Broadcast program information search system and method

Abstract

A content program information search system and method is described. The system comprises a digital signal receiver for detecting and displaying a content signal and/or detailed content information for one or more search terms from a digital signal transmitted from a transmitter; and a server having a database for storing search terms inputted from external devices, the inputted search terms being stored by order of priority based for example on search frequency, such that the server extracts and transmits to the transmitter search terms from the first database, and the digital signal receiver displays according to the order of priority at least one search term transmitted from the transmitter. The viewer thus has search terms of high search frequency to enable the viewer to rapidly and easily search for information on a desired content program.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A content program information search system comprising: 
 a server logically connected to a first database configured to store a plurality of search terms inputted from external devices; and    a digital signal receiver configured to detect and to display for a selected search term of the plurality of search terms at least one of a content signal and detailed content information from a digital signal transmitted from a transmitter,    wherein said server is configured to extract from the first database based on an order of priority based on search frequency and to transmit to the transmitter at least one transmission search term of the plurality of search terms, and said digital signal receiver is configured to display in the order of priority the at least one transmission search term transmitted from the transmitter.    
     
     
         2 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an internet service provider configured to provide a path to transmit the selected search term of the plurality of search terms from an external device of the external devices to the first database, the external device being at least one digital signal receiver connected to said internet service provider.  
     
     
         3 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein said digital signal receiver includes: 
 a detector configured to detect the at least one transmission search term of the plurality of search terms from the digital signal;    a list generator configured to generate a search term list by arrangement of the detected transmission search term based on the order of priority;    a controller configured to control display of the generated search term list if a user request for a search is inputted, and, if the selected search term is selected from the displayed search term list, to control the display of the detailed content information for the selected search term;    a graphic engine configured to provide in a displayable form the search term list and the detailed content information for the selected search term according to control of said controller;    a display unit configured to display at least one of the search term list and the detailed content information provided by said graphic engine; and    a communication interface configured to transmit the selected search term to the first database.    
     
     
         4 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said server further comprises a second database configured to store content program guide information including the detailed content information, the server configured to transmit to the transmitter the broadcast program guide information and the at least one transmission search term of the plurality of search terms according to the order of priority.  
     
     
         5 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 4 , wherein said detector is configured to detect the content program guide information from the digital signal, and said digital signal receiver further includes: 
 a proper noun extractor configured to extract at least one proper noun from the detected content program guide information; and    a proper noun storage configured to store the extracted proper noun, and, if the user request for the search in at least one of a noun search mode based on a proper noun, a text search mode based on text input, and a category search mode based on a category is received, the controller controls searching for a desired content program from the content program guide information according to the search mode requested.    
     
     
         6 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein said digital signal receiver further includes: 
 an information storage configured to store the detected content program guide information; and    a search term storage configured to store the at least one transmission search term according to the order of priority.    
     
     
         7 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising an internet service provider providing a path for transmitting the selected search terms of the plurality of search terms transmitted from the external devices to the first database, wherein at least one external device of the external devices is a terminal configured to input and to output data and is configured to be connected to said internet service provider.  
     
     
         8 . A content program information search system, comprising: 
 a server logically connected with a database configured to store a plurality of search terms transmitted from a digital signal receiver, said server configured to extract at least one transmission search term of the plurality of search terms according to an order of priority based on search frequency from the database and to transmit the at least one transmission search term;    the at least one digital signal receiver configured to detect and to display from a digital signal transmitted from the transmitter detailed content information for a selected search term of the plurality of search terms, and to transmit the at least one selected search term to an internet service provider; and    the internet service provider configured to transmit to the database the selected search term transmitted from the at least one digital signal receiver, and to provide a path for transmitting to the at least one digital signal receiver the at least one transmission search term,    wherein the at least one digital signal receiver is configured to display in a set arrangement pattern the at least one transmission search term in the order of priority transmitted from the server.    
     
     
         9 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the digital signal receiver includes: 
 a communication interface configured to receive the at least one transmission transmitted from the server, and to transmit the selected search term to the database;    a list generator configured to generate a search term list by arranging the at least one transmission search term received by said communication interface in the arrangement pattern based on the order of priority;    a controller configured to control the generated search term list to be displayed, if a user request for a search for content programs is received, and, if the selected search term is selected from the displayed search term list, to control display of the detailed content information for the selected search term;    a graphic engine configured to provide the search term list and the detailed content information for the selected search term in a displayable form according to control of the controller; and    a display unit configured to display at least one of the search term list and the detailed content information provided by the graphic engine.    
     
     
         10 . The content program information search system as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the digital signal receiver is an internet-accessible web television receiver.  
     
     
         11 . An information search method for a system including a digital signal receiver connected through an internet network to a server for providing content program guide information, said method comprising: 
 detecting for a selected search term detailed content information from a digital signal transmitted from a transmitter to the digital signal receiver, and transmitting the selected search term to the server through the internet network;    storing the selected search term in a database logically connected to the server; and    extracting at least one transmission search term according to an order of priority based on search frequency from the database and transmitting to the transmitter the at least one transmission search term and the content program guide information, the selected search term being a search term one of inputted and selected through a search mode view set in the digital signal receiver to search for the content program guide information.    
     
     
         12 . The information search method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the detecting the detailed content information for the selected search term includes: 
 detecting the at least one transmission search term from the digital signal;    generating a search term list by arranging the detected transmission search term in an arrangement pattern based on the order of priority;    displaying, if a search for a content program is requested, the generated search term list based on the search frequency and providing a search mode;    displaying, if the selected search term is selected from the displayed search term list, the detailed content information for the selected search term; and    transmitting the selected search term to the server via the internet network.    
     
     
         13 . The information search method as claimed in  claim 11 , further comprising at least one terminal communicatably connected to the internet network and capable of inputting and outputting data, the selected search term searched from the terminal being transmitted to and stored in the server.  
     
     
         14 . The information search method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the search mode is at least one of a search mode based on search frequency, a search mode based on a proper noun extracted from the content program guide information, a search mode based on an input text, and a search mode based on a program content category.  
     
     
         15 . A content program information search system comprising: 
 a first database configured to store a plurality of search terms, a search term of the plurality of search terms being forwarded to said first database after a search is performed based on the forwarded search term; and    a server configured to extract based on an order of priority a transmission search term of the plurality of search terms from said first database, and to transmit the transmission search term via at least one of a wireless transmitter and a network transmission device to a digital signal receiver,    wherein the search is for at least one of a content program signal and a detailed content information detected by the digital signal receiver.    
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the order of priority is based on a search frequency for the forwarded search term.  
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the search includes a list mode in which a list of transmission search terms is displayed by the digital signal receiver according to the order of priority, and a selection mode, in which the forwarded search term of the list of search terms is selected.  
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a second database logically connected to said server and configured to store the detailed content information, wherein said server extracts the detailed content information from said second data base and transmits the detailed content information to the digital signal receiver.  
     
     
         19 . A content program information receiving search system comprising: 
 a controller configured to generate a list of search terms according to an order of priority based on at least one transmission search term received, to provide a selected search term from the list of search terms to a digital signal receiver, and to forward to a server the selected search term; and    said digital signal receiver configured to detect and to display for the selected search term at least one of a content signal and detailed content information from a digital signal transmitted from a transmitter, the at least one transmission search term being one of received in the digital signal and received from the server via a digital network.    
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19  wherein the order of priority is based on a search frequency of the selected search term.  
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein said controller transmits the selected search term to the server via the digital network.