Patent ID: 7747769
Filing Date: 2010-06-29
Classification: G06F,H04L

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for efficiently searching for desired content from a plurality of multimedia data stream broadcast transmissions comprising: a) a receiver computer capable of decoding multimedia data streams, b) a receiver computer memory capable of storing a scan list of server HTTP I/O port addresses where real-time content metadata is available, c) a software module capable of configuring said computer to implement said search method, d) a network connection on said receiver computer capable of communication to said server I/O ports, e) a server computers or a plurality of server computers capable of broadcasting multimedia data streams through I/O ports, f) a server computer or a plurality of server computers capable of transmitting real-time content metadata descriptions of said multimedia data stream through one or more HTTP I/O ports g) a receiver computer database capable of storing user content preferences whereby said software module will configure said receiver computer to initially direct said multimedia decoder of said receiver computer to connect to the I/O port of a random server entry in said scan list and begin playing said broadcast multimedia data stream and whereby said software module will then configure said receiver computer to communicate through said network connection to said server HTTP I/O port addresses in said scan list memory and retrieve said content metadata describing the current contents of said multimedia data stream broadcast transmissions which are presently available in parallel on said separate I/O ports of one or more of the said server computers transmitting said multimedia data stream broadcast transmissions and whereby said software module will compare said metadata with the user content preference[s] seek entries stored in said database and upon identification of a match will direct said multimedia decoder of said receiver computer to connect to the I/O port of said server broadcasting said matching multimedia data stream and play said content and whereby in the absence of a match said software module will repeat said metadata retrieval and comparison steps for each server HTTP I/O port address in said scan list memory and upon reaching the end of said scan list memory, said software module will connect to the HTTP I/O port of the currently playing server and retrieve and compare the content metadata with the user content preference skip entries stored in said user content preference database and upon identification of a match will direct said multimedia decoder of said receiver computer to disconnect from the currently playing multimedia data stream I/O port and connect to the multimedia data stream I/O port of the next server in said scan list and begin Playing said content and whereby said software module will repeat the said sequence by performing said content preference seek entry comparison steps for each server in said scan list memory followed by said content preference skip entry comparison steps for the currently playing multimedia data stream broadcast transmission.