Digital video signature apparatus and methods for use with video program identification systems

• US 7,793,318 B2
• Filed: 03/10/2006
• Issued: 09/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Deng, Kevin
• Primary Examiner(s): Lonsberry; Hunter B.
• Application Number:
  US11/372,582
• Publication Number:
  US 20060153296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,642 Days
• Field of Search: 725/19, 725/20, 725/33
• US Class Current: 725/19
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/7847 using low-level visual features of the video content
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/40 in video content extracting overlay text G06V20/62; video retrieval G06F16/70; processing of video elementary streams in video servers H04N21/234; processing of video elementary streams in video clients H04N21/44
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/59 of video recognising characters or patterns in general G06F18/00, G06V20/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/61 in combination with predictive coding
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2547 Third Party Billing, e.g. billing of advertiser
• 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 21/44008 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 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

Digital video signature apparatus and methods for use with video program identification systems are disclosed. The disclosed apparatus and methods identify a video program using a sequence of signatures. Each of the signatures includes a set of centroids corresponding to one of a plurality of frames of the video program. The apparatus and methods compare the sequence of signatures to a set of reference sequences of signatures and identify the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures.

Claims

1. A method of identifying a video program, comprising:

receiving a sequence of signatures, wherein each of the signatures includes a set of centroids, wherein each set of centroids is derived from a corresponding one of a plurality of frames of the video program, and wherein each of the corresponding frames is selected based on a number or proportion of intra-coded blocks composing the frame;

comparing the sequence of signatures to a set of reference sequences of signatures; and

identifying the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the sets of centroids includes centroids associated with image components.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the image components are associated with a color model.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the sets of centroids includes centroids associated with a plurality of areas within its corresponding one of the plurality of frames.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein comparing the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures includes comparing the sequence of signatures to each reference sequence of signatures.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein comparing the sequence of signatures to each reference sequence of signatures includes sequentially comparing each signature within the sequence of signatures to each of the signatures within at least one of the reference sequences of signatures.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures includes identifying the video program in response to identifying a matching sequence within the set of reference sequences of signatures.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein identifying the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures includes providing textual information describing the video program.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein video program is one of a television commercial and a television show.

22. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the frames are selected by scanning the plurality of frames for substantially intra-coded frames.

23. A method as defined in claim 22, wherein the scanning the plurality of frames comprises determining the extent to which the frames are intra-coded.

9. A method of identifying a video program, comprising:

receiving a sequence of signatures, wherein each of the signatures includes a set of centroids corresponding to one of a plurality of substantially intra-coded frames of the video program;

comparing the sequence of signatures to a set of reference sequences of signatures; and

identifying the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures,

wherein identifying the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures includes manually identifying the video program in response to a failure to identify a matching sequence within the set of reference sequences of signatures.

10. A method as described in claim 9, further comprising adjusting at least one reference sequence of signatures from the set of reference sequences of signatures in response to different encoding methods.

12. A system for identifying a video program, comprising:

a memory; and

a processor coupled to the memory and programmed to;

receive a sequence of signatures, wherein each of the signatures includes a set of centroids, wherein each set of centroids is derived from a corresponding one of a plurality of frames of the video program, and wherein each of the corresponding frames is selected based on a number or proportion of intra-coded blocks composing the frame;

compare the sequence of signatures to a set of reference sequences of signatures; and

identify the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures.

13. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein each of the sets of centroids includes centroids associated with image components.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein the image components are associated with a color model.

15. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein each of the sets of centroids includes centroids associated with a plurality of areas within its corresponding one of the plurality of frames.

16. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the processor is programmed to compare the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures by comparing the sequence of signatures to each reference sequence of signatures.

17. A system as defined in claim 16, wherein the processor is programmed to compare the sequence of signatures to each reference sequence of signatures by sequentially comparing each signature within the sequence of signatures to each of the signatures within at least one of the reference sequences of signatures.

18. A system as defined in claim 12, wherein the processor is programmed to identify the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures by identifying the video program in response to identifying a matching sequence within the set of reference sequences of signatures.

19. A computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:

receive a sequence of signatures, wherein each of the signatures includes a set of centroids, wherein each set of centroids is derived from a corresponding one of a plurality of frames of a video program, and wherein each of the corresponding frames is selected based on a number or proportion of intra-coded blocks composing the frame;

compare the sequence of signatures to a set of reference sequences of signatures; and

identify the video program based on the comparison of the sequence of signatures to the set of reference sequences of signatures.

20. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 19, wherein each of the sets of centroids includes centroids associated with image components.

21. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 19, wherein each of the sets of centroids includes centroids associated with a plurality of areas within its corresponding one of the plurality of frames.