Iterative, maximally probable, batch-mode commercial detection for audiovisual content
First Claim
1. A method for detecting boundary times for at least one commercial break in a set of audiovisual content, the method comprising:
- selecting a current set of commercial boundary times,wherein the current set of commercial boundary times includes multiple possible commercial boundary times within a duration of time spanned by the set of audiovisual content;
forming a revised set of commercial boundary times,wherein the revised set of commercial boundary times includes the current set of commercial boundary times and at least one additional time within the duration of time spanned by the set of audiovisual content;
compare, based on probabilities, the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times,wherein the comparing is to determine whether the revised set of commercial boundary times is a better set of commercial boundary times than the current set of commercial boundary times, andwherein the comparing is performed on processing circuitry and includes comparing values associated with commercial boundary times in the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times; and
designating the revised set of commercial boundary times as the current set of commercial boundary times.
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Accused Products
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.
200 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A method for detecting boundary times for at least one commercial break in a set of audiovisual content, the method comprising:
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selecting a current set of commercial boundary times, wherein the current set of commercial boundary times includes multiple possible commercial boundary times within a duration of time spanned by the set of audiovisual content; forming a revised set of commercial boundary times, wherein the revised set of commercial boundary times includes the current set of commercial boundary times and at least one additional time within the duration of time spanned by the set of audiovisual content; compare, based on probabilities, the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times, wherein the comparing is to determine whether the revised set of commercial boundary times is a better set of commercial boundary times than the current set of commercial boundary times, and wherein the comparing is performed on processing circuitry and includes comparing values associated with commercial boundary times in the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times; and designating the revised set of commercial boundary times as the current set of commercial boundary times. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A system for detecting at least one commercial in a set of audiovisual content, the system comprising:
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an interface for receiving data including the set of audiovisual content; at least one processor capable of executing instructions select a current set of commercial boundary times in the set of audiovisual content, wherein the current set of commercial boundary times include candidate times identified within a duration of time spanned by the audiovisual content; form a revised set of commercial boundary times, wherein the revised set of commercial boundary times include the current set of commercial boundary times and at least one additional candidate time within the duration of time spanned by the audiovisual content; analyze the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times to determine whether the revised set of commercial boundary times is more probable to include as a commercial boundary time than the current set of commercial boundary times set, wherein the analysis includes comparing values assigned to candidate times in the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times, and wherein the values are associated with probabilities related to the candidate times; and designate the revised set of commercial boundary times as the current set of commercial boundary times. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with computer-readable instructions that when performed by a processor perform a method for detecting a commercial in a set of audiovisual content, the method comprising:
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selecting a current set of commercial boundary times, wherein the current set of commercial boundary times includes multiple possible commercial boundary times within a duration of time spanned by the set of audiovisual content; forming a revised set of commercial boundary times, wherein the revised set of commercial boundary times include the current set of commercial boundary times and at least one additional time within the duration of time spanned by the set of audiovisual content; analyzing the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times, wherein the analysis includes comparing scores associated with commercial boundary times in the revised set of commercial boundary times and the current set of commercial boundary times, and wherein the scores are associated with probabilities related to the commercial boundary times; and designating the revised set of commercial boundary times as the current set of commercial boundary times. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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Specification