Automated content insertion into video scene

• US 8,264,544 B1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Issued: 09/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keystream Corp.
• Original Assignee: Keystream Corp.
• Inventors: Ratner, Edward R., Chang, Arthur George, Cullen, Schuyler A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SALAD, ABDULLAHI ELMI
• Application Number:
  US11/982,858
• Time in Patent Office: 1,772 Days
• Field of Search: 348/169, 348/700, 725/32, 725/113, 382/173
• US Class Current: 348/169
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/272 Means for inserting a foreground image in a background image, i.e. inlay, outlay

Abstract

A method for automated content insertion into a video sequence. The video sequence comprising a sequence of frames is received. An automated determination is made of non-moving pixels in the sequence of frames. Thereafter, an automated identification is made of valid regions comprising the non-moving pixels which are suitable for unobtrusive content insertion. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for automated content insertion into a video sequence, the method comprising:

receiving the video sequence comprising a sequence of frames;

automated determination of non-moving pixels in the sequence of frames by eliminating pixels whose values are more than a standard deviation away from a mean computed over a previous several frames so as to generate a background pixel mask which identifies the non-moving pixels; and

automated identification of valid regions comprising the non-moving pixels which are suitable for unobtrusive content insertion,

wherein the automated determination of the non-moving pixels comprises tracking moving objects in the sequence of frames and eliminating pixels belonging to the moving objects from the background pixel mask.

2. The method of claim 1, the automated identification of the valid regions comprises determining contiguous areas that satisfy uniformity criteria.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the uniformity criteria include a criterion based on homogeneity of texture.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the uniformity criteria include a criterion based on color consistency.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein the uniformity criteria include a criterion based on edge strength consistency.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the valid regions by size with input from a set of business rules.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the valid regions by shape with input from a set of business rules.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering the valid regions by duration with input from a set of business rules.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising selecting a particular content to be inserted into the video sequence from a content database using a set of business rules.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein tracking moving objects comprises mapping partitions of a temporal graph to pixels.

11. An apparatus configured for automated content insertion into a video stream, the apparatus comprising:

a processor for executing computer-readable program code;

memory for storing in an accessible manner computer-readable data;

computer-readable program code configured to receive the video sequence comprising a sequence of frames;

computer-readable program code configured to determine non-moving pixels in the sequence of frames so as to generate a background pixel mask which identifies the non-moving pixels, wherein pixels whose values are more than a standard deviation away from a mean computed over a previous several frames are eliminated in generating the background pixel mask;

computer-readable program code configured to track moving objects in the sequence of frames and eliminate pixels belonging to the moving objects from the background pixel mask; and

computer-readable program code configured to identify valid regions comprising the non-moving pixels which are suitable for unobtrusive content insertion.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to determine contiguous areas that satisfy uniformity criteria.

13. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to filter the valid regions by size, shape, and duration with input from a set of business rules.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the uniformity criteria include a criterion based on homogeneity of texture.

15. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the uniformity criteria include a criterion based on edge strength consistency.

16. The apparatus of claim 11, further comprising:

computer-readable program code configured to insert a particular content to be into the video sequence is selected from a content database using a set of business rules.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the computer-readable program code configured to track moving objects comprises computer-readable program code configured to map partitions of a temporal graph to pixels.