Method and apparatus for controlling a videotape recorder in real-time to automatically identify and selectively skip segments of a television broadcast signal during recording of the television signal

• US 5,999,689 A
• Filed: 11/01/1996
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Televentions LLC
• Original Assignee: Jerry Iggulden
• Inventors: Iggulden, Jerry
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Application Number:
  US08/742,312
• Time in Patent Office: 1,131 Days
• Field of Search: 358/908, 348/907, 348/460, 348/571, 386/46, 386/94, 360/5
• US Class Current: 386/248
• 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: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/908 Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

The method and apparatus operates in a VCR to identify selected broadcast segments, such as commercial advertisements, of a television signal in real-time for the purpose of suspending recording of the television signal during each unwanted segment. A signature pattern associated with each segment of the television signal is detected and compared to stored signature patterns representative of selected segments such as commercial advertisement segments. If the signature pattern matches one of the stored signature patterns, the segment is thereby immediately identified as being one of the selected segments and is processed in real-time to suspend recording during the segment. If the signature pattern of the segment does not match any of the stored signature patterns, the segment is analyzed to determine whether the segment is nevertheless a selected segment and, if so, its signature pattern is stored along with the stored signature patterns. The analysis to determine whether the segment is nevertheless a selected segment is performed by detecting the length of the segment upon its completion and then determining whether the length of the segment matches one of a pre-determined set of permissible selected segment lengths such as standard commercial advertisement segment Icngths of 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or 60 seconds. If so, the segment is identified as being a selected segment and its signature pattern is stored along with the other stored signature patterns such that, the next time the same segment is encountered, its signature will then match the stored signature and therefore the segment can be immediately identified and recording of the segment can be immediately suspended.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a television signal recording unit comprising the steps of:

(a) recording a television signal in a television signal recording unit;

(b) monitoring the television signal to detect event markers therein;

(c) detecting a first event marker;

(d) capturing a signature pattern associated with the first event marker;

(e) comparing the captured signature pattern to stored signature patterns;

(f) if the captured signature pattern matches one of the stored signature patterns, controlling the television recording unit to suspend recording of the television signal following the first event marker for a period of time equal to a segment time stored in association with the matched one of the stored signature patterns;

(g) if the captured signature pattern does not match any of the stored signature patterns, storing the captured signature pattern in a temporary storage location and continuing to monitor the television signal for a second event marker;

(h) if a second event marker is detected within one of a set of predetermined time periods following the first event marker, adding the captured signature pattern to the stored signature patterns and storing the time period between the first and second event markers as a segment time associated with the captured signature pattern;

(i) if a second event marker is not detected within any of the set of predetermined time periods following the first event marker, discarding the captured signature pattern.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the event markers comprise black frames in the television signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the event markers comprise colored frames in the television signal.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the event markers comprise frame breaks in the television signal.

5. The method of claim 2 wherein the event markers further comprise a low audio level.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein the event markers further comprise a low audio level.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the event markers further comprise a low audio level.