Apparatus and a method for preventing commercial skipping

• US 20020191950A1
• Filed: 06/15/2001
• Published: 12/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xiaoling Wang
• Original Assignee: Xiaoling Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Xiaoling
• Application Number:
  US09/882,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20020191950A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 386/218
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23424 involving splicing one content stream with another content stream, e.g. for inserting or substituting an advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2347 involving video stream encryption
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4325 by playing back content from the storage medium reproduction of recorded television signals H04N5/76; reproduction of recorded television signals H04N9/79
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/440281 by altering the temporal resolution, e.g. by frame skipping television signal recording using magnetic recording on tape for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate H04N5/783
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/783 Adaptations for reproducing at a rate different from the recording rate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

A system, apparatus, and method according to the present invention can enable or disable all manual and automated skipping functions of a video recording and playback device based on a content classification signal which is associated with a video signal. The content classification signal may be comprised of a plurality of portions each of which indicate whether commercial or non-commercial content is in a particular portion of a video signal. The manual and automated skipping functions may include all functions that allow fast forward with and without video content display, fast forward with different speeds, fast forward with varying speed, one-button skipping functions with at least one preset skipping time or length interval, and smart skipping functions that skip only to a certain end point set automatically or manually. The system and the method according to the present invention offers also flexible possibilities to selectively disable or enable the skipping functions based on a set of management parameters such as television channel identification, television program identification, television program class identification, date and time identification, as well as subscription related information. In addition, the system and the method according to the present invention provides a user-definable content classification signal in a content description file which is associated with the video signal to form the video plus content classification signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising

a skipping control device;

and

a video recording and playback device including skipping functions;

wherein the video recording and playback device receives a video signal;

and wherein the skipping control device receives a content classification signal and uses it to determine whether to send a control signal to the video recording and playback device, wherein the control signal affecting operation of the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the control signal disables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the control signal enables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the skipping control device receives a first management parameter;

and

wherein the skipping control device uses both the content classification signal and the first management parameter to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the skipping control device receives a plurality of management parameters;

and

wherein the skipping control device uses both the content classification signal and the plurality of management parameters to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein

the control signal disables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device when a portion of the content classification signal indicates that a related portion of the video signal has commercial content, and the control signal enables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device when a portion of the content classification signal indicates that a related portion of the video signal has regular content.

12. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a television channel.

13. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a television program.

14. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a television program classification.

15. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a date that the video signal was recorded.

16. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a time that the video signal was recorded.

17. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a user subscription to a service.

18. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a user subscription level to a service.

19. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the plurality of parameters are comprised of

an allowed number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time;

a currently used number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time.

wherein if the allowed number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time is greater than the currently used number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time then the control signal enables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device when the content classification signal indicates that the video signal includes commercial content

20. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein

the plurality of parameters are comprised of

a complete disabling parameter that causes the skipping control device to completely disable the skipping functions of the video playback and recording device independent of the content classification signal.

6. An apparatus comprising

a skipping control device;

and

a video recording and playback device including skipping functions;

wherein the video recording and playback device receives a video signal;

and wherein the skipping control device receives a first management parameter and uses it to determine whether to send a control signal to the video recording and playback device, wherein the control signal affects operation of the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein

the skipping control device receives a plurality of management parameters;

and

wherein the skipping control device uses the plurality of management parameters to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

8. An apparatus comprising

a video plus content classification signal reading and decryption device;

a skipping control device; and

a video recording and playback device including skipping functions;

wherein the video plus content classification signal reading and decryption device receives a video plus content classification signal;

extracts a video signal from the video plus content classification signal;

extracts a content classification signal from the video plus content classification signal;

supplies the video signal to the video recording and playback device; and

supplies the content classification signal to the skipping control device;

and wherein the skipping control device uses the content classification signal to determine whether to send a control signal to the video recording and playback device, wherein the control signal affecting operation of the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein

the skipping control device receives a first management parameter;

and

wherein the skipping control device uses both the content classification signal and the first management parameter to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein

the skipping control device receives a plurality of management parameters, and

wherein the skipping control device uses both the content classification signal and the plurality of management parameters to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

21. A method comprising the steps of:

receiving a content classification signal relating to the content of a video signal and using it to determine whether to send a control signal to a video recording and playback device having skipping functions; and

sending the control signal to the video recording and playback device;

wherein the control signal affects skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein

the control signal disables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein

the control signal enables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

24. The method of claim 21 further comprising

receiving a first management parameter;

and

using both the content classification signal and the first management parameter to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

25. The method of claim 24 further comprising

receiving a plurality of management parameters;

and

using both the content classification signal and the plurality of management parameters to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

27. The method of claim 26 further comprised of the steps of

receiving a plurality of management parameters;

and

using the plurality of management parameters to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

29. The method of claim 28 further comprising

receiving a first management parameter;

and

wherein the skipping control device uses both the content classification signal and the first management parameter to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising

receiving a plurality of management parameters;

and

wherein the skipping control device uses both the content classification signal and the plurality of management parameters to determine whether to send the control signal to the video playback and recording device.

31. The method of claim 21 wherein

the control signal disables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device when a portion of the content classification signal indicates that a related portion of the video signal has commercial content, and the control signal enables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device when a portion of the content classification signal indicates that a related portion of the video signal has regular content.

32. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a television channel.

33. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a television program.

34. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a television program classification.

35. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a date that the video signal was recorded.

36. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a time that the video signal was recorded.

37. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a user subscription to a service.

38. The method of claim 21 wherein

the first management parameter identifies a user subscription level to a service.

39. The method of claim 25 wherein

the plurality of parameters are comprised of

an allowed number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time;

a currently used number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time;

wherein if the allowed number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time is greater than the currently used number of credit points of commercial skips for a given period of time then the control signal enables the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device when the content classification signal indicates that the video signal includes commercial content

40. The apparatus of claim 25 wherein

the plurality of parameters are comprised of

a complete disabling parameter that causes the skipping control device to completely disable the skipping functions of the video playback and recording device independent of the content classification signal.

26. A method comprising the steps of

receiving a video signal;

receiving a first management parameter and using it to determine whether to send a control signal to a video recording and playback device having skipping functions; and

sending the control signal to the video recording and playback device;

wherein the control signal affects operation of the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.

28. A method comprising the steps of

receiving a video plus content classification signal;

extracting a video signal from the video plus content classification signal;

extracting a content classification signal from the video plus content classification signal;

supplying the video signal to a video recording and playback device, having skipping functions; and

supplying the content classification signal to a skipping control device;

and wherein the skipping control device uses the content classification signal to determine whether to send a control signal to the video recording and playback device, wherein the control signal affecting operation of the skipping functions of the video recording and playback device.