Patent ID: 9706155
Date: 2017-07-11
CPC Classifications: H04N

Claim:
1. A method for searching metadata associated with television programs in a media device controlled by a remote control device having a plurality of buttons, the method comprising: receiving metadata associated with television programs at the media device, the metadata comprising a plurality of data fields populated with accompanying data for each of a plurality of television programs; associating a first button of the remote control device with a first data field of the metadata; receiving a first instruction from the remote control device corresponding to a selection of the first button; comparing accompanying data of the first data field for a program currently being presented with first corresponding accompanying data of at least a subset of the plurality of television programs; presenting a first program list, the first program list including those television programs having substantially equivalent data in the first data field as the program currently being presented; associating a second button of the remote control device with a second data field of the metadata; associating a third button of the remote control device with a logical search operator; determining when said third button is activated and, in response, adjusting the search in accordance with the logical search operator; receiving a second instruction from the remote control device corresponding to a selection of the second button; determining that a time period between receiving the first instruction and receiving the second instruction is below a threshold time period; in response to the determination of the time period, comparing accompanying data of the second data field, for the program currently being presented, with second corresponding accompanying data of the first program list; and presenting a second program list including those television programs from the first program list having substantially equivalent data in the second data field as the program currently being presented.