Method and apparatus for dynamically altering digital video images

• US 7,334,249 B1
• Filed: 04/26/2000
• Issued: 02/19/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lucent Technologies, Inc. (Nokia Corporation)
• Inventors: Byers, Charles Calvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US09/560,245
• Time in Patent Office: 2,855 Days
• Field of Search: 725 32- 36
• US Class Current: 725/35
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25883 being end-user demographical data, e.g. age, family status or address arrangements for identifying locations of users in broadcast systems H04H60/52
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; 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 21/2668 Creating a channel for a dedicated end-user group, e.g. insertion of targeted commercials based on end-user profiles information retrieval from the Internet by querying with filtering and personalisation G06F16/9535; arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast H04H20/10; push services over packet-switching network H04L12/1859; adaptation of message content in packet-switching networks H04L51/063
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4312 involving specific graphical features, e.g. screen layout, special fonts or colors, blinking icons, highlights or animations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4314 for fitting data in a restricted space on the screen, e.g. EPG data in a rectangular grid
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 21/454 Content or additional data filtering, e.g. blocking advertisements
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/812 involving advertisement data advertising per se G06Q30/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/165 Centralised control of user terminal subsequent to an upstream request signal H04N7/17345; Registering at central by two-way working H04N7/17309

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for dynamically altering a portion of a digital video image based upon a user profile. A source, such as a network feed or video server, sends a digital video image to a broadband network. The broadband network includes a multicast router, a service node, and a broadband access network. The multicast router receives the digital video image and sends it to a video processor. The video processor can be located in the service node or in a subscriber terminal connected to the broadband network. The video processor retrieves a profile associated with a user. The profile includes information pertaining to a desired characteristic relating to the first user. The video processor digitally alters a portion of the digital video image with a replacement digital image based upon the desired characteristic to produce a dynamically altered video image.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically altering a digital video image, the method comprising the steps of:

marking an original element in a digital video image, the original element comprising a portion of the digital video image and defined by fiducials comprising gray hemispheres located in the digital video stream;

retrieving a first profile associated with a first user, the first profile including time of day information relating to the first user;

choosing a replacement image based at least in part upon the first profile and a parental rating code; and

altering the digital video image by replacing the original element with the replacement image to produce a dynamically altered video image.

2. A method for dynamically altering a digital video image in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of choosing a replacement image comprises choosing a replacement image based upon the first profile.

3. A method for dynamically altering a digital video image in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of choosing a replacement image comprises choosing a replacement image based upon demographic information.

4. A method for dynamically altering a digital video image in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of choosing a replacement image comprises choosing a replacement image based upon advertising information.

5. A method for dynamically altering a digital video image in accordance with claim 1, wherein the step of choosing a replacement image comprises choosing a replacement image based upon geographic information.

6. A method for providing targeted product placement in a digital video stream, the method comprising the steps of:

receiving a digital video stream that includes an original element, the original element comprising a portion of the digital video stream and is defined by fiducials comprising gray hemispheres located in the digital video stream;

determining, based at least in part upon parental consent information and a first profile associated with a first user and including time of day information relating to the first user, a replacement image that should be inserted into the digital video stream;

retrieving the replacement image;

replacing the original element with the replacement image to form a modified video stream; and

transmitting the modified video stream over a broadband network.

7. A method for providing targeted product placement in a video stream in accordance with claim 6, wherein the step of determining a replacement image that should be inserted comprises the step of determining the product image that should be inserted based at least in part upon demographic information.

8. A method for providing targeted product placement in a video stream in accordance with claim 6, wherein the step of determining a replacement image that should be inserted comprises the step of determining the product image that should be inserted based at least in part upon advertising information.

9. A method for providing targeted product placement in a video stream in accordance with claim 6, wherein the step of determining a replacement image that should be inserted comprises the step of determining the product image that should be inserted based at least in part upon geographic information.

10. A service node for processing a digital video stream, the service node comprising:

an input port effective in receiving a digital video stream including an original element defined by fiducials comprising gray hemispheres located in the digital video stream;

a control port for accessing a customer database and an image database, wherein the customer database comprises parental consent information;

a video processor including a digital signal processor (DSP), memory, and a control processor, the control processor being effective in determining the product images to be inserted based at least in part upon a customer profile retrieved from the customer database and including time of day information relating to the customer profile, the control processor also effective in retrieving replacement images from the image database, the DSP effective in calculating transforms and selectively overwriting the original element, the DSP also effective in storing the replacement images in the memory, the DSP being effective in replacing the original elements with the replacement images to form a modified video stream; and

an output port effective in transmitting the modified video stream.

11. A service node for processing a digital video stream in accordance with claim 10, wherein the memory is a frame buffer.

12. A service node for processing a digital video stream in accordance with claim 10, further comprising a main processor effective in controlling the operation of the video processor.

13. A service node for processing a digital video stream in accordance with claim 10, wherein the customer database comprises demographic information.

14. A service node for processing a digital video stream in accordance with claim 10, wherein the customer database comprises advertising information.

15. A service node for processing a digital video stream in accordance with claim 10, wherein the customer database comprises geographic information.

16. A broadband network for processing video streams, the broadband network comprising:

a multicast router effective in receiving a digital video stream;

a service node comprising;

an input port effective in receiving the digital video stream;

a control port for accessing a customer database and an image database, wherein the customer database comprises parental consent information;

a video processor including a digital signal processor, memory, and a control processor, the control processor being effective in determining the product images to be inserted based at least in part upon a customer profile retrieved from the customer database, the customer profile including time of day information, the control processor effective in retrieving replacement images from the image database and storing the replacement images in the memory, the digital signal processor being effective in replacing the original elements defined by fiducials comprising gray hemispheres located in the digital video stream with the replacement images to form a modified video stream; and

an output port effective in transmitting the modified video stream over a broadband network; and

a broadband access network effective in transporting the altered video stream.

17. A broadband network for processing video streams in accordance with claim 16, wherein the memory is a frame buffer.

18. A broadband network for processing video streams in accordance with claim 16, further comprising a main processor effective in controlling the operation of the video processor.

19. A broadband network for processing video streams in accordance with claim 16, wherein the customer database comprises demographic information.

20. A broadband network for processing video streams in accordance with claim 16, wherein the customer database comprises advertising information.

21. A broadband network for processing video streams in accordance with claim 16, wherein the customer database comprises geographic information.

22. A subscriber terminal for receiving a digital video stream, the subscriber terminal comprising:

a port for receiving a digital video stream and subscriber data, the subscriber data including replacement images based at least in part upon a customer profile including time of day information aid parental consent information; and

a video processor comprising;

an input port effective in receiving a digital video stream;

a video processor including a digital signal processor, and memory, the digital signal processor being effective in replacing the original elements defined by fiducials comprising gray hemispheres located in the digital video stream with the replacement images to form a modified video signal; and

an output port effective in transmitting the modified video signal.

23. A subscriber terminal for receiving a digital video stream in accordance with claim 22, wherein the memory is a frame buffer.

24. A subscriber terminal for receiving a digital video stream in accordance with claim 22, further comprising a main processor effective in controlling the operation of the video processor.

25. A subscriber terminal for receiving a digital video stream in accordance with claim 22, wherein the customer database comprises demographic information.

26. A subscriber terminal for receiving a digital video stream in accordance with claim 22, wherein the customer database comprises advertising information.

27. A subscriber terminal for receiving a digital video stream in accordance with claim 22, wherein the customer database comprises geographic information.

28. A method for providing a user-tailored video service to a subscriber, the method comprising:

obtaining user information pertaining to a plurality of users;

storing the user information for each of the plurality of users in a customer database;

receiving a video stream, the video stream including an original element comprising a portion of the video stream, the original element defined by fiducials comprising ray hemispheres located in the digital video stream;

retrieving user information associated with a first user, the user information including parental consent information and time of day information relating to the first user;

determining a replacement image to be inserted into the video stream based at least in part upon the user information;

retrieving the replacement image;

replacing the original element with the replacement image to form a modified video stream; and

transporting to modified video stream to the first user over a broadband network.