Claims
- 1. A method comprising the steps of:
inputting a search criteria; and searching at least one database of content information based upon the search criteria wherein the content information corresponds to information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types.
- 2. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the database further includes like associations to the content information based upon like criteria.
- 3. The method, as recited in claim 2, wherein the like associations are preprocessed.
- 4. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the content information further includes user interaction information.
- 5. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the database includes at least one local database.
- 6. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the database includes at least one remote database.
- 7. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the database further includes like associations for same content source types.
- 8. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the database includes like associations for all content source types.
- 9. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the search criteria is independent of content source and type.
- 10. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the searching further includes filtering search results based upon the content source availability.
- 11. The method, as recited in claim 1, wherein the searching further includes filtering search results based upon the content information availability.
- 12. A system using media information comprising:
at least one processor; memory operably coupled to said processor; and a user interface configured to input a search criteria and search at least one database of content information based upon the search criteria wherein the content information corresponds to information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types.
- 13. The system, as defined in claim 12, wherein said user interface further includes a display configured to display a cursor and a cursor control device configured to control said cursor displayed on said display for inputting the search criteria.
- 14. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the database further includes like associations to the content information based upon like criteria.
- 15. The system, as recited in claim 14, wherein the like associations are preprocessed.
- 16. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the content information further includes user interaction information.
- 17. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the database includes at least one local database.
- 18. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the database includes at least one remote database.
- 19. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the database further includes like associations for same content source types.
- 20. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the database includes like associations for all content source types.
- 21. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the search criteria is independent of content source and type.
- 22. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the searching further includes filtering search results based upon the content source availability.
- 23. The system, as recited in claim 12, wherein the searching further includes filtering search results based upon the content information availability.
- 24. A computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions, the program of instructions implementing a method comprising the steps of:
inputting a search criteria; and searching at least one database of content information based upon the search criteria wherein the content information corresponds to information from a plurality of content sources of one or more types.
- 25. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the database further includes like associations to the content information based upon like criteria.
- 26. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 25, wherein the like associations are preprocessed.
- 27. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the content information further includes user interaction information.
- 28. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the database includes at least one local database.
- 29. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the database includes at least one remote database.
- 30. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the database further includes like associations for same content source types.
- 31. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the database includes like a associations for all content source types.
- 32. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the search criteria is independent of content source and type.
- 33. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the searching further includes filtering search results based upon the content source availability.
- 34. The computer readable medium, as recited in claim 24, wherein the searching further includes filtering search results based upon the content information availability.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/299,826, filed on Apr. 26, 1999 entitled “A Method of Maintaining Search Results Pages” assigned to Spotware Technologies, Inc., Reference No. GW98-0881, is incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] U.S. patent application Ser. No. CC/CCC,CCC, filed of MM/DD/YY entitled “Presenting Content Selection Options ” assigned to Spotware Technologies, Inc., Reference No. GW98-0880, is incorporated herein by reference.
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/298,005, filed on Apr. 22, 1999 entitled “Universal Content Database Structured Around Relationship Being Like” assigned to Spotware Technologies, Inc., Reference No. GW98-0882, is incorporated herein by reference.
[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/298,006, filed on Apr. 22, 1999 entitled “A Method of Creating Default Lists of Content Probable Interest” assigned to Spotware Technologies, Inc., Reference No. GW98-0884, is incorporated herein by reference.