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

• US 6,597,405 B1
• Filed: 11/30/1999
• Issued: 07/22/2003
• 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): Miller, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LO, LINUS H
• Application Number:
  US09/452,040
• Time in Patent Office: 1,330 Days
• Field of Search: 348/553, 348/632, 348/687, 348/690, 348/552, 348/907, 348/722, 348/465, 348/460, 725/32, 725/42, 725/22, 725/14, 725/19, 725/20, 725/25, 725/28, 725/34
• 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 segments of 15 seconds, 30 seconds, or 60 seconds. If so, the segment is identified as being a selected 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 for identifying selected segment of a television signal comprising the steps of:

detecting a first event marker;

detecting a signature pattern associated with the first event marker;

comparing the signature pattern to stored signature patterns;

if the signature pattern matches any of the stored signature patterns, identifying a pre-determined portion of the television signal following the first event marker as a selected segment;

if the signature pattern does not match any of the stored signature patterns, analyzing signals following the first event marker to determine whether the signature pattern nevertheless corresponds to a selected segment and, if so, identifying a pre-determined portion of the television signal following the first event marker as a selected segment and storing said signature pattern of the selected segment along with the stored signatures;

discarding selected stored signatures;

wherein the method is performed by a television set either while the television signal is displayed for view by the television set or while the television set is otherwise not in use;

wherein said step of storing said signature pattern of the selected segment along with the stored signatures includes the step of storing an in-use factor with the in-use factor being representative of whether the selected segment was encountered at any time while the television set was in use; and

wherein the step of discarding selected stored signatures includes the step of identifying which signatures to discard based in part upon the in-use factor.

2. A method for identifying selected segments of a television signal comprising the steps of:

detecting a first event marker;

detecting a signature pattern associated with the first event marker;

comparing the signature pattern to stored signature patterns;

if the signature pattern matches any of the stored signature patterns, identifying a pre-determined portion of the television signal following the first event marker as a selected segment;

if the signature pattern does not match any of the stored signature patterns, analyzing signals following the first event marker to determine whether the signature pattern nevertheless corresponds to a selected segment and, if so, identifying a pre-determined portion of the television signal following the first event marker as a selected segment and storing said signature pattern of the selected segment along with the stored signatures;

discarding selected stored signatures;

whenever a selected segment is identified, storing and updating an identification of the television signal when the segment was most recently detected along with the signature of the segment; and

wherein the step of discarding selected stored signatures includes the step of discarding the signature segments least recently detected.

3. A method of controlling a television receiver comprising:

(a) displaying a television signal;

(b) detecting a first segment of the television signal;

(c) capturing a signature pattern associated with the first segment of the television signal;

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

(e) if the captured signature pattern matches one of the stored signature patterns, controlling the television receiver to alter the displayed television signal;

(f) if the captured signature pattern does not match any of the stores signature patterns, storing the captured signature pattern in a temporary storage location;

(g) adding the captured signature pattern to the stored signature patterns if a second segment of the television signal is detected within a predetermined window of time following detection of the first segment.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein controlling the television receiver to alter the displayed television signal comprising muting an audio portion of the television signal.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the audio portion of the television signal is muted for a length of time stored in association with said one of the stored signature patterns.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising generating an audible alert when the length of time during which the audio portion of the television signal is muted expires.

7. The method of claim 3 wherein controlling the television receiver to alter the displayed television signal comprises muting a video portion of the television signal.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the video portion of the television signal is muted for a length of time stored in association with said one of the stored signature patterns.