FORM 2
THE PATENTS ACT, 1970
(39 of 1970)
&
THE PATENT RULES, 2003
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION
(See Section 10 and Rule 13)
Title of invention:
A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEARCHING MULTIMEDIA CONTENT IN A RURAL SOCIAL NETWORK WITHOUT ENTERING A SEARCH QUERY
Applicant:
TATA Consultancy Services Limited A company Incorporated in India under The Companies Act, 1956
Having address: Nirmal Building, 9th Floor, Nariman Point, Mumbai 400021, Maharashtra, India
The following specification describes the nature of the invention and the manner in which it is to be performed

FIELD OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention relates to a system and method for searching multimedia content on a rural social network without entering a search query. More particularly the present invention relates to a system and method for semi-literate or literate people to search for multimedia content in a social network.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART:
In the recent years, Information technology innovations such as mobile and wireless communication and networking technologies have gained importance and have become one of the research focus areas for its fundamental and far reaching practical applications.
The wireless communication networking technology has digitally connected the users across the world. With the development of the wireless communication technologies, social networking has also increased. These social networkings means digitally connect people and enable them to communicate or share critical information with each other. There exists customized rural social networking websites that provide updates of information such as news, weather, agro advisories and local market price of commodities etc. accessible by various modern technology means such as communication devices, laptops or computers with wired or wireless connections.
At the same time, these means of modern technologies and paradigms are of less use to semi-literate or illiterate individuals and are restricted to either literate or trained individuals.
One of the biggest challenges that are faced by semi-literate or literate people is in using the modern technologies and paradigms in an effective manner to access the social networking applications for collaborating and exchanging information and knowledge building.
Further, another hindrance in the use of the social networking applications by semi-literate or literate people is in providing inputs in the foreign language using the modern technologies, rather than their native language.
Further, another hindrance for the semi-literate users with no knowledge of foreign languages is in using modern technology applications such as communication devices with keypad letters in foreign language rather than native language. Hence, the use of modern technologies is of less utility to individuals who are not familiar with the foreign language, further posing the level of difficulty in searching on the social networking sites.

Some of the inventions, which propose system sand method for searching the multimedia content on the rural social network, are as follows:
US 20100035957 discloses a mobile device for accessing agricultural services by non-literate and semi-literate users such as farmers and agricultural industry workers, which comprises a client application that avoids/minimizes the use of keyboard, supports audio-message based interactions and data communications, supports language selection, provides intuitive icons to aid comprehension and user selection, and keeps user interaction simple, Though the '597 patent application discloses an application that avoids/minimizes the use of keyboard for entering textual data, it still needs the input to be made by the user using keyboard of the said hand held device and further does not provide any means for keyword spotting, The patent discloses an approach to reach the illiterate or semi-literate people but it does not provide mobile device data input independence.
US 20100109946 discloses a system and method for mobile based .advising, which involves the user with his mobile terminal formulating a query based on his own input and external sensor input and then sending the query to a remote server, which sends it to an expert group who devise an expert advice, which is then sent back to the user. Though the '946 patent application discloses an application for mobile based advising, it still needs the Input to be made by the user using, keyboard of the said hand held device and further does not provide any means for keyword spotting and communication means data input independence.
In light of the above-mentioned prior arts, it is evident that there is a need to provide a customizable system and method for semi-literate and literate individuals for searching the multimedia content from the data store in rural social networking application without entering the search query (Query input independence)
In the present invention, we propose a novel approach for providing a mechanism for searching the multimedia content on the rural social network, characterized in that it does not require the data to be input by the user in the communication means.
In order to address the long felt need of such a solution, the present invention provides a system and a method that provides semi-literate and literate individuals to search the multimedia content from the data store in ruraf social networking application without entering the search query from their mobile device.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
The principle object of the invention is to provide a system and a method that provides semi-literate and literate individuals to search the multimedia content from the data store in rural social networking application without entering the search query.
Further object of the invention is to provide a system and a method for providing searching facilities in native language to user without depending on the use of foreign language.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide searching mechanism for multimedia content in a ruraf social network using a hand-held communication device.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a hand held device text input independent system for conducting multimedia content search.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide the precise and concise information to the semi-literate and literate individuals using the communication means based multimedia social networking application.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a system and method to the semi-literate and literate individuals for collaborating and exchanging information using the communication means based multimedia rural social network.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a system to conduct a search for multimedia content on automatically generated keywords either displayed or recited or both on the display means of the communication device.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
The present invention discloses a system and method for semi-literate and literate individuals to search multimedia content in a rural social network without entering a search query.
The method and system of the present invention digitally connects and networks the semi-literate and literate individuals such as farmers, and other rural users for example users engaged in agriculture industry for collaborating and exchanging the information.
The present invention provides message updates and information such as news, weather updates, local market price information, agro advisories , notifications etc. to semi-literate and (iterate individuals such as

farmers, and other rural users for example users engaged in agriculture industry, using the communication means based multimedia social networking application.
A method for searching multimedia content in a rural social network characterized in that wherein the search query is not required to be entered by user for searching the multimedia content; the method comprising the steps of:
a. downloading the rural social networking application on a communication means from the
server of the rural social network;
b. installation of downloaded rural social networking application on the said communication
means by the user;
c. transmitting at least one multimedia content, fed by the user, using the input means of the
said communication means, to the server of the rural social network via communication
network ;
d. storing and retrieving the input multimedia content provided by the user in and from the data
store of the rural social network server;
e. spotting the keywords in the received multimedia content provided by the user using
automated and semi-automated keyword spotting engine,
f. tagging one or more existing multimedia content stored in the data store which relates to
one or more spotted keywords using the tagging engine;
g. displaying the search output multimedia content with relevant tagged multimedia content,
upon selection of the tags in sequential manner by the user on the display means of the
communication means,
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, is better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings example constructions of the invention; however, the invention is not limited to the specific methods disclosed. In the drawings :
Figure 1 of the present invention illustrates the architecture of the application of the present invention.
Figure 2 a) illustrates the multimedia content tree stored in the data store.
b) Illustrates the three approaches that can be used to search the requested multimedia content on user's hand-held communication device.
Figure 3 illustrates the application flow for search initiated by user U1 and tag t1.

Figure 4 illustrates the application flow for search initiated by any user and tag t1.
Figure 5 illustrates the application screen flow when user selects Search and shows the final search result.
Figure 6 illustrates an application screen flow when user sends a new multimedia content
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION:
Before the present method and hardware enablement are described, it is to be understood that this invention in not limited to particular methodologies, and hardware described, as these may vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used in the description is for the purpose of describing the particular versions or embodiments only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention which will be limited only by the appended claims. The words "comprising," "having," "containing," and "including," and other forms thereof, are intended to be equivalent in meaning and be open ended in that an item or items following any one of these words is not meant to be an exhaustive listing of such item or items, or meant to be limited to only the listed item or items. The disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention, which may be embodied in various forms.
In one of the significant embodiment, the present invention provides a system for semi-literate and literate individuals to search the multimedia content in a rural social network without entering the search query. The said system comprising of:
At least one communication means having a rural social networking application downloaded and installed therein for searching the multimedia content by connecting to the server of the rural social network over the communication network;
The said communication means also having an input means enabling one or more user to send multimedia content to the server of the rural social network via communication network;
The said server having a data store for storing and retrieving the multimedia content sent by one or more user over the communication network;
The said server further configured to spot one or more keywords in the multimedia content stored in the data store, sent by one or more users by using automated and semi-automated keyword spotting engine;

The said server upon spotting the keywords from the multimedia content further tags the relevant keyword to the multimedia content retrieved from the data store of keywords by using tagging
engine;
A display means for displaying the search output multimedia content with relevant tagged multimedia content, upon selection of the tags in sequential manner by the user.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the communication means facilitating real-time remote communication with other communication devices comprises of mobile phone, a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) or any portable communication device including palm-top, pager machine and mobile digital assistant.
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the multimedia content comprises of but is not limited to text, audio, images, animation, video, voice and interactivity content forms.
Figure 1 of the present invention illustrates the architecture of the application of the present invention.
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the user of the present invention can be a semi-literate or literate individual, such as, but not limited to, farmers, or traders of agricultural sector. Further, the user can also be an illiterate individual. The user can be a rural and urban person.
According to one of embodiment of the present invention, the user downloads and installs the rural social networking application on the communication means (100) connected to the network for searching the multimedia content on the rural social network. Downloading and installation of the networking application on the communication means is a one-time activity, unless the communication means or the application is restored, e.g the version of the application is upgraded or the communication means is reset or changed.
The rural social networking application (108) downloaded and installed on the communication means connected to the rural social network server further comprises custom user interface (101), web social networking system (102), connection means server (103), keyword spotting engine, tagging data store (106), and user Interface construction engine (107).
Upon installing the rural social networking application on the communication means, the user provides at least one multimedia content via the input means of the communication means.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the interactive form of data or information exchanged between the users is expressed as multimedia content. The multimedia content comprises of but not limited to text, audio, images, animation, video, voice and interactivity content forms.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the input means comprises of keypad or the microphone of the communication means.
After providing the input multimedia content by the user, the content is transmitted to the server (103) via the web social networking system (102) over the communication network.
Further, in the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the server (103) performs the data store operation of storing and retrieving the multimedia content (posts) sent by the users.
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the web social networking system (102) is connected to the communication means (100) of the user via the custom User Interface (Ul) (101).
Upon receipt of the transmitted multimedia content by the server (103), the keywords in the multimedia content are spotted by using keyword spotting engine. Two processes are used for keyword spotting namely, semi-automated keyword spotting (104) and automated keyword spotting (105).
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the user using the rural social networking application performs the semi-automated keyword spotting (104); whereas, automated keyword spotting is performed by using automated keyword spotting engine (105).
Further, according to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the automated keyword spotting engine (105) listens to the multimedia content and aids the keyword posted by the user and if some other keywords are spotted relevant to the multimedia content, the automated spotting engine (105) tags the other keywords also to make the search easy.
Further according to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the tagging mechanism is performed in both manner automated and semi-automated manner.
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the semi-automated or manual tagging mechanism is performed by the user and software using the rural social networking application; whereas, automated tagging mechanism is performed by using automated tagging engine.

The automated tagging engine listens to the multimedia content and checks the keywords tagged by the user, and if some other relevant tags for the input multimedia content are stored in the tag data store, then those relevant tags are also tagged to the input multimedia content to make the search easy.
The predefined lists of keywords used for tagging the multimedia content are retrieved from the tag data store (106). All multimedia content received by the server (103), is tagged by some keywords as well as with the username.
The tagged multimedia content along with the input multimedia content posted by the user are then provided to one or more user as output multimedia content on the display means of one or more communication means.
Figure 2 a) illustrates the multimedia content tree stored in the data store.
b) Illustrates the three approaches that can be used to search the requested multimedia content on user's hand-held communication device.
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, figure 2 a) illustrates the typical multimedia content post tree which is stored in the multimedia data store.
In the preferred embodiment, the user (U) feeds a multimedia content to the server by manually tagging a keyword, further the automated spotting engine tags more keywords that can be spotted on the multimedia content. For example: user (U) has posted a post with tag (t), now if automated engine has found keyword (m) relevant for the multimedia post then it will also tag m. For example (U, t) -> (U, t,m)
In another embodiment, the user (U1) can reply to the multimedia content posted by user (U) in the form of multimedia content. User (U1) can manually tag the multimedia post. Further, the post will also be spotted by automated engine; along with this, the multimedia reply post would also inherit the keywords tagged on the parent post. For example: U t1 -> U1 t1 m2 -> U5 t1 m2 k1
in the preferred embodiment, the user (U) uploads the multimedia content to the server, further the keywords in the multimedia content are spotted, and if relevant keywords spotted are available for the input multimedia content posted by the user, then the input multimedia content is further tagged with the relevant keywords (t, m, k, n). For example: 1U t1 → U2 t1 m2 → U5 t1 m2 k1
According to figure 2 a), User 1 (U1) provides an input multimedia content to the server, the username and the keywords in the multimedia content are tagged and displayed as U1 t1.

Further, the relevant multimedia content with spotted keywords posted by other users U2, U3, U4 and U5 are also tagged by username and keywords in the post as U2 t2; U3 t1; U4 t1 and U5 t3 respectively.
Further, the user U2 reply to the post sent by U1 and tag it with the keyword m2, as it is reply of the post (U1,t1) automated keyword spotting engine will tag it with keyword t1 also.
Further, the related tags associated with the multimedia content provided by the other users are also displayed to the user 1 (U1). For example: U2 t1 m2 → U5 t1 m2 k1 and U1 t1 m2 n1
The multimedia content posted by other users and their associated tags are also provided to the user 1 along with the input multimedia content feeded by User 1 (U1) as output multimedia content.
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, the output multimedia content is displayed on the display means of the communication means.
The typical search means cannot be practically implemented as the display means of the communication device is small and it is not feasible from usability perspective to show the complete searched post tree. Thus, according to another embodiment of the present invention, figure 2 b) illustrates the three approaches that can be used to search the requested posts on user's hand-held communication device.
In the preferred embodiment, three approaches that can be used to search the requested multimedia content on user's hand-held communication means are typical search mechanisms such as breadth first search (BFS) and Depth first search (DFS) and third approach i.e. multimedia content search approach of the present invention.
Typical search mechanisms such as BFS and DFS search approach provides each thread of input multimedia content as a separate output multimedia content on the display means of the communication means. Due to practical limitations of the device, both BFS and DFS cannot display the entire multimedia content associated with the desired search query on the display means of the communication means.
The third searching mechanism of the present invention i.e. multimedia content search provides only the main posts or the parent thread of the conversation to the user. The user can then select any of the listed relevant multimedia content from the list and further select any of the two options, either view the multimedia content or secondly to view the thread of the multimedia contents posted by other users.
Figure 3 illustrates the application flow for search initiated by user U1 and tag t1,

According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, figure 3 illustrates the application flow of the search initiated by the user U for username U1 and tag t1.
Relevant multimedia content posted by other users U2, U3, U4 and U5 are tagged by username and keywords spotted in the multimedia content as U2 t2; U3 t1; U4 t1 and U5 t3 respectively.
Further the related tags associated with the multimedia content provided by the other users are also displayed to the user (U1). For example: U2 t1 m2 -> U5 t1 m2 k1 and U1 t1 m2 n1
In the preferred embodiment the user can search the multimedia content using the third approach i.e. multimedia content search mechanism as compared to the typical BFS and DFS method (due to small display screen of the communication means).
The third approach i.e. multimedia content search mechanism of the present invention provides only the parent post list of multimedia content to the user. The user can select any of the listed multimedia content and further select any of the two options, either view the multimedia content or secondly view the thread of the multimedia content posted by other users.
If the user wishes to search for the post tagged with tagl and of user 1 (U1), then, the system will select the post with user name and tag as U1 and t1 from the multimedia data store.
The user either can then further view the multimedia content or can view the replies sent on the , multimedia content by other users or reply to the multimedia content.
Figure 4 illustrates the application flow of search initiated for any user and tag t1.
According to one of the embodiments of the present invention, figure 4 illustrates the application flow of the search initiated for any user and tag t1.
Further, the relevant multimedia content with spotted keywords posted by users U1, U2, U3, U4 and U5 are tagged by username and keywords in the multimedia content as U1 t1; U2 t2; U3 t1; U4 t1 and U5 t3 respectively.
Further, the related tags associated with the multimedia content provided by the other users are also displayed to the user (U1). For example; U2 t1 m2 → U5 t1 m2 k1 and U1 t1 m2 n1

In the preferred embodiment the user can search the multimedia content using the third approach i.e. multimedia content search as compared to the typical BFS and DFS method (due to small display screen of the communication means).
The third approach i.e. multimedia content search mechanism of the present invention provides the user with the list of relevant multimedia content spotted with search query keywords. The user can select any of the listed multimedia content and further select any of the two options, either view the multimedia content or secondly view the thread of multimedia content posted by other users.
Further, according to one of the embodiment of the present invention, the communication means based multimedia rural social networking application provides the list of "all tags" from the tag data store to be selected for the user, to search for the list of multimedia content associated with a particular selected keyword.
If the user wants to search for multimedia content related to a specific user name, he can select "all" option provided in the list of tags and further select the name of the user from the username list. The user either can then further view the multimedia content or can view the replies sent on the multimedia content by other users or reply to the multimedia content.
If the user wishes to search tag 1 of any user, then, he has to select the item "All" and "t1" as user name and tag from the list of username and tags provided by the server.
The third approach i.e. multimedia content search mechanism of the present invention provides comfortable and easy operation of the application by semi-literate or literate individuals.
BEST MODE/EXAMPLE OF WORKING OF THE INVENTION
The invention is described in the example given below which is provided only to illustrate the invention and therefore should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention.
Figure 5 illustrates the application screen flow when user selects Search and shows the final search
result.
In the first step the user downloads and installs the rural social networking application on the communication means.

Further, the user starts the application and selects the task to be performed from the main menu of the application The list of tasks performed consists of but not limited to channels, multimedia contents (Friends post), search and help.
User scrolls down the drop list and selects the task to be performed. If the user selects "search" task to be performed, then the server would provide the list of entire username from the data store along with option "All". Further, on selecting the username from the username drop down menu the server would provide the list of entire tags from tag store consisting of but not limited to "sarvasamanya", "soil", "rain" along with option "ALL". If the user does not want to search for a specific tag then he can select "ALL" option from the 'Tag list drop down menu'.
The user is provided with the "USER LIST" in the display means of the communication means. Once the user selects a user name, let's say "Parag", from the users list, the application's data store provides all the keywords which has been tagged by the user. The tag list is provided by the tag data store of the application with subject related multimedia content (posts) posted by user "Parag". For example, in this case, user "Parag" has posted multimedia contents on topics rain, soil and sarvasamanya. The user can further search by selecting the relevant tag from the tag list for example "rain posts by Parag".
User can view all the multimedia contents (posts) along with the associated thread of multimedia contents (posts) as (Post 1, Post 2 ... Post n).
Figure 6 illustrates an application screen flow when user uploads a new multimedia content, firstly the user downloads and installs the rural social networking application on the communication means, and the user starts the application and selects the task to be performed from the main menu of the application. The list of tasks performed consists of but not limited to channels, multimedia contents (Friends posts), search and help.
User scrolls down the drop list and selects the task to be performed. If the user selects multimedia contents i.e. "Friends posts", task to be performed, then the server would provide list of posts existing in data store along with the options consisting of but not limited to "New", "Reply", "Conversation", "video", "image", "voice".
If the user wants to upload new post then the user can select the option of 'New". Further, capturing or recording a new multimedia content he will get the list of tags existing in the tag data store to tag a keyword with the captured multimedia content, and upload the content.
Thereby the present invention does not require the search query to be typed or entered in text format.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION:
• The present invention provides a system and method for easy and text input independent searching without entering the search query.
• The present invention provides a system and method that provides user friendly navigation of information through the application.
• The present invention provides a system that does not need any textual entry, and thereby provides a system and method for semi-literate and literate individuals to search the rural social network using a communication means.
• The present invention provides a system that reduces the time required for searching.

WE CLAIM:
1. A system for searching multimedia content in a rural social network characterized in that wherein
the search query is not required to be entered by user for searching the multimedia content; the
said system comprising of:
At least one communication means having a rural social networking application downloaded and installed therein for searching the multimedia content by connecting to the server of the rural social network over the communication network;
The said communication means also having an input means enabling one or more user to send multimedia content to the server of the rural social network via communication network;
The said server having a data store for storing and retrieving the multimedia content sent by one or more user over the communication network;
The said server further configured to spot one or more keywords in the multimedia content stored in the data store, sent by one or more users by using automated and semi-automated keyword spotting engine;
The said server upon spotting the keywords from the multimedia content further tags the relevant multimedia content retrieved from the data store to the received multimedia content by using tagging engine;
a display means for displaying the search output multimedia content with relevant tagged multimedia content, upon selection of the tags in sequential manner by the user.
2. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said communication means comprises of mobile phone, personal digital assistant, palm-top and mobile digital assistant.
3. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said input means comprises of keypad or microphone of the communication means.
4. A system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said multimedia content comprises of text, audio, images, animation, video, voice and interactivity content forms.

5. A method for searching multimedia content in a rural social network characterized in that wherein
the search query is not required to be entered by user for searching the multimedia content; the
method comprising the steps of:
a. downloading the rural social networking application on a communication means from the
server of the rural social network;
b. installation of downloaded rural social networking application on the said communication
means by the user;
c. transmitting at least one multimedia content, fed by the user, using the input means of the
said communication means, to the server of the rural social network via communication
network ;
d storing and retrieving the input multimedia content provided by the user in and from the data store of the rural social network server;
e. spotting the keywords in the received multimedia content provided by the user using
automated and semi-automated keyword spotting engine,
f. tagging one or more existing multimedia content stored in the data store which relates to
one or more spotted keywords using the tagging engine;
g. displaying the search output multimedia content with relevant tagged multimedia content,
upon selection of the tags in sequential manner by the user on the display means of the
communication means.
6. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said communication means comprises of mobile phone, personal digital assistant, palm-top and mobile digital assistant.
7. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said input means comprises of keypad or microphone of the said communication means.
8. A method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said multimedia content comprises of text, audio, images, animation, video, voice and interactivity content forms.
9. A system and method as substantially herein described with reference to and as illustrated by the
accompanying drawings.