Method and apparatus for identifying and eliminating specific material from video signals
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a blank frame in a video signal, the method comprising:
- extracting the black level from the video signal to produce a black level signal;
gating undesired portions from the video signal to produce a gated signal;
continuously extracting the luminance level from the gated signal to produce an average luminance level signal representative of the average luminance level of a frame; and
comparing the black level signal and the average luminance signal to determine when the average luminance level signal is within a given threshold of the black level signal.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
In a content control system for identifying and eliminating commercials from a recording or presentation of a video signal there is shown a content control unit, a VCR and a TV.
The content control unit has an identification and a communication section. The identification section includes a blank frame detector, an activity detector and a timer for detecting the commercials. The communication section communicates by infra-red signals to control the functioning of the VCR and TV. The blank frame detector has a black level extractor being compensated for by a peak level extractor, and a frame luminance level extractor. A blank frame comparator compares the levels of the compensated black level and the frame luminance level. The activity detector determines the rate of change of frame luminance after the blank frame has been detected and the timer is set. The activity timer has an integrator and a differentiator.
-
Citations
74 Claims
-
1. A method for detecting a blank frame in a video signal, the method comprising:
-
extracting the black level from the video signal to produce a black level signal; gating undesired portions from the video signal to produce a gated signal; continuously extracting the luminance level from the gated signal to produce an average luminance level signal representative of the average luminance level of a frame; and comparing the black level signal and the average luminance signal to determine when the average luminance level signal is within a given threshold of the black level signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
-
-
7. A method for detecting a blank frame in a video signal comprising:
-
extracting the black level from the video signal to produce an extracted black level signal; extracting the peak luminance level of the composite signal to produce an extracted peak luminance level signal; compensating the extracted black level signal with the extracted peak luminance signal level to produce a compensated black level signal; extracting the average luminance level for each frame of the video signal to produce an extracted average luminance level signal; and comparing the extended average luminance level signal to the compensated black level signal to determine whether the extracted average luminance level signal is within a threshold of the compensated black level signal.
-
-
8. A method for detecting a commercial advertisement on a video signal, the method comprising;
- detecting a blank frame on the video signal, setting a timer for a given period after the detection of a blank frame, and testing for activity on the video signal during that period representative of a commercial advertisement.
- View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
25. A method for producing a content control signal having set and clear states representing a commercial and no commercial present in a video signal respectively, the method comprising:
-
detecting a blank frame on the video signal; after the detection of a blank frame setting an activity timer for a given period and the content control signal; testing for activity on the video signal during the period representative of a commercial advertisement; and clearing the content control signal when such activity is not detected during the period. - View Dependent Claims (26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41)
-
-
42. A blank frame detector for operation on a video signal, the detector comprising:
-
a primary black level extractor for extracting the black level of the video signal; line gating means gating undesired portions of the video signal; a frame average luminance level extractor being connected to the line gating means and for extracting the average luminance of a frame of the video signal; a blank frame comparator being connected to the black level extractor and the frame average luminance level extractor for determining when the extracted average luminance level of the field is within a given threshold of the extracted black level of the frame. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. A blank frame detector for operation on a video signal, the detector comprising:
-
a primary black level extractor for extracting the black level of the video signal; a primary peak luminance extractor for extracting the peak luminance level of the video signal; black level offset means connected to the primary black level extractor and to the primary peak luminance level extractor for compensating the extracted black level with a desired portion of the extracted peak luminance level; a frame average luminance level extractor for extracting the average luminance level of the frame; and a blank frame comparator connected to the black level offset means and the frame average luminance level extractor for determining whether the extracted average luminance level is within a threshold of the compensated black level.
-
-
52. An identification unit for detecting a commercial advertisement on a video signal, the unit comprising:
-
a blank frame detector for detecting blank frames on the video signal; an activity timer being connected to the blank frame detector and being set upon the detection of a blank frame in the signal; and an activity detector being connected to the blank frame detector and the activity timer for testing for activity representative of a commercial advertisement in the signal during the time the activity timer is set. - View Dependent Claims (53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72)
-
-
73. A content control unit for controlling a storage device recording a video signal to limit the recording of commercial material contained thereon, the unit comprising:
-
an identification section comprising; a blank frame detector for detecting blank frames in the video signal; an activity timer being connected to the blank frame detector and being set upon the detection of a blank frame in the video signal; and an activity detector being connected to the blank frame detector and the activity timer for testing for activity representative of a commercial advertisement in the video signal during the time the activity timer is set; and a communication section being connected to the content control unit and adapted to be coupled to the storage device for communicating instructions based upon the detection of blank frames and the detection of such activity by the identification section.
-
-
74. A content control system operating on a video signal containing commercial material, the system comprising:
-
a storage device for recording the video signal; a content control unit being connected to the storage device and comprising; an identification section comprising; a blank frame detector for detecting blank frames in the video signal; an activity timer being connected to the blank frame detector and being set upon the detection of a blank frame in the video signal; and an activity detector being connected to the blank frame detector and the activity timer for testing for activity representative of a commercial advertisement in the video signal during the time the activity timer is set; and a communication section being connected to the content control unit and coupled to the storage device for communicating instructions based upon the detection of blank frames and the detection of such activity by the identification section.
-
Specification