Video recording/playback system and method for generating video data capable of providing information for substituting an advertisement thereby

• US 7,512,321 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2003
• Issued: 03/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Maxell, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Nakajima, Mitsuo, Mizuhashi, Yoshiaki, Tsuru, Yasutaka, Kimura, Katsunobu, Matsukawa, Masaaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Thai
• Assistant Examiner(s): JONES, HEATHER RAE
• Application Number:
  US10/602,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20040005143A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,106 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 386/248
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/85 on discs or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/907 using static stores, e.g. storage tubes or semiconductor memories H04N5/91 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8042 involving data reduction
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/8205 involving the multiplexing of an additional signal and the colour video signal

Abstract

A device enabling simultaneous recording and playback allows commercials to retain their advertisement function even if the commercials are skipped over during a playback process. By digital watermarking, CM-substitute data is embedded in program data among video signals broadcasted from a broadcast station. CM-substitute data is to present information such as a particular sponsor name and commodity name on display. The video recording/playback device includes a randomly accessible storage unit and has a simultaneous recording/playback capability. If commercial video is skipped over and is not rendered by playback, the CM-substitute information is superimposed on the rendered video of the program associated with the commercial. Thus, the commercial advertisement function can be retained.

Claims

1. A video recording/playback system for recording and playback of video data received, comprising:

a memory which receives and stores video data which consists of sets of main data and sub data falling under different categories, the sets of main data and sub data being associated and sequenced along time axis wherein in a set of main data and sub data an ID code and substitute data are embedded in advance, said ID code identifying said set of main data and sub data, said substitute data being associated with said sub data, and the same ID code as assigned to said main data is assigned to said sub data;

a playback unit which reads out main data and sub data from said memory and renders video contents of these data; and

a controller which, when said main data stored in said memory is rendered, detects an ID code assigned to said main data, compares the detected ID code with an ID code assigned to said sub data stored in said memory and judges whether said sub data associated with said main data under rendering has already been read from said memory and its video rendered and, unless said detected ID code assigned to said main data agrees with said ID code assigned to said sub data stored in said memory, regards said sub data video as not having been rendered and changes substitute data embedded in said main data and associated in advance with said sub data into video data and incorporates said substitute data into said main data and makes said video data render when said main data is rendered.

2. The video recording/playback system according to claim 1, wherein said main data is program data and said sub data is commercial data.

3. The video recording/playback system according to claim 1, wherein said main data and said sub data include attribute data which indicates the attribute of said set of main data and sub data and said controller judges by said detected ID code and said attribute data whether said sub data has been rendered.

4. The video recording/playback system according to claim 1, wherein said main data includes substitute information rendering limit data for setting a limit to rendering said substitute data.

5. The video recording/playback system according to claim 4, wherein said substitute information rendering limit data is specified so that said substitute data will be rendered in a certain range of frames of said main data associated with said sub data which has not been rendered.

6. The video recording/playback system according to claim 4, wherein, as said substitute information rendering limit data, the number of times said substitute data is to be rendered or a time range within which said substitute data is to be rendered are set.

7. The video recording/playback system according to claim 1, wherein said main data includes a substitute data address instead of said substitute data, the substitute data address specifying where the substitute data has been stored in advance on said memory or another memory on a network.

8. The video recording/playback system according to claim 1, wherein input of a cancel code for disabling the rendering of said substitute data makes it impossible for said controller to incorporate said substitute data into said main data and render main video accompanied with said substitute data.

9. The video recording/playback system according to claim 1, wherein said substitute data is the name of an advertiser, a corporate logo, or a commodity name to advertise which substitutes for said sub data.

10. A method for generating video data, comprising the steps of:

receiving video data which consists of sets of main data and sub data falling under different categories, said sets of main data and sub data being associated and sequenced along time axis wherein in a set of main data and sub data an ID code and substitute data are embedded in advance, said ID code identifying said set of main data and sub data, said substitute data being associated with said sub data, and the same ID code as assigned to said main data is assigned to said sub data;

storing the received video data in a memory; and

reading out said main data from said memory and rendering it;

wherein in the step of said rendering;

said ID code assigned to said main data is detected;

said detected ID code is compared with said ID code assigned to said sub data stored in said memory;

judging whether said sub data associated with said main data under rendering has already been read from said memory and its video rendered is executed according to the result of the comparison; and

detected ID code assigned to said main data agrees with said ID code assigned to said sub data stored in said memory, said sub data video is regarded as not having been rendered and said substitute data embedded in said main data is changed into video data and said substitute data is incorporated into said main data.

11. The method for generating video data according to claim 10, wherein said main data is program data and said sub data is commercial data.

12. The method for generating video data according to claim 10, wherein said main data and said sub data include attribute data which indicates the attribute of said set of main data and sub data and it is judged by said detected ID code and said attribute data whether said sub data has been rendered.

13. The method for generating video data according to claim 10, wherein unless sub data with a same ID code as assigned to main data which is being rendered has been read out from said memory and rendered, said substitute data associated in advance with said sub data which has not been rendered is incorporated into said main data and its information is rendered accompanying main video.