Iterative, maximally probable, batch-mode commercial detection for audiovisual content

• US 7,778,519 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Issued: 08/17/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
• Original Assignee: Interval Licensing LLC
• Inventors: Harville, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harvey; David E
• Application Number:
  US11/250,083
• Publication Number:
  US 20060029368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,770 Days
• Field of Search: 386/48, 386/83, 386/46, 386/52, 358/908, 715723-725, 725/22
• US Class Current: 386/230
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/438 Interfacing the downstream path of the transmission network originating from a server, e.g. retrieving encoded video stream packets from an IP network
• 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 5/76 Television signal recording
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/781 on disks or drums
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/782 on tape
• 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 7/163 by receiver means only
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 9/87 Regeneration of colour television signals H04N9/80 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 358/908 Pause control, i.e. "commercial killers"

Abstract

Identification of starting and ending times of commercial breaks and commercials within those commercial breaks found in audiovisual content is disclosed. A solution to a “batch optimization” problem is used in which commercial locations within a set of audiovisual content are detected as a group by choosing a set of commercial locations which optimizes a cost function which can include considerations of, for example, 1) one or more cues, 2) relative locations of commercials within the audiovisual content, and/or 3) probability models based on statistics obtained regarding characteristics of typical commercial and commercial breaks. Optimization can be done over the total set of commercial location decisions, rather than on a per-commercial basis. Additionally, the cost function can be iteratively evaluated and many more types of cues and combinations of cues can be used in detection of commercials.

Claims

1. A method of processing an audiovisual signal containing audiovisual content, comprising:

identifying a set of candidate times in the audiovisual content contained in the audiovisual signal, wherein each of the set of candidate times corresponds to a potential commercial boundary and the set of candidate times includes at least a first candidate time;

determining a probability based at least in part on information associated with the first candidate time in the context of at least one member of a set of identified commercial boundaries;

determining whether the probability satisfies a threshold; and

including the first candidate time in the set of identified commercial boundaries when the probability is determined to satisfy the threshold.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audiovisual signal is obtained from a storage device.

3. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the audiovisual signal is transmitted.

4. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first candidate time occurs earlier in the audiovisual content compared to the at least one member of the set of identified commercial boundaries.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 further including generating a new audiovisual signal, wherein the new audiovisual signal does not include a commercial identified by the set of identified commercial boundaries.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 further including displaying the audiovisual signal with a commercial identified by the set of identified commercial boundaries removed.

7. A method as recited in claim 1 further including displaying a commercial identified by the set of identified commercial boundaries.

8. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein content of a commercial included in the audiovisual content is unknown during processing of the audiovisual signal.

9. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein an identified commercial boundary may be removed from the set of identified commercial boundaries.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 further including determining a score for each of the set of candidate times.

11. A method as recited in claim 1 further including determining a score for each of the set of candidate times, including using a cue.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 further including determining a score for each of the set of candidate times, including using a cue associated with video content.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 further including determining a score for each of the set of candidate times, including using a cue associated with audio content.

14. A method as recited in claim 1 further including determining a score for each of the set of candidate times, including using a cue associated with close captioning content.

15. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the probability is further based at least in part on statistical information associated with historical commercial data.

16. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the probability is associated with a duration of a commercial.

17. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the probability is associated with a duration of a commercial break.

18. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the probability is associated with a time between a first commercial break and a second commercial break.

19. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the probability is associated with a location of a commercial break in a program.

20. A system for processing an audiovisual signal containing audiovisual content, comprising:

a processor configured to;

identify a set of candidate times in the audiovisual content contained in the audiovisual signal, wherein each of the set of candidate times corresponds to a potential commercial boundary and the set of candidate times includes at least a first candidate time;

determine a probability based at least in part on information associated with the first candidate time in the context of at least one member of a set of identified commercial boundaries;

determine whether the probability satisfies a threshold; and

include the first candidate time in the set of identified commercial boundaries when the probability is determined to satisfy the threshold.

21. A computer program product for processing an audiovisual signal containing audiovisual content, the computer program product being embodied in a tangible computer readable storage medium and comprising computer-executable instructions for:

identifying a set of candidate times in the audiovisual content contained in the audiovisual signal, wherein each of the set of candidate times corresponds to a potential commercial boundary and the set of candidate times includes at least a first candidate time;

determining a probability based at least in part on information associated with the first candidate time in the context of at least one member of a set of identified commercial boundaries;

determining whether the probability satisfies a threshold; and

including the first candidate time in the set of identified commercial boundaries when the probability is determined to satisfy the threshold.