Method and apparatus for controlling a videotape player to automatically scan past recorded commercial messages

• US 5,333,091 A
• Filed: 01/08/1993
• Issued: 07/26/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SRT, Inc., Televentions LLC
• Original Assignee: Arthur D. Little Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Iggulden, Jerry, McFarland, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Psitos, Aristotelis
• Assistant Examiner(s): WRIGHT, JENNIFER PEARSON
• Application Number:
  US08/002,782
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 360/14.1-14.3, 360/33.1, 360/69, 360/71, 360/74.5, 358/908, 358/311-313, 358/335
• US Class Current: 386/281
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1875 adaptations for special effects or editing signal processing or indexing therefor G11B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/91 Helical scan format, wherein tracks are slightly tilted with respect to tape direction, e.g. VHS, DAT, DVC, AIT or exabyte
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/24 by sensing features on the record carrier other than the transducing track ; sensing signals or marks recorded by another method than the main recording
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3036 Time code signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/323 Time code signal, e.g. on a cue track as SMPTE- or EBU-time code
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/324 Duty cycle modulation of control pulses, e.g. VHS-CTL-coding systems, RAPID-time code, VASS- or VISS-cue signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 : on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/59 : of video recognising characters or patterns in general G06F18/00, G06V20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/142 : Detection of scene cut or scene change
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/179 : the unit being a scene or a shot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/87 : involving scene cut or scene change detection in combination with video compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/78263 : for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/908 : Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

An automatic editing device is coupled between a conventional VCR and a conventional television monitor/receiver. During recording of a television signal, data is accumulated with respect to the time of occurrence and duration of detectable events, such as blank frames, in the television signal, and such data is stored in the device. At a time subsequent to the recording process, the stored data is analyzed to classify the content of the television signal between the detectable events. The recording is made on a tape which has timing reference data permanently encoded thereon. During playback, the stored data for each event is compared to the timing reference data read from the tape and the VCR is automatically commanded into a fast scan mode when the tape reaches the beginning time of a portion of the video signal that has been classified for elimination during playback. The VCR is then automatically commanded to return to the normal "play" mode when the tape reaches the ending time of that portion of the video signal. Since all of the television signal is recorded on the tape, any or all of the signal may be viewed, even if portions of it have been misclassified.

Claims

1. A method of automatically editing a videotape comprising the steps of:

(a) recording a video signal on a videotape;

(b) monitoring the video signal as it is recorded to detect event markers therein;

(c) storing data representative of a time of occurrence of each event marker;

(d) analyzing the data to classify the video signal between event markers as one of a first and second type;

(e) storing a time-based map of the video signal containing a plurality of entries, each of said plurality of entries comprising an event time and classification information for the video signal associated with said event time;

(f) playing the videotape to reproduce the video signal recorded thereon;

(g) retrieving the stored time-based map of the video signal;

(h) determining a time value for the videotape being played;

(i) comparing the time value for the videotape being played with the event time of a next entry in the time-based map to detect coincidence therebetween;

(j) playing the videotape following said coincidence at a fast rate if the classification information of said next entry in the time-based map corresponds to the second type; and

(k) repeating steps (g)-(j) for each entry in the time-based map.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the event markers comprise blank frames.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of analyzing data comprises analyzing the spacing and duration of event markers.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of analyzing data is performed subsequent to recording an entire video program on the videotape.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of decoding tape identification indicia on the videotape to obtain tape identification data.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the first type of video signal contains program material and the second type of video signal contains commercial material.

7. An automated videotape playback system comprising:

(a) a videotape player having a play mode and a fast scan mode and further having mode control means for selecting one of the play and fast scan modes as a function of a mode selection signal;

(b) a videotape for play on the videotape player;

(c) a data memory for storing data representative of a time of occurrence of a plurality of event markers in a video signal recorded on the videotape;

(d) a control unit coupled to the data memory and the videotape player for receiving the video signal played from the videotape, said control unit including;

(i) means for analyzing the data stored in the data memory to classify the video signal between event markers as one of a first and second type;

(ii) means for storing a time-based map of the video signal containing a plurality of entries, each of said plurality of entries comprising an event time and classification information for the video signal associated with said event time;

(iii) means for determining a time value for the videotape being played;

(iv) means for comparing the time value for the videotape being played with the time of occurrence of a next entry in the time-based map to detect coincidence therebetween;

(v) means for transmitting the mode selection signal upon detection of said coincidence to select the fast scan mode if the classification information of said next entry in the time-based map corresponds to the second type.

8. A method of recording a video program comprising the steps of:

(a) recording a video signal containing the video program on a recording medium;

(b) monitoring the video signal as it is recorded to detect events therein;

(c) storing data representative of a time of occurrence of each detected event;

(d) analyzing the data, after the video program has been recorded, to classify intervals of the video signal as being one of a first type for normal playback and a second type to be scanned past during playback; and

(e) storing a time-based map identifying intervals of the video signal to be scanned past during playback.

9. A method of automatically scanning past portions of a recorded video program comprising the steps of:

(a) recording a video signal containing the video program on a recording medium;

(b) monitoring the video signal as it is recorded to detect events therein;

(c) storing data representative of a time of occurrence of each detected event;

(d) analyzing the data, after the video program has been recorded, to classify intervals of the video signal as being one of a first type for normal playback and a second type to be scanned past during playback;

(e) storing a time-based map identifying intervals of the video signal to be scanned past during playback;

(f) playing the recording medium to reproduce the video signal recorded thereon;

(g) retrieving the stored time-based map;

(h) determining a current time value for a portion of the video signal being played;

(i) identifying a portion of the video signal being played as corresponding to a next interval of the video signal to be scanned past during playback;

(j) rapidly advancing playback of the recording medium through said next interval of the video signal to be scanned past.