Video signal identifier for controlling a VCR and television based on the occurrence of commercials

• US 5,708,477 A
• Filed: 05/29/1996
• Issued: 01/13/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fred Franklin Forbes, Scott Jared Forbes
• Original Assignee: Fred Franklin Forbes, Scott Jared Forbes
• Inventors: Forbes, Fred Franklin, Forbes, Scott Jared
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US08/657,026
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 358/908, 348/180, 348/552, 348/553, 348/714-719, 348/907, 386/33, 386/35, 386/109, 360/69, 360/71, 369/19, 369/20
• US Class Current: 348/552
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 31/00 Arrangements for the associated working of recording or reproducing apparatus with related apparatus with cameras or projectors G03B31/00 ; recording/reproducing of music for electrophonic musical instruments G10H1/0033; automatic arrangements for answering calls or for recording messages for absent subscribers H04M1/64; telephonic communication systems adapted for combination with dictation recording and playback systems H04M11/10; connection of TV recorder with other related apparatus, e.g. TV camera or receiver, in which the TV signal is significantly involved H04N, e.g. H04N23/00, H04N5/765; combination of radio or TV with other apparatus, e.g. with vehicles H05K11/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4135 external recorder interface circuits between an apparatus for recording television signals and a television receiver H04N5/775
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42221 Transmission circuitry, e.g. infrared [IR] or radio frequency [RF]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4334 Recording operations recording of a television signal H04N5/76; arrangements for recording or accumulating broadcast information or broadcast-related information H04H60/27
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4335 Housekeeping operations, e.g. prioritizing content for deletion because of storage space restrictions storage management, e.g. defragmentation G06F3/0604; unloading stored programs G06F9/445; storage management in file systems G06F16/10; buffering arrangements in a network node or in an end terminal in packet networks H04L49/90
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4396 by muting the audio signal
• 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 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/44 Receiver circuitry for the reception of television signals according to analogue transmission standards H04N5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/908 Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

A video signal identifier ("VSI") electrically coupled to both a VCR and a television to control their operation. The VSI memorizes commercials then automatically controls the television and video cassette recorder upon identifying a re-occurrence of the commercial. The VSI automatically mutes then restores volume on a television or pauses then resumes VCR recording at the beginning and end of a commercial.

Claims

1. A method of controlling electronic equipment comprising:

receiving an electrical signal comprising video frames;

creating a current abbreviated frame corresponding to one of said video frames of said electrical signal;

determining a total value of a particular characteristic of said current abbreviated frame;

finding one of a plurality of abbreviated frames previously identified as representing a program segment and stored in a memory, said found abbreviated frame having a total value of a particular characteristic that differs from said total value of said particular characteristic of said current abbreviated frame by less than a predetermined total characteristic threshold;

beginning at said found abbreviated frame, searching said memory for a stored abbreviated frame that matches said current abbreviated frame within a predetermined match threshold; and

sending at least one control signal to said electronic equipment to interrupt an operation being performed by said electronic equipment if said searching means finds a matching stored abbreviated frame.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

setting a timer equal to a duration of the program segment represented by said stored abbreviated frame found at said searching step; and

sending at least one control signal to said electronic equipment to resume said interrupted operation when said timer expires.

3. An apparatus for controlling electronic equipment comprising:

memory means for storing a plurality of abbreviated frames each representing a particular program segment;

means for receiving an electrical signal comprising a sequence of video frames;

means for creating a current abbreviated frame corresponding to one of said video frames composing said electrical signal;

means for determining a total value of a particular characteristic of said current abbreviated frame;

means for finding one of said plurality of abbreviated frames stored in said memory means whose total value of said particular characteristic differs from said total value of said particular characteristic of said current abbreviated frame by less than a predetermined total characteristic threshold;

means for searching, beginning at said abbreviated frame found by said finding means, said memory means for an abbreviated frame that matches said current abbreviated frame within a predetermined match threshold; and

means for sending at least one control signal to said electronic equipment to interrupt an operation being performed by said electronic equipment if said searching means finds a matching abbreviated frame.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

means for determining whether said current abbreviated frame represents a scene change in said received electrical signal; and

means for discarding said current abbreviated frame if said current abbreviated frame does not represent a scene change.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said means for determining whether said current abbreviated frame represents a scene change comprises:

means for comparing said current abbreviated frame to an abbreviated frame representing a current scene of said received electrical signal; and

means for comparing a total sharpness of said current abbreviated frame to a minimum total sharpness threshold value.

6. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said plurality of abbreviated frames are stored in said memory means as a linked list.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein said plurality of abbreviated frames are arranged in said linked list in an order corresponding to an increasing amount of said total value of said particular characteristic for each of said abbreviated frames.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said searching means comprises means for traversing said linked list in an order of increasing values of said particular characteristic.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said searching means comprises means for traversing said linked list in an order of decreasing values of said particular characteristic.

10. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said finding means comprises means for comparing a portion of said determined total value of said particular characteristic of said current abbreviated frame with one or more of said plurality of abbreviated frames stored in said memory means.

11. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electronic equipment includes a television, and said control signals include signals for muting an audio output of said television.

12. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electronic equipment includes a video cassette recorder, and said control signals include signals for stopping a recording operation being performed by said video cassette recorder.

13. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said particular characteristic comprises brightness.

14. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein an abbreviated frame comprises a plurality of data values, each said data value representing a value of said particular characteristic over a portion of said video frame corresponding to said abbreviated frame.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein said searching means comprises means for comparing each of said plurality of data values composing said current abbreviated frame with each of said plurality of data values composing one or more of said abbreviated frames stored in said memory means.

16. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising:

means for setting a timer equal to a duration of the program segment represented by the stored abbreviated frame found by said searching means; and

means for sending at least one control signal to said electronic equipment to resume said interrupted operation when said timer expires.

17. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising means for storing an abbreviated frame representing a current scene in said memory means in response to a control signal.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein said plurality of abbreviated frames are stored in said memory means in an order from most recently accessed to least recently accessed, and said means for storing an abbreviated frame representing a current scene in said memory means includes means for overwriting the least recently accessed abbreviated frame in said memory means when said memory means is full.

19. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said electronic equipment is located at a location remote from said apparatus for controlling said electronic equipment, and said apparatus for controlling said electronic equipment further comprises communication means for transmitting said at least one control signal to said electronic equipment.

20. An apparatus for controlling electronic equipment comprising:

memory means for storing a plurality of abbreviated frames representing commercials, said plurality of abbreviated frames being stored as a linked list, said linked list being ordered from an abbreviated frame having a greatest total brightness to an abbreviated frame having a least total brightness;

means for receiving an electrical signal comprising a sequence of video frames;

means for creating a current abbreviated frame corresponding to one of said video frames of said electrical signal, said current abbreviated frame comprising a plurality of data values, each said data value representing an average brightness of a portion of the corresponding video frame;

means for storing a current scene abbreviated frame representing a current scene of said received electrical signal in said memory means in response to a control signal identifying said current scene as a commercial;

means for determining whether said current abbreviated frame represents a scene change and discarding said current abbreviated frame if said current abbreviated frame does not represent a scene change;

means for determining a total brightness of said current abbreviated frame;

means for finding an abbreviated frame stored in said memory means whose total brightness differs from said total brightness of said current abbreviated frame by less than a predetermined brightness threshold;

means for searching said memory means for a stored abbreviated frame that matches said current frame within a predetermined match threshold by beginning said search at said found abbreviated frame and traversing said linked list, said searching means comparing each of said plurality of data values composing said current abbreviated frame with each of said plurality of data values composing abbreviated frames stored in said memory means;

means for sending at least one control signal to said electronic equipment to interrupt an operation being performed by said electronic equipment if said searching means finds a matching abbreviated frame;

means for setting a timer equal to a duration of the commercial represented by the abbreviated frame found by said searching means; and

means for sending a control signal to said electronic equipment to resume said interrupted operation when said timer expires.