Concealed metadata transmission system

• US 20080178246A1
• Filed: 01/24/2007
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saturn Licensing LLC (Sony Group Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Sony Corporation (Sony Group Corp.), Sony Electronics Inc. (Sony Group Corp.)
• Inventors: Blanchard, Robert Noel
• Granted Patent: US 8,150,097 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/131
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234 Processing of video elementary streams, e.g. splicing of video streams or manipulating encoded video stream scene graphs
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/431 Generation of visual interfaces for content selection or interaction; Content or additional data rendering
• 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 7/0122 the input and the output signals having different aspect ratios
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

System and method for embedding and concealing data within a video signal such that the embedded data is displayed within an unused portion of a video display area such that the embedded data is not visually offensive. In one embodiment the encoding of metadata may be executed by translating or adjusting pixel values of the video signal within the secondary image area, such that the pixel values are repurposed to contain the metadata and wherein the metadata is visually imperceptible.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a media signal having a first display format from a broadcast source wherein the signal comprises video content and embedded data;

decoding the media signal;

displaying the video content in a primary image area of a display device, the primary image area having a second display format; and

displaying simultaneously with the video content a secondary image area on the display device, wherein the secondary image area is outside the primary area and contains the embedded data, wherein the embedded data is concealed within the secondary image area.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the secondary image area is a letterbox or pillarbox region of the display device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the first display format has a 16:

9 aspect ratio and the second display format has a 4;

3 aspect ratio.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said embedded data is displayed on the display device such that the embedded data is visually imperceptible.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the embedded data is concealed within a plurality of pixels of the secondary image area.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the embedded data is characterized by a plurality of pixel intensity differences.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the embedded data is concealed within a varying intensity graphic that scrolls through the secondary image area.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the embedded data is characterized by a plurality of pixel color differences.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the embedded data comprises one of metadata, guide data, program related information, network messages, audience measurement data, forensic markers, closed captioning and content advisory data.

10. An apparatus for displaying media content comprising:

a network interface which receives a media signal from a broadcast source, wherein the media signal comprises video content and embedded data;

a processor coupled to the network interface, the processor configured to;

decode the media signal;

display the video content in a primary image area of a display device; and

display simultaneously with the video content, a secondary image area on the display device wherein the secondary area is outside the primary area and contains the embedded data which is concealed.

11. The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said processor is further configured to display embedded data such that the embedded data is visually imperceptible.

12. The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said processor is further configured to display concealed data within a plurality of pixels of the secondary image area.

13. The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said processor is further configured to display embedded data as a plurality of pixel intensity differences.

14. The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said processor is further configured to display embedded data as scrolling intensity values within the secondary image area.

15. The apparatus as described in claim 10 wherein said processor is further configured to display embedded data as a varying intensity graphic that scrolls through the secondary image area.

16. The apparatus as described in claim 10 the embedded data is characterized by a plurality of pixel color differences

17. A method for encoding metadata into a video signal having primary and secondary image areas comprising:

encoding the metadata into the video signal by translating pixel values of the video signal within the secondary image area, such that the pixel values are repurposed to contain the metadata and wherein the metadata is visually imperceptible.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein encoding the metadata into the video signal such that the metadata is visually imperceptible further comprises concealing metadata within the secondary image area.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the secondary image area is a letterbox or pillarbox region of the video signal.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein translating the pixel values of the video signal within the secondary image area further comprises translating one or more lumen components of a plurality of pixels.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein translating the one or more lumen components of a the plurality of pixels comprises illuminating pixels at varying intensities.

22. The method of claim 17 wherein translating the one or more lumen components of a the plurality of pixels comprises adjusting values of the pixel such that lumen intensities may be interpreted as binary data.

23. The method of claim 17 wherein translating the pixel values of the video signal within the secondary image area further comprises scrolling intensity values within the secondary image area.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein scrolling intensity values within the secondary image area further comprises a varying intensity graphic that scrolls through secondary image area.

25. The method of claim 17 wherein translating the pixel values of the video signal within the secondary image area further comprises translating color difference components of the pixel values.

26. The method of claim 17 wherein encoding the metadata into the video signal is performed such that the metadata is extractable from video signal.

27. The method of claim 17 wherein the embedded metadata comprises one of guide data, program related information, network messages, audience measurement data, forensic markers, closed captioning and content advisory data.

28. An apparatus for encoding metadata into a video signal comprising:

a video content input;

a metadata input;

an encoder coupled to said video content input and metadata input, said encoder to execute one or more actions to translate pixel values of the video signal within a secondary image area, such that the pixel values are repurposed to contain the metadata and wherein the metadata is visually imperceptible.