Priming-based search and discovery of content

Abstract

A method, a device, and a non-transitory storage medium are described in which a priming-based search and discovery service for contents uses a data structure that stores metadata pertaining to the contents, activation values, threshold values, and a distance parameter that limits the search space relative to primed nodes that are relevant to search terms.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 selecting, by a network device, one or more nodes of a data structure that match a search term relating to media contents;   calculating, by the network device, one or more activation values of the one or more nodes that indicate a degree of relevance with the search term based on a quantified degree to which the one or more nodes are primed in relation to a user;   comparing, by the network device, the one or more activation values to a minimum threshold value; and   selecting, by the network device, media content for each node that satisfies the minimum threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more nodes include multiple nodes, and the method further comprising:
 determining, by the network device, that a second node is within a maximum distance from and connected to a first node of the multiple nodes.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more activation values include multiple activation values, the method further comprising:
 calculating, by the network device, a second activation value based on a first activation value of the multiple activation values.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising.
 presenting, by the network device to the user, a search result that includes one or more selected media contents.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 assigning, by the network device before the selecting, to at least one of the one or more nodes, a first activation value based on a previous search in relation to the user.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the calculating further comprises:
 calculating, by the network device, the one or more activation values based on one or more decay factor values associated with the one or more nodes and one or more time values.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure includes a graph, wherein the one or more nodes include multiple nodes, and the one or more activation values include multiple activation values, and wherein the calculating further comprises:
 calculating, by the network device, the multiple activation values based on one or more weighted values associated with one or more edges between the multiple nodes of the graph.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the data structure includes a graph. 
     
     
         9 . A network device comprising:
 a processor, wherein the processor is configured to:
 select one or more nodes of a data structure that match a search term relating to media contents; 
 calculate one or more activation values of the one or more nodes that indicate a degree of relevance with the search term based on a quantified degree to which the one or more nodes are primed in relation to a user; 
 compare the one or more activation values to a minimum threshold value; and 
 select media content for each node that satisfies the minimum threshold value. 
   
     
     
         10 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more nodes include multiple nodes, and the processor is further configured to:
 determine that a second node is within a maximum distance from and connected to a first node of the multiple nodes.   
     
     
         11 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more activation values include multiple activation values, and the processor is further configured to:
 calculate a second activation value based on a first activation value of the multiple activation values.   
     
     
         12 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor further is configured to:
 present, to the user, a search result that includes one or more selected media contents.   
     
     
         13 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein the processor is further configured to:
 assign, before a selection of the one or more nodes, to at least one of the one or more nodes, a first activation value based on a previous search in relation to the user.   
     
     
         14 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein, for calculating, the processor is further configured to:
 calculate the one or more activation values based on one or more decay factor values associated with the one or more nodes and one or more time values.   
     
     
         15 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein the data structure includes a graph, wherein the one or more nodes include multiple nodes, and the one or more activation values include multiple activation values, and wherein, for calculating, the processor is further configured to:
 calculate the multiple activation values based on one or more weighted values associated with one or more edges between the multiple nodes of the graph.   
     
     
         16 . The network device of  claim 9 , wherein the data structure includes a graph. 
     
     
         17 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a device, which when executed cause the device to:
 select one or more nodes of a data structure that match a search term relating to media contents;   calculate one or more activation values of the one or more nodes that indicate a degree of relevance with the search term based on a quantified degree to which the one or more nodes are primed in relation to a user;   compare the one or more activation values to a minimum threshold value; and   select media content for each node that satisfies the minimum threshold value.   
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further include instructions executable by the processor to:
 assign, before a selection of the one or more nodes, to at least one of the one or more nodes, a first activation value based on a previous search in relation to the user.   
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the instructions further include instructions executable by the processor to:
 present, to the user, a search result that includes one or more selected media contents.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory, computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the data structure includes a graph.