Geographically diverse closed captioned news text database

摘要

In a preferred embodiment, a system for the aggregation and selective retrieval of television word content from closed captioned text stream, including: tuner apparatus to receive one or more television signals; decoder apparatus operatively connected to the tuner apparatus to decode closed captioned text stream in the one or more television signals and to write the closed captioned text stream to a file according to preprogrammed parameters; and central server apparatus operatively connected to the decoder apparatus to store the file and make the file available to a user of the system. ;A method for compiling and searching the word content of multiple television news programs uses closed captioning text encoded in the television signal. A remotely located server, using a closed captioning decoder, extracts a closed captioned text stream from a television signal and writes the text stream to a file according to parameters pre-programmed by the system administrator. A completed text file moves, via the Internet, from the remote central server to a central server. At the central server, the text file encounters a series of pre-index processes designed to impose consistency across all sources. Text files are parsed into smaller files by story or segment. The resulting multiple files are indexed by content and origination information. An interface for submitting search parameters is provided through a World Wide Web site. The site provides web pages to allow search parameters to be specified by a user. The results of a search are web pages displaying sentences and their citations that meet the specified search parameters. Associated with each cited sentence is an option allowing the user to view the full text of the newscast story or segment from which the cited sentence is derived. The web site also provides a feature called Auto Alert that allows the user to pre-specify search parameters for ongoing, automatic submission to the index server each time a new text file is received. The results of Auto Alert are e-mailed to the user, either instantly or according to a userdefined schedule.