Third party content provider integrations

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9317571-B2
Application number	US-201213594693-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 24, 2012
Priority date	Aug 26, 2011
Publication date	Apr 19, 2016
Grant date	Apr 19, 2016

Abstract

A system, computer-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and a computer-implemented method for presenting media content information to a user is disclosed. A media search query is received from a user at a client device. A media content query is sent to a media information database. The media content query is at least partially based on the media search query. Media content information is received from the media information database. The information is associated with a plurality of content instances selected from a plurality of content types. The content instances satisfy the media search query and are selected only from content sources accessible to the client device. The media content information is presented to the user of the client device.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method for presenting media content information, comprising:
at a client device having at least one processor and memory storing at least one program for execution by the at least one processor to perform:
displaying a search query interface;
receiving on the search query interface user inputs of keywords associated with one or more media content items in which the user is interested;
generating a media search query based on the keywords associated with the one or more media content items, wherein the media content items include TV programs and/or movies available for viewing from a plurality of content sources, including subscription content sources that require for access user subscription and permission data of subscribers;
determining locally at the client devices content sources that are accessible to the user of the client device;
generating a media content query, the media content query including one or more keywords from the media search query and subscription and permission data for the content sources accessible to the user of the client device;
sending to a media information database the generated media content query for identifying in the media information database a plurality of content instances accessible to the user of the client device based at least on the subscription and permission data for the content sources, wherein the media information database includes content information for content instances that are provided by the plurality of content sources, including content sources accessible and inaccessible to the user;
in response to sending the media content query:
receiving, from the media information database media content information for the plurality of content instances selected from a plurality of content types that satisfy the one or more keywords from the media search query;
presenting on the search query interface a list of media content information items associated with the plurality of media instances provided by content sources accessible to the user of the client device; and
enabling the user to select at least one of the plurality of content instances for display on the client device by an application associated with the content source of the selected media content instance.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising determining the content sources that are accessible to the client device, by determining subscription and permission data for content sources accessible to the client device.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein determining the content sources that are accessible to the client device includes identifying one or more local content sources accessible to the client device.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
receiving, from the user, a selection of a respective one of the media content instance; and
displaying the selected media content instance on the display device.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising, in response to receiving the selection of the respective one of the media content instances, executing an application associated with the content source of the selected media content instance to display the selected media content instance.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content information is presented on a display device associated with the client device.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the media content information is displayed in a single context region of a user interface displayed on the display device.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media information database is remote from the client.

9. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
searching a local media information database, the search at least partially based on the media search query;
identifying local media content information for at least one content instances stored on the local media information database; and
wherein presenting the media content information to the user includes presenting the local media content information.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the local media information database is selected from the group consisting of: a digital video recorder, a media server, a hard drive, a desktop computer, and a laptop computer.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content query includes respective identifiers of one or more content sources accessible to the client device.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
detecting a change of content sources accessible to the client device; and
in response to detecting the change, including in the media content query respective identifiers of one or more content sources accessible to the client device.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content query includes one or more content filters, and the received media content information satisfies the one or more content filters.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client device stores one or more content filters associated with the user, the method further comprising:
detecting a change in the stored content filters; and
in response to detecting the change, including in the media content query the one or more stored content filters.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the media content query includes a user identifier of a user associated with the media content query.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the one or more content filters are selected from the group consisting of: genre, video quality level, channel, content type, content source, cost, and rating.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the content sources are selected from the group consisting of:
a digital video recorder;
a satellite radio channel;
an over-the-air radio channel;
an over-the-air television channel;
a satellite television channel;
a cable television channel;
a cable music channel;
an Internet Protocol television channel; and
a streaming media service
wherein each of the content source is associated with a respective application on the client device for playing its associated media content items.

18. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing at least one program configured for execution by at least one processor of a computer system, the at least one program comprising instructions to:
display a search query interface;
receive on the search query interface user inputs of keywords associated with one or more media content items in which the user is interested;
generate a media search query based on the keywords associated with the one or more media content items, wherein the media content items include TV programs and/or movies available for viewing from a plurality of content sources, including subscription content sources that require for access user subscription and permission data of subscribers;
determine locally at the client devices content sources that are accessible to the user of the client device;
generate a media content query, the media content query including one or more keywords from the media search query and subscription and permission data for the content sources accessible to the user of the client device;
send to a media information database the generated media content query for identifying in the media information database a plurality of content instances accessible to the user of the client device based at least on the subscription and permission data for the content sources, wherein the media information database includes content information for content instances that are provided by the plurality of content sources, including content sources accessible and inaccessible to t

Assignees

• Dykeman Sean
• Mcgrath Katherine Grace
• Bragg Richard William
• Funk Gregory Allan
• Dolan Peter J
• Bayer Jason
• Sandland Leslie
• Google Inc

Inventors

• Dykeman Sean
• Mcgrath Katherine Grace
• Bragg Richard William
• Funk Gregory Allan
• Dolan Peter J
• Bayer Jason
• Sandland Leslie

Classifications

• G06F16/43

  Querying · CPC title

• G06F16/252 Primary

  between a Database Management System and a front-end application · CPC title

• G06F17/3056 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G06F17/30023

  Physics · mapped topic