Commercial skip and chapter delineation feature on recordable media

• US 7,272,295 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2000
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Original Assignee: Thomson Licensing (Vantiva SA)
• Inventors: Christopher, Lauren Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chio; Tat Chi
• Application Number:
  US10/129,636
• Time in Patent Office: 2,512 Days
• Field of Search: 386/1, 386/45, 386/46, 386125-126, 358/908, 348700-702
• US Class Current: 386/251
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• 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: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling an MPEG video media recording device to automatically identify and selectively skip segments of a video signal, such as commercial advertisements, during a recording session. During an MPEG video data recording session the system continuously monitors the video data being recorded to detect a scene change occurring over one or more image fields. In response to a detected scene change, the system stores in a file a time and record location on the media corresponding to the occurrence of the scene change. Depending upon the time interval between several of the detected scene changes, the system identifies a corresponding video segment as either a commercial advertisement or a chapter boundary. By identifying the segments in this way, the playback presentation can then be selectively controlled.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a video media recording device to

automatically identify and selectively skip segments of a video signal during a recording session, comprising the steps of:

recording an video data on the recording media;

monitoring the video data to detect scene change;

responsive to each detected scene change, storing in a file a time and record location on said media corresponding to the occurrence of said scene change;

determining an interval between each successive one of said detected scene changes and at least one preceeding scene change, said interval in each instance defining a video segment;

comparing said interval with a range of values associated with commercial advertisements;

identifying a commercial advertisement for controlling a playback presentation when the interval is within the range of values; and

identifying a chapter boundary for controlling the playback presentation when the interval is outside the range of values.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising inserting a navigation command on said media in a playback control file to at least one of fast forward and skip said video segment during playback if said interval falls within said range of values associated with said commercial advertisements.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising inserting a menu button in a menu file of said recordable media for permitting a user to selectively begin playback of a chapter defined by said video segment if said interval does not fall within said range of values associated with said commercial advertisements.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprising creating chapter boundaries within said recordable media responsive to a user chapter up/down command.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein said record location on said media corresponding to said detected scene change is defined by at least one of a sector and picture start code, and a VOBU number.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein said recording media is selected from the group consisting of a DVD disc, a computer hard drive, magnetic tape and magneto optical discs.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein said scene change is a luminance gradient occurring over a plurality of image fields.

8. A recordable media device for controlling a MPEG video recording to automatically identify and selectively skip segments of a video signal during a recording session, comprising:

MPEG recording means for recording an MPEG video data on the recording media;

a scene change detector for detecting a scene change;

a processor responsive to each detected scene change for storing in a file a time and record location on said media corresponding to the occurrence of said scene change and for determining an interval between each said detected scene change and at least one preceeding scene change, said interval in each instance defining a video segment; and

wherein said processor compares said interval with a range of values associated with commercial advertisements, and identifies a commercial advertisement for controlling a playback presentation when the interval is within the range of values, and identifies a chapter boundary for controlling the playback presentation when the interval is outside the range of values.

9. The device according to claim 8 wherein said MPEG recording means is responsive to said processor for inserting a navigation command on said media in a playback control file to at least one of fast forward and skip said video segment during playback if said interval falls within said range of values associated with said commercial advertisements.

10. The device according to claim 8 wherein said MPEG recording means is responsive to said processor for inserting a menu button in a menu file of said recordable media for permitting a user to selectively begin playback of a chapter defined by said video segment if said interval does not fall within said range of values associated with said commercial advertisements.

11. The device according to claim 8 wherein said MPEG recording means is responsive to said processor for creating chapter boundaries within said recordable media responsive to a user chapter up/down command.

12. The device according to claim 8 wherein said record location on said media corresponding to said detected scene change is defined by at least one of a sector and picture start code, and a VOB number.

13. The device according to claim 8 wherein said recording media is selected from the group consisting of a DVD disc, a computer hard drive, magnetic tape and magneto optical discs.

14. The device according to claim 8 wherein said scene change is a luminance gradient occurring over a plurality of image fields.