Patent ID: 6810526
Filing Date: 2004-10-26
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
A system for monitoring broadcast channels, comprising:a) a plurality of broadcast receivers for receiving a plurality of broadcast channels; b) a central search server operable to continually search incoming data streams for a match with pre-stored profiles; c) a charnel server associated with each broadcast channel for continually deriving therefrom a dynamically changing data stream that is representative of, and changes with, the current content of the associated broadcast channel, said channel server providing said dynamically changing data stream to said central search server for matching with said pre-stored profiles; d) a memory connected to said central search server for storing said profiles; and e) a plurality of remote user terminals connected to said central search server over a network, said central search server being responsive to commands from said user terminals to store said profiles in said memory in association with the identity of the user terminal from which a said command was received; and e) said central search server being programmed to send an alert signal over said network in response to said central search server finding a match with a said pre-stored profile to the remote user terminal associated with said pre-stored profile, said alert signal identifying the broadcast channel matching the pre-stored profile.