Method, apparatus and system for indexing content based on time information

Abstract

There is provided a method, apparatus and system for indexing content based on relative time information. The method, apparatus and system include determining relative time information of at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content, generating time metadata that indexes in absolute time the determined relative time information and communicating the time metadata for storage. The method, apparatus and system can further include receiving a request for the at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content, the request identifying a desired content portion using relative time information, using the time metadata to determine a portion of the content relative to the time information and communicating the content portion relative to the time information to a requester.

1 - 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A system to index content, comprising one or more processors configured to:
 determine relative time information of at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content;   using electronic program guide information to identify a source of the relative time information and to identify a type of the event occurring in the content and to distinguish between two different clocks shown during the event; and   applying a character recognition technique to the content comprising evaluating numerical information retrieved from the content by the character recognition technique to determine whether the numerical information is increasing or decreasing at a given frequency over a given time period and is consecutively incremented or decreased to determine whether the numerical information comprises relative time information.   
     
     
         32 . The system of  claim 31 , wherein determining relative time information comprises receiving a user input including relative time information. 
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the character recognition technique is focused on at least one area of the content. 
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 33 , wherein the relative time information is determined from two time apparatuses depicted in the at least one area of the content that correspond to the two different clocks. 
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the content encompasses a sporting event and at least one of the two time apparatuses corresponds to a game clock. 
     
     
         36 . A method to index content, comprising:
 determining relative time information of at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content;   using electronic program guide information to identify a source of the relative time information and to identify a type of the event occurring in the content and to distinguish between two different clocks shown during the event;   applying a character recognition technique to the content; and   evaluating numerical information retrieved from the content by the character recognition technique to determine whether the numerical information is increasing or decreasing at a given frequency over a given time period and is consecutively incremented or decreased to determine whether the numerical information comprises relative time information.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36 , wherein determining relative time information comprises receiving a user input including relative time information. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein the character recognition technique is focused on at least one area of the content. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the relative time information is determined from two time apparatuses depicted in the at least one area of the content that correspond to the two different clocks. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein the content encompasses a sporting event and at least one of the two time apparatuses corresponds to a game clock. 
     
     
         41 . A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising a computer readable program for indexing content, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to perform the method of  claim 36 . 
     
     
         42 . An apparatus for indexing content, comprising:
 a memory for storing at least program routines and data; and   a processor for executing the program routines;   the apparatus being configured to:   determine relative time information of at least one of a time interval of at least a portion of the content and an event occurring in the content;   use electronic program guide information to identify a source of the relative time information and to identify a type of the event occurring in the content and to distinguish between two different clocks shown during the event;   apply a character recognition technique to the content; and   evaluate numerical information retrieved from the content by the character recognition technique to determine whether the numerical information is increasing or decreasing at a given frequency over a given time period and is consecutively incremented or decreased to determine whether the numerical information comprises relative time information.   
     
     
         43 . The apparatus of  claim 42 , wherein determining relative time information comprises receiving a user input including relative time information. 
     
     
         44 . The apparatus of  claim 43 , wherein the character recognition technique is focused on at least one area of the content. 
     
     
         45 . The apparatus of  claim 44 , wherein the relative time information is determined from two time apparatuses depicted in the at least one area of the content that correspond to the two different clocks. 
     
     
         46 . The apparatus of  claim 45 , wherein the content encompasses a sporting event and at least one of the two time apparatuses corresponds to a game clock.