Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting content for a media library using an interactive media guidance application are provided. The user may search for content to select by entering search terms in a search page and selecting content from search results in a search results page. The user may also select content by directly entering identification for the content, selecting content from a message suggesting content, or by selecting content from interactive media guidance application pages. The content may include content that is currently available and bookmarks for content that is not yet available. For such bookmarks, when the content becomes available, the interactive media guidance application may notify the user and/or add the actual content to the media library. The user may access the media library from any user device and perform any suitable operation with the content of the media library (e.g., download content to a user device or playback content).

Abstract: A system for creating user defined advertisements. The system comprises a computer readable storage medium. The medium comprises a digitized film/video; an attribute database comprising predetermined attributes. Each attribute correlates to at least one scene of the film/video. An advertisement database is provided comprising predetermined advertisements of the film/video. A publication database is provided comprising critiques of the film/video. The medium also comprises selection instructions for the user to select, for viewing, one of the digitized film/video, the selected scene, the predetermined advertisements or the critiques. A machine capable of reading the computer readable storage medium implements the instructions for viewing.

Abstract: A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a controller to search a portal in response to a user query for a plurality of related content items of disparate formats accessible across a plurality of platforms, present search results and a graphical user interface for the consumption of the plurality of related content items of disparate formats from the single portal in response to the searching, and select a set of the plurality of related content items of disparate formats from the single portal for provisioning on a first device with a first disparate format and at least a second device with a second disparate format. Other embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of searching a keyword includes extracting a keyword from subtitle data included in a broadcast signal, displaying an extracted keyword with an image according to the broadcast signal, searching for a keyword using an search engine through a communication network when an instruction to search a displayed keyword is received, and displaying a search result by the search engine.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus includes a speech recognition unit configured to perform continuous speech recognition on speech data, a related word acquiring unit configured to acquire a word related to at least one word obtained through the continuous speech recognition as a related word that is related to content corresponding to content data including the speech data, and a speech retrieval unit configured to retrieve an utterance of the related word from the speech data so as to acquire the related word whose utterance has been retrieved as metadata for the content.

Abstract: An electronic program guide (EPG) information providing method and an EPG information providing system are provided. In the EPG information providing system, a first transport stream including first EPG information is received via a channel selected from a plurality of channels, and the first EPG information is extracted from the received transport stream. The reception channel selected from the plurality of channels is automatically changed in response to a predetermined channel selection signal. A second transport stream which is input via each changed channel and includes second EPG information is received, and the second EPG information is extracted from the second transport stream and stored. A keyword is generated on the basis of received EPG information, and additional information is generated by searching for the keyword using a predetermined search server and transmitted to a viewer.

Abstract: Method for retrieving online content in an interactive environment. The method is executable by a computing device. The method comprises obtaining a plurality of descriptive information elements; parsing at least some of the descriptive information elements into one or more subsets of information elements associated with respective information categories; retrieving online content for each of the one or more subsets of information elements; and causing the retrieved online content to be presented to a user.

Abstract: In the specification and drawing a television is described and shown with a multimedia player for playing information, a grabber for producing a word from the information and a controller for controlling a computer to search for data related to the word. Moreover, a method for operating the television is also disclosed in the specification and drawing.

Abstract: The present invention is described by an electronic program guide with a calendar tool, and a method and apparatus for transmitting and receiving the electronic program guide. The apparatus includes a transmission station and a plurality of receiver stations. The transmission station creates program guide data that is in an “object” format. The transmission station combines the program guide objects with digital audio and video television signals, and transmits an output stream to the plurality of receiver stations. Each of the plurality of receiver stations stores electronic program guide objects. Using data from the electronic program guide objects, the plurality of receiver stations generate a listing of television program representations, and a calendar image separate from and adjacent to the plurality of television program representations.

Abstract: A system for a meta-browser includes a receiver, an output device for displaying a virtual unified browsing space, and a selector input device for navigating the space and making selections therein. The receiver is provided with the capability to receive information from multiple sources of different media types, including broadcast programming, additional information through the broadcast, electronic program guide information, and the Internet. The meta-browser presents personalized collections of information from multiple sources of different media types as different media collections in the unified browsing space, which can be easily and intuitively browsed. A user's browsing experience is further enhanced by personalized recommendations, which are generated based on a profile of the user's interests captured across multiple media sources. Collaborative filtering, which uses multiple user profiles to compute co-relations between the user's profile and others, is also used to make recommendations.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods to identify local market media content utilizing a disturbed system and to determine what additional content is relevant in a self-aware, automatic way. A central location stores identification information and related content so in the future it is available if and when another user watches the same content. Therefore, the next time local market media content is played, it can be identified and additional related content can be quickly (e.g. in real time) made available.

Abstract: A method for providing customized information to a plurality of portable communication devices. A customer premises equipment (CPE) synchronizes with at least one of the plurality of portable communication devices. The CPE extracts descriptive data of media content stored in the at least one portable communication device. The CPE searches for a descriptive data of content available at the CPE based on the descriptive data extracted from the at least one portable communication device. The CPE determines that the extracted descriptive data matches the descriptive data of content available at the CPE. The CPE makes the content available to the at least one portable communication device.

Abstract: An interactive television system is provided that supports newsgroup features. An interactive television application, such as an interactive television program guide, may be used to allow a user to view and post newsgroup messages to one or more newsgroup servers. The newsgroup servers may be located at a television distribution facility. The newsgroup servers may be Usenet servers accessed via the Internet. The user may use the newsgroup feature while watching television programming or while otherwise viewing other content provided by the interactive television application. Cross-referencing may be used to allow the user to access content related to a particular subject matter. Parental control features may be used to limit access to certain newsgroups. Newsgroup messages may contain links to other content made available through the interactive television application.

Abstract: A broadcast program retrieval apparatus includes a data server having a database for storing broadcast program information. The data server has a function for searching the broadcast program information stored in the database. A user server stores the same information as the broadcast program information stored in the data server. The user server has a function for selecting a desired broadcast program from the stored broadcast program information. The user server searches the broadcast program information stored in the data server using a content keyword, such as the cast or the like. The desired broadcast program is selected from among broadcast programs based on program retrieval identification codes (event IDs) retrieved and extracted by the content keyword.

Abstract: The present invention provides a remote controller that allows obtaining information of a desired broadcast program at an arbitrary place and checking whether it is possible to make a reservation for the program on the spot. A remote controller 110 according to the present invention includes a program obtaining unit 314 that obtains an electronic program guide by remote-controlling a broadcast receiver 130 that receives and records broadcast signals, a data obtaining unit 318 that obtains data from a separate electronic device by wireless communications, a recording-data generator 322 that extracts a program matching a program name or keyword included in the obtained data and that generates recording data needed for reservation of recording by the broadcast receiver, a recording-data storage unit 326 that stores the recording data, and a recording-data transmitter 328 that transmits the stored recording data to the broadcast receiver.

Abstract: The various embodiments described herein facilitate the identification of television content related to a specific search descriptor and genre. A user provides input requesting to locate television content related to a particular search descriptor and genre. A search keyword is identified based on the search descriptor and a search of an electronic programming guide is performed based on the search keyword to generate intermediate search results of television events related to the search descriptor. A filtering operation is performed on the intermediate search results using one or more filters identified based on the programming genre to generate final search results. The final search results thus include content that both matches the search keyword and has characteristics of the programming genre of content requested by the user.

Abstract: A venue-cast system and method for providing and receiving venue level transmissions and services, including discovery of a venue specific transmission by receiving an overhead signal from a non-venue network, extracting information for receiving the venue specific transmission from the overhead signal, and tuning to receive the venue specific transmission based on the extracted information. The venue level transmission may be provided and received in a manner that does not prevent an access terminal from receiving a local area or wide area transmission.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus with improved operatability in which the user is capable of watching a television program and connecting to the Internet. An index panel shows channel buttons operated to select a desired program, a first site button provides access to site A available on the Internet and a second site button provides access to site B on the Internet. The user is able to watch a television program and can have access to an information processing apparatus such as a personal computer, which can be connected to the Internet.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method for allowing a user to search for specific content across many television channels in order to locate desirable television shows related to the searched content. Multiplexed cable signals flow thorough a logical unit which buffers text associated with the voice stream of each station via the pre-encoded closed-captioning signal or through the real-time voice translation within the logical unit. The user then enters search terms through one of a variety of different input devices. Upon entry of the search terms, the logical unit will compare the entered term with those available keywords stored in each buffer. Lexical parsing associates terms which may differ from plural to singular forms, or in tense. Additionally, synonym comparisons may be made. The logical unit will return a list of matches for the search criteria and allows the user the option of going directly to the television program.

Abstract: Provided are a method and apparatus for rapidly and exactly searching an electronic program guide (EPG) for a desired program. Even when only a program search command is input, program representative titles detected from an EPG are display in a sequential order based on a user command (e.g., in hangeul consonant order or alphabetical order). Therefore, a program search screen can be more easily recognized.

Abstract: The apparatus for registering face identification features can eliminate time and effort for manually retrieving and preparing face images by being provided with a face image retrieving portion 11 for retrieving a face image of a person via a network using the person's name as a keyword, a face feature extracting portion 12 for extracting features, which greatly influence identification of a person, from the face images retrieved by the face image retrieving portion 11, and a celebrity name, face image and feature database 13 for registering the face images retrieved by the face image retrieving portion 11 and the face features extracted by the face feature extracting portion 12 in a state where they are associated with the person's names.

Abstract: An RSS (really simple syndication) feed based EPG (electronic program guide) processing system includes: a plurality of user devices; a plurality of television program servers for providing EPG information of television channels via the Internet; and an EPG processing server for receiving a user's demand from a user device and for providing to the user device user-specific EPG information according to the user's demand. In the EPG processing system, a plurality of first RSS feeds, for interoperating with the television program servers via the Internet, are registered to the EPG processing server. The EPG processing server obtains and stores the EPG information of each television channel by using each of the first RSS feeds, generates the user-specific EPG information corresponding to the user's demand by searching for the stored EPG information according to the user's demand, and provides the user-specific EPG information to the user device.

Abstract: A server at the edge of a broadband network distributes multimedia content streams to clients, while ensuring that the first data delivered to each client is key data (milestones) needed for correctly decoding the stream content. This is obtained by buffering the packets in the incoming stream and transmitting the packets from the buffer in an outgoing stream, starting with the most recent milestone placed in the buffer before a request to join the respective incoming stream is received. As the writing to and reading from the buffer are performed at different rates, the incoming and outgoing streams are eventually synchronized, at which point the client may be switched to receive the incoming stream directly.

Abstract: A broadcasting processing apparatus and method which performs a search or reservation with regard to a future broadcasting program that is not yet stored in electronic program guide (EPG) data. The broadcasting processing apparatus includes a signal processor which processes a broadcasting signal including EPG data; and a controller which searches the EPG data to determine whether data corresponding to a broadcasting program is currently included in the EPG data, and performs a set reservation function with respect to the broadcasting program if it is determined that the data corresponding to the broadcasting program is currently included in the EPG data, and if the controller determines that the data corresponding a broadcasting program is not currently included in the EPG data, the controller repeatedly searches the EPG data at periodic intervals to determine whether the data corresponding the broadcasting program is included in the EPG data which is updated.

Abstract: An electronic programming guide (EPG) resides in a user interface unit memory and is executable on the processor of the user interface unit to organize programming information that is descriptive of the programs supplied over an interactive entertainment system. The EPG supports a user interface (UI) which visually correlates programs titles to scheduled viewing times. A hyperlink browser also resides in memory and is executable on the processor. One or more hyperlinks, which reference target resources containing interactive content related to the video programs, are integrated as part of the EPG UI. When a viewer activates a hyperlink within the EPG, the user interface unit launches the browser to activate the target resource specified by the hyperlink. The instruction might cause the visual display unit to tune to the program or channel represented by the particular label, or to initiate procedures to record the program when it begins playing, or to jump to a related target resource, such as a Web site.

Abstract: A system and method for providing program guide information to subscribers is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is applied to a satellite broadcasting system having a first satellite broadcasting a first signal having a first set of program material and first program guide information describing at least a portion of said set of program material, and a second satellite broadcasting a second signal having a second set of program material and second program guide information describing at least a portion of said second set of program material, wherein the first broadcast signal and the second broadcast signal each include service channels uniquely described by a service channel identifier.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus includes an obtaining unit configured to obtain program information on programs that are to be broadcast in a predetermined time period; an extraction unit configured to extract keywords indicating the content of the programs from text data contained in the program information; a storage unit configured to prestore theme definition information containing information on the keywords; a theme identifying unit configured to identify which theme a predetermined program belongs to on the basis of the keyword and the theme definition information; and a rate-of-change computation unit configured to compute, for each of the identified themes, a rate of change of the number of times a program belonging to the identified theme is broadcast on a first day in the predetermined time period to the number of times the program is broadcast on a second day.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying identifiers for one or more series of recordable events is described. A system, such as the system of a digital video recorder, may receive a set of recordable events data, such as a listing of all television shows to be broadcast over a two-week period. The system analyzes the set of recordable events data for determining one or more sets of recordable events, where each set includes recordable events having the same title. The system analyzes each set of recordable events to determine sub-sets of recordable events based on relationships between the recordable events of each sub-set. The system displays an identifier for each sub-set of a given set of recordable events when the given set of recordable events is selected for display. A user may select to record a sub-set of recordable events by selecting the identifier that represents the sub-set.

Abstract: An information receiving apparatus for receiving the EPG data related to broadcast program has a memory in which user preference information is stored in advance. The EPG data is regularly transmitted from predetermined broadcast station to update the EPG data stored in the information receiving apparatus. When the information receiving apparatus detects the reception of updated EPG data, the information receiving apparatus starts to search the updated EPG data in order to find out the EPG data coincided with the user preference information among updated EPG data. Thereby an user is able to know favorite broadcast programs with out re-entering user preference information when the EPG data is updated. If necessary, thus searched favorite broadcast program is recorded on a recording medium by automatically setting a recording timer of the information receiving apparatus.

Abstract: An IPTV system, a media server, and methods of searching for and locating an IPTV program are disclosed. The method of searching for a program includes: searching for corresponding media information according to media content information sent from a user terminal device, and returning the found media information to the user terminal device for a user to make a selection. The method of locating a program includes: performing a search according to media content information sent from a user terminal device, and playing the media from the position of a found media content if the found media content matches the media content information. The advantageous technical effects of the present invention are to effectively satisfy the need by the user to search for or locate a program of interest from a program source and to avoid a long, inefficient program searching process.

Abstract: A system for finding and presenting content items in response to keystrokes entered by a user on an input device having a known layout of overloaded keys selected from a set of key layouts. The system includes (1) a database containing content items and terms characterizing the content items; (2) input logic for receiving keystrokes from the user and building a string corresponding to incremental entries by the user, each item in the string having the set of alphanumeric symbols associated with a corresponding keystroke; (3) mapping logic to map the string to the database to find the most likely content items corresponding to the incremental entries, the mapping logic operating in accordance with a defined error model corresponding to the known layout of overloaded keys; and (4) presentation logic for ordering the most likely content items identified by the mapping logic and for presenting the most likely content items.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an information processing apparatus including: transmission data acquisition section configured to acquire transmission data including program data and EPG data including program information for a predetermined period of time; EPG extraction section configured to extract the EPG data from the transmission data; program selection section configured to select a given program as a selected program; search word extraction section configured to extract a search word from the program information of the selected program; search word transmission section configured to transmit the search word to a program server; program information reception section configured to receive, from the program server, the program information including a program identification ID configured to identify a related program related to the selected program; program information storage section configured to store the program information; and processing section configured to identify the program by using the program identific

Abstract: An interactive television program guide system is provided in which the program guide may provide the user with a selectable list of combination categories. Combination categories are composed of multiple simple categories such as sports, news, comedy, movies, children, etc. Program listings are supplied to the program guide. At least some of the program listings are associated with combination categories. A combination category build process may be used to assign combination categories to program listings. The user is able to use the selectable categories list to quickly identify programming of interest.

Abstract: A method and system for distributing electronic documents to at least one storage location of an electronic document transfer application and to at least one electronic mailbox residing on at least one printing apparatus.

Abstract: A content sharing system, for implementation in a requesting peer, to receive at least a part of a chunk from a serving peer, the chunk being part of a content item, the requesting peer being operationally connected to a plurality of peers including the serving peer via a communications network, the content item being media content originally broadcast in a media stream by a Headend to at least some of the peers, the system including a metadata module to receive chunk metadata identifying the location of the chunk based on an identifier in the media stream originally broadcast by the Headend, a content transfer module to request the at least part of the chunk from the serving peer based on the chunk metadata, and receive the at least part of the chunk from the serving peer. Related apparatus and methods are also described.

Abstract: A system identifies a television program selected to be recorded. The identified television program has a scheduled start time and is associated with a program series. A program guide is searched to locate television programs associated with the same series as the identified television program. The program guide is searched for television programs that have a start time within a predetermined period of time of the scheduled start time of the television program selected to be recorded.

Abstract: Each transmission received from a video asset owner includes information regarding a video asset that is available for real time distribution during a future time period to third parties. Following a selection from among the video assets, the corresponding video asset owners receive transmissions requesting the selected video assets and one or more initial templates. The video asset owners transmit final templates that conform to the initial templates and contain information descriptive of the video assets. Each final template, and the corresponding video asset, is transmitted to predetermined network resource, such as a headend, at a predetermined time corresponding to the future time period of availability. The predetermined network resource can then distribute video assets to viewers that were requested from the corresponding video storefront by viewers.

Abstract: An Internet broadcasting system for supporting broadcast services by using Internet Protocol (IP), and more particularly an apparatus and method for providing a user's preferred contents in an Internet broadcasting system are provided. The method of providing contents in an Internet broadcasting system includes searching for contents in an Electronic Program Guide (EPG) according to a user preference, constituting a user channel, based on the searched contents and providing a terminal with the searched contents according to the user channel.

Abstract: A program-selecting apparatus well applied to a broadcast receiving set sets automatic picture-recording by setting program selection conditions comprising a genre, a keyword, and a time zone. A recording medium built in a recording medium unit has a storage region for storing keywords used in this setting. This storage region is comprised of a fixed region in which plural fixed keywords are stored and an alteration region in which plural alterable keywords are stored. A keyword stored in the alteration region is downloaded through a MODEM from a server based on, for example, user's operations. It is possible to set a program selection condition by using a new keyword without providing input means such as a keyboard for inputting keywords to the apparatus, thus making the apparatus inexpensive.

Abstract: The system enables listeners and viewers of a broadcast to access additional information associated with a broadcast. Listeners and viewers utilize a user device to connect to a database containing program descriptions (e.g. audio, text, video or combination thereof) further describing the programming and ancillary information. The database is indexed by the broadcast's program list or schedule thereby allowing a user of the system to search and select a particular program description of interest. Hearing or viewing program descriptions enables users to preview excerpts and review a broadcast before purchasing an item heard or viewed on a broadcast.

Abstract: Automatic video recording system and method are provided which make it possible that programs to be automatically recorded are selected according to objective criteria from the programs that are scheduled to broadcast in the future. In configuration, an information generator of a program information providing server ranks the broadcast programs on the basis of program rating information, and thus generates program rank prediction information. Terminal units download the program rank prediction information and an electronic program schedule. A recorded-program/digest generator makes broadcast programs of a certain rank or above be automatically recorded by referring to the program rank prediction information.

Abstract: In a converged computer and television system, the TV network viewed in a TV mode can be changed by entering an alphanumeric channel macro on the computer keyboard.

Abstract: A method of filtering video packets for video stream monitoring is provided. A video packet of a video stream is received. One or more features are extracted from a specified frame of the video packet via one or more histograms and frequency domain coefficients of the specified frame. One or more concept detectors are implemented on the one or more features creating one or more confidence values. The confidence values are transmitted to a display module for filtering of video packets.

Abstract: An improved television guide system. According to one embodiment of the invention, television guide information is provided that includes multiple occurrences of a single show. The guide system of the present invention allows the user to identify a show and, thereafter, identify when the identified show will be played again. Accordingly, the user may more easily select shows for viewing or recordation.

Abstract: There is provided an audio reproducing apparatus and a music selection method which can quickly search for desired music data from a large number of music data recorded on a recording medium such as a hard disk. When a rotary encoder is rotated at a low speed, a display mode is set to a low speed search mode, and a title of music data at a position being searched is displayed on a display unit. When the rotary encoder is rotated at a high speed, the display mode is changed to a high speed search mode, information common to music data at a position being searched and successive music data, such as a folder name of a folder storing these music data, an album name, an artist name, and/or a recorded date, is displayed on the display unit.

Abstract: A method is provided for displaying programming information. A video comprising a plurality of frames is displayed on a portion of a display. A first panel is displayed in response to a first signal from a user interface. The first panel is displayed on another portion of the display simultaneously with the video. The first panel contains information from at least one of a plurality of records, the records containing programming information, each of the records having an associated time and an associated channel, and the first panel having an associated time range and an associated range of channels. A new record is selected in response to a second signal from a user interface. A second panel is displayed simultaneously with the video, the second panel having an associated time range that is different than the associated time range of the first panel and the second panel having an associated range of channels that is the same as the associated range of channels of the first panel.

Abstract: A system for the automatic collection of closed caption text wherein broadcast source of closed caption text are received by a tuner, then decoded and a text handler writes text files. A remote inquiry client is operably connected to the tuner and a server, to push the text files from the inquiry client to the server. A previously submitted search profile originated by the inquiry client is automatically compared with the text files and parsed to create a inquiry client search result, and the useful inquiry client is then automatically contacted regarding the search result.

Abstract: A video recording/reproducing apparatus comprises a receiver which receives a broadcast program, an acquiring unit which acquires program information of the broadcast program, a recording unit which records the broadcast program received by the receiver together with the program information acquired by the acquiring unit, a selector which selects a type of the program, and a searching unit which searches a latest program of the type selected by the selector based on the program information acquired by the acquiring unit and the program information recorded by the recording unit.

Abstract: If a keyword determining portion judges that the program name or program information of the selected program contains the keyword registered in a nonvolatile memory, a muting portion makes a video processing portion and an audio processing portion stop outputting a video signal and an audio signal, respectively. As a result of this muting processing, no video is displayed on the display device, and no sound is outputted from a loudspeaker. If the keyword determining portion judges that the program name or program information of the selected program does not contain the keyword registered in the nonvolatile memory, the video processing portion and the audio processing portion output the video signal and the audio signal, respectively, as usual. Consequently, video is displayed on the display device, and sound is outputted from the loudspeaker.

Abstract: A processing section (250) of a recording/reproducing device (200) acquires content data of a content set by a user, and acquires program-linked data which links with content-main-data, from the content data. The processing section (250) acquires set keyword data stored in a memory (240), and determines whether or not the program-linked data includes a BML file having a character string related to a keyword set by the user. If it is determined that a BML file having the related character string is included, the processing section (250) specifies and acquires content-main-data with which the BML file links, from the content-main-data acquired.