US007051018B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 7,051,018 B2 Reed et al. (45) Date of Patent: May 23, 2006 (54) MULTIMEDIA SEARCH SYSTEM (52) U.S. Cl. ........................... 707/3; 715/700; 345/418 (58) Field of Classification Search .................... 707/3; (75) Inventors: Michael Reed, Chicago, IL (US); Greg 715/700; 345/418 Bestick, Lacosta, CA (US); Carol See application file for complete search history. Greenhalgh, Austin, TX (US); Norman J. Bastin, Chicago, IL (US); Ron (56) References Cited Carlton, San Marcos, CA (US); Stanley D. Frank, Chicago, IL (US); U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS Dale Good, Evanston, IL (US); Neil RE30,666 E 7/1981 Mitchell et al. Holman, Buffalo Grove, IL (US); Carl 4,422,158 A 12/1983 Galie Holzman, Chicago, IL (US); Ann 4,542,477 A 9/1985 Noyori et al. 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No.: 11/150,812 Primary Examiner Wayne Amsbury (22) Filed: Jun. 13, 2005 (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP (65) Prior Publication Data US 2005/025 1515 A1 Nov. 10, 2005 (57) ABSTRACT Related U.S. Application Data A database search system that retrieves multimedia infor (63) Continuation of application No. 10/103,814, filed on mation in a flexible, user friendly system. The search system Mar. 25, 2002, which is a continuation of application uses a multimedia database consisting of text, picture, audio No. 08/202,985, filed on Feb. 28, 1994, now Pat. No. and animated data. That database is searched through mul 6,546,399, which is a continuation of application No. tiple graphical and textual entry paths. 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