Method and apparatus for eliminating television commercial messages
First Claim
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1. A video recording and playback system comprising:
- (a) a video recorder/player having a record mode, a play mode and a fast scan mode;
(b) a recording medium for insertion into the video recorder/player so as to record a video signal thereon in the record mode and play the video signal recorded thereon in the play mode, said video signal including program material of first and second categories;
(c) event detection means for automatically detecting events within the video signal as the video signal is recorded, each of said events occurring within viewable lines of a video frame;
(d) means for marking the recording medium with a first type of mark in proximity to a respective detected event, said marking of the recording medium being done substantially concurrently with recording of the video signal;
(e) a data memory storing times of occurrence of the events detected in the record mode;
(f) means for analyzing the events to classify segments of the video signal as containing program material of one of the first category and second category;
(g) means for positioning the recording medium to beginning and ending positions of each segment of the video signal classified as containing program material of the second category;
(h) means for marking the recording medium with a second type of mark in predetermined relationship to a corresponding first type of mark at each of said beginning positions and with a third type of mark in predetermined relationship to a corresponding first type of mark at each of said ending positions.
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Abstract
A video recording and playback device (10) incorporates a processor (114) for processing the video signal to detect the presence of commercial messages. Video and audio event detectors (102, 104) detect the presence of events in the signal as it is recorded. The timing relationship of the detected events is analyzed to classify the video segments between events as program material or as commercial messages. After a program is recorded, control marks are generated (132) to indicate the beginning and end of commercial groups so that they will be skipped during subsequent replay of the recorded program.
250 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A video recording and playback system comprising:
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(a) a video recorder/player having a record mode, a play mode and a fast scan mode; (b) a recording medium for insertion into the video recorder/player so as to record a video signal thereon in the record mode and play the video signal recorded thereon in the play mode, said video signal including program material of first and second categories; (c) event detection means for automatically detecting events within the video signal as the video signal is recorded, each of said events occurring within viewable lines of a video frame; (d) means for marking the recording medium with a first type of mark in proximity to a respective detected event, said marking of the recording medium being done substantially concurrently with recording of the video signal; (e) a data memory storing times of occurrence of the events detected in the record mode; (f) means for analyzing the events to classify segments of the video signal as containing program material of one of the first category and second category; (g) means for positioning the recording medium to beginning and ending positions of each segment of the video signal classified as containing program material of the second category; (h) means for marking the recording medium with a second type of mark in predetermined relationship to a corresponding first type of mark at each of said beginning positions and with a third type of mark in predetermined relationship to a corresponding first type of mark at each of said ending positions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A video-recording method comprising the steps of:
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(a) recording a video signal on a recording medium; (b) monitoring the video signal as it is recorded to automatically detect events therein as the video signal is recorded, each of said events occurring within viewable lines of a video frame; (c) marking the recording medium with a first type of mark in proximity to a respective detected event, said marking of the recording medium being done substantially concurrently with recording of the video signal; (d) storing data representative of a time of occurrence of each event; (e) analyzing the data to classify segments of the video signal between events as one of a first and second category; (f) positioning the recording medium to beginning and ending positions of each segment of the video signal classified as the second category; (g) marking the recording medium with a second type of mark in predetermined relationship to a corresponding first type of mark at each of said beginning positions; (h) marking the recording medium with a third type of mark in predetermined relationship to a corresponding first type of mark at each of said ending positions. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification