Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
TVE-2
AUTOMATED REAL-TIME CONTINUOUS SEARCHING
OF CLOSED-CAPTIOD1ED TELEVISION PROGRAMMING
Cross Reference to Related AD~~iCation
This claims the benefit of United states
Provisional Application No. 60/153,119, filed
September 8, 1999.
Background of the Invention
This invention relates to automated searching
of closed-captioned television programming for
io information requested by a user. More particularly,
this invention relates to automated searching of
closed-captioned television programming for requested
information substantially as that programming is being
broadcast.
Vast amounts of information ranging from
world news to Cajun cooking are available today via
television (TV). In many geographic areas, cable Tv or
satellite TV providers offer more than one hundred
television channels. Programming on most of these
ao channels is broadcast 24 hours per day, seven days per
week. Many channels are dedicated to a single Tv
network, while others may be ehared between two or more
networks that each broadcast during a different time
Slot. Furthermore, many networks provide only
as specialized programming, such as, for example, claseic
movies., classic sitcoms, financial news, science
fiction, comedy, cooking, and cartoons.
CA 02317339 2000-09-07
For most viewers, however, finding specific
information on television (e. g., news of a particular
corporate merger or of a new drug entering the market)
is nearly impossible, even with today's most
s sophisticated program guides. These guidcc typically
provide program names, broadcast times and channels,
and perhaps a general summary of the programs' content.
Accordingly, viewers are left with few alternatives.
They can review a program guide and then watch or
io record selected programs hoping that one or more of
those programs will include the sought after
information. Or, they can tune to a particular channel
oz~ which the desired information is likely to be
broadcast, and then hope that it is. Or, viewers can
is just channel surf arid hope Lo randomly come across a
program just then broadcasting the information of
interest. These options are all very time consuming
and in no way guarantee that viewers will find the
information they are boxing for.
ao zn view of the foregoing, it would be
desirable to provide systems and methods that
automatically and contzz~uously search television
programming in real time for information requested by a
user.
z5 It would also be desirable to provide systems
and methods that automatically notify a user in real
time upon finding requested information in a television
program substantially as that program is being
broadcast.
3o zt would further be desirable to provide
systems and methods that automatically continue
searching for requested information in other television
programming after that information has been found in a
television program.
s5 It would still further be desirable to
provide systems and methods that upon notifying a user
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of requested information found in a television program
provide additional information related to the requested
information.
Summar~r of the Invention
s It is an object of this invention to provide
systems and methods that automatically and continuously
search television programming in real time for
information requested by a user.
It is also an oblect of thi9 invention tn
1o provide systems and methods that autortlatically notify a
user in real time upon finding requested information in
a television program substantially as that program is
being broadcast.
It is a further object of this invention Lo
is provide systems and methods that automatically continue
searching for requested information in other television
programming after that information has been found in a
televiWon program_
It is s ill a further object of this
zo invention to provide systems and methods that upon
notifying a user of requested information found in a
television program provide additional information
related to the requested information.
In accordance with this invention, a sy6tem
i5 is provided that continuously searches closed-captioned
television programming in real time for information
requested by a user. =he requested information is in
the form of keywords or phrases. The system notifies
the user 1n real Lime upon finding a keyword or phrase.
3o in the closed-captioned television programming. the
system includes a computer and software executable on
the computer_ The software compares word by word each
keyword and phrase to decoded closed-captioned
information substantially as the decoded
3s closed-captioned information i$ received by the
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computer, The software notifies the user in real time
upon finding a keyword or phrase in the decoded
closed-captioned information.
The system preferably also includes a
receiver operative Lo receive closed-captioned
television programming, a closed-captioned decoder, a
file server, and memory for storing decoded
closed-captioned information and ueer requested
information.
zo Other features of the invention preferably
include notification of a successful search by, for
example, email, voice-mail, message displayed on a
user's television screen, or text message sent to a
cel~.ular telephone or pager_ Searches for requested
is information continue until the requested information is
found a preset number of times. Moreover, the
invention preferably prevents redundant notifications,
and does not count them, when, for example, requested
information is found multiple times in clvac pro:cimity
2o to each other in the tame stream of decoded
closed-captioned information. The invention preferably
permits users tv specify a time period when
notifications of successful searches can be sent (e. g.,
a time period when the user is availabze to watch
25 television), and also provides users with access to
additional information related to the found
information. For example, the invention preferably
provides users with the folloHring: additional decoded
cloyed-captioned information proximate the found
ao information (e_g., program dialog before and after a
user s found 7teyword) ; a video segment of the program
in which the requested information was found
(preferably a 2-minute segment embodying the found
inforrnatian); and information from one or more
35 third-party sources.
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Brief Description of the Drawinc;s
The above and other objects and advantages of
the invention will be apparent upon consideration of
the following detailed description, taken in
s conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which
like reference characters refer to like parts
throughout, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an exemplary
embodiment of a system that automatically and
to continuously searches cloeed-captioned television
programming in real time in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 2 is a sample screen display of an
information entry page on the world Wide Web
15 (hereinafter ~Web") in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 3 is a sample screen display of a
confirmation Web page in accordance with the present
invention;
20 FIGS _ 4A-8 are an e:.emplarir embodiment of a
search database in accordance with the present
invention;
F2G. 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a Tv
programming category database in accordance with the
as present invention;
FIG_ 6 is an exemplary embodiment of a T'V
programing guide database in accordance with the
present invention;
FzG. ~ is a sample screen display of a log-in
30 Web page 1n accordance with the pre~ezzt inverition;
FIG. a is an exemplary embodiment of a user
profile database in accordance with the present
invention;
FIG. 9 is an exemplary embodiment of an
3s individual user account file in accordance with the
present invention;
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FIGS. 10-12 are sample screen displays of Web
pages for adding, editing, and deleting, respectively,
search information from a user account file in
accordance with the present invention;
s FIG. 13 is a sample email notification sent
by the system of FIG. 1;
FIG. 14 is a sample screen display of a web
page providing additional information related to a
successful search;
1o FIG. 15 is an exemplary embodiment of a
publicly-traded company database in accordance with the
present invention;
FIG. 16 is a logic flowchart of an exemplary
embodiment of software that can be executed vn the
is system of FzG. 1 in accordance with the present
invention; and
FrGS. 17A-B are a more detailed logic
flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a portion of
the software of FIG. 16 in accordance with the present
ao invention.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Mariy television programs today are closed
captioned, and the current trend is to close caption
most, if not all, television programs in the near
as future. closed-captioned television programming is
ordinary television programming with captions that are
typically text of spoken dialog and may be additionally
or alternatively, for example, explanatory text or
subtitles (e. g., foreign language text). Captions
3o appear on the screen o~ a television set or display
device equipped with an appropriate decoder. Closed
captioning permits hearing-impaired persons and those,
in noisy environments (e. g., caverns, fitness centers,
etc.) to more fully enjoy television.
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FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a
system in accordance with the present invention that
s automatically and continuously searches
closed-captionea television programming in real time
for information requested by a user. system soo
receives closed-captioned television programming from a
source lOZ. Source lot can be, for example, one or
io more of the following_ a cable TV provider, a satellite
TV provider, air-wave broadcasts of closed-captioned
television programming, or any other known source of
closed-captioned television programming.
System 100 includes a plurality of
is receivers 104 that receive television programming from
source 1o2. Each receiver 104 is tuned to receive
programming on a particular television channel of
source 102. Receivers 104 can be any kriowri receiver
compatible with source 102. For example, if source l02
2o is a cable Tv provider, receiver 104 can be, for
example, CATV Converter Model 8155 by Tziphone
Electronics Enterprise Co., Ltd., of Taiwari_ Tf
source sot is a satellite TV provider, receiver Zo4 can
be, for eXample, Satellite Receiver Model 7M09 E57474,
zs by Thomson Consumer Electronics, Inc., of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, or Dish Direct Silver Edition Satellite
Receiver Model HIRD-Dl, by Hughes NetworK Systems, of
Germantown, Maryland.
system 100 also includes a plurality of
3o closed-captioned decoders 106 coupled respectively to
receivers 204_ Decoders l06 decode closed-captioned
information from Lhe closed-captioned television
programmsng received by receivcre 104. That is,
deeoders~ 1os strip out closed-captioned information
as from the received television signal and convert chat
information to .text, ASCII, or other form suitable for
data processing and database filing. Decoders 106 can
each be, for example, a TextGrabberT'~~ by sunBelt
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Industries Technology Group, Inc., of Ponte Vedra
Beach, Florida, or a Dsta Recovery Decoder Model DE
241DR, by EEG Enterprises, Inc., of Farmingdale, New
York.
s Although eight receivers 104 and eight
decoders 106 are shown in FIG. 1 for illuSLratlVe
purposes, system 100 can include other numbers of
receivers 104 and decoders 106.
Server 108 is preferably a file sexver that
to receives information from one or more users 110. A
file server is a sophisticated device (oftezz a
computer) that store , maintains, and manages files as
users request, change, and store them. Users 11o are
coupled to server 108 preferably via the Internet 112,
15 and server l08 is further preferably an HTTP (hypertext
transfer protocol) server that provides a Web site aL
wriich users 11.0 enter and edit information to be
searched for and at which users 110 can review
successful search results. Alternatively, users 110
zo can be coupled to server 1o8 directly from thair
personal computers (PCs) or workstations, or via an
intran.et or any other suitable network. Server 108 is
preferably a computer that preferably has dual Pentium
coo megahertz processors and 2 gigabytes of random
25 access memory (FtAM). Server toe preferably runs sQL
(structured query language) server software such as
that offered by, for example, Microsoft Corporation, of
Redmond, Washington.
Memory 114 is coupled to server 108 and
3o preferably includes databases of user information and
decoded closed-captioned information. Memory 114 is
preferably disk space having preferably 10o gigabytes.
of storage. AlLernaLively, memory 114 can be any other
suitable storage device.
35 Computer 116 is coupled to decoders 106 and
server 108 and is preferably PC-compatible having
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preferably a Pentium-3 900 megahertz processor, 128
megabytes of RAM, and a l0 gigabyte hard disk.
Computer 116 preferably has at Least eight parallel
input/output channels and s multi-port PCI tperipheral
s component interconnect) board for receiving at least
eight parallel streams of decoded closed-captioned
information. The multi-port PCI board can be, for
example, a CoMM +8 PCI board by Sealevel Systems, Inc.,
of Liberty, South Carolina. Additional computers 116
io can be coupled in parallel to receive additional
parallel streams of decoded closed-captioned
information from additional television channels
received from source 102. Alternatively, computer 116
can be a mid-siae or mainframe general purpose computer
i5 preferably having multi-processing capabilities and
preferably having many more than eight input/output
channels far receiving decoded closed-captioned
inf ormat ion .
Computer 116 executes software 117, described
ao in more detail below, that compares each stream of
Qecoded closed-captioned information to the information
requested by users. This comparison occurs in real
time as the decoded information is received from
decoders 106. When requested information is found in
is the decoded closed-captioned information, software 117
notifies via server 108 the user 110 that requested the
information.
System 100 preferably also includes a
computer z18, similar to computer 116. Computer 118
3o includes a video capture card that receives television
programming from receivers 104. The video capture
card can be, for example, an Osprey'-100 by
ViewCast.com, Inc., of Dallas, Texas, or a Studio DC10
Plus by Pinnacle Systems, Inc., of Pittsburgh,
35 Pennsylvania. Computer 11.8 executes software 120 that
captures television programming from the video capture
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card preferably using a Microsoft compliant visual
Basic control included with software such as, for
example, RealProducer Plus software by RealNetworks.com
(i.e., RealNetworks, Tnc.), of Seattle, Washington.
Software 120 captures television programming
from each receiver 104 in preferably about 2-minute
segments, and stores each 2-minute segment in a tile
that includes the date and the start and end broadcast
times of the segment. Preferably these files are
io stored in memory 114, with filenames preferably
associated with the televieion channel or network from
which the segment was broadcast. When a user's
requested information is found in decoded
closed-captioned information, the user can request
is system 100 to download, or to display at system ioo~s
Web site, a 2-minute video segment corresponding Lo the
decoded closed-captioned information in which the
requested information was found. Preferably,
software 120 creates the 2-minute video segment by
ao copying and assembling, a~ necessary, contiguous
portions of stored video segments such that the
requested information occurs in the created video
segment preferably after about the first 15 seconds_
These video segments can be displayed using, for
2s example, RealServer software by RealNetworks.com_
System 100 operate. preferably as follows:
information is received from a user 110 preferably at
system 100~s web site. A preferred embodiment of an
information entry Web page 200 is shown in FIG. 2 in
3o accordance with the present invention. A user 110
preferably enters an email return address at input
entry field 202. This is the address to which .
notifications of found information will be sent.
Iz~formation to be searched for is entered at input
35 entry field 204 in the form of a keyword or phrase. A
keyword is a single word or alphanumeric character
4
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string. A phrase is any number o~ keywords (or
alphanumeric charact~r strings) grouped together.
s (Hereinafter, the te~m "keyphrase~~ denotes both
"keyword~~ and "phras~.") Alternatively, a user can
provide information to system 100 by ema~.l, facsimile,
telephone, or other suitable method.
system 100 preferably confirms the
1o information received from user 110 via a confirmation
Web page. FIG. 3 shows an exemplary emboeiment o~
i
confirmation Web page 300 in accordance with the
pxesent iwrention. Confirmation Web page 30o displays
the entered keyphrasi 302 and email address 304, and
15 preferably allows us~r 110 to modify received
information preferab~.y via hyperlink 306, which returns
user 10o Lo information entry Web page 200. A
hyperlink is a connelctian between an element (e. g.,
Word, phrase, or symbol) in, for example, an email, and
2o another hyperte:~cL document, file, or script (e.g., a
Web site page)_
server l08 stores information received from
users preferably in a database in memory 1I4. ~'TG. 4A
shows an embodiment o~ search database 400 according to
2s the present invention. Database 400 lists keywords and
phraAes in columns ~02 and 404, respectively, and lists
i
associated email addresses in column 4os to which
notifications are sgnt when keywords or phrases are
found.
so System 10p preferably allows users to limit
searches to one or Imore particular types yr categories
of television progx~mming_ ~'7CG. 5 shows an exemplary
embodiment of a database 50o maintained by system 100,
and preferably stored in memory 114, that lists various
35 program types 5o2 and categories soy that users iio can
specify when entering their keyphrase_ Thus, for
example, a user 110 can enter a phrase "stock market"
and limit the search foz that phrase to televi~iors
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programming categorized as news and finance.
Similarly, a user loo can limit a search to one or more
program types, such as, for example, daytime soaps,
talk shows, and games.
A user 110~s selection of programming types
and categories is also stored in search database 400,
as shown with respect to sel~cted program Categories in
~o columns 408-414 of FIG. 4B. Additional columns can be
added to database 40o to indicate selected program
t~rpes and other options, some of which are described
below.
System 100 preferably maintains and stores in
1s memory 214 a TV programming guide database, an
embodiment of which is shown in FxG. 6 in accordance
wizri the present invention. Database 600 lists, for
example, television networks whose programming is
provided by source 102. Database 60o also lists
ao titles, types, catCgvries, and broadcast times of
programs broadcast by the listed television networks.
programming guide data far database &00 can be obtained
from, for example, cable yr satellite TV providers or
third parties.
Preferably, users can also specify a time
period during which closed-captioned television
programming should be searched. Fvr example, a user
can specify that information regarding a particular
sporting event be searched for only during the month of
3o October. System Zoo stores this search-time limitation
in database 400 and then only searches for the
requested information in decoded closed-captioned
information received during October.
Similarly, users can preferably specify that
searches for reques>red information be made in only the
programming of a limited number of Tv networks or
channels. For example, a user may specify that
searches for "inflation° be made in only the
programming Of a particular financial news actwork.
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system loo stores Lhis search limitation in
s database 40o anal then only searches programming in
aCCOrdanCe WlLh that limS.Ldt1,0I1.
In a prefezzed embodiment of the present
invention, user izxformation is also preferably stored
and maintained in user files that users can access
s,o preferably via a password_ FzG. 7 shows an exemplary
embodiment of a Web page screen in accordance w~.th the
present invention at which established users can enter
their password to access their files, or at which a zxew
user can establish a password for future access to that
is user s file .
System 1.00 preferably maintains a user
profile database listing user IDs, email addresses, and
passwords. User IDs are assigned by system 100 upon a
user first establishing a paasword. FIG. 8 shows an
ao embodiment of user profile database 800 in accordance
with the present iavcation.
An embodiment of a user account file 90o in
accordance with the present invention is shown in
FZG. 9. Each heyphrasc entry 902 represents a separate
2s search conducted substantially simultaneously. Upon
gaining access to their files, users can add, edit, or
delete search information. FIGS. 10, 7.1, and 12 show
respective embodiments of Web page screens 1000, 1100,
ai7~8 1200 in accordance with the present invention at
3o which additions, edits, and deletions of search
~.7rlformation can be entered. Upon users modifying their
account files 900, database 400 is updated according3.y.
Preferably, system 100 performs a preset
number of successful searches before requiring a user
35 to request continuation of the same search. As shown
iri FIG_ 9, column 9o4 represents the number of
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notifications remaining (i.e., the number of successful
searches still to be performed). For example,
system 100 will automatically continue searching for
the keyword "auto analyst" until that keyword is found
s three times. After the third time, system l00
preferably resets the notifications remaining counter
upon the user accessing additional information provided
by system loo that pertains to the last successful
seareh_ This additional information is described
to furthex below- Alternatively, i~f af>:ez >rhe thixd
successful search users Wish Lo con>rinue >rhe same
search, they can reset the notifications remaining
counter by accessing their files via passcaord and then
clicking on the corresponding button 906. Note that
is while in this embodiment the preset number of
successful searches that system 10o will perform is
three, other numbers of successful searches can be
preset.
System 100 preferably filters successful
2o searches, and does not count them, if they are
redundant. Accordingly, redundant notifications are
prevented. System 100 preferably performs three levels
of filtering. First, if the same keyphrase is found
within close proximity of a previous find of that
2s keyphrasc, the latter find is ignored. "Close
proximity" can be defined in terms of time (e. g.,
within 30 seconde) or in terms of line segmente (e. g.,
within ZO lint segments). A line segment is about tour
or five words (i.e., spoken or explanatory text words,
3o not computer words), which about equals a
closed-captioned lint displayed on a TV screen.
Second, if the same kcyphrasc i.s foursd in the
same stream of decoded closed-captioned information
more than a preset number of times within a preset time
3~ period, those occurrences of that keyphrase exceeding
those limits axe ignored. For example, system 1DO will
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ignore more than three occurrences of a keyphrase found
in the same stream of decoded closed-captioned
information within 30 minutes of each other.
The third filtering that system 200
s preferably performs is a user specified "stvp/repeats"
filtering. zf a found keyphrase appears to have been
found in a repeat of the same program in which that
kevphrase was recently found te_g_, within the last two
days), that fi>«.d would be ignored if the usex so
>_o specified_ '~5top/repeaLS° information is stored for
each user in column 422 of database 400_
system loo preferably allows users who do
not wish to be notified around the clock of successful
searches to specify a time period during which they can
ss be notified of successful searches. For example, a
user may specify that notifications, both real time and
thoBe indicating yr summarizing previous successful
searches prior to the specified time period, be sent
between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM daily, which is when that
2o u2er generally has time to review previous search
results and is available to watch television should
that user be notified of a TV program being broadcast
that includes information requested by the user.
System 100 uses software 117 to find user
2s requested information. Software 117 compares user
requested information (i.e., keyphraees) with decoded
closed-captioned information. Software 117 takes line
segments of decoded closed-captioned information,
breaks the segment up into its individual words, and
3o stores those words in an array in RAM or other
temporary storage. Each word is then separately
compared to each word of each keyphrase stored in
system 100.
Upon finding requested information in decoded
ss closed-captioned information, system loo notifies the
user preferably by email. 7?IG. 13 shows an exemplary
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embodiment of an email 1300 used to notify a user of a
successful search in accordance with the present
invention. Alternatively, users can be notified by
facsimile, voice-mail, a message displayed on their Tv
s screen (e.g., in the form of a banner or other type of
suitable overlay), a message displayed on their
computer screen (e.g., in the form of a
ticker-tape-style display), a text message sent to a
cellular telephone or pager, or any ocher suitable
1o method.
Notifieazions preferably include the name,
broadcast time, network, and channel of the TV program
in which the requested information was found, and
preferably a brief portion or snippet of
zs closed-captioned text surrounding the occurrence of the
requested information. 3~n email notification also
preferably includes a hyperlink 1602 to a Web page that
provides additional closed-captioned information from
the program in which the requested information was
so found. This additional information is preferably
proximate the requested information.
FIG. 14 shows an e::emplary embodiment of an
additional information Web page 1400 that a user can
access after notification of a successful search. The
z5 user's keyphrase 1402 is preferably highlighted in some
manner so that the user can easily see where in the
additional information the keyphrase appears.
Alternatively, other means of providing access to
additional closed-captioned information can be
so provided. For example, users can call a specified
telephone number to either listen to a recording of the
additional information or order a hardcvpy. Or, users
can receive additional information by email or
facsimile.
3s SYStem 100 preferably provides users with
access to related information from sources other than.
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P
the program in which the requested information was
found. For example, ey~tem 100 preferably compares
information to be searchcd for with names of companies
whose Mock i~ publicly traded. System 100 preferably
s maintains a database 1500 of publicly-traded companies,
ae shown in FIG, 15, to which a user's requested
information is compared. Zf a user's requested
information includes the name of a publicly-traded
company listed in database 1500, then the emazl
zo notifying the user of a successful search preferably
also includes a hyperlink to one or more sources at
which that user can obtain, fox eXa>nple, current stock
market or other financial information about that
company.
i5 System 10o preferably maintains a
notifications database that includes a record of every
email notification sent to users, and of ev~ry user s
access of the additional information provided by
system 100_ Tnese records are useful for, among other
2o things, marketing purposes.
system 10o preferably also maintains a
captioning database that includes a copy of all decoded
closed-captioned information received over a period of
time. This period of time is dependent upon the amount
as of storage available for storing the decoded
closed-captioned information. Preferably, each stream
of decoded closed-captioned information (typically from
a particular television channel) is stored separately.
F2G. 16 represents an exemplary embodiment of
3o software 117 in accordance with the present invention.
Software 117, executable on computer 116, includes the
following functions: eesrchcr 2602, optional
replicator 1604, and notifier 1606 . Notifier 1606
preferably includes email notifier 2608, TV
3s notifier 1610, and miscellaneous notifier 1612. ?hese
functions can'be encoded ss follows: a single computer
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program, four modules or subroutines of a single
computer program, tour separate programs appropriately
linked together, or any other program or group of
programs executable on computer 116. Moreover, if
software 117 is encoded as separate programs, each
program preferably can be executed in parallel on
separate computers 116 (or on separate processors of a
multi-processor computer 116) appropriately linked
together such that system loo operates properly. Each
Zo computer 116 can be customised (with respect to, e_g_,
processor speed, hard disk and R.AM capacities, e>;e.) to
effectively and efficiently execute its respective
portion of software 117 in accordance with system 100
operation and zeal-time performance objectives.
Searcher 1602 SearCi',7.es an incoming stream of
decoded closed-captioned information in real time for
keyphrases entered by users_ Each word of the decoded
closed-captioned information is compared with each word
of each user's keyphrase. A separa~ee duplicate
2o searchex 1602 executes in parallel for each str~am of
decoded closed-captioned information received from a
decoder 1o6. Each stream typically represents
programming from a single television channel. Upon
f~.nding a keyphrase, searcher 1602 creates appropriate
zs notification data.
Replicator 1604 is invoked if the number of
users requiring notification of a successful find of
the same information exceeds a predefined limit.
Replicator 1604 launches one or mare additional
3o searchers 16028 as needed to continue processing the
found keyphrase (e. g., checking individual user files
atzc3 creating appropriate notifications) . Each
searcher 16028 preferably processes noti~ications for
each user having requested the same found keyphrase.
35 Searchers 16028 may be functionally the same as
searcher 1602 or, alternatively, may include only the
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notifications processing capability of searcher 2602.
The found keyphrase and associated user data are passed
to searchers 16028 from searcher 1602 through
replieator 1604. Upon completing its notifications
s processing, each searcher 16o2R self-terminates.
Searchers 16028 allow searcher 1602 to continue
real-time searching of incoming streams of decoded
closed-captioned information.
Notifier 1606 preferably notifies users of
zo successful finds by email. Email notifier lsoe scax~.s
an email database for records that need to be
transmitted to users. Each sent email has a
corresponding record in the database. Email
notifier 2608 retrieves all pending records iri the
is email database and processes each one iz~dividually_ As
each record is processed ar7~d emailed, the record is
updated accordingly. Optionally, and Where
appropriate, email notifier 1608 adds advertising to
the email_ Preferably, email noLifier 1608 can execute
zo on a separate computer 116_
,fi~,dditionally or alternatively to email
notifications, TV noLifier 1610 notifies users by
overlaying or displayixsg a notification on the user s
television screen. TV notifier 1610 processes
25 xl~tificatioa data created by searcher 1602 (e.g., TV
program information and appropriate addressing
information) and transmits the notification
accordingly.
Similarly, tniscellaneoua notifier 1612
so notifies users by methods other than email or
television, such as, for example, by sending a text
message to a pager or cellular telephone (capable of
receiving such a message). Miscellaneous notifier 1612
also preferably includes a ticker-tape program that
35 user$ can download to their computer. Notifications
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sent to a user's computer appear on the compute=rs
screen as a Lieker-cape-style message,
FzG. 17 represents a more detailed exemplary
embodiment of searcher 1602 in accordance with the
s pxesent invention. At 1702, searcher 1602 processes
preferably one 3.ine segment of decoded
closed-captioning. That line is broken up into
individual words and stored in a segment array, The
segment array is preferably stored in RAM or other
io temporary storage and includes the words of at least
three line segments.
At 1704, searcher 1602 retrieves a keyphxase
from search database 400 and stores it in RAM or other
temporary storage. Keyphrases are retrieved preferably
is sequentially per user, If the keyphrase is a keyword,
searcher 1602 preferably first checks the keyword to
ensure that it is not meaningless. For example,
keywords such as "the" and "it" occur >=oo frequently in
closed captioning to be of any value as a keyword and
2o are thus ignored. (Such words, however, may be of
value in a phrase, and thus phrases are not checked).
At mob, searcher l6oz compares a decoded
closed-captioned word to a keyphrase. If the keyphrase
is a keyword, a word-co-word comparison is made. If
25 the keyphrase is a phrase, then searcher 1602 compares
that phrase with about three closed-captioned line
segments, depending on the length of the phrase.
If the closed-captioned information (~..a,,
word or line Segments) does not match the keyphrase at
so 27oa, searcher zsoz retrieves another keyphrase,
provided that the prior keyphrase was not the last one
in database 400 (this is checked at 2710). If the
prior keyphrase was the last one, then the oldest line
segment stored in Lhe segment array is cleared and a
3s new line segment is processed (broken, up into
individual words and stored in the segment array).
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zf the closed-captioned information matches a
keyphrase, searcher 1602 checks at 1712 whether the
number of users requesting searches of that keyphrase
exceeds a preset number. If it does, searcher 1602
notifies replieator 1604 to help with notifications
processing. Note that searchers 16028 preferably
perform 1714, 1716, 1718, 1720, 1722, 1724, 1726,
and 1728.
At 1714, searcher 1602 determines whether a
io user is authorized to receive a notification by
checking that userls notifications remaining counter-
If authorized, an alert flag is set. If not,
searcher 1602 returns to 1710.
At 172,6, the found keyphrase is filtered for
Zs redundancy. =f the keyphrase is found to be redundant,
the alert flag is turned off and searcher 1602 returns
to 1710. Searcher 1602 preferably performs two levels
of redundancy filtering. The first level ignores a
found kcyphrase if that keyphrase had been previously
2o found within a preset number of line segments (e.g,, 20
line segments). The second level of filtering ignores
s found keyphrase if that keyphrase had been found in
the same stream of decoded closed-captioned information
more than a preset number of times (e. g., three) within
25 a preset time period (e. g_, 3o minutes).
Searcher l6oz preferably performs at user
request a third level of filtering intended to prevent
notifications of requested information found in the
same TV program that may have baen broadcast at
so different Limes. To perform this filtering, system 100
maintains a da>rabase of the last five email
notifications per user per found keyphrase. This
database includes decoded closed-captioned line
segments proximate the found keyphrase. If a user
ss requests this filtering, searcher 1602 takes a preset
number of closed-captioned line segment words from
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before and after the currently found keyphrase (e. g.,
about eight words before and about eight words after,
preferably not including articles such as ~a" and
T'the"), and compares them to about the same number of
s line segment words before and after each of the last
five occurrences of that keyphrase found for that user.
Zf the words from the current find match the words from
any of the last five by s preset percentage, that
current find is considered to be from a repeated TV
io program and is ignored. The preset percentage can
range, for example, from 60~ to 100%.
At 2718, search database 400 is checked to
determine whether the user had selected a particular
category, type, channel, or 'TV network of programming
is to search. If so, the TV program in wYlieh the
requested information is found is checked_ If that Tv
program does not match what the user selected, the
alert flag is turned off and searcher l6oZ returns
tv 1710.
za AL 1720, searcher 1602 checks the search
database ~k00 Lo de>=ermine whether a particular time
period for notifications was specified. If a time
per7~od was specified and the current keyphrase find is
not within that >_ime period, this find and its
2s associated information is stored for notification to
that user during the specified time period.
~,t 1722, search database 400 is checked to
determine what type of notification was requested
(e_g., email, TV, voice-mail, etc.).
3o At 1724, searcher 1602 determines the TV
program title from the TV programming guide database in
accordance with the channel, date and broadca:~t time of
the closed-captioned programming in which the rec~ucsted
information was found. Searcher 1602 then stores this
35 information in the notifications datsbasc.
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Notifications are prepared at 1726. If an
email notification was requested, the email is setup as
follows: the subject of the email is assigned in
accordance with the keyphrase. If the keyphrase is a
s phrase, spaces are replaced with rn7eb browser
compliant ~~0. If the keyphrase is a keyword, any
ampersands contains therein are replaced with X26_ Trie
user's email address ie thcn assigned. If the email
address is improperly formatted (e. g., incorrectly
io entered by the user), searcher 1602 reformats the
address to point to s Jystem 100 administrator account.
A snippet of the closed-captioned information (e. g.,
about six line segments) is included in the email. The
following email rxotification informa>riori is stored in
O.s the notifications database. sezzL date, sent time, sent
flag, recipient user address, television channel on
which the information was four>.d, start and end
positions of the captioning text from the captioning
database for that channel, keyphrase, television
so program name, current captioning line, prior captioning
line, and Internet URL address to wher~ this
notification can be viewed on the Internet.
The email notification information is then
compile~i._ Th~.s includes preferably formatting the
2s email with H2ML (hypertext markup language), storing
the headex, storing the snippet of olosed-captioned
text that surrounds the keyphrase, and storing any
email trailers, such as, for example, a note informing
the use7c that this notification is the user's last
3o unless they reset the notifications remaining counter.
The compiled email information, which is now a.recvrd,
~.s inserted in ,axe, email tabl~ for email notifier 1608
to retrieve and send out.
After the email is sent, the record of this
3s notification stored in the notifications database is
updated. This database preferably always includes the
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last five emails for each keyphraee sent to the same
user.
At 1728, the nOLl.fiCations remaining counter
is decreased by one_ Searcher 1602 then returns
s to 1710.
Optionally, system 100 also performs searches
of closed-captiox~,ed television programming for
predetermined system keyphrases, arid maintains a
database of successful searches. Such a system
io keyphrase database is useful, for marketing purposes
(e_g_, Lo show a potential user how many times and in
what television programs a keyphraee of likely interest
had been found). Searching for and maintaining a
database of successful searches of predetermined system
15 keyphraseg can also be useful for creating or enhancing
stored lists of, for eaarnple, publicly-traded
companies, sports teams, and celebrities. These lists
may be of interest to certain types of users (e.g "
advertisers looking for a celebrity current7,y in Zhe
~o spotlight). Such lists may also be used to provide
additional historical information to usexs requesting
related searches. For example, a user requesting a
search of a particular publicly-traded company can be
provided with s historical record of Zel.evision
2s programs that recently discussed a publicly-traded
competitor of that company.
Software 117 performs system 3ceyphrase
searches substantially identical to, or similar to,
user requested keyphrase searches, including redundancy
so filtering. Upon finding a system keyphrase, the
information preferably stored in the system keyphrase
database includes: TV program name, date, broadcast
time, television channel, keyphrase, preferably two
lines of text from the keyphrase match (e. g., current
35 line segment and prior l~.ne segment), start position in
the captioning database for the current channel, and
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end position in the captioning database for the current
channel.
In sum, system 100 advantageously searches
closed-captioned television programming automatically
and continuously in real time for information requested
by users. System loo aBvantageously notifies those
users in real time upon finding their requested
information. In other words, system loo preferably
receives, 8ecodes, and compares closed-captioned
Zo television programming with information received fzvm
users, and notifies those users of successful searches
in real time such that in many cases, users may tune to
the >relevision program in which the requested
information was found while that program is still being
is broadcast.
Thus it is seen that systems and metho$s axe
presented that automatically and continuously search
closed-captioned television programming in real trims
for requested information. One skilled in the art will
ao appreciate that the present invention can be practices
by other than the described embodiments, which are
presented for purposes of illustration and noL of
limitation, and the present invention is limited only
by the claims which follow.
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