The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 21, 1999
Filed:
Mar. 25, 1997
Loretta C Legall, Los Altos, CA (US);
Hans Masli, San Jose, CA (US);
Charles J Kulas, San Francisco, CA (US);
Sony Corporation, Tokyo, JP;
Sony Electronics, Inc., Park Ridge, NJ (US);
Abstract
A power search tool that enables a user to search an electronic program guide and other information resources with one search. A search tool window is displayed that enables a user to select filter elements used to search. Alternately, in one embodiment, the filter elements are automatically selected from predetermined program elements, such as title or subject, of a selected program in the electronic program guide. The search tool performs a search of the electronic program guide and information resource and modifies the display of the electronic program guide to identify those programs that are filtered from the search. Similarly, a window displays information indicating those portions of the information resource that have been filtered during the search. Preferably the information resource is the world wide web and the URLs of the web sites that include information relative to the filter elements are displayed. The user can then view the electronic program guide and select broadcasts of programs to display as well as proceed to the web sites indicated simply by selection of the corresponding elements on the display.