Using OCR to detect currently playing television programs
First Claim
1. A method of identifying a media program, comprising:
- at a first electronic device coupled to a display device displaying the media program, the first electronic device including a processor and memory;
without issuing a command to the display;
capturing an image of display data from the media program;
evaluating the image to determine whether or not the display data includes a portion with a text overlay with information about the media program, including evaluating one or more of;
a color of the portion;
a percentage of the image covered by the portion;
an arrangement of text within the portion; and
a contrast between the portion and the media program;
in accordance with a determination that the display data does not include the text overlay, initiating a delay period;
at the end of the delay period and without being prompted by user interaction, repeating the capturing and the evaluating;
in accordance with a determination that the display data does include the text overlay, extracting text from the text overlay; and
obtaining the identity of the media program based on the extracted text.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Features of various implementations are used to enable determining what a particular consumer is watching on television in order to deliver matched functionality, content and/or services, as a part of an interactive television suite of technologies. In some implementations, the process of determining what a particular consumer is watching is enabled so that communication between the primary set-top box and a supplemental set-top box and/or television integrated device is reduced, thereby avoiding the need for one or more provider specific APIs. For example, one aspect of the disclosure is a computer-implemented method of identifying a media program by capturing display data from the media program, and extracting text from the display data in response to determining that the display data includes the text overlay, wherein the extracted text is associated with the media program.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of identifying a media program, comprising:
at a first electronic device coupled to a display device displaying the media program, the first electronic device including a processor and memory; without issuing a command to the display; capturing an image of display data from the media program; evaluating the image to determine whether or not the display data includes a portion with a text overlay with information about the media program, including evaluating one or more of; a color of the portion; a percentage of the image covered by the portion; an arrangement of text within the portion; and a contrast between the portion and the media program; in accordance with a determination that the display data does not include the text overlay, initiating a delay period; at the end of the delay period and without being prompted by user interaction, repeating the capturing and the evaluating; in accordance with a determination that the display data does include the text overlay, extracting text from the text overlay; and obtaining the identity of the media program based on the extracted text. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A computer program product enabling identification of a playing broadcast media program by a first electronic device including a processor and a memory, the computer program product including instructions, stored in a non-transitory memory and executable by a processor, which when executed by a processor, cause the first electronic device to:
without issuing a command to a display device displaying display data; capture an image of display data from the media program; evaluate the image to determine whether or not the display data includes a portion with a text overlay with information about the media program, including evaluating one or more of; a color of the portion; a percentage of the image covered by the portion; an arrangement of text within the portion; and a contrast between the portion and the media program; in accordance with a determination that the display data does not include the text overlay, initiate a delay period; at the end of the delay period and without being prompted by user interaction, repeat the capturing and the evaluating; in accordance with a determination that the display data does include the text overlay; and obtain the identity of the media program based on the extracted text. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A first electronic device, comprising:
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a processor and memory for storing one or more programs, wherein the one or more programs comprise instructions, which when executed by the processor, cause the first electronic device to; without issuing a command to a display device displaying display data; capture an image of display data from a media program; evaluate the image to determine whether or not the display data includes a portion with a text overlay with information about the media program, including evaluating one or more of; a color of the portion; a percentage of the image covered by the portion; an arrangement of text within the portion; and a contrast between the portion and the media program; in accordance with a determination that the display data does not include the text overlay, initiate a delay period; at the end of the delay period and without being prompted by user interaction, repeat the capturing and the evaluating; in accordance with a determination that the display data does include the text overlay; and obtain the identity of the media program based on the extracted text. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification