Method and apparatus for customized editing of video and/or audio signals

• US 6,337,947 B1
• Filed: 03/24/1998
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ATI Technologies ULC (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ATI Technologies Incorporated (Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.)
• Inventors: Porter, Allen J., Rinaldi, Antonio, Li, Raymond
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US09/047,194
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: H06/N.576, 386/55, 386/52, 386/54, 386/46, 386/83, 386/109, 386/111, 386/112, 386/1, 386/4, 386/27, 386/33, 386/92, 386/96, 386/104, 386/95
• US Class Current: 386/281
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/45455 applied to a region of the image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/163 by receiver means only

Abstract

A method and apparatus for customized editing and/or censoring of video and/or audio signals begins when a signal and a plurality of editing parameters are received. The signal includes an audio and/or video signal, where each of the editing parameters corresponds to separate portions of the signal. The editing parameters may be embedded within the signal or provided in simulcast with the signal. While the signal is being processed, a selective editing circuit is monitoring the editing parameters. When an editing parameter indicates that the corresponding portion of the signal is to be edited, the selective editing circuit edits the corresponding portion based on the editing parameter, which may be provided by the content provider or the user. In addition, the editing parameter may indicate various levels of editing the signal. For example, the editing parameter may indicate that the portion of the audio and/or video signal is to be completely blanked, skipped, faded, distorted, or is to be replaced with a substitute audio and/or video signal.

Claims

1. A method for customizing video and audio signals, the method comprises the steps of:

a) receiving a signal and a plurality of editing parameters, wherein the signal includes at least one of an audio signal and a video signal, and wherein each of the plurality of editing parameters corresponds to a portion of the signal, and wherein the plurality of editing parameters are user supplied editing parameters;

b) comparing the editing parameters with an editing threshold set by the user while the signal is being processed; and

c) when one of the editing parameters exceeds the editing threshold, editing the corresponding portion based on the one of the editing parameters.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises the plurality of editing parameters being embedded in the signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) further comprises receiving the plurality of editing parameters in a simulcast with the signal.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving a plurality of censoring parameters as the plurality of editing parameters;

when one of the plurality of censoring parameters exceeds a censoring threshold, censoring the corresponding portion of the signal.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprises receiving the censored threshold from a user interface device.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprises storing an output of the user interface device for future playback.

7. The method of claim 4 further comprises determining the censoring threshold based on at least one of:

generic censoring and user defined censoring.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving a plurality of timestamps that are associated with the signal, wherein each of the plurality of timestamps relates to a corresponding one of the portions of the signal; and

when one of the plurality of editing parameters indicates that the corresponding portion of the signal is to be edited, accessing a database to provide a substitute signal in the corresponding portion of the signal, wherein the database is accessed based on at least one of;

a corresponding one of the plurality of timestamps and the one of the plurality of editing parameters.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprises the substitute signal including at least one of:

a blanking signal, an alternate video signal, an alternate audio signal, a scrambled video signal, a scrambled audio signal, a fading mute audio signal, and a fading blank video signal.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprises each portion of the signal including at least one of:

a frame of data, a group of frames of data, and a sub-frame of data.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving text data with the signal, and

editing the text data based on the one of the plurality of editing parameters when the one of the plurality of editing parameters indicates that the text data is to be edited.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprises:

receiving text data that is associated with the signal;

interpreting the text data for a degree of sensitivity; and

when the text data exceeds a censor threshold, censoring the text data.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprises determining the plurality of editing parameters based on content of the signal.

14. A selective editing circuit comprises:

signal receiver operably coupled to receive a signal and a plurality of editing parameters, wherein the signal includes at least one of;

an audio signal and a video signal, and wherein the plurality of editing parameters indicates a degree of editing for corresponding portions of the signal and wherein the editing parameters are user supplied editing parameters;

signal processing circuit operably coupled to receive and process the signal based on editing signals; and

editing circuit operably coupled to receive the plurality of editing parameters, wherein the editing circuit compares the plurality of editing parameters with an editing threshold set by the user, wherein the editing circuit produces the editing signals, and, when one of the plurality of editing parameters exceeds the editing threshold, generating one of the editing signals, which causes the signal processing circuit to edit the corresponding portion of the signal.

15. The selective editing circuit of claim 14, wherein the plurality of editing parameters are embedded in the signal.

16. The selective editing circuit of claim 14, wherein the plurality of editing parameters are received in simulcast with the signal.

17. The selective editing circuit of claim 14, wherein the plurality of editing parameters further comprises a plurality of censoring parameters, wherein, when one of the plurality of censoring parameters exceeds a censoring threshold, the signal processing circuit censors the corresponding portion of the signal.

18. The selective editing circuit of claim 17 further comprises a user interface device that provides the censored threshold.

19. The selective editing circuit of claim 14 further comprises a database that stores substitute signals, wherein the signal receiver is operably coupled to receive a plurality of timestamps that are associated with the signal, wherein each of the plurality of timestamps relates to a corresponding one of the portions of the signal, and wherein the database is accessed to retrieve at least one of the substitute signals when one of the plurality of editing parameters or a corresponding one of the timestamps indicates that the corresponding portion of the signal is to be edited.

20. The selective editing circuit of claim 14 further comprises the substitute signal including at least one of:

a blanking signal, an alternate video signal, an alternate audio signal, a scrambled video signal, a scrambled audio signal, a fading mute audio signal, and a fading blank video signal.

21. The selective editing circuit of claim 14, wherein the signal receiver is operably coupled to receive text data with the signal, and wherein the signal processing circuit edits the text data based on the one of the plurality of editing parameters when the one of the plurality of editing parameters indicates that the text data is to be edited.

22. The selective editing circuit of claim 14, wherein the editing circuit further comprises a determining circuit that determines the plurality of editing parameters based on content of the signal.

23. A system comprises:

a display that renders a decoded signal perceivable to a human;

a decoder operably coupled to receive an encoded signal and to produce the decoded signal therefrom, wherein the encoded signal includes at least one of an encoded video signal and an encoded audio signal; and

a selective editing circuit operably coupled to provide a source signal or selected ones of a plurality of substitute signals as the encoded signal to the decoder, wherein the selective editing circuit includes;

signal receiver operably coupled to receive the source signal and a plurality of editing parameters, wherein the source signal includes at least one of;

an audio source signal and a video source signal, and wherein the plurality of editing parameters indicates a degree of editing for corresponding portions of the source signal and wherein the editing parameters are user supplied editing parameters;

signal processing circuit operably coupled to receive and process the source signal based on editing signals; and

editing circuit operably coupled to receive and monitor the plurality of editing parameters and compare the editing parameters with an editing threshold set by the user, wherein the editing circuit produces the editing signals, and, when one of the plurality of editing parameters exceeds the editing threshold, generating one of the editing signals, which causes the signal processing circuit to provide one of the plurality of substitute signals in place of the corresponding portion of the signal.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of editing parameters are at least one of:

embedded in the source signal and received in simulcast with the source signal.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the plurality of editing parameters further comprises a plurality of censoring parameters, wherein, when one of the plurality of censoring parameters exceeds a censoring threshold, the signal processing circuit censors the corresponding portion of the source signal.

26. The system of claim 23 further comprises a database that stores the plurality of substitute signals, wherein the signal receiver is operably coupled to receive a plurality of timestamps that are associated with the source signal, wherein each of the plurality of timestamps relates to a corresponding one of the portions of the source signal, and wherein the database is accessed to retrieve the one of the plurality of substitute signals when the one of the plurality of editing parameters or a corresponding one of the timestamps indicates that the corresponding portion of the signal is to be edited.

27. The system of claim 23, wherein the signal receiver is operably coupled to receive text data with the source signal, and wherein the signal processing circuit edits the text data based on the one of the plurality of editing parameters when the one of the plurality of editing parameters indicates that the text data is to be edited.

28. The system of claim 23, wherein the editing circuit further comprises a determining circuit that determines the plurality of editing parameters based on content of the signal.