a second data structure for a second prefix that is a sub-prefix of the first prefix. As search results containing the first prefix are displayed by the system, the system track interactions with the search results and updates both data structures. When the system detected a search for a second prefix, the system uses the second updated data structure to provide search results. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: storing a first data structure for a first prefix, wherein the first data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices from a first list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered; wherein the first prefix comprises a sequence of characters; storing a second data structure for a second prefix, wherein the second data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of the plurality of devices from a second list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the second prefix being entered; wherein the second prefix is a truncation of the first prefix that consists of one or more initial characters of the sequence of characters; receiving, from at least one device of the plurality of devices, a first search request consisting of the first prefix; identifying a first selected media content item identifier that was selected from a third list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered; modifying the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the first selected media content item identifier; modifying the second data structure for the second prefix to correlate the second prefix with the first selected media content item identifier; receiving, from at least one device of the plurality of devices, a second search request consisting of the second prefix; generating a list comprising one or more media content item identifiers that is sorted based on correlations of the second prefix with each media content item of the one or more media content item identifiers indicated by the second data structure; and causing display of the sorted list of media content item identifiers as a search result for the second search request. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: identifying a second selected media content item identifier that was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices from the list comprising the one or more media content item identifiers; modifying the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the second selected media content item identifier; and modifying the second data structure for the second prefix to correlate the second prefix with the second selected media content item identifier. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the list further comprises: determining, for each of the one or more media content item identifiers, a respective content type; and generating for display, for each of the one or more media content item identifiers, a respective graphical indicator corresponding to the respective content type of the one or more media content item identifiers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein generating the list further comprises: generating for display, for each media content identifier of the one or more media content identifiers, at least one indicator corresponding to at least one content provider that has the media content represented by the media content identifier available for access. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein generating, for each of the one or more media content identifiers, the at least one indicator corresponding to the at least one content provider further comprises: determining whether each of the at least one content provider corresponds to a user preference; and in response to the determination that a respective content provider of the at least one content provider corresponds to the user preference, generating for display the respective content provider with the corresponding media content item identifier. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: storing a third data structure for a third prefix, wherein the third data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices from a fourth list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the third prefix being entered; wherein the third prefix is a truncation of the second prefix that consists of one or more initial characters of the sequence of characters; and modifying the third data structure for the third prefix to correlate the third prefix with the first selected media content item identifier. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein each of the first data structure, the second data structure, and the third data structure comprise a correlation matrix for storing mappings of each selected media content item identifier to a previously entered prefix. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the correlation matrix stores a relevancy ranking for each mapping of each media content identifier, and wherein modifying the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the first selected media content item identifier, further comprises: increasing the relevancy ranking of the mapping between the first prefix and the first selected media content item identifier based on receiving a selection of the first media content identifier from the third list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein generating the list comprising the one or more media content item identifiers further comprises: sorting media content identifiers higher on the list if they correspond to newly available content, wherein media content identifiers corresponding to newly available content are stored in the correlation matrix with a neutral relevancy ranking. ### Claim 10 A method comprising: storing a first data structure for a first prefix, wherein the first data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via a user interface of a user device from a first list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered; wherein the first prefix comprises a sequence of characters; storing a second data structure for a second prefix, wherein the second data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via the user interface of the user device from a second list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the second prefix being entered; wherein the second prefix is a truncation of the first prefix that consists of one or more initial characters of the sequence of characters; receiving, from the user device, a first search request consisting of the first prefix; identifying a first selected media content item identifier that was selected via the user interface of the user device from a third list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered via user interface of the user device; modifying the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the first selected media content item identifier; modifying the second data structure for the second prefix to correlate the second prefix with the first selected media content item identifier; receiving, from the user device, a second search request consisting of the second prefix; generating a list comprising one or more media content item identifiers that is sorted based on correlations of the second prefix with each media content item of the one or more media content item identifiers indicated by the second data structure; and causing display of the sorted list of media content item identifiers on the user device as a search result for the second search request. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, further comprising: identifying a second selected media content item identifier that was selected via the user interface of the user device from the list comprising the one or more media content item identifiers; modifying the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the second selected media content item identifier; and modifying the second data structure for the second prefix to correlate the second prefix with the second selected media content item identifier. ### Claim 12 A system comprising: control circuitry configured to: store a first data structure for a first prefix, wherein the first data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices from a first list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered; wherein the first prefix comprises a sequence of characters; store a second data structure for a second prefix, wherein the second data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of the plurality of devices from a second list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the second prefix being entered; wherein the second prefix is a truncation of the first prefix that consists of one or more initial characters of the sequence of characters; and input/output circuitry configured to: receive, from at least one device of the plurality of devices, a first search request consisting of the first prefix; and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: identify a first selected media content item identifier that was selected from a third list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered; modify the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the first selected media content item identifier; modify the second data structure for the second prefix to correlate the second prefix with the first selected media content item identifier; and wherein the input/output circuitry is further configured to: receive, from at least one device of the plurality of devices, a second search request consisting of the second prefix; and wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: generate a list comprising one or more media content item identifiers that is sorted based on correlations of the second prefix with each media content item of the one or more media content item identifiers indicated by the second data structure; and cause display of the sorted list of media content item identifiers as a search result for the second search request. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: identify a second selected media content item identifier that was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices from the list comprising the one or more media content item identifiers; modify the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the second selected media content item identifier; and modify the second data structure for the second prefix to correlate the second prefix with the second selected media content item identifier. ### Claim 14 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry configured to generate the list is further configured to: determine, for each of the one or more media content item identifiers, a respective content type; and generate for display, for each of the one or more media content item identifiers, a respective graphical indicator corresponding to the respective content type of the one or more media content item identifiers. ### Claim 15 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry configured to generate the list is further configured to: generate for display, for each media content identifier of the one or more media content identifiers, at least one indicator corresponding to at least one content provider that has the media content represented by the media content identifier available for access. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The system of claim 15, wherein the control circuitry configured to generate, for each of the one or more media content identifiers, the at least one indicator corresponding to the at least one content provider is further configured to: determine whether each of the at least one content provider corresponds to a user preference; and in response to the determination that a respective content provider of the at least one content provider corresponds to the user preference, generate for display the respective content provider with the corresponding media content item identifier. ### Claim 17 (depends on 12) The system of claim 12, wherein the control circuitry is further configured to: store a third data structure for a third prefix, wherein the third data structure comprises data indicative of which media content item was selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices from a fourth list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the third prefix being entered; wherein the third prefix is a truncation of the second prefix that consists of one or more initial characters of the sequence of characters; and modify the third data structure for the third prefix to correlate the third prefix with the first selected media content item identifier. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The system of claim 17, wherein each of the first data structure, the second data structure, and the third data structure comprise a correlation matrix for storing mappings of each selected media content item identifier to a previously entered prefix. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The system of claim 18, wherein the correlation matrix stores a relevancy ranking for each mapping of each media content identifier, and wherein the control circuitry configured to modify the first data structure for the first prefix to correlate the first prefix with the first selected media content item identifier is further configured to: increase the relevancy ranking of the mapping between the first prefix and the first selected media content item identifier based on receiving a selection of the first media content identifier from the third list of media content item identifiers generated for display in response to the first prefix being entered selected via at least one user interface of at least one device of a plurality of devices. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The system of claim 19, wherein the control circuitry configured to generate the list comprising the one or more media content item identifiers is further configured to: sort media content identifiers higher on the list if they correspond to newly available content, wherein media content identifiers corresponding to newly available content are stored in the correlation matrix with a neutral relevancy ranking.