Method and system for dynamically processing ambiguous, reduced text search queries and highlighting results thereof

Abstract

A method and system are provided of processing a search query entered by a user of a device having a text input interface with overloaded keys. The search query is directed at identifying an item from a set of items. Each of the items has a name including one or more words. The system receives from the user an ambiguous search query directed at identifying a desired item. The search query comprises a prefix substring of at least one word in the name of the desired item. The system dynamically identifies a group of one or more items from the set of items having one or more words in the names thereof matching the search query as the user enters each character of the search query. The system also orders the one or more items of the group in accordance with given criteria. The names of the one or more items of the identified group are output to be displayed on the device operated by the user as ordered with the characters of the one or more words in the names corresponding to the prefix substring of the search query being highlighted.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . A method comprising:
 receiving unresolved keystroke entries entered on a keypad with overloaded keys in which a given key is in fixed association with a number and at least one alphabetic character, said unresolved keystroke entries being directed at identifying a program from a set of programs, each of said program being associated with information describing the program comprising one or more words;   indexing the programs by associating subsets of the programs with corresponding strings of one or more unresolved keystrokes for overloaded keys such that the subsets of programs are directly mapped to the corresponding strings of unresolved keystrokes for various search query prefix substrings;   receiving from a user a search query for desired programs composed of unresolved keystrokes, said search query comprising a prefix substring for at least one word in information associated with the desired program;   in response to the search query composed of unresolved keystrokes:
 identifying subsets of programs that are associated with the strings of one or more unresolved keystrokes received; and 
 determining an order of display of the identified subsets of programs that are associated with the strings of one or more unresolved keystrokes received, wherein the order of display is organized with a program that is currently being broadcasted at a highest order to a program that is scheduled to be broadcasted furthest in time from a current time to the lowest order. 
   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the search query is for a sports game and the order of display is organized with a game in progress at the highest order to a game that is scheduled to begin at lower order than the game in progress. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein indexing is performed based on many-to-many mapping from alphanumeric space of terms to numeric strings corresponding to various prefixes of each alphanumeric term constituting the query prefix substring. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein identifying the plurality of programs is performed on a different device from a device on which the unresolved keystroke is made. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising, determining the order of display of the identified subsets of programs based on both scheduled time of broadcast and popularity of the subset of programs. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising, determining the order of display of the identified subsets of programs based on both scheduled time of broadcast and popularity of a channel on which the subset of programs are broadcasted. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising, ordering the order of display of the identified subsets based in an order comprising single term prefixes at a highest order, followed by multiple term prefixes, and abbreviation matches at a lowest order. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising, displaying the identified subsets with matches that are based on word matches at a higher order than matches that are based on abbreviation matches. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising, displaying the program that is currently being broadcasted more prominently than other programs that are scheduled to be broadcast after the currently broadcasted program. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the more prominent display includes highlighting the currently being broadcasted program. 
     
     
         34 . A system comprising:
 control circuitry;   input circuitry configured to receive unresolved keystroke entries entered on a keypad with overloaded keys in which a given key is in fixed association with a number and at least one alphabetic character, said unresolved keystroke entries being directed at identifying a program from a set of programs, each of said program being associated with information describing the program comprising one or more words; and   a memory storing processor-executable instructions, wherein the control circuitry is coupled to the memory and configured to, in response to receiving the unresolved keystroke entries:
 indexing the programs by associating subsets of the programs with corresponding strings of one or more unresolved keystrokes for overloaded keys such that the subsets of programs are directly mapped to the corresponding strings of unresolved keystrokes for various search query prefix sub strings; 
 receiving from a user a search query for desired programs composed of unresolved keystrokes, said search query comprising a prefix substring for at least one word in information associated with the desired program; 
 in response to the search query composed of unresolved keystrokes:
 identifying subsets of programs that are associated with the strings of one or more unresolved keystrokes received; and 
 determining an order of display of the identified subsets of programs that are associated with the strings of one or more unresolved keystrokes received, wherein the order of display is organized with a program that is currently being broadcasted at a highest order to a program that is scheduled to be broadcasted furthest in time from a current time to the lowest order. 
 
   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein the search query is for a sports game and the order of display is organized with a game in progress at the highest order to a game that is scheduled to begin at lower order than the game in progress. 
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein indexing is performed by the control circuitry based on many-to-many mapping from alphanumeric space of terms to numeric strings corresponding to various prefixes of each alphanumeric term constituting the query prefix substring. 
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein identifying the plurality of programs is performed by the control circuitry on a different device from a device on which the unresolved keystroke is made. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising, the control circuitry configured to further determine the order of display of the identified subsets of programs based on both scheduled time of broadcast and popularity of the subset of programs. 
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising, the control circuitry configured to further determine the order of display of the identified subsets of programs based on both scheduled time of broadcast and popularity of a channel on which the subset of programs are broadcasted. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising, the control circuitry configured to further determine the order of display of the identified subsets based in an order comprising single term prefixes at a highest order, followed by multiple term prefixes, and abbreviation matches at a lowest order. 
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising, the control circuitry configured to display the identified subsets with matches that are based on word matches at a higher order than matches that are based on abbreviation matches. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 34 , further comprising, displaying the program that is currently being broadcasted more prominently than other programs that are scheduled to be broadcast after the currently broadcasted program. 
     
     
         43 . The system of  claim 42 , wherein the more prominent display includes highlighting the currently being broadcasted program.