GB2358938A

GB2358938A - Keyword searching of closed caption television programming on multiple channels

Info

Publication number: GB2358938A
Application number: GB0021979A
Authority: GB
Inventors: James H Hayter; David J Ives
Original assignee: TVEYES COM Inc
Current assignee: TVEYES COM Inc
Priority date: 1999-09-08
Filing date: 2000-09-07
Publication date: 2001-08-08
Also published as: CA2317339A1; GB0021979D0

Abstract

A computer system is used to automatically search closed-captioned television for information requested by a user ( ie a keyword). The system may be front ended by an Internet site, where closed-captioned television programming is searched in real time for the requested information. Upon finding the requested information, the user is notified by email, voice mail etc, as to the programme name, broadcast time, broadcast channel. The user may also access a video segment of, or additional textual information from, the identified programme.

Description

2358938 AUT0MhTED REA1,-TIME CONTINUOUS SEARCHING OF CLOSED -CAPTIORED

TELEVISION PROGRING

Cross Reference--r-o Rel&i;ed ARplicar-lon

This claims the oenefit of United Stares 5 Provisional Application go. 601153,119, filed September 8, 1999.

Backcx_au_nd of the invention This invention relates to auromaned seaxching of closed- capt ioned television programming for io:Informat.on requested by a user. More particularly, this invention relates zQ automated searching of closed -caprioned r-elevis:Lo.a programming for requested information substantially as that programming is being Droadcasr, vast amounts of information ranging from world news ro Calun cQcking are available today via television (TV). In rnany geographic areas, c able TV or satellite TV providers offer more than one hund=ed television channels. Programming on most of these channels is broadcast 24 hours per day, seven days per wack. Many channels are dedicaced to a Pingle TV network, while otkip-ts may be shared between two or "=c networks that each broadcast during a different time Plot. Furchermore. many networks provide only specialized programming, such as, for example. classic movies, classic sitcoms, fInancial news, science fiction, comedy, cooking, anj cartoons.

Po.t most viewers, however, finding specific information on television (e. g.. news of a particular corporate merger or of a new drug enterizg the market) is nearly impossible, even with today's most s sophisticated program guides. These guides typically provide program names, broadcast times and channels, and perhaps a general summary of the programs, content. Accordingly, viewers are left wich few alternatives. They can review a prograrn guide and then watch or io record selected programs hoping that olic or more 6f those trograms will include the sought after information. or, they can tune to a particular channel on which-the desired informarlon is likely to be broadcast, and then hope tnat it is. Or, vi!wers can is just channel surf and hope to randomly come across a program just then broadcascing the information of interest. These options are all very time consuming and in no way guarantee than v-iewers will find the information they are looking for. In view of the foregoing, it would be desirable to provide systems and methods that automatically and concinuously search television programming in real time for information requ ested by a user.

It would alto be desirable Lo provide syscerns and methods chaz automarically notify a user in real time upon finding requestea information in a television program substancially as that program is being broadcast.

It would further he desirable to provide systems and methods chat automatIcally continue searching for requested information in other television programm.ing after than information has been found in a television program.

it would still further be desirable cc provide systems and methods chat upon notifying a user 1.1 C- 1.

of requested informarion found in a television program provide additional information related ro the requested information.

Summary of - che invention

It is an object of this invention no provide systems and methods chat automatically and continuously search television programming in real time tor intormation requested by a user.

lc is also an object of zhis invention to io provide systems and methods that automatically notify a user in real cime, upon finding requested information in a television program sub. stantially as that program is being broadcast.

Tr- is a further Dbjecr- of this invention to is provide systems and methods that automatically continue searching for requested information in other television programming afzer thac information has been found in a television program.

it is still a further object of this invenzion to provide systems and methods char up= notifying a user of recrueszed information found in a t elevision program provide additional information related to the requested information.

in accordance with this invenzion, a system 2s is pr6vided charcontinuously searches closed- captioned television p=ogramming in real time for informazion tequesned by a user. The xequested Information is in the form, ot keywords or ph:^-ases. The system norifies the user in real time upon finding a keyword or phrase in the closed- captioned television programming. The system includes a computer and software executable on che computer. The software compares word by word each keyword and phrase to decoded closed- captioned info=ation substantially as the decoded closedcaptioned information is received by the 4 computer. The software notifies the user In real time upon finding a keyword ot phrase in the decoded clos ed- captioned information.

The system preferably also includes a s receiver operative to receive closed- captioned television programming, a closed- captioned decoder, a file server, and memory for storing decoded.

closed- captioned information and user requested information.

Ocher features of the invention preferably include not:it:Lcarion of a successful search by'. for example, email, voice-mail, message displayed on a user,s television screen, or text mespage sent to a cellular telephone or pager- Searches for requested is Information continue until the requested information is found a presec number of times. Moreover, the invention preterably preven:s redundant noti!icarions, and does not count them, when, for example, requested information is found multiple times in close proximity to each other in the same stream of decoded closedcaptioned information. The invention preferably permics users -to spec-Ify a time period when notifications of successful searches can be cent (e.g., a tirne period when the user is available to wanch 2s television), and also provides users with access to additional information related to the found information. Vor example, lche invention preferably provides users with the following.. additional decoded closed- caprioned information proximate the found Iriformtion (e.g., program dialog before and after a User, S found keyword); a video segment aú r-he p=ogram i13 which the requested information was found (preferably a 2-minute segment embodying the found information); and information from one or tnDre th! rd-party sources.

Brief Description of the Drawinas

The above and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken In conjunction with the accoupany.ng drawings. in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. i is a blccic diagram of an exemplary embodiment of a system that automatically and io dontinuously searches closed- captioned relevislon, programning in real rime in accordance with the present inventicn:

PIG. 2 is a sample screen display of an infotmrion entry page on the World Wide Web (hereinafter "Web") in accordance with che presenr invencion; FIG. 3 15 a sample screen display of a confirmation Web page in acccrdance with the present invenr-ion; PIGS, 4A-B are an exemplary embodiment of a search database in accordance with the present invention:

PIG. 5 is an exemplary embodiment of a TV programming category databaee in accordance with the 2s p=esent invention; PIG. 6 is an exemplary embodimenz of i TV p=graming guide database in accordance with the:resehr invention; PIG. 7 Is a sample screen display of a log-in Webpage in accordance wich the present invention:

FIG. a Is an exemplary embodiment of a user profile database In accordance with the presenc inventi)n; FIG. 9 is an exemplary embodiment of an individual User account file in accordance With the Present Invention:

piGs. io-i2 aie sample screen displays of Web pagres for adding, edicing, and deleting. respectively, search in-formation from a user accounc file in accordance with the present Invention; FIG. 13 is a sample email notification sent by the system of PIG. 1; riG. 14 is a sample screen display ot a web page providing additional informacion related to a successful search; FiG. 15 Is an exemplary enibodimenc of a publicly-rraded company database in accordance with the present. Invention; FIG. 16 is a logic flowchart of an exemplary emboditnent of software that can be executed on the is system of PIG. 1 in accordance with the present Invenrion: and FiCS- i7A-B are a more derailed 1o4ic flowchart of an exemplary embodiment of a portion 01 the software of FIG, 16 In. accordance with che present 'itiVentioll.

Denailed DescriRt._ion of the Invention Many television programs today are closed taptioned, and the current trend is to close,d'aption most, it nor all. television programs in the near 2s future. Closed-captioned television programming is ordinary television programming with captions that are typically text of spoken dialog and may be additionally t>r alcernacively, ior example. explanatory text or subtitles (e.g., foreign language text). captions appear on the screen of a television set or display device eqaipped wúrh an appropriate decoder. Closed captioning permits hearing-impaired persons and thote in rioisv environments (e.g., taverns, fitnesj centers, etc.) Co more fully enjoy television.

in noisy environments (e.g., caverns. fitness cenrers, ece.) to more fully enjoy television.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary embodiment of a system, i-n-accordance with the present inventi on that s automatically and conninuously searches closedcaptioned television programming in real rime tor information requested by a user. system 100 receives closed- capt loned television programming from a source 102. Source 102 can be, for example, one or io m. ore of the following: a cable TV provider, a satellite 2- F=Ovi-aer, air-wave broadcasts of closed-captioned television Programming, or any other known source of d' television programming.

close caprio System 1.00 includes a plurality of is r.e - ce:LverS.'104 thaz receive zelevision prog=amming:.trom source 102. Each receiver 104 is tuned to receive pr 1 ogramming on a particular television channel of source 102. Receivers 104 can be any known receiver compaci ble with source 102. For example, if source 102 is a cable TV provider, receiver 104 can be, for example, CATV Converter Model 8155 by Inphone.

Electronics Enterprise Cc.. Ltd., of Taiwan. 11 source 102 is a satellite nr provider, receiver io4 can be, fox: example. Satellite Receiver Model 7M09 E57474, by irhomson Consumer Blectrer,ics, Inc., of Lancatter, Pennsyl. vania, or Dish Direct Silver Edition Satellite R6ceiver Model HIRD-Di, by Rughes lietwo=k Systems, of system 100 also includes a plurality of c16 - sed-caffitioned decoders 106 coupled respectively to receivers 104. Decoders 106 decode closed- cap c. loned information from the closed- captioned television programming received by receivers 104. That 15..

decoders -106 sr-rip out closed- captioned Information from the received television signal and convert that information to rext, ASCII, or ochet form suitable for - a - Industries Technology Gr.,jup, Inc., of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, or a Data Recovery Decoder Model DE 2 4 1DR, by EEG Enterprises, Inc., of Farmingdale, uew Although eight receivers 104 and eight decoders 106 are shown in FIG. 1 for Illustrative purposes, sysuem 100 can include or-her numbers of receivers 104 and decoders 106.

server 108 is preferably a file server =barreddi-.es information trom one or more users 110. A file setver is a cophist::Lcar-ed device (otcen,a computer) chat stores, mairitains, and p=ages files as users requesc, change, and store them. Users 110 are coupled to server 108 preferably via the Internet lu, a. nd sexver 10e is further preferably an ETTP (hypertext transf. et protocol) server that provides a Web site at which users 110 enter and edit Information to be searched tor and az which users 110 can review' successful search results. Alternarively. users ila zo can be coupled to server 108 direcrly from their personal computers (PCs) or workstations, or v:L a an intranet or any other suitable network. Server 108 is preferably a computer r-har. preferably has dual Pentium 800 megaherrz processors and 2 gigabytes of random 2s access memo=y (RAM). Server 106 preferably runs SOL (structured query language,' server software such as. that offered by, for example, Microsoft Corporation, ot R6dmond, Washington.

Memory 114 is coupled to server 108 and jo prefe=ably includes databases of user Information and decoded closed- captioned information. Memory iii Is pzeterably disk space having preferably 100 gigabytes of storage. Alternatively, MeMOry 114 can be any other suitable storage device.

Computer 116 is coupled zo decoders 106 and server 108 and is preferably PC-compatible having TOTPL P. 15 9 - is preferably a Penrium-3 800 megahertz processor, 128 megal)yces of RAM. and a 10 gigabyr-e hard disk. Computei: 116 preferably has an least eight parallel inputloutput channels and a tnulti-porn PCX (parlpheral component inte:connecz) board for receiving at least eight parallel screams of decoded closed- captioned information. The multi-port PCX board can be, for example, a COMM -ra PCI board by Sealevel. Systems, inc. , of Liberry, south Carolina. Additional computers 116 lo can he coupled in parallel to receive additional parallel screams of decoded closed- captioned Intormation from additional celevision channele receive d ftom source 102. Alternarively, computer 116 can be a mid-size or mainframe general purpose computer preferably having mulzi-prc)cessing cajliries and preferably having many more than eight inputlounput channels for receiving dec:)ded closed- captioned information. Computer 116 exec-utes software 117, desertbed 20 in more detail below, that compares each stream of d ecoded closed- captioned iaformation to the information requested by users. This comparison occurs In 'real time as the decoded inforni4tion is received from decoders 106. When requested information is. found in 25 the decoded closed- captioned into=anton, sottwae 117 notifies via server 108 the user 110 that requesued the information. sysrem 100 preferably also includes a compute,= 118, similar to computer 116. Computer 118 30 includes a video capture card thaz receives r- elevision pk6grannhing from receivers 104. The video capzure card: Can be, for example, an Ospzey.0-100 by viewC&st.com, Ine., of Dallas. TeXaS, or a StUdio DC10 Plus by Pinnacle systems, Inc., of Pittsburgh, 35 Pe=sylvania. Compucer 118 execuces software 120 chan captures television prograigning trom the video capture card preferably uging a Microsoft compliant Visual Sapic control included with software such as, for example, RealProducer Plus software by RealSerwor3ts.com (i.e., RealNetworks, Inc.), of Scattle, Washington.

software 120 captures television programming from each receiver 104 in preferably about 2-minuze segments, and stores each 2 -minute segment lt a file that includes the date and the start and end broadcast cimes of the seg"nt. Preferably these files are z.c 5=6red in memory 114. with ú11enames preferably associated with the television 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:.s system 2.Oo to download, o= to display ar- system 100,s Web site. a 2-minuze video segment corresponding to the decoded closed- captioned information In which the requested information was found. Preferably, koftWare 120 creates the 2-minute video segment by 2o copying and assembling, as necessary, co=igug us portions of Gtored video segments such that the requested informacion occurs in the created video segment preferably afner alous the first 15 seconds. These video segments can be displayed using, for 25 example, RealServer software by RealNetworks.com. System 100 operates preferably an follows: intornidtion is received from a user liO preúerably at sy-czein 100's Web site. A prefe=red embodiment of an information entry Web page 200 is shown In Ftd. 2 In 3o accordance with the present invention. A User 110 preferably enters an email return address at input encrv field 202. This is the address to which,notifications of found Information will be sent. Information to be searched for is entered at input 3s entry field 204 in the farm of a keyword or pl%rase. keyword is a single word or alphanumeric charact6r

1 11 entry field 204 in the fo:crit ot a keyword c= phrase. A keyword is a single word or alphanumeric character String. A p'hzaú;e Is any number of keywords (or alphanumeric character st=ings] grouped together. s (Ilereinatter, the cerm lkeyphrase denotes both "keyword" and "phrase.") Alternatively. a user can provide information to system 100 by emall, facsimile, telephone, or other suitable method.

Syssem 100 preferably confirms the 3.0 infor=clon received from user 110 vIa a confirmation Web page. PIG. 3 shows an exemplary embod-imenz of confirmation Web page 300 in accordance with the pre. se. n. t invention. Confirmation Web page 300 displays the entered keyphrase 302 aad emall address j04, and is p=eferably aliowo user iio to modify received iliformazibn preferably via hyperlink 306. which returns user 100 to information eat--y web page 200. A hyperlink i's a connection between an element (e.g., word, phrase., or symbol) in, for example, an email, and a ndther hypercext dacurnenc, file, or script (e.g... a Web site.page) Server 108 stores informacion received from users preferably in a database in memory 114. PIG. 4A shows an embodiment of search database 400 according cc chia t=6sdht 1n.4iention. Dat4base 400 liatS keywords and phrase's in'columns 402 ar4 404, respectively, and lists associated emall addresses in column 406 to which.

notifications are sent when keywords or phrases are found system 100 preferably allows users to limit z.aa.rches to one or more parriculai types or caregrories of ttleV ision programming. FIG. 5 shows an exemplary editn6nt of 'a database 500 maintained by system 100, and. preferably scored in memory 114. Chat lists various program types 502 and categories 504 that users 116 c - in specify when entering zheir keyphrase. Thus, for e,xample, a user 110 can enzer a phrase 'stack market and limit the search foz7 that pi=ase to television programming categorized as news and finance. Similarly, a user 100 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 seaxch database 400, as shown with respecc to selected program categories in io columns 408-414 of. PIG. 4B. Additional coluinns can be added to' dacabase 40D no indicate selected program rypes and other opr:Lpns, some of which are descrlbed.

System i00 preferably maintains and stores in memory 114 a TV programming guide database, an embodiment Of which is shov.a in PIG. 6 in accordance wúth the preseuir invenzion. Database 60o liatai, for exataple, tele-vision networks whose prourammiri 9 is provided, by.soutce 102. Database 600 also lists titles, types, categnties, and broadcast times of programs broadcasc by che 1--sr-ed television necwoiks'. Ptagramni,ing guide data for database 600 can he obtained from, for example, cable or satellire TV providers' or third paities.

Preferably, users can also specify a time period during which closedcaptioned television' prog:al.nmihg should be searched. For example, A user ca. n,spe'city that information regarding a particular sporr.:ing event.be searched for only during the manth.of OCtOber. Systern 100 stores this search-time limitation in database 46:6 and theri only searches to= the requested ihicirmation in dec-zded closed capt loned information received during Ocnober.

st - milarly, upers can preferably specify r-ha%:

sea. rChes for requested information be made in only the prggrammi.hg of a limited number of TV networks or is channels. For example, a user may specify that searches far llinflarionn be made in only the programming of a particular financial news network. Sya,c;em 100 stoten this search limitation in s database 4oo and then only searches programming in accordance with that limitation.

in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, user Information is also preferably stored and maintained in user files that users can access ic preferably via a password. FIG. 7 shows an axemplary embodiment of a Wet page screen in accordance with the present invention at which established users can enter their password to access their files, or an which a new user can establish a password for future access to that us. er,s file.

Syscem 100 preferably maintains a user profile database listing user IDs, emall addresses, and passwords. User IDs are assigned by system 100 upon a user first establishing a password. FIG. 8 shows an embodimenr of user profile database 800 in accordance with the.present invention.

An.embodiment of a user account file 900 in accordance with the present invenrion is &Ilown in PIG. 9. Each keyphrase entry 902 represents a sepa=ate 2s search conducced substantially simultaneously. upon gaining access to their files. users can add. edit, or delete search information. PIGS. 10, 11, and 12. show r,Cr.,pectiV.e embodimeurs of Web page screens 1000, 1100, and i2 60 in accordance with the present invention at which. additions, edits, and deletions of search information can he entered. Upon users modifying their accouns ú11es goo. database 400 is updated accordingly.

Preicrably, system 100 performs a preset number 6f successful searches before requiring a us. er no r6ciuest continuation of the same search. As shown iriPIG. 9. column 904 represents the number of notifications remaining (i.e., che number of successful searches still to be performed). For example, system 100 will automatically continue searching for the keyword llaur-o analyst:" uncil that keyword is found s three times. After the third time, sysLem 100 preferably reacts the nocifications remaining counter upon the user accessing additional information provided by system 100 that pertains to the last successful search. This additional Information is described ic further below- A.1ternatively, it after the third successkui search users wish to continue the same search. they 'can reset the notifications remain in 9 counter by accessing their files via password and then clicking on che corresponding button 906. Rote that is while in this embodiment the preset number of successful searches that system 100 will perform is thre e, other numbers of successful searches can be Presec.

System 100 p:eierably filters successful searches, and does non count them, if they are rediindant. Accordingly, redundant notifications ate prevented. System loo preferably performs three levels of filtering. First. if the same keyphrase is found within close proximiny of a previous find of that 2s keyphrase, che latter find is ignored. Close proximityll can be defined irt terms of time (e.g., within 30 seconds) or in terms of line segments (e.g., within 20 line Segments). A line segment is abouc, four or five words (i.e., spoken or explanatory text words, not words), which about equals a closed- dapt ioned line displayed on a TV screen.' "Second. it the same keyphrase is found in the same srream of decoded closed captioned information more than a preset number of time2 within a preset time period. those occurrences of thac keyphrase exceedIng those limits are ignored. Por example, system no will ignore more than chree occurrences of a keyph=ase tound In the came szream of dectoded closedcaptioned information within 30 mix.utes of each other. ',:The third filter-ng that 5 ystem 100 s preferably performs is a user specified stop/repeatsm ú iltering. it a fomnd keyphrase appears to have..been found in a repeat of the szme program in which that keyphrase was xecently found (e.g., within che last two days), that find would be ignored it the user so!sec'i:flecl.-, Stopl:epeat20 information is st6ted for cah'uze= Ln column 422 of dazabase 400.

tystern 100 preferably allows users who do not, wish no' be notified around the clock of successful sea:rches to specify a time period during which they can is be nocl:tied of successful searches. For example, a xiSer may specify zhat notifications, both real time and those.indlcating or Jummarizing previous suceezziul 54.arches prior to the speciEled time period, be sent between 6:00 PM and 10:00 P14 daily, which is when that zo user.9,in'erally has time to:eview previous search results and is available to watch television should that User be notified of a TV program being broadcast that inc.ludes information requested by che user.

System 100 uses software 117 to find.user requested information. Software 117 compares user requested..inf ormation ti.e., keyphraces) with decoded cl-osed'capzioned information.. Software 117 takes line segments of decoded closed- captioned information, breaks the segment up into its individual words. and Stores those words in an array:In RAM or ocher' tL-Mporari storage. Each word is then separately compared to each word of each keyphtase stored in systetn 100..

Upon finding requested into=zicn in decoded.

3s closed -captioned information. system 100 notifie's the uset preferably by email. FIG. 13 shows an exemplazy embodiment of an email 1300 used to notify a user of a successful search in accerclance wich the present Invention. Alternatively, users can be notified by voice-mail, a message displayed on their TV screen (e.g., in the form of a banner or other type of suitable overlay), a message displayed on their computer sbreen (e.g-, in the form of a c Icker- tape -style displayj, a texL message senr to a cellular telephone or pager, or any other suitable method.

Notifications preferably include the name, b.toadc.a.tc time. network. and channel of the TV program in --hich the requested Information was found, and preferably a brief portion or snippet of is closed- Capr-icned next surrounding the occurrence of the rdczuesr-ed information. An &mail notification also p:teferably includes a hyperlink 1602 to a Web pa4e that p=ovidet addirional closed- captioned information from the program in which the requested information was f ound. This: additional infmn"tion is preferably proximate the requesced informaclon.

rIG. 14 shows an exemplary embodiment of an additional Information Web page 1400 that a user can access aftex notification oF a successful search. The zs user 1 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 intotmation, can be ptovided. For example, users can call a specified telephone number to either listen to a recording of the additional information or order a hardcopy. or, users Can receive additional information by' email or fac S imile System 100 preferably provides users with access to related intormarlon from sources other than zte program in which zhe requested inf cx-mation was found. Por example, system 100 preferably compares information to be searched for with names of companies whose -st.ock in publicly traded. System 100 preferably s maintains a database 1500 of publicly-traded companies, as shown In V1G. 15, to which a user's requested information is compared. It a user's requested information includes the name of a publicly-traded co"any listed in database 1500, then the email io not'ikying the user of a successful search preferably alto Includes a hyperlink to one or more sources an Which rha r- user can obtain, for example, current stock Markdr "or orher financial information about char' company.

is System 100 preferably maintains a ndtif'iciations database chat includes a recordof every email notification sent to users, and of every user's acces.. s of thd additional information provieled by syste M 100. These recordp are usetul for, ar6cng orher things,' marketing purposes.

system 100 preteraDly also maintains. a caLptioning database that includes a copy of all decoded closed-captioned informacion received over a periodof time. This period of zime is dependent upo n the amount of:'torage available for storing che decoded closed- captioned informcipn. Preferably, each stream of'dedode'd closed- captioned information (typically from a particular r-'elevision channel) Is scored separately.' FIG.. 16 representa an exemplary embodiTnenr. of 30 sciftware 11-7 in accordance with the present Invention. Sciftware 117, executable on computer 116, includes the following'f unctions: searcher 1602, optional replicaror 1604, and norifier 1606. Notifier 1606 pteferdbly includes email nctifier 1608, TV 3s notif iet Uio, and m:Lsce'llancouB norif ier. 1612. These funct:Lcn.: can be encoded as follows: a single computer program. f our modules or subroutines of a single computer program, four separate programs appropriarely linked together. or any other program or group of programs execurable on compurer 116. Moreover, if s software 117 is encoded as sepazate programs, each program preferably can te execuzed in parallel on. separate computers lis (or on separate processors of a multi-processor computer 116) appropriately linked cagecher such that system 100 operates properly. Each io computer 116 can be customized (with respect to. e,g.. processor speed, hard disk and P.AM capacities, enc.) to effectively and efficiently execute its respective portion of software 117 in accordance with 2ystem 100 operation and real-time Performance objectives.

Sea=cher 1602 searches an incoming stream of decoded closed- capt loned information in real time for keyphwases entered by users. Each word of the decoded closed- captioned information is c=pared with.each word of each user's keyphrase. A separate duplicate s. earcher 1602 executes in paxallel for each stream of decoded closed- captioned informacion received from a decoder 106.' Each scream typically represents programming from a single relevision channel. Ppon finding a keyphrase, searcher 1602 creates appropriate notification daca.

Replicator 1604 is invoked if the nurbet of users rec tuiring nozificaticn of a successful find of the same information exceeds a prodefined limit. Replicator 1604 launches one or more additional searchers 1602R as needed to continue procesding the found keyphrase (e.g. , checking Individual user:E:Iles and creating cippropriate nctifications) Each searcher 1602R pref etably processes notifications for each user having requesred che same found keyphrase.

searchers 1602R may be functionally the same as searcher 1602 or, alternatively, may inclijdia only the norlfications processing capability of searcher 1602 The found keypi=ase and associated user data are passed to searchers 1602R from iearcher 1602 through replicator 1604. Upon complering its notifications s processing, each searcher 1602R self -terminates. Searchers 1602R allow searcher iM to continue real-time -searching of incoraing streams of decoded closed- capt loned information.

Wotifier 1606 pZtferably notifies users of in successful finds by emall. Email nocifier 1608 scans an email database for records that need to be transmitted to users. Each sent emall has a corresponding record in rhe database. Email nocifier i6o$ retrieves all pending records in the i.s email database and processes each one individually. As each record is processed and emailed, the record is updated accordingly. Optionally, and where appropriate, emall norifier 1608 adds advertising to the email. Preferably, email notifier 1608 can 6xecute On a $Cpa-:rate computer 115.

Additionally or alcernarively to email notificatIons, TV notifier iGio notifies users by o verlaying or displaying a nocification on the userls television rscreen. TV notitier 1610 processes norification data created by searcher 1602 TV program information and appropriate addressing information) and transmits the notification accordingly.

similarly. miseelitancous notitier 1612 nor-ifies users by methods other than emall or tei.evisibn, such as, for ex4mple, by sending a text messa. ge. to a pagex or cellular telephone (capable of receiving such a message). miscellaneous notifier 1612 also p referably includes a ticker-tape program that ute:ls can download to their computer. liotifications - sent to a user's compute.t: appear on the computer,s screen as a ticker- r-ape-i;r-. le message.

PIG. 17 represents a more detailed exempary embodiment of searcher 160:2 in accordance with the s present invention. At 1702, searcher 1602 processes preferably one line segment of decoded closed-captioning. Than 1.1ne is broken up into individual words and stored in a segment array. The segment array is preferably stored in P.AM or other ja temporary sr-orage and includes the words of an least three line segments.

At!704, searcher 1602 retrieves a keyphrase from search database 400 and stores it in RAN or other temporary storage. Keyphrases are retrieved preferably is sequentially per user. it the keyphrase is a keyword, searcher 1902 preferably first checks the keyword to ensure that ic: is not meaningless. Por example, kiywords such as "then and "in', occur too frequently in dlosed captioning to be of any value as a keyword and are thus ignored. (Such words, however, may be of value in a phrase, and thus phrases are nor checkedi.

At 706, searcher 1602 compares a decoded closed- captioned word to a Keyphrase. If the keyph=ase is a keyword, a word-to-word comparison is made- If 2s zlie:Jceyphrase is a phrase, zhen searcher 1602 compares than phrase with about three closed-caprioned line Regments, depending on the length of the phrase.

It zhe closed- captioned information (i.e., word or line segments) does not match zhe keyphrase at 1708. searcher 1602 retrieves another keyph=ase, provided that the prior keyphrase was not the latr- one in database 40 0 (this iS checked at 17101. lf,the pzior.keyphrase was the last one, then the oldest line segment stored in the segmenc array is cleared and a new lih6 segment is processed (broken up Into individual words and scored in the segment array) if che clar>ecl-.,apr-ioncd information matches a keyphrase, searcher 1602 checks at 1712 whether the number of users requesting searches of chat keyphrase exceedsa preSer number. if it does. searcher 1602 nor- ifies.repl:Lcator 1604 to help with notifications processing; blote that sea.--che=s 1602R preferably perform 1714, 1716. 1718, 1720, 1722, 1124, 1726, and 1728.

An 1714, searche--- 1902 determines wriether a ic user is authorized to rece.ve a notification by checking that user's notifications remaining councer. If authorized, an alert flag is set. it not, siarcher 1602 returns to 1710.

An 1716, che fowid keyphrase is filtered for is redundancy. If the keyph=ase 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 keyph=ase if that kelrphrase had been previously found within a presez number of line segments (e.g., 20 llue.segmd!nr-s). The second level of filtering ignores a found keyphrase it that keyphrase had been found in the same stream of decoded closed-captioned information more than a preset number of times (e.g., three) wichin 2s a preset titne period (e.g.. 30 minutes) Searcher 1602 preferably performa at user request a third level of filtering intended no prevent ionifications of requested information found in the same"TV program that may have been broadcast at 3a different times. To perform this filcering, system 100 maintains a database of the last five email notificat;:Lo'nsper user per found keyphrase., Thiz database.includes decoded closedcapcioned line segments proximate the found keyphrase. If a user requepts chis filtering, searclier 1902 cakes a p'resec number of closed-captioned line segment words ú2:0M - 22 before and after the cur::ently found keyphrase (e.g., about.'eight words before and about eight words after.

preferably nor including arrieles such as OaO and #r.hell) '-and compares them:o 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.

it the words from the currenc find match the words from any of the last five by a preset percentage, rhaz cur=erit findlis considered to be from a repeated TV :La =.'ogr"arn"a'nd Is ignored. The preset; percentage can tange, forexample, from 60% to 100%.

is At - 1718. search database 400 is checked to dete=ine whether che user had selected a parcicular category, cype, channel, oz TV network of programming cc search. 'It so, the TV program in which the reqiested information Is found is checked. It that TV progratn does not match what the user selecced. the 4lert flag is curned off and searcher 1602 returns to 1710.

Ar- 1720. searcher 1602 checks the search database 400 to determine whether a particular dime p. eriod for notifications was specified. If a. time perlo d was specified and the current keyphraze find is hot iithin that time period, this find and its 4.,sociatL=d information is stored tor nctificanion co that user during the speci-.--ied time period.

At 1722, search database 400 is checked to,determine what type of not.. fication was requested (e.g. email. TV, voice-mail, etc.) At 1724, searche: 1602 determines che'TV program zitle from the TV programming guide daiabaue in accordance with the channel, date and broadcast time of Cle. closed- captioned programming in which the requested information was toUnd. searcher 1602 then stores this 3s information in the nor-if:Lcat:ions database.

Notifications Ire prepared at 1726. if an emall nocif icarion was raqaested. the email is setup as follows: the subject of:he emall is assigned In accordance with the keypArase. if the keyphrase is a s phrase, spaces are replaced with Web browser compliant %20. if the keyphrase is a keyword, any ampersands contains therein are replaced with k2S. The user,s email address is then assigned. It the ernail address is improperly formatted te.g., incorrectly io entered by the user), searcher 1602 reformars the address to paint to a system 100 administrator account. A' snippet of the closed- cap tioned information (c-g., about six' line segments) i3 included in the email. The following email notification information is sr-cred in is the notificar-lons database: sent date, sent rimoi, sent tlag, recipient user address, television channel on -4hich the information was Eaund, suart and end 15ositions of the captionjzg text from the captioning databaise for that channel, keyphrase, television program name, current captloning line, prior captioning line, and Internet URL addxess to where this nozIfication can be viewed on the Internet.

The email notification information is than comp,iled. 'This includes p=eferably formazzing the emall with HTML (hypertext markup language), storing uhe'header, storing the snippet of closed- captioned i..exr. that surrounds the keyphraze, and sroring any hmail trailers. such as, for example, a note informing the:user that this notification is the user's last Unless'they reset the notifications remaining counter. The compiled email information, which is now a record, is inserted 'In an email table for email notlfier jeos to recrieve and sexid out.

Afte:r the email _js sent, the record of this notification stored in the notifications database is 'Lpdated. This database pretezably always includes the last: f ive emai12 for eac.i keyphrase sens, to the same user.

At 1728, the nor-if icacions remaining counter is decreased by one. Searcher 1602 then returns cc 1710.

optionally, system ioc also performs searches; of closed-captioned television programming for predetermined system keyphrases, and maintains a database of successful searches. Such a system io keyphrase database is useful for matketing purposes (e.g., to show a potential user how many times and in whar television programs a keyphrase ot likely 'interest had been found) searching for and maintaining a database of successful searches of predetermined system is keyphrases can also be useCul for creating or enhancing stored lists of, for example. publicly- traded companies, sports teams. And celebrities. These lists may beof interest to eazzain types oú users ce.q. , a dverrisers looking for a celebrity c=rentlyit the sporlighr) Such lists may also be used to provide additional historical into=arion to users requesting related searches. For example, a user requesting a search of a particular publicly-traded company can be provided with a historical record of television programs that recently discussed a publicly-traded competitor of that company.

software iii pertonns system keyphrase searches substanzially identical to, or similar.to, user requested keyphrase searches. including 'redunclan y Upon finding a system keyphrase, the Informazion preferably stored in the system keyphrase database includes: TV program, name, daze, broadcast time ' neldvision channel, keyphrase, preferably two lines of text from the keyphrase match (e.g., current is line segment and prior llne segment), start posicion in the capcianing database for the current, channel, and end. posizion in the captloning database for the current channe l - In sum, system loo advantageously searches clbsed- captioned television programming automatically and conzinuously In real time for information requested by user5. Syscem loo advantageously notified those users in real time upon finding their requested informanion. in other words, system 100 preferably receives, decodes, and compares closedcaptioned television progra=ing with information received from users, and notifies those users of successlul searches in.r.eal cime such that in niany cases, users may tune to c'ht'televi-qlon program in which the requested lnfoi. mati6n'was found while that program is still being Thus it is seen that systems and methods a=a presented thac automatically and continuously search clostd-captioned television programming in real rime for =e4dested infoxmation. one skilled in the axt will a. pp:teciate that the present invention can be prac.ticed y Other than the described embodiments, which are' pre'senced tor' purposes of illustration and not of.

and the present invention is 11mited only by the claims which fellow.

- 26

Claims

WE CLAIM:

1. A system that continuoUsly searches closed- capc ioned television programming in real time for information requested):y a user, said eyscem comprising: a computer having a processor, random access tnemory, hard disk, and at least one inputloutput port operative zo receive information to be searched for from a user and to rec-2ive decoded closed- captioned television programming; and software executable on said computer to compaxe 'said received into-nmtion to said decoded closed- bap t ioned information tubstancially as said decoded c'losed- captioned information is received by said computer and to nocify said user in real time of finding said received information in said decoded closed-captioned information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said received information comprises a keyword.

3_ The system of claim 2 wherein said software compares each word of said decoded cldsed-capriozed information to said keyword.

4. The system of cl-aim 1 wherein after finding said received information in said decoded elDsed-caprioned Information, said software continues no colmpare eQtd:ece:Lved intormation to decoded clo3ed-capt--iated information z:eceived after said requested information is found.

5. The systetn of claim 4 wherein said software doeo not notify said user of a subsequent tind of said received information when said subsequent find is within close proximity of a previous find of said received information.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said close Proximity is a time period of less than about 30 Minutes.

71 The eystem of claim 5 wherein said close proximity 15 about 20 line segments of said decoded closed- capzioned lnfozmzion.

8. The system:)f claim 1 wherein said received information and said decoded closed- captioned,i,riformation comprises words of text, said softwate domparing each text word of said received information s to each text word of said decoded closed-captioned information.

9.- The system,Di claim 1 wherein said random access memo=y has az least about 50 megabytes of scorage, said hard disk has ac least about 5 Sigabyces O.f storage, and said processor operates at at least 5 about 500 megahercz.

10. A system that continuously searches close 1 d-capcioned television progwamming in real time for information requested by a user, said system comprising:

a receiver operative to receive closed- captioned television programming; a closed- capc ioned decoder coupled to sa'i'd"re'ceiver, said decodet operative to decode closed- captioned information from said closed-capcloned programming, a tile servar operative to receive information to search for tzom a user. said server having a processur; memory coupled to said server.. said is memory operative to store said received information and said decoded closed- capt ioned information; a computer coupled no said decodai:r and to said server, said computer having a processoz,, random access memory, and iard disk: and software executable on said coThputer to compare said received information to said 6ded c.lot.ed-captioned information substantially as said closedcaptioned information is decoded by said decoder and to notify said user in real time of said received information found in said decoded closed -:captioned inf ormation -

11. The systein zf claim 10 wherein said received information comprises a keyword.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein said user is. notified by email of received information--- found in decoded closed- captioned Info=aclon.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein said computer random access memory has a capacity of at least about 64 megabytes, said computer hard disk has a capacity ct at least about 10 glg"ytes, and said s computer processor operates at at least about, 800 megahertz.

14. The system of claitn 10 wherein said se;rver is a hypertexc transfer prozocol server.

1 29 - is. The syscem of claim lo whexein said server processor operaces at at least about 800 megah tz.:,.. 1 r.

16. The system ú claim 10 wherein said memory is a dIsk drive.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein said memory has at least about 80 gigabytes of storage.

IS. The system of claim 10 furthex:

comprising:

a second computer coupled to said receiver and to said computer, said second computer s having a processor, random access memory. a hard disk, an inpuzlouzput port operative to receive television programming, and a video capture card; and software executable on said computer to capture and score segments of received closed- captioned io television programming.

19. A method of searching C 10 Bed- captioned television proqra=ing in rea'l time for jnto=ar-,,iail requested by a uset, said mechod comprising:

(a) receiving information to seatch for; (12) receiving closed- captioned_ television programming; (C) decoding closed-captioned inforalic-4on from said closed-captioned programming:

(d) comparing said received intormation 10 to said decoded clozedcapcioned Intormatioin ti4bstantially as said closed- captioned Information is dedoded: and (e) notifying said user In real time of finding said received information in said decoded is closed- captioned information.

20. The method of claim 1-9 wherein said received information comprises a keyword.

21. The method of clairn 19 wherein. said receiving into=ation comprises receiving info=ation via the internet.

22. The method of claim 19 further comprising storing said decoded information in a database.

23- The method of claim ig furzher comprising storing segments of received clbsed-captioned television prog- ramming; in c'database.

24. The method of claim 19 further comprising selecting closed-captioned programming received during a particular rime period wi:rh which said comparing is to occur.

25. The method of claim 19 wherein said cl.oseid- captioned relevision programming Is categorized, said method. further comprising selecting closed- captioned programming of a particular category s with which said comparing is to occur.

29. The method of Claim 19 wherein Siia cl oted- captioned televisicn progray=ing is provided by a plurality of television networks, said method further comprising selecting clozed-captioned programming of a s particular television network with which said comparing is zo occur.

27. The methcd of claim 19 wherein said notifying comprises notifying said user via c he Internet.

28. The method of claim 19 wherein said notifying comprises notifyng said user by email.

29. The method of claim 19 wherein said notifying comprises notifying said user by facsi mile.

30. The method Of claim 19 wherelii said h6tify.i.z;g includes a program name and channel on which said received informatton was tound.

31. The method of claim 19 f=cher comprising providing a use--- with access to additional Informanion, relazed to said received informati6nfound in Bald decoded closed-capuioned information.

32. The method of claim 19 whe'rejal said notifying comprises providing a hyperlink to enable a dtet to obtain additional decoded closed-captioned information proximate said received information found in said decoded closed-captioned information.

33. The method of claim 19 further.'. 6omptising displaying a video segment corresponding ro decoded closed- captioned information in which said received info=ation was found.

34. The Machod of Claim 33 wherein said video t6gmenn comprises about 2 tainures of video.

35. The method Qt claim 19 further comprising comparing said xecelved information to names of companies whose SCOCX 13 pUblicly-craded.'

36. The method of claim!9 wherein said received info=mation includes a name of a publicly-traded company ang said notifying comprisis providing a hyperlink ro enable a user to obcain tinancial information pertaining to a said publicly-traded company.

37. The mechod of claim 19 wherein said notifying fursher compriset:

specitying a time period when said nocifying can occur; and notifying sAid user during said spdcified time period of real-rime finds of rciid received information in said decoded closed- captioned information and of finds of said received into=azion in said decoded closed- captioned informacion prior to lo said specified rime period.

38. The method of claim 19 further comprising maintaining said received information in a file modifiable by said User.

39. The method of claim 19 further comprising preventing said notifying from occurring after a first occurrence of said notifying Upon finding said received information again in said decoded closed- captioned information in close proximity to a previous find of said received information.

40. The method Qf claim 39 wherein.said close proximity is a time period of less than ajbout 30 ininutes.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein said close proXimity iS a aboUt 20 line segments of said decoded closedcapzioned information.

42. The method of claim ig wherein said comparing comprises comparing each word of said decoded closed- captioned information with each word of paid received information.

43. The method cif claim 19 ttiz:r-her tdtnptising rece4ving an email address to which tonifications are to be sent upon f inding said. received information in maid decoded closed- cap c ioned information.

44. The method of claim 19 wherein said decoding, comparing, and notifying occurs in real-time as said closed -captioned television progra=ing is received.

45. The method of claim 19 further XCPcaZIU9 (c) ar. least once.