System for searching a data base for information associated with broadcast segments based upon broadcast time
AssigneeSony Corporation
InventorYuichiro Deguchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A play list comprising the names of music pieces broadcasted from a broadcast station and broadcast time information are accumulated in a data base. If a user likes a music piece broadcasted from the broadcast station, he activates a book marker which stores time information representing the time at which the book marker is activated. The time information is supplied through a gateway device to a search engine which searches the data base for those broadcast stations in the user's geographic area which broadcasted music pieces or the like at a time that matches the time information. The search results are transmitted to the gateway device and displayed.
Claims61
A search system for searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising:
- a portable input device including a storage means for storing time information representing a broadcast time at which a segment is broadcast;
- communication means for transmitting the time information stored in said storage means;
- a broadcast data base for storing the segments of broadcast information and related information;
- a search device including a content data base for accumulating data representing said segments and the broadcast times of respective segments;
- and
- search means for receiving the time information transmitted by said communication means to search said broadcast data base and said content data base for information associated with those segments having broadcast times corresponding to the received time information.
A search device for searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising:
- a broadcast data base for storing the segments of broadcast information and related information;
- accumulating means for accumulating a content data base representing said segments and broadcast times at which respective segments are broadcasted;
- and
- search means for searching the broadcast and content data bases for information associated with those segments having broadcast times corresponding to time information which is input from a portable input device and represents the broadcast time at which a segment is broadcasted.
A portable input device for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base having accumulation means for accumulating information representing broadcast segments and broadcast times at which the segments are broadcasted, said input device inputting time information to a search device for searching said broadcast and content data bases for information associated with a broadcast segment on the basis of the broadcast time at which the segment is broadcasted, comprising:
- storage means for storing at least the time information representing the broadcast time at which the segment was broadcasted;
- and
- communication means for transmitting the time information stored in said storage means.
A portable input device for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base having accumulation means for accumulating information representing broadcast segments and broadcast times at which the segments are broadcasted, said input device inputting information corresponding to the broadcast time to a search device for searching said broadcast and content data bases for information associated with a broadcast segment, said input device comprising:
- a counter which counts predetermined clock signals;
- storage means for storing a count value of said counter at a time when a segment is broadcasted;
- and
- communication means for transmitting the count value stored in said storage means.
A system for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base for information associated with music pieces broadcasted by a broadcast station, said data bases storing a play list of music pieces broadcasted by different broadcast stations at respective times, comprising:
- a portable book marker operable by a user to store information representing the time at which the book marker is operated;
- a transmitter for transmitting the stored time information together with user identification (ID) information;
- and
- a search engine for receiving the transmitted time and ID information and for searching said broadcast and content data bases as a function of said time and ID information to select information associated with music pieces that were broadcasted by a set of broadcast stations at a time that matches said time information.
A method of searching data bases for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising the steps of:
- accumulating a broadcast data base for storing the segments of broadcast information and related information;
- accumulating a content data base representing said segments and broadcast times of respective segments;
- registering time information representing the broadcast time at which a user-desired segment is broadcast in a portable input device:
- transmitting the registered time information to a data base search engine;
- and
- using the transmitted time information to search said broadcast and content data bases for information associated with those segments having broadcast times which match the registered time information.
A method of searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base for information associated with segments of broadcast information comprising the steps of:
- accumulating a broadcast data base for storing the segments of broadcast information and related information,
- accumulating a content data base representing said segments and broadcast times at which respective segments are broadcasted;
- searching the broadcast and content data bases for information associated with those segments having broadcast times which match time information that is input by a user through a portable input device, and that represents the broadcast time at which a user-desired segment is broadcasted.
A method of inputting search parameters for searching a broadcast data base for storing segments of broadcast information and related information and a content data base comprised of information representing broadcast segments, broadcast times at which segments are broadcasted and broadcast stations over which the segments are broadcasted, said method comprising the steps of:
- registering, in a portable input device, at least time information representing the broadcast time at which a user-desired segment is broadcasted;
- and
- transmitting as data base search parameters the registered time information, user identification information and geographic area information representing the geographic area at which said user is located.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.