Method and system for recognition of broadcast segments

• US 5,621,454 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 04/15/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arbitron Inc. (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Fellinger, Michael W., Ellis, Michael D., James, David M., Younglove, Fancy B., Clifton, David L., Land, Richard S., Dunn, Stephen M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Burgess, Glenton B.
• Application Number:
  US08/481,815
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 348/2, 348/3, 348/907, 455/2, 455/67
• US Class Current: 725/22
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/785 using colour or luminescence
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/40 in video content extracting overlay text G06V20/62; video retrieval G06F16/70; processing of video elementary streams in video servers H04N21/234; processing of video elementary streams in video clients H04N21/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/372 Programme
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/59 of video recognising characters or patterns in general G06F18/00, G06V20/00

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method of producing a signature characterizing an interval of a video signal representing a picture for use in broadcast segment recognition. The signature is produced based on portions of the video signal representing corresponding regions of the picture. The invention also serves to produce a corresponding mast word including a plurality of bit values each representing a reliability of a corresponding value of the signature. The first signature is formed having a plurality of values each of which is based on a respective one of the portions of the video signal. A second signature is formed also having a plurality of values each based on respective ones of a plurality of shifted portions of the video signal. The shifted portions each corresponds to a respective one of the video signal portions and has a location displaced from a location of the respective one of the portions by a predetermined amount, such that each value of the first signature corresponds to a value of the second signature. The respective values of the first and second signatures are compared and bit values of the mask word are established based on this comparison.

Claims

1. A method of producing a signature characterizing an interval of a video signal representing a picture for use in broadcast segment recognition, wherein the signature is produced based on portions of the video signal representing corresponding regions of the picture, and for producing a corresponding mask word including a plurality of bit values each representing a reliability of a corresponding value of the signature, comprising the steps of:

forming a first signature having a plurality of values each based on respective ones of said portions of the video signal;

forming a second signature having a plurality of values each based on respective ones of a plurality of shifted portions of the video signal each corresponding to a respective one of said portions and having a location displaced from a location of said respective one of said portions by a predetermined amount, such that each value of said first signature corresponds to a value of the second signature;

comparing respective values of said first and second signatures;

establishing said bit values of said mask word based on the comparison of a respective value of said first signature with the corresponding value of the second signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of establishing said bit values of said mask word comprises establishing a first binary value thereof if the corresponding value of said first signature is substantially equal to the respective value of the second signature, and establishing a second binary value therefor if the corresponding value of said first signature is not substantially equal to the respective value of the second signature.

3. A system for producing a signature characterizing an interval of a video signal representing a picture for use in broadcast segment recognition, wherein the signature is produced based on portions of the video signal each representing a corresponding region of the picture, and for producing a corresponding mask word including a plurality of bit values each representing a reliability of a corresponding value of the signature, comprising:

means for forming a first signature having a plurality of values each based on respective ones of said portions of the video signal;

means for forming a second signature having a plurality of values each based on respective ones of a plurality of shifted portions of the video signal each corresponding to a respective one of said portions and having a location displaced from a location of said respective one of said portions by a predetermined amount, such that each value of said first signature corresponds to a value of the second signature;

means for comparing the respective values of said first and second signatures; and

means for establishing said bit values of said mask word based on the comparison of a respective value of said first signature with the corresponding value of the second signature.