Patent Publication Number: US-11640424-B2

Title: Methods and systems for providing searchable media content and for searching within media content

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to media systems, and more particularly to methods and systems for providing searchable media content and for searching within media content, which allow a user to search for and access particular audio or video portions within the media content. 
     BACKGROUND 
     A consumer of media content may have access to a large selection of sources of such content, such as television programming, internet streaming video, digitally-stored media content such as digital video disks (DVDs), and the like. Such media content may be available from multiple sources and may include scheduled programming, on-demand programming, streaming programming, and recorded programming, among others. Various devices exist that can be used to receive, record, and/or store media content. Devices such as set-top boxes (STBs), personal video recorders (PVRs) and digital video recorders (DVRs), computers, and hand-held devices such as tablets and smartphones, among others, have become commonplace. 
     A consumer of such media content may encounter a number of difficulties in managing such content. For example, when the media content is an audio/video (A/V) program such as a television show, movie, or internet video, a user may be more interested, or solely interested, in one or more portions of the program, rather than being interested in viewing the entirety of the program. If a user finds, or is desirous of finding, a particular program that may contain certain portions of interest, the user may have no choice but to watch or scroll-through the entire program, waiting for the portions of interest. A user may not know when a portion of interest is to occur during the program, if at all. For example, a user may only be interested in viewing particular features or scenes of the program that are of interest to the user. As such, the user must spend time and effort searching for particular portions of interest within the program. 
     Typically, a viewer is able access different portions of a program by scrolling forward or backward through the program stream, or by specifying a time to jump to in a stream. Such linear navigation and searching is time-consuming and can involve an unacceptable amount of trial and error. Thus, there is a need for media content management, particularly that provides enhanced searching, which addresses one or more of the foregoing problems in a convenient manner for a user. These and other desirable features and characteristics will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background section. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     Methods and systems for providing searchable media content, and for searching within such content are disclosed. In accordance with one exemplary embodiment, a method for providing searchable media content includes generating a text file that is representative of an instance of media content. The instance of media content includes a first scene and a second scene. A first portion of the text file is representative of the first scene and a second portion of the text file is representative of the second scene. The method further includes indexing the first portion with a time stamp or time range of the instance of media content associated with the first scene and indexing the second portion with a time stamp or time range of the instance of media content associated with the second scene. Indexing includes associating a time stamp of the instance of media content or a time range of the instance of media content 
     In accordance with another exemplary embodiment, a method for searching within media content includes providing an instance of searchable media content. The instance of searchable media content includes a text file that is representative of the instance of searchable media content. The instance of searchable media content includes a first scene and a second scene. A first portion of the text file is representative of the first scene and a second portion of the text file is representative of the second scene. The first portion is indexed with the first scene and the second portion is indexed with the second scene utilizing time stamps or time ranges of the instance of searchable media content. The method further includes receiving an input from a user indicative of a desired portion of the instance of searchable media content and comparing the input with the text file to determine a matching portion of the text file. The matching portion includes either the first portion or the second portion. Still further, based on the comparing, the method includes outputting either the first scene or the second scene. 
     In accordance with yet another exemplary embodiment, a system for providing searchable media content includes a processing device configured to generate a text file that is representative of an instance of media content. The instance of media content includes a first scene and a second scene. A first portion of the text file is representative of the first scene and a second portion of the text file is representative of the second scene. The processing device is further configured to index the first portion with a time stamp or time range of the instance of media content associated with the first scene and indexing the second portion with a time stamp or time range of the instance of media content associated with the second scene. The system further includes a non-transitory storage device configured to store the indexed text file. 
     Additional embodiments could provide other systems, devices, remote devices, media players, software programs, encoders, processes, methods, and/or the like that perform these or other functions. Various embodiments, aspects, and features are described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       Exemplary embodiments will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements, and wherein: 
         FIG.  1    is system diagram illustrating media content being transmitted from a media content provider to a user&#39;s media receiving and displaying devices in accordance with some embodiments; 
         FIG.  2    is a system diagram illustrating a user&#39;s entertainment system including media receiving and displaying devices in accordance with some embodiments; 
         FIG.  3    is a system diagram illustrating a media receiving device in accordance with some embodiments; 
         FIG.  4    is an illustration representing media content including a plurality of scenes with video and audio portions in accordance with some embodiments; 
         FIG.  5    is a system diagram illustrating user input to a media receiving device for searching media content in accordance with some embodiments; 
         FIG.  6    is flowchart illustrating a method for providing searchable media content in accordance with some embodiments; and 
         FIG.  7    is a flowchart illustrating a method for searching within searchable media content in accordance with some embodiments. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background or the following detailed description. 
     The present disclosure sets forth various embodiments of methods and systems for providing searchable media content, such as searchable A/V program content, and for searching within such media content. In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a user may consume an A/V program on any media display device, such as a television, computer, hand-held device, or other device configured for presenting media. The user may receive the program at any media receiving device, such as a television set-top box, a DVR/PVR, an internet-based source, a hard disk source, or other device configured for receiving media. The received program may have associated therewith a text file containing text that is representative of either or both of the video content and the audio content of the received program. The text within the text file may be indexed with scenes of the program of which the text is representative, with such indexing being based on a time stamp or a time range of the program. The text stored in the text file may be generated in a variety of manners, including but not limited to generation from closed-captioning metadata associated with the program, generation from subtitle metadata associated with the program, generation from audio/speech recognition of the audio content of the program, generation from image recognition of the objects and background of the video content of the program, generation from a screenplay or a scripts, derived from machine learning, and/or derived from artificial intelligence, among others. The user may search for a particular portion of interest within the program by providing a voice or textual input to the user&#39;s media device that is representative of the portion of interest, if the user is generally familiar with the content program. If text within the text file matches the user&#39;s voice or textual input, the program may advance or revert to the scene of the program that is indexed with the matching text from the text file. In this manner, the user is able to access a particular portion of interest of the program without the need for cumbersome scrolling or a priori knowledge of a particular time to jump to. In another embodiment, if the user is not familiar with a particular program of interest but instead wishes to perform a more general search, the user may first search for a theme or a category of programming, which may be derived from a summary of the intended media. This summary may, for example, be harvested from an electronic programming guide (EPG), a general website (Internet Movie Database (IMDB), Wikipedia, for example), a library catalog, or a social media reference to the particular theme/category, among others. Once this initial, general search is performed, then the user may be provided with one or more programs from which to initiate a program-level search, as outlined above. 
     Media Content 
     In reference to  FIG.  1   , embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to searchable media content  120  that is disseminated or transmitted by a media content provider  110 . As used herein, the term “media content” generally refers to any instance of media that includes one or both of an audio portion  121  and a video portion  122 . In some embodiments, media content may refer to any television program, on demand program, pay-per-view program, broadcast media program, IPTV, internet-streaming program, internet live-feed, commercial, advertisement, video, movie, song, sound, or any segment of these or other forms of media content that may be experienced or viewed. 
     Media content  120  that includes both an audio portion  121  and a video portion  122  may be referred to herein as an A/V program. The A/V program may be divided into two or more scenes, wherein each such scene has particular audio sounds and particular video images associated therewith. The A/V program may be composed of a chronological sequence of such scenes, with the scenes being associated with a time stamp or time range in reference to the start of the program chronologically forward in time. Examples of A/V programs include but are not limited to television shows, live broadcast events, movies, programs available from various internet platforms, and the like. 
     Media content, and in particular an A/V program, may have associated therewith various textual metadata. Textual metadata may include, for example, closed captioning  123  and subtitles  124 . Closed captioning  123  and subtitling  124  are both processes of displaying text on a media display device that provide additional or interpretive information. Both may be used as a transcription of the audio portion of the A/V program as it occurs (either verbatim or in edited form), sometimes including textual descriptions of non-speech elements. Closed captioning  123  and subtitling  124  may be generated by the provider  110  of the program (such as a movie studio, broadcast network, or internet platform) and may be provided as metadata that accompanies the transmission of the audio and video portions of the program. 
     Media Receiving and Display Devices 
     With continued reference to  FIG.  1   , embodiments of the present disclosure may include the use of media receiving devices  151  that may be configured to receive the media content  120  from any of the aforementioned providers  110 , and further may include the use of media display devices  152  that are configured to provide both the video and audio portions of the A/V program to a user  140 . The media receiving device  151 , in some embodiments, may receive the media content  120  from the media content provider  110  via a network  130 . Network  130  generally may include a data transmission means, for example an over-the-air network, satellite network, cable network, streaming media network, or internet network, among others. The media receiving device  151 , in other embodiments, may receive the media content  120  from an associated storage device  135  such as a DVR/PVR or DVD. Once received, the media receiving device  151  may process the media content  120  and provide it to the media display device  152  in any suitable format. In this regard, the media display  152  and receiving devices  151  may be operably coupled to one another such that an A/V program received at a receiving device  151  may be transmitted to a display device  152  for presentation to the user  140 . 
     The media receiving devices  151  and media display devices  152 , in alternative embodiments, may be configured as an integral unit  150  or as multiple discrete units  151 / 152 . An example of an integral unit  150  is a hand-held device such as a tablet or smartphone that contains in a single unit the equipment and electronics necessary to both receive and display media content. An example of multiple discrete units  151 / 152  is a television set-top box (as receiving device  151 ), for example provided by a satellite television service company, that is coupled with a television (as display device  152 ). 
     As general matter, the disclosure uses the terms “receiving device” and “set-top-box” to refer to a converter device or electronic equipment that has the capacity to acquire, process and distribute one or more media signals transmitted by broadcast, cable, telephone or satellite distributors. DVR and PVR refer to devices that can record and play back television signals and that may implement “trick” functions including, but not limited to, fast-forward, rewind and pause. DVR and PVR functionality or devices may be combined with a television converter, in embodiments. The signals transmitted by these broadcast, cable, telephone or satellite distributors may include, individually or in any combination, internet, radio, television or telephonic data or information. One skilled in the art will recognize that a television converter device may be implemented as an external self-enclosed unit, a plurality of external self-enclosed units or as an internal unit housed within a television. One skilled in the art will recognize that the present disclosure may apply to analog and digital satellite set-top-boxes. 
       FIG.  2    illustrates an embodiment of an entertainment system  201  that employs the aforementioned set-top box and a television as the receiving device  151  and display device  152 , respectively, including, a user&#39;s ( 140 ) entertainment system  201 , and the general environment  202  of the user&#39;s ( 140 ) location within which system  201  operates, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. As illustrated in  FIG.  2   , the entertainment system  201  may include a centralized television receiving device  151  that receives and distributes signals from one or more media content providers  110 .  FIG.  2    shows a generalized embodiment where the receiving device  151  may receive a signal  210  including multiple channels of programming via a wireless content provider  214  (via a connected antenna  212 ), via a wired or cable content provider  216  (via a direct connection, which may also include an internet connection), or via a satellite content provider  204  (via a satellite  206  and a satellite communication device or antenna  208 ). 
     The receiving device  151  as illustrated in  FIG.  2    may be connected to any display device  152  for the delivery of media content  120  to the user. The display device  152 , in various embodiments, is any device connected to the receiving device  151  that primarily delivers the media content  120  directly to the user  140 . These include traditional televisions  220 , high definition televisions (HDTVs)  222 , computer/monitor combinations, holographic or virtual reality systems (not shown), and/or a stereo  228 . Stereo  228  may be any type of primarily audio-only delivery system and may include devices such as a speaker or headphones connected to the receiving device  151  or a digital surround sound home theater system or whole-house audio system. 
     Although only one is specifically shown, the receiving device  151  may also be connected to several peripheral components (“peripherals”). Examples of peripherals include interactive content devices such as a telephone  230 , content capture devices such as a video camera  232  or microphone (not shown), external data storage and playback devices  234  such as a VCR  236  and DVD player  238 , and multipurpose devices such as the computer/monitor  224  and further includes a home local area network (LAN)  240  of such devices. 
     Text File Content 
     In various embodiments, the received media content  120  (e.g., A/V program) may have associated therewith a text file containing text that is representative of either or both of the video content  121  and the audio content  122  of the program. In some embodiments, the text file may be generated by the media content provider  110  and may be transmitted to the receiving device  151  along with the media content  120 . At the media content provider  110 , the text file may be generated automatically/electronically or via human input, as will be discussed in greater detail below. In other embodiments, the text file may be generated at the receiving device  151 , in which case the text file may be generated automatically/electronically via computer program code stored within the receiving device  151 . In either case, the text file may be stored within the receiving device  151  for use in connection with searching the media content  120  in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. Alternatively, the text file may be resident at the media content  110  provider, and may be accessible via a network, such as network  130 . 
       FIG.  3    illustrates the components of an exemplary receiving device  151 , in some embodiments. In particular,  FIG.  3    illustrates some of the logical elements included in a receiving device  151 , including a channel selector  301 . The term channel selector is used to describe an element that can select a programming stream, commonly referred as a channel, from an input signal containing multiple channels of programming and deliver the selected channel to an attached display device  152 . In traditional analog devices, the channel selector  301  is referred to as a tuner and a channel corresponds to a frequency on which an analog television programming stream is modulated. However, with the advent of digital signal transmission, channel selectors  301  may be very different and significantly more complicated than simple analog frequency tuners. Thus, the term channel selector  301  is used herein such that the disclosure applies equally to analog signals and digitally transmitted signals. 
       FIG.  3    shows that the receiving device  151  may also contain a storage device  308 . The storage device  308  is capable of recording and storing media content  120 , such as A/V programming, provided by any of the channel selectors  301 , and may be embodied as non-transitory memory. The storage device  308  may be further adapted to retrieve stored programming and deliver it to any display device  152  connected to the receiving device  151 . Still further, the storage device may be adapted for storing a text file associated with the media content  120 . The text file  320  may contain text that is representative of either or both of the video content  121  and the audio content  122  of the media content  120  (A/V program). The text within the text file  320  may be indexed with scenes of the program of which the text is representative, as will be described in greater detail below. In embodiments, the receiving device  151  may also include a least one temporary buffer  304 . This buffer may include RAM or may simply be a portion of the storage device  308 . The buffer  304  is used to assist in the delivery of programming to the storage device  308  and, in some embodiments, to the connected display device  152 . 
     The receiving device  151  may also include control electronics  302  that control the operation of the channel selector  301  and the other logical elements contained in the receiving device  151 , and may be embodied as a processor. One skilled in the art will realize that such control electronics  302  may take many forms, including a combination of hardware, software and firmware, while still providing the functionality described herein. For example, in one embodiment the control electronics  302  may include a general purpose processor running software stored on memory. In another embodiment, the control electronics  302  may include specially designed firmware. In embodiments where the text file  320  is generated automatically/electronically at the receiving device  151 , the control electronics  302  may be employed to accomplish this purpose, and may further include hardware/software/firmware for the same. 
     As noted above, the text within the text file  320  may be indexed with scenes of the media content  120  of which the text is representative, on the basis of a time stamp or a time range of the media content  120 . Accordingly,  FIG.  4    provides an exemplary illustration of an embodiment of media content  120 , which includes exemplary chronological scenes A, B, C, D, and E (five scenes are shown for illustrative purposes; more or fewer scene may be included in any embodiment). In  FIG.  4   , blocks  121 A-E represent the video portion of each of scenes A-E, and blocks  122 A-E represent the audio portion of each of scenes A-E. Text file  320  is illustrated including text  321  that is representative of the video portion  121  and text  322  that is representative of the audio portion  122 . As shown, text  321  is indexed by scene, namely text  321 A is indexed with video scene  121 A, text  321 B is indexed with video scene  121 B, and so forth to video scene E. Similarly, text  322  is indexed by scene, namely text  322 A is indexed with audio scene  122 A, text  322 B is indexed with audio scene  122 B, and so forth to audio scene E. 
     Text File Generation 
     The text  321 / 322  stored in the text file  320  may be generated in a variety of manners, including but not limited to, in various embodiments, generation from closed-captioning metadata  123  associated with the media content  120 , generation from subtitle metadata  124  associated with the media content  120 , generation from audio/speech recognition of the audio content  121  of the media content  120 , and generation from image recognition of the objects and background of the video content  122  of the media content  120 , generation from a screenplay or a scripts, derived from machine learning, and/or derived from artificial intelligence, among others. As initially noted above, in some embodiments, the text file  320  may be generated by the media content provider  110  and may be transmitted to the receiving device  151  along with the media content  120 . At the media content provider  110 , the text file  320  may be generated automatically/electronically or via human input (either from a skilled technician or from crowdsourcing). In other embodiments, the text file may be generated at the receiving device  151 , particularly at control electronics  302  in the embodiment of a set-top box (or the processor of a computer or hand-held device in those embodiments), in which case the text file  320  may be generated automatically/electronically via computer program code stored within the receiving device  151 /control electronics  302  (or processor). 
     Closed-captioning metadata  123  and subtitle metadata  124  relate particularly to text  322  that is representative of the audio portion  122 . In some embodiments, closed-captioning metadata  123  and subtitle metadata  124  may be generated at or provided by the media content provider  110 , and transmitted to the receiving device  151 . The control electronics  302  thereof (or processor) may convert the metadata  123 / 124  to the text  322  of text file  320 , and store the text  322  within the storage device  308  for future use in searching. By virtue of the form and purpose of closed-captioning/subtitles, metadata  123 / 124  is already in text form and is already indexed chronologically with the audio content  122 . As such, conversion of the metadata  123 / 124  to the text  322  of text file  320  is straightforward. 
     In some embodiments, speech recognition may be performed to generate the text  322  of text file  320  in instances when metadata  123 / 124  is otherwise not available. In the event that multiple audio tracks are present in multiple languages, separate text files may be produced for each language, with an electronic notation of the language. Speech recognition may be performed at the media content provider and the text file  320  generated therefrom transmitted to the receiving device  151 , while in other embodiments speech recognition may be performed at the receiving device  151  using the control electronics  302  (or processor), which may be provided with appropriate software therefor. Various embodiments of speech recognition systems are known in the art and may be used in any embodiment of the present disclosure. For example, some speech recognition systems that are suitable for use herein include circuitry that attempts to digitally simulate the human speech production system by creating acoustical filtering operations that operate on frames of digitally represented sound utterances. Speech recognition systems may include a sound front-end, a hidden Markov model (HMM), and a language syntax back-end. The sound front-end extracts acoustic features of speech. This allows the excitation information of the voiced speech signal and the dynamics of the speech system impulse response to be separately processed. The HMM block functions to determine a most likely utterance from the extracted acoustic features. The language syntax back-end functions to shape the utterances based on language syntax impositions. Other speech recognition systems may be equally suitable for use in embodiments of the present disclosure. Alternatively, human input may be used in place of the speech recognition system, for example a human may manually input text corresponding to the audio portion or it may be derived from crowdsourcing. 
     In some embodiments, image recognition may be performed to generate the text  321  of text file  320 . Image recognition may be performed at the media content provider and the text file  320  generated therefrom transmitted to the receiving device  151 , while in other embodiments image recognition may be performed at the receiving device  151  using the control electronics  302  (or processor), which may be provided with appropriate software therefor. Various embodiments of image recognition systems are known in the art and may be used in any embodiment of the present disclosure. In one embodiment, the image recognition system may perform an analysis on an image frame of the video portion  121  of the media content  120  to determine a plurality of edges within the frame to detect a particular shape of an object. In general, edge detection may be accomplished by analyzing the pixels within the frame to detect abrupt color change from one or more pixels to a nearby group of one or more pixels. Through this analysis, the image recognition system may determine the edges of one or more objects within the frame, thereby detecting a general shape of an object within the frame. This general shape may be compared with one or more stored shapes to determine an object displayed within the frame. 
     In another embodiment, the image recognition system may analyze several frames of the video portion  121  of the media content  120  to detect motion of an object across the display. In this embodiment, one or more points of the object may be detected by the image recognition system within several frames. For example, the image recognition system may detect one or more joints of an animal by analyzing the movements of the animal through several frames. Thus, as the detected points move, the image recognition system may maintain information concerning the movement of the points. Further, the movement of the points may provide information to the image recognition system on the type of object that is moving through the several frames. This information may be compared with one or more stored images to determine the presence of the object in the frame. Other image recognition systems may be equally suitable for use in embodiments of the present disclosure. Alternatively, human input (such as a skilled technician or derived from crowdsourcing) may be used in place of the image recognition system, for example a human may manually input text corresponding to the image portion or it may be derived from crowdsourcing. 
     Whether generated from closed-captioning metadata  123 , subtitle metadata  124 , speech recognition, or image recognition, and whether generated at the content provider  110  or at the receiving device  151 , all text  321  representing video and all text  322  representing audio may be indexed to the appropriate scene by time stamp or time range, and may be stored as text file  320  within the storage device  308  of receiving device  151 . As receiving device  151  may be configured to receive and/or store multiple instances of media content  120 , it should also be noted that multiple text files  320  may be stored therein, with each text file  320  further including a pointer to the appropriate instance of media content  120 . 
     Media Content Searching 
     With reference now to  FIG.  5   , the user  140  may initiate media content searching by providing an input  501 A/ 501 B indicative of the user&#39;s desired portion/scene of the media content  120  to the media display device  152  or the media receiving device  151  while the media display device  152  is displaying the media content  120 . As noted above, in an alternative embodiment, the user may first initiate a general search on the basis of program category or general program content, after which the particular content searching may be performed in the basis of result(s) provided during the general search. In either embodiment, as shown in  FIG.  5   , an input  501 A may be made to the display device  501 A, which then provides a signal  502  indicative of the input  501 A to the receiving device  151 . Alternatively, an input  501 B may be made directly to the receiving device  151 . For example, in some embodiments, the user  140  may search for a particular portion of interest within the media content  120  (e.g., A/V program) by providing a voice input to the user&#39;s display device  152  or receiving device  151  that is representative of the portion of interest. In other embodiments, the user  140  may search for a particular portion of interest within the media content  120  by providing a textual input to the user&#39;s display device  152  or receiving device  151  that is representative of the portion of interest. The user  140  may specify whether the input  501  relates to an audio portion or a video portion of the media content  120 . Alternatively, the user  140  need not make such a specification. 
     The manner by which the user  140  makes the input  501 A/ 501 B may depend upon the particular embodiment of media display device  152 /receiving device  151  that the user  140  employs to consume the media content  120 . For example, in embodiments where a television is employed, the user  140  may utilize a suitable remote control or similar device to make the input to the television directly ( 501 A) or to the receiving device  151  connected to the television ( 501 B). Alternatively, as some televisions are equipped with a microphone, the user  140  may make a verbal utterance directed at the microphone of the television to effect the input  501 A. In embodiments wherein a computer is employed, the user  140  may utilize a keyboard or microphone connected to the computer processor to type or speak the input  501 B. Further, in embodiments wherein a handheld device such as a tablet or smartphone is employed, the user  140  may utilize a touchscreen keypad or built-in microphone of the handheld device to effect the input (combined  501 A/ 501 B). It should be appreciated that in any embodiment where a verbal utterance is made, speech recognition systems, as described above, may be employed to convert the user&#39;s speech to a parseable digital format such as text. 
     With continued reference to  FIG.  5   , at the media receiving device  151 , a comparison  505  is made between the user&#39;s input  501 A/ 501 B and the text  321 / 322  of the text file  320 . This comparison  505  may be made using appropriate software within the control electronics  302 , in the embodiment of a set-top box, or within the processor of a computer or hand-held device. If a match is found between the user&#39;s input  501 A/ 501 B and any text  321 / 322 , then a determination may be made as to which scene A-E is indexed with the matched text  321 / 322 . Once the determination is made, the scene A-E associated with the matched text  321 / 322  is provided to the media display device  152  in the form of an appropriate signal  503 , and the media display device  152  may display the scene to the user  140 . The signal  503  may include a scene other than the scene that was being displayed when the user  140  made the input  501 A/ 501 B. If the signal  503  includes a scene that is chronologically behind the scene that was being displayed, then in effect the media content  120  “jumps backward” or reverts to an earlier portion of the media content  120  to display to the user  140 . Alternatively, if the signal  503  includes a scene that is chronologically ahead of the scene that was being displayed, then in effect the media content  120  “jumps forward” or advances to a later portion of the media content  120  to display to the user  140 . In either case, the user  140  avoids the cumbersome task of scrolling forward/backward to find the desired scene and/or the user does not require a priori knowledge of the timestamp or time range of the desired scene to view it immediately. 
     As such,  FIG.  6    is a flowchart illustrating a method  600  in accordance with the foregoing description of embodiments for providing searchable media content. The method  600  may include a step  602  of generating a text file that is representative of an instance of media content. The instance of media content may include a first scene and a second scene. A first portion of the text file may be representative of the first scene and a second portion of the text file may be representative of the second scene. The method  600  may further include a step  604  of indexing the first portion with the first scene and indexing the second portion with the second scene. 
     Furthermore,  FIG.  7    is a flowchart illustrating a method  700  in accordance with the foregoing description of embodiments for searching within media content that may include a step  702  of providing an instance of searchable media content. The instance of searchable media content may include a text file that is representative of the instance of searchable media content. The instance of searchable media content may include a first scene and a second scene. A first portion of the text file may be representative of the first scene and a second portion of the text file may be representative of the second scene. The first portion may be indexed with the first scene and the second portion may be indexed with the second scene. The method may further include a step  704  of receiving an input from a user indicative of a desired portion of the instance of searchable media content and a step  706  of comparing the input with the text file to determine a matching portion of the text file. The matching portion may include either the first portion or the second portion. Still further, based on the comparing, the method may include a step  708  of outputting either the first scene or the second scene. 
     Accordingly, various embodiments of methods and systems for providing searchable media content, such as searchable A/V program content, and for searching within such content, have been described herein. Beneficially, the methods may allow a user to search within an instance of media content based on an input from the user, which is correlated with a text file indexed to the media content and representative of the audio and/or video portions of the media content. The described methods may allow the user to avoid cumbersome scrolling to search for a desired portion of the media content, and further do not require the user to have memorized any timestamp or time range associated with the desired portion. The disclosed methods and systems may generally be employed in connection with any form of audio/video media content and in connection with a wide variety of media receiving and displaying devices, such as televisions/set-top boxes, computers, and hand-held devices (e.g., smartphone or tablets). 
     The term “exemplary” is used herein to represent one example, instance or illustration that may have any number of alternates. Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. 
     While several exemplary embodiments have been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of alternate but equivalent variations exist, and the examples presented herein are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. On the contrary, various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described without departing from the scope of the claims and their legal equivalents. Many other modifications and enhancements could be provided in a wide array of alternate but equivalent embodiments.