Method and apparatus for automatically identifying and selectively altering segments of a television broadcast signal in real-time

• US 6,002,443 A
• Filed: 11/01/1996
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• 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): Peng, John K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lo, Linus H.
• Application Number:
  US08/742,983
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: 348/553, 348/632, 348/687, 348/690, 348/552, 348/907, 348/9, 348/10, 348/722, 348/465, 348/460, 358/908
• US Class Current: 348/553
• 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 21/8456 by decomposing the content in the time domain, e.g. in time segments
• 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 5/782 on tape

Abstract

The method and apparatus identifies selected broadcast segments, such as commercial advertisements, of a television signal in real-time for the purpose of muting the video and audio portions 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 mute the audio and video portions of the television signal 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 lengths 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 muted in real-time.

Claims

1. A method of processing a television signal in a television receiver comprising the steps of:

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

(b) detecting a first event marker;

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

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

(e) if the captured signature pattern matches one of the stored signature patterns, modifying 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;

(f) 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;

(g) 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;

(h) 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 television signal is modified in step (e) by muting an audio component of the television signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the television signal is modified in step (e) by muting a video component of the television signal.

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

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

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

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

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

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