Patent ID: 7268823

Claim:
A system for the automatic collection and conditioning of closed caption text comprising: a tuner comprising means for receiving all broadcast material from at least one broadcast source from geographically diverse broadcast sources, said broadcast source being generated at a first time; a decoder operatively connected to said tuner to decode closed caption text streams in said all broadcast material; a text handler operatively connected to said decoder to write said decoded closed caption text streams for said all broadcast material to one or more closed caption text files comprising text; a server for storing said text in a database; a previously submitted search profile originated from an inquiry client that is not actively accessing said server, and means for saving said search profile being at a second time prior to said first time; and processing means operatively connected to said server for automatically comparing said text files to said previously submitted search profile to create a search result comprising said text, further comprising conditioning means for conditioning said text files to impose format consistency upon said text files regardless of the origin of the broadcast, and means for providing a format consistent printable document comprising information identifying the broadcast sources and the inquiry client, and means for automatically contacting said inquiry client regarding said search result.