Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080313564 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TEXT DISAMBIGUATION AND CONTEXT DESIGNATION IN INCREMENTAL SEARCH - Methods and systems for text disambiguation and context designation in incremental search are provided. A method for selecting items in response to ambiguous keystrokes entered by a user and unambiguous metadata associated with a previously selected search result includes receiving ambiguous keystrokes, selecting and presenting a first subset of items and metadata associated with the items presented based on the ambiguous keystrokes. The method also includes receiving a selection of one of the items from the user, and, in response to a locking operation received from the user, locking in fixed relation at least one of the ambiguous keystrokes to at least one metadata term associated with the selected item. The method further includes, subsequent to receiving the locking operation, selecting and presenting a second subset of items based at least in part on the locked metadata term, and presenting the second subset of items. | 12-18-2008 |
20080313574 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCH WITH REDUCED PHYSICAL INTERACTION REQUIREMENTS - A user-interface method and system for displaying a set of search results on a user device having a limited display area and having a five-button interface, where a user may explicitly or implicitly choose a search result to be expanded in order to provide space for displaying additional metacontent related to the selected search result, and where the expansion of the chosen search result does not occlude information displayed about other search results. | 12-18-2008 |
20090077496 | USER INTERFACE METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SELECTING AND PRESENTING CONTENT BASED ON USER NAVIGATION AND SELECTION ACTIONS ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTENT - A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items based on user navigation and selection actions associated with the content is provided. The method includes associating a relevance weight on a per user basis with content items to indicate a relative measure of likelihood that the user desires the content item. The method includes receiving a user's navigation and selections actions for identifying desired content items, and in response, adjusting the associated relevance weight of the selected content item and group of content items containing the selected item. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, selecting and presenting a subset of content items and content groups to the user ordered by the adjusted associated relevance weights assigned to the content items and content groups. | 03-19-2009 |
20090217203 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SEGMETING RELATIVE USER PREFERENCES INTO FINE-GRAIN AND COURSE-GRAIN COLLECTIONS - A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function. | 08-27-2009 |
20100121845 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SELECTING AND PRESENTING CONTENT BASED ON ACTIVITY LEVEL SPIKES ASSOCIATED WITH THE CONTENT - A method of selecting and presenting content based on detecting an increased level of activity associated with the content is presented. The method includes providing a set of content items with associated descriptive terms. The method includes receiving user search input for identifying desired content items and, in response to the incremental input entered by the user, presenting a subset of content items to the user. The method further includes receiving actions from the user selecting content items from the subset and analyzing the descriptive terms associated with the selected content items to detect an increased level of activity for descriptive terms associated with the content items selected by the users. The method includes, in response to receiving subsequent user search input, selecting and ordering a collection of content items based on promoting the ranking of content items associated with descriptive terms that have an increased level of recent activity. | 05-13-2010 |
20100241625 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on User Preference Information Extracted from an Aggregate Preference Signature - A method of selecting and presenting content based on inferred user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms and receiving search inputs from an input device and presenting a corresponding subset of content items. The method includes receiving selection actions of content items and analyzing the descriptive terms associated with the selected content items to learn a composite set of preferred descriptive terms of the plurality of users of the input device. The method includes inferring preferences of individual users from the composite set of preferred descriptive terms by decomposing the composite set of preferred descriptive terms into individual sets of preferred descriptive terms. The decomposition act utilizes prespecified statistical models of preferences. The method includes, in response to receiving subsequent user search input, selecting and ordering a collection of content items based on the inferred preferences of said individual user. | 09-23-2010 |
20100293160 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on Learned Periodicity of User Content Selection - A method of selecting and presenting content based on learned user preferences is provided. The method includes receiving search input from the user for identifying desired content items and receiving content selection actions from the user. The method further includes analyzing the date, day, and time of content selection actions by the user and analyzing descriptive terms associated with the selected content items to learn a periodicity of user selections of similar content items. In response to subsequent searches by the user, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items for presentation to the user based on comparing the user's search input to descriptive terms associated with content items and based on the learned periodicities of the user. | 11-18-2010 |
20100299358 | Method and System for Dynamically Processing Ambiguous, Reduced Text Search Queries and Highlighting Results Thereof - A method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has a name including one or more words. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query comprises a prefix substring of at least one word in the name of the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more words in the names thereof matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system also orders the one or more items of the group in accordance with given criteria. The names of the one or more items of the identified group are output to be displayed on the device operated by the user as ordered with the characters of the one or more words in the names corresponding to the prefix substring of the search query being highlighted. | 11-25-2010 |
20100306691 | User Interface for Visual Cooperation Between Text Input and Display Device - A user-interface system for entering an alphanumeric string or alphanumeric clusters for identifying information content is presented. The user-interface system has presentation logic for displaying an image of a virtual user alphanumeric interface on a presentation device. The virtual user alphanumeric interface includes an image of an overloaded keypad that has a two dimensional configuration of alphanumeric clusters. Each cluster corresponds to a set of alphanumeric characters. The user-interface system also has cluster selection logic for receiving user actions from an input device (e.g., five-button interface) to provide visual cues to help the user select an alphanumeric cluster and to cause the selected alphanumeric cluster or character from a cluster to be displayed in a display field of the virtual user alphanumeric interface. | 12-02-2010 |
20100325106 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING AMBIGUOUS, MULTITERM SEARCH QUERIES - In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, a method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has one or more associated descriptors. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query is a prefix substring of each of at least two words relating to the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more descriptors matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system outputs identification of the one or more items of the identified group to be displayed on the device operated by the user. | 12-23-2010 |
20100325111 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on Context Sensitive User Preferences - A method of selecting and presenting content based on context-sensitive learned user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having descriptive terms. The method includes receiving user input for identifying items and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of items. The method includes receiving user selections of said items and analyzing the descriptive terms of those items to learn the user's content preferences. The method includes determining the context in which the user performed the selections and associating those contexts with the user content preferences learned from the corresponding user selections. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, determining a context of said subsequent input and selecting and ordering a collection of items based on comparing those items' descriptive terms with the user's learned content preferences associated with the determined context in which the user entered the subsequent input. | 12-23-2010 |
20110004572 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content on a First System Based on User Preferences Learned on a Second System - A method of selecting and presenting content on a first system based on user preferences learned on a second system is provided. The method includes receiving a user's input for identifying items of the second content system and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of items of the second content system and receiving the user's selection actions thereof. The method includes analyzing the selected items to learn the user's content preferences for the content of the second content system and determining a relationship between the content of the first and second content systems to determine preferences relevant to items of the first content system. The method includes, in response subsequent user input for items of the first content system, selecting and ordering a collection of items of the first content system based on the user's learned content preferences determined to be relevant to the items of the first content system. | 01-06-2011 |
20110022587 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on Dynamically Identifying Microgenres Associated with the Content - A method of selecting and presenting content based on learned user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a content system including a set of content items organized by genre characterizing the content items, and wherein the set of content items contains microgenre metadata further characterizing the content items. The method also includes receiving search input from the user for identifying desired content items and, in response, presenting a subset of content items to the user. The method further includes receiving content item selection actions from the user and analyzing the microgenre metadata within the selected content items to learn the preferred microgenres of the user. The method includes, in response to receiving subsequent user search input, selecting and presenting content items in an order that portrays as relatively more relevant those content items containing microgenre metadata that more closely match the learned microgenre preferences of the user. | 01-27-2011 |
20110113039 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING SEARCHES FOR TELEVISION CONTENT USING REDUCED TEXT INPUT - A method and system are provided for identifying a television content item desired by a television viewer from a set of television content items. Each of the television content items has one or more associated descriptors. The system receives from the television viewer a reduced text search entry directed at identifying the desired television content item. The search entry is a prefix substring of one or more words relating to the desired television content item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more television content items from the set of television content items having one or more descriptors matching the search entry as the television viewer enters each character of the search entry. The system then transmits the names of the one or more television content items of the identified group to be displayed on a device operated by the television viewer. | 05-12-2011 |
20110131161 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content on a First System Based on User Preferences Learned on a Second System - A method of selecting and presenting content on a first system based on user preferences learned on a second system is provided. The method includes receiving a user's input for identifying items of the second content system and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of items of the second content system and receiving the user's selection actions thereof. The method includes analyzing the selected items to learn the user's content preferences for the content of the second content system and determining a relationship between the content of the first and second content systems to determine preferences relevant to items of the first content system. The method includes, in response subsequent user input for items of the first content system, selecting and ordering a collection of items of the first content system based on the user's learned content preferences determined to be relevant to the items of the first content system. | 06-02-2011 |
20110145233 | User Interface Methods And Systems For Selecting And Presenting Content Based On User Navigation And Selection Actions Associated With The Content - A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items based on user navigation and selection actions associated with the content is provided. The method includes associating a relevance weight on a per user basis with content items to indicate a relative measure of likelihood that the user desires the content item. The method includes receiving a user's navigation and selections actions for identifying desired content items, and in response, adjusting the associated relevance weight of the selected content item and group of content items containing the selected item. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, selecting and presenting a subset of content items and content groups to the user ordered by the adjusted associated relevance weights assigned to the content items and content groups. | 06-16-2011 |
20110145847 | METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR PRESENTING ENRICHED VIDEO VIEWING ANALYTICS - A method of and system for presenting enriched video viewing analytics is presented. A method of presenting enriched statistical and analytical information includes receiving a catalog of a plurality of content items. Each content item has associated metacontent characterizing the content item. The method also includes receiving and storing operations of a user for interacting with one or more of the content items. The method further includes determining use and/or viewing statistics for, for example, the content items, metacontent associated with the content items, the numbers and types of devices viewing the content items, subscriber information, household information, and/or viewer demographic information for past and present time periods. The method also, optionally, includes estimating the likelihood of future user interaction operations. | 06-16-2011 |
20110154264 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on Learned Periodicity of User Content Selection - A method of selecting and presenting content based on learned user preferences is provided. The method includes receiving search input from the user for identifying desired content items and receiving content selection actions from the user. The method further includes analyzing the date, day, and time of content selection actions by the user and analyzing descriptive terms associated with the selected content items to learn a periodicity of user selections of similar content items. In response to subsequent searches by the user, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items for presentation to the user based on comparing the user's search input to descriptive terms associated with content items and based on the learned periodicities of the user. | 06-23-2011 |
20110173205 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY PROCESSING AMBIGUOUS, REDUCED TEXT SEARCH QUERIES AND HIGHLIGHTING RESULTS THEREOF - A method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has a name including one or more words. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query comprises a prefix substring of at least one word in the name of the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more words in the names thereof matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system also orders the one or more items of the group in accordance with given criteria. The names of the one or more items of the identified group are output to be displayed on the device operated by the user as ordered with the characters of the one or more words in the names corresponding to the prefix substring of the search query being highlighted. | 07-14-2011 |
20110185306 | Methods and Systems for a Linear Character Selection Display Interface for Ambiguous Text Input - Methods of and systems for entering ambiguous text input via a linear character selection display are provided. A system for entering an alphanumeric string includes presentation logic for displaying on a presentation device an alphabet arranged into a row of letters and indication logic for presenting visual cues grouping a series of letters of the row into a cluster. The system also includes navigation logic for receiving user actions to move the visual cues along the row of letters to change the letters grouped into the cluster. The visual cues move along the row of letters in variable offsets based on a rate of input of the user actions. The system further includes selection logic for receiving user actions to select the cluster of letters to cause at least one of the letters of the selected cluster to be displayed in a string field. | 07-28-2011 |
20110191330 | Method of and System for Enhanced Content Discovery Based on Network and Device Access Behavior - A method of and system for enhanced content discovery based on network and device access behavior is disclosed. A method includes providing a remote catalog of global attributes values associated with content items that are based on interactions of a plurality of users with the content items. User interactions with a local device are monitored to determine user preferences and determine local attribute values associated with the content items that are based on interactions of the user with the content items. A subset of content items on the local device is selected based on matching user input with metacontent associate with the content items. The content items of the subset are presented in a ranked order based the user preferences, local attribute values, and the global attribute values. | 08-04-2011 |
20110191331 | Method of and System for Enhanced Local-Device Content Discovery - A method of and system for enhanced local-device content discovery is disclosed. A method includes providing a local collection of content items and associated metacontent on a device. The metacontent describes the informational content of the corresponding content items. A remote catalog of metacontent items and information describing relationships between the metacontent items is provided. Input is received from the user for finding at least one desired content item and a search query is formed including at least one metacontent item of the remote catalog based on matching the input from the user with metacontent items of the catalog and further based on the information describing relationships between the metacontent items. A subset of content items of the local collection associated with metacontent that at least partially matches the search query is selected and presented on a display device based on at least one ranking criterion. | 08-04-2011 |
20110191332 | Method of and System for Updating Locally Cached Content Descriptor Information - A method of and system for updating locally cached content descriptor information is disclosed. A method includes providing a remote catalog of metacontent associated with content items that describes their informational content. The method also includes providing a local collection of content items and associated metacontent. The method further includes, updating the metacontent associated with the content items of the local collection with metacontent of the remote catalog based on matching the content items of the local collection and remote catalog. The method includes receiving query input from the user for finding desired content items and determining a subset of content items of the local collection associated with metacontent that at least partially matches the query input in which at least one of the matching metacontents is from the remote catalog. The method also includes presenting the subset of content items based on at least one ranking criterion. | 08-04-2011 |
20120060119 | Methods and Systems for Segmenting Relative User Preferences into Fine-Grain and Coarse-Grain Collections - A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function. | 03-08-2012 |
20120060120 | Methods and Systems for Segmenting Relative User Preferences into Fine-Grain and Coarse-Grain Collections - A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function. | 03-08-2012 |
20120066611 | Methods and Systems for Segmenting Relative User Preferences into Fine-Grain and Coarse-Grain Collections - A method of segmenting relative user preferences into fine-grain and coarse-grain collections is provided. The method includes providing a set of content items having associated descriptive terms. The method also includes receiving user search input and, in response thereto, presenting a subset of content items. The method includes receiving user selection actions and analyzing the selections to learn the user's preferred descriptive terms. The method includes expressing the learned preferred descriptive terms as a segmented probability distribution function having at least one fine grain segment and at least one coarse grain segment. In response to subsequent search input, the method calls for selecting and ordering a collection of content items by promoting the ranking of content items associated with the learned preferred descriptive terms of the user according to the differentiation provided by the segmented probability distribution function. | 03-15-2012 |
20120084277 | METHOD OF AND SYSTEM FOR CONDUCTING PERSONALIZED FEDERATED SEARCH AND PRESENTATION OF RESULTS THEREFROM - The present disclosure provides user-interface methods and systems for submitting search requests to search engines and presenting search results therefrom customized using content preferences learned about a user, comprising sending query information to at least two search engines, including a query identifying desired content, and user information, including context information describing the environment in which the query information is being sent, and a user signature representing content preferences learned about the user; receiving at least one set of a search result and auxiliary information from the at least one search engine in response to sending the query information, including information describing attributes of the search result that led to the search result being chosen by the at least one search engine; ordering the at least one search result based at least in part on the auxiliary information; and presenting the ordered search results to the user. | 04-05-2012 |
20120095995 | User Interface Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on User Navigation and Selection Actions Associated with the Content - A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items based on user navigation and selection actions associated with the content is provided. The method includes associating a relevance weight on a per user basis with content items to indicate a relative measure of likelihood that the user desires the content item. The method includes receiving a user's navigation and selections actions for identifying desired content items, and in response, adjusting the associated relevance weight of the selected content item and group of content items containing the selected item. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, selecting and presenting a subset of content items and content groups to the user ordered by the adjusted associated relevance weights assigned to the content items and content groups. | 04-19-2012 |
20120176509 | Methods of and Systems for Content Search Based on Environment Sampling - The present disclosure provides user interface methods of and systems for displaying at least one available action overlaid on an image, comprising displaying an image; selecting at least one action and assigning a ranking weight thereto based on at least one of (1) image content, (2) current device location, (3) location at which the image was taken, (4) date of capturing the image; (5) time of capturing the image; and (6) a user preference signature representing prior actions chosen by a user and content preferences learned about the user; and ranking the at least one action based on its assigned ranking weight. | 07-12-2012 |
20120197893 | Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on Dynamically Identifying Microgenres Associated with the Content - A method of selecting and presenting content based on learned user preferences is provided. The method includes providing a content system including a set of content items organized by genre characterizing the content items, and wherein the set of content items contains microgenre metadata further characterizing the content items. The method also includes receiving search input from the user for identifying desired content items and, in response, presenting a subset of content items to the user. The method further includes receiving content item selection actions from the user and analyzing the microgenre metadata within the selected content items to learn the preferred microgenres of the user. The method includes, in response to receiving subsequent user search input, selecting and presenting content items in an order that portrays as relatively more relevant those content items containing microgenre metadata that more closely match the learned microgenre preferences of the user. | 08-02-2012 |
20120215533 | Method of and System for Error Correction in Multiple Input Modality Search Engines - A method of and system for error correction in multiple input modality search engines is presented. A method of processing input information based on an information type of the input information includes receiving input information for performing a search for identifying at least one item desired by a user and determining an information type associated with the input information. The method also includes forming a query input for identifying the at least one item desired by the user based on the input information and on the information type. The method further includes submitting the query input to at least one search engine system. | 08-23-2012 |
20120233184 | User Interface Methods and Systems for Selecting and Presenting Content Based on User Relationships - A user-interface method of selecting and presenting a collection of content items based on user navigation and selection actions associated with the content is provided. The method includes associating a relevance weight on a per user basis with content items to indicate a relative measure of likelihood that the user desires the content item. The method includes receiving a user's navigation and selections actions for identifying desired content items, and in response, adjusting the associated relevance weight of the selected content item and group of content items containing the selected item. The method includes, in response to subsequent user input, selecting and presenting a subset of content items and content groups to the user ordered by the adjusted associated relevance weights assigned to the content items and content groups. | 09-13-2012 |
20120271676 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AN INTELLIGENT PERSONAL TIMELINE ASSISTANT - The present disclosure provides methods and systems for assisting a user in managing a timeline of appointments in which at least one appointment is associated with an event, and the appointment has associated appointment information that describes aspects of the appointment and/or event, including receiving free-form scheduling information from an electronic notification, inferring that at least a portion of the free-form scheduling information relates to an existing appointment and/or associated event, the existing appointment having presently associated appointment information that describes aspects of the appointment and/or associated event, selecting an appointment for modification, and modifying the selected appointment based on (a) the portion of the free-form scheduling information inferred to relate to the existing appointment and/or associated event, and at least one of the appointment information presently associated with the existing appointment, and a user preference signature representing prior actions performed by and/or content preferences learned about the user. | 10-25-2012 |
20120303650 | Method and System for Incremental Search with Reduced Text Entry Where the Relevance of Results is a Dynamically Computed Function of User Input Search String Character Count - A method and system are provided for processing a search request received from a user operating a text input device. The search request is directed at identifying a desired item from a set of items, each of which has one or more associated terms. The method includes receiving a query input from a user that comprises one or more characters input by the user on the text input device. As each character of the query input is received from the user, a group of items having one or more terms matching the received characters is dynamically identified. The items in the group are ordered based on relevance values of the terms matching the characters and on the number of characters of the query input used in identifying the group of items. Identification of the group of items as ordered is transmitted to the user to be displayed. | 11-29-2012 |
20130018880 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DYNAMICALLY PROCESSING AMBIGUOUS, REDUCED TEXT SEARCH QUERIES AND HIGHLIGHTING RESULTS THEREOF - A method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has a name including one or more words. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query comprises a prefix substring of at least one word in the name of the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more words in the names thereof matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. | 01-17-2013 |
20130254188 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROCESSING AMBIGUOUS, MULTI-TERM SEARCH QUERIES - In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, a method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has one or more associated descriptors. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query is a prefix substring of each of at least two words relating to the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more descriptors matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system outputs identification of the one or more items of the identified group to be displayed on the device operated by the user. | 09-26-2013 |