Patent ID: 7228556

Claim:
A system for searching a distributed, interactive television program guide database, said system comprising: a client, wherein said client is in periodic communication with a server, and wherein said client downloads current program information from said server; a program guide database resident on said client, wherein said program information is imported into said database; means for creating an index based on said program information containing unique keys and associated program identifiers for said database; an interactive viewer interface for picking programs to record on said client displayed on a display means in communication with said client; means for interacting with said viewer interface by a viewer; wherein said viewer interface incorporates a prefix matching feature that displays items in said database having prefixes that match the viewer's alphanumeric input as said viewer enters the alphanumeric input; and means for searching said database by comparing said unique keys in said index to viewer alphanumeric input according to at least one of: program title; indexed program attributes; and key words.