Commercial detector with a start of active video detector

• US 20050108745A1
• Filed: 11/14/2003
• Published: 05/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Avago Technologies International Sales Pte Limited (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: LSI Logic Corporation (Broadcom, Inc.)
• Inventors: Linzer, Elliot N.
• Granted Patent: US 7,502,513 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/19
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4545 Input to filtering algorithms, e.g. filtering a region of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/147 Scene change detection
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording

Abstract

A method for classifying a first video type and a second video type in a digital video signal having a series of frames, comprising the steps of (A) reading a first set of parameters defining an active portion of a first of the frames, (B) reading a second set of parameters defining an active portion of a second of the frames, (C) comparing the first set of said parameters with the second set of parameters to generate a comparison value, (D) if the comparison value is above a predetermined threshold, indicating the first video type and (E) if the comparison value is not above the predetermined value, indicating the second video type.

Claims

1. A method for classifying a first video type and a second video type in a video signal having a series of frames, comprising the steps of:

(A) reading a first set of parameters defining an active portion of a first of said frames;

(B) reading a second set of parameters defining an active portion of a second of said frames;

(C) comparing said first set of said parameters with said second set of parameters to generate a comparison value;

(D) if said comparison value is above a predetermined threshold, indicating the first video type; and

(E) if said comparison value is not above said predetermined value, indicating the second video type.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein (i) said first video type comprises a commercial and said second video type comprises a program.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein said first set of parameters comprises a first four set (T, B, L, R), where (i) T represents a first number of lines from a top of a nominally active area, (ii) B represents a second number of lines from a bottom of the nominally active area, (iii) L represents a first number of columns from a left of the nominally active area, and (iv) R represents a second number of columns from a right of the nominally active area.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein:

the number of lines T comprises video with no material non-black content;

the number of lines B comprises video with no material non-black content;

the number of lines L comprises video with no material non-black content; and

the number of lines R comprises video with no material non-black content.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein said second set of parameters comprises a second four set (T, B, L, R), where (i) T represents a first number of lines from a top of a nominally active area, (ii) B represents a second number of lines from a bottom of the nominally active area, (iii) L represents a third number of lines from a left of the nominally active area, and (iv) R represents a fourth number of lines from a right of the nominally active area.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein, in the second four set:

the number of lines T comprises video with no materially non-black content;

the number of lines B comprises video with no materially non-black content;

the number of lines L comprises video with no materially non-black content; and

the number of lines R comprises video with no materially non-black content.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein step (D) comprises comparing (i) an absolute value of the difference of said T parameters, plus (ii) an absolute value of the difference of said B parameters, plus (iii) an absolute value of the difference of said L parameters, plus (iv) an absolute value of the difference of said R parameters, to the threshold value.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein (i) said predetermined value comprises a first threshold to determine if the first frame and the second frame are part of an unbroken segment and (ii) said predetermined value comprises a second threshold to determine if the first frame and the second frame have the same set of parameters.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein said video signal comprises a digital video signal.

10. An apparatus comprising:

a first detector circuit configured to generate (i) a first set of parameters defining an active portion of a first frame of a video signal having a series of frames and (ii) a second set of parameters defining an active portion of a second frame of said video signal; and

a second detector circuit configured to generate a transition indication signal in response to a comparison between (i) said first set of parameters and (ii) said second set of parameters.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said further detector circuit comprises a 4-set detector.

12. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said detector circuit comprises a segment detector.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said first detector generates said first set of parameters and said second set of parameters in response to (i) a threshold signal and (ii) one or more samples.

14. The apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising:

a controller (i) connected between said first detector and said second detector and (ii) configured to control said first detector and said second detector.

15. The apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said program indication signal indicates a transition between a first program type and a second program type.

16. A method for distinguishing between a commercial and a program in a digital video signal having a series of frames, comprising the steps of:

(A) determining a first truly active region of a first of said frames;

(B) determining a second truly active region of a second of said frames; and

(C) if said first truly active region is substantially similar to said second truly active region, indicating a first segment signature.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising the step of:

if said first truly active region is not substantially similar to said second truly active region, indicating a second segment signature.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein said first segment signature represents a commercial and said second segment signature represents a program.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said method further comprises implementing a commercial advance by:

skipping said first segment signatures; and

returning to said second segment signatures.

20. A method for segmenting a video signal into program and commercial segments, comprising the steps of:

(A) reading a first set of parameters defining a signature for a first program segment;

(B) detecting the end of said first program segment;

(C) reading a second set of parameters defining a second segment;

(D) comparing said second set of parameters to said first set of parameters; and

(E) if said first set of parameters and said second set of parameters are substantially similar, classifying said second segment as a program segment.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said parameters indicate start of active video.