Method and apparatus for eliminating television commercial messages

• US 7,110,658 B1
• Filed: 08/27/1999
• Issued: 09/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Televentions LLC
• Original Assignee: Televentions LLC
• Inventors: Iggulden, Jerry, Fields, Kyle, McFarland, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran, Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, HEATHER RAE
• Application Number:
  US09/384,468
• Time in Patent Office: 2,580 Days
• Field of Search: 386/46, 386/69, 386 6- 8, 386/68, 386/70, 386 78- 82, 386125-126, 386 52- 65, 386/4, 358/908, 348/907, 360/72.1, 360/72.2, 360/13
• US Class Current: 386/241
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/023 remotely controlled
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/026 by using processor, e.g. microcomputer
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/087 by sensing recorded signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1816 Programmed access in sequence to indexed parts of operating tapes cooperating with rotating heads see provisional also G11B15/005
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 15/1875 adaptations for special effects or editing signal processing or indexing therefor G11B27/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/20 Disc-shaped record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/455 said record carriers being in one device and being used as primary and secondary/backup media, e.g. HDD-DVD combo device, or as source and target media, e.g. PC and portable player
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/65 wherein solid state memory is used for storing indexing information or metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/91 Helical scan format, wherein tracks are slightly tilted with respect to tape direction, e.g. VHS, DAT, DVC, AIT or exabyte
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/002 Programmed access in sequence to a plurality of record carriers or indexed parts, e.g. tracks, thereof, e.g. for editing; transfer of record carriers from magazine G11B15/68, G11B17/10; G11B17/22
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/24 by sensing features on the record carrier other than the transducing track ; sensing signals or marks recorded by another method than the main recording
• 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: G11B 27/3036 Time code signal
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/3054 Vertical Interval Time code [VITC]
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/323 : Time code signal, e.g. on a cue track as SMPTE- or EBU-time code
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/324 : Duty cycle modulation of control pulses, e.g. VHS-CTL-coding systems, RAPID-time code, VASS- or VISS-cue signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/328 : on a tape [TTOC]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/142 : Detection of scene cut or scene change
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/179 : the unit being a scene or a shot
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/87 : involving scene cut or scene change detection in combination with video compression
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 : Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/765 : Interface circuits between an apparatus for recording and another apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/775 : between a recording apparatus and a television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/7755 : the recorder being connected to, or coupled with, the antenna of the television receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/78263 : for recording on tracks inclined relative to the direction of movement of the tape
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/9201 : involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the video signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/002 : Special television systems not provided for by H04N7/007 - H04N7/18 still pictures via a television channel H04N1/00098

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.

Claims

1. A method of cueing a recorded video program to a desired segment comprising:

detecting events in the video program, each of said events being at least one of a flat frame, a silent frame and a cut;

storing data representative of a time of occurrence of each event;

analyzing temporal spacing of the events to classify segments of the video program between events as belonging to one of a first and second category;

cueing the video program to an event located at a beginning of a next segment classified as belonging to the second category.

2. An apparatus for automatically cueing a recorded video program to a desired segment comprising:

means for detecting events in the video program, each of said events being at least one of a flat frame, a silent frame and a cut;

means for storing data representative of a time of occurrence of each event;

means for analyzing temporal spacing of the events to classify segments of the video program between events as belonging to one of a first and second category;

means for cueing the video program to an event located at a beginning of a next segment classified as belonging to the second category.