Digital advertisement insertion system

• US 5,715,018 A
• Filed: 04/10/1992
• Issued: 02/03/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Avid Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Peters, Eric C., Fasciano, Peter J., Garmon, Paul D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Miller, John W.
• Application Number:
  US07/866,848
• Time in Patent Office: 2,125 Days
• Field of Search: 358/185, 358/142, 358/86, 348/722, 348/720, 348/721, 348/460, 348/5, 348/3, 348/1, 348/9, 348/8, 348/7, 348/6, 348/505, 348/506, 348/510, 348/512, 348/514, 348/536, 348/549, 455/3.1, 455/4.1
• US Class Current: 348/722
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/103 Transmitter-side switching
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9264 using transform coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9265 with processing of the sound signal

Abstract

Digital audio/video insertion and broadcast system. The system takes audio/video source information and digitizes, compresses and stores the information. The storage is in a random access medium such as magnetic or optical disks. Playing apparatus decompresses the information and regenerates an analog signal. Patching apparatus inserts the regenerated analog signal into a broadcast or cable channel at preselectable times. Editing apparatus may be provided for editing a stored video file prior to playing.

Claims

1. Digital advertisement insertion system comprising:

an analog source of motion video information;

apparatus adapted for digitizing, compressing and storing the motion video information in a computer data file such that upon decompression broadcast quality motion video information is obtained;

editing apparatus for editing the stored motion video information;

playing apparatus that decompresses the edited stored motion video information to obtain broadcast quality motion video information and regenerates an analog signal, the playing apparatus including a synchronization generator to provide synchronization of the analog signal to a broadcast signal during insertion; and

patching apparatus for inserting the regenerated analog signal into a broadcast channel at preselectable times.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising editing apparatus intereconnected with the digitizing, compressing and storing apparatus for editing the digitized information.

3. A system of claim 1 wherein the playing apparatus comprises an array of players and the patching apparatus comprises a digitally controlled signal matrix switcher.

4. The system of claim 3 wherein the patching apparatus controls a broadcast channel.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the compressing apparatus includes a JPEG chip, video board and bus apparatus to accommodate 60-field per second full-motion, full-resolution video.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the apparatus for digitizing, compressing and storing employs magnetic disks.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the apparatus for digitizing, compressing and storing comprises optical storage disks.

8. The system of claim 1 further including a digital interconnection network interconnecting the digitizing, compressing and storing apparatus, the playing apparatus and the patching apparatus.

9. The system of claim 1 further including means for editing a channel insertion log.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the playing apparatus verifies locally that its files were executed and logs which files were played.

11. A system of claim 1 wherein the advertisement information is audio information.

12. A system of claim 1 wherein the advertisement information is video information.

13. A system of claim 1 wherein the advertisement information is audio and video information.

14. A method for digital advertisement insertion, comprising the steps of:

receiving motion video information from an analog source;

digitizing, compressing and storing the received motion video information in a computer data file such that upon decompression, broadcast quality motion video information is obtained;

selecting and editing at least a portion of the stored motion video information;

decompressing the selected and edited portion of the stored motion video information to obtain broadcast quality motion; and

regenerating an analog signal from the selected and edited portion of the stored motion video information;

inserting the regenerated analog signal in place of a broadcast signal on a channel at a predetermined time; and

providing synchronization of the regenerated analog signal to the broadcast signal.

15. A broadcasting system using sequences of digital still images to represent motion video, comprising:

means for inserting a signal representing motion video information in place of a broadcast signal on a broadcast channel at a predetermined time, and wherein the broadcast channel transmits the motion video information at a field per second rate;

means for providing synchronization of the signal representing motion video information to the broadcast signal;

a randomly-accessible computer-readable medium for digitally storing in a data file compressed image data for a sequence of digital still images, including an image corresponding to each field of the motion video information to be transmitted in the broadcast channel, such that upon decompression, broadcast quality motion video information is obtained; and

a computer including means for editing the sequence of digital still images, means for accessing the sequence at the predetermined time, for decompressing the sequence to obtain broadcast quality motion video information and for generating the signal to be inserted into the broadcast channel from the accessed sequence.

16. The broadcasting system of claim 15, further comprising and editing system for enabling a user to edit the sequence of digital still images.

17. The broadcasting system of claim 15, wherein the broadcast channel transmits video information at 60 fields per second and the sequence of digital still images includes an image for each field of video information to be transmitted by the broadcast channel.

18. The broadcasting system of claim 15, wherein the medium is overwritable.

19. The broadcasting system of claim 18, wherein the medium is a magnetic disk.

20. The broadcasting system of claim 15, wherein the digital images stored on the means for storing are compressed, and wherein the means for generating the signal to be inserted into the broadcast channel includes means for decompressing the stored images.

21. A broadcast insertion system for inserting an input motion video signal into a broadcast signal at a predetermined time, the broadcast signal having an embedded synchronization signal, the broadcast insertion system comprising:

a computer readable and rewriteable random access medium that provides a data file containing a sequence of digital still images defining the input motion video signal;

an editing apparatus having means for accessing the data file, for displaying motion video information using the sequence of digital still images and means for editing the sequence of digital still images; and

a playing apparatus having a first input coupled to the medium to receive the sequence of digital still images defining the input motion video signal, having a second input to receive the synchronization signal, and having an output that provides the input motion video signal at the predetermined time, the playing apparatus including means for generating the input motion video signal from the sequence of digital still images and a synchronization generator that synchronizes the input signal to the synchronization signal.

22. The broadcast insertion system of claim 21, wherein the synchronization generator provides indirect vertical and horizontal synchronization of the input signal to the broadcast signal using the color frequency signal.

23. A method for inserting an input motion video signal into a broadcast signal at a predetermined time, the broadcast signal having an embedded synchronization signal, the input motion video signal being synchronized by a synchronization generator, the method comprising steps of:

receiving a data file on a computer readable and rewriteable random access medium containing a sequence of digital still images defining the input signal;

editing the sequence of digital still images;

generating the input motion video signal from the edited sequence of digital still images;

receiving the broadcast signal;

locking the synchronization generator to the synchronization signal before the predetermined time;

inserting the generated input motion video signal into the broadcast signal at the predetermined time;

disabling the locking of the synchronization generator to the synchronization signal after the predetermined time; and

locking the synchronization generator to the broadcast signal.

24. A video insertion system for interrupting a first video signal being distributed on a channel of a video distribution system at a predetermined time and inserting a second video signal including frames of video information into the channel in place of the first program, the system comprising:

a randomly accessible, computer-readable and re-writable storage medium that stores a sequence of digital still images including an image corresponding to each frame of video information of the second video signal;

a receiver that receives the first video signal being distributed on the channel;

a transmitter, coupled to the receiver, that transmits one of the first and second video signals onto the channel from the insertion system in response to a control signal;

reading means for reading the sequence of digital still images from the storage medium;

video generating means, coupled to the reading means and to the transmitter, for generating the second video signal from the sequence of digital still images; and

control means for generating the control signal such that the second video signal is transmitted from the transmitter at the predetermined time.

25. The insertion system of claim 24, wherein the first video signal includes a synchronization signal, and wherein the video generating means includes:

synchronization means for generating the second video signal synchronous with the synchronization signal; and

data transfer control means for varying a data rate of transfer of the digital still images from the storage medium to the video generation means to account for variability of access times of reading the digital still images stored in the storage medium so that the second video signal is synchronous with the synchronization signal.

26. The insertion system of claim 24, further comprising an editing system for enabling a user to edit the sequence of digital still images.

27. The insertion system of claim 24, wherein the sequence of digital still images stored on the storage medium is compressed and wherein the video generating means includes means for decompressing the sequence of digital still images.

28. The insertion system of claim 24, wherein the second video signal has a video quality substantially similar to a video quality of the first video signal.

29. In a motion video insertion system having a randomly accessible, computer-readable and re-writable storage medium that stores a sequence of digital still images as a computer data file in a compressed form such that upon decompression broadcast quality motion video information is obtained, a method for interrupting at a predetermined time a first motion video signal being distributed on a channel of a video distribution system and inserting a second motion video signal including frames of motion video information onto the channel in place of the first program, wherein each of the frames of motion video information corresponds to one of the digital still images, the method comprising steps of:

receiving the first motion video signal being distributed on the distribution channel;

transmitting the first motion video signal over the distribution channel;

editing the sequence of digital still images;

reading and decompressing the edited digital still images from the storage medium to obtain broadcast quality motion video information;

generating the second motion video signal from the decompressed sequence of digital still images;

interrupting the transmission of the first motion video signal at the predetermined time; and

transmitting the second motion video signal over the distribution channel.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein:

the step of receiving includes a step of receiving a synchronization signal of the first video signal;

the step of generating the second video signal includes a step of generating the second video signal synchronous with the first video signal; and

the method further comprises a step of varying a data rate of transfer of the digital still images from the storage medium.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising a step of editing the sequence of digital still images.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the sequence of digital still images is compressed and the method further includes a step of decompressing the sequence of digital still images.