DVR Signature Data Automated Content Filtering

Solution Overview

Problem

Current digital video recorders (DVRs) and personal video recorders (PVRs) require manual user intervention to skip unwanted content, such as commercials, which is inconvenient and often results in inaccurate fast-forwarding, missing desired segments or resuming playback at undesired parts.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that utilize signature data and metadata to identify boundaries of segments within a presentation stream, allowing for automated skipping, replacement, or reordering of content, including the insertion of supplemental material, by processing location information and signature data to filter or modify the stream.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If manual fast forwarding is used to skip commercials, then the user can control playback, but the operation is inconvenient and often inaccurate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of skipping contentVSAvoidaccuracy of fast forwarding

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the recorded content to identify and tag commercial segments before playback. Metadata is generated in advance that marks the boundaries of commercials and program content, enabling the DVR to automatically recognize and skip these segments during playback without requiring manual user intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The DVR system automatically identifies and skips commercial content without requiring continuous user input. The system uses embedded metadata and signature matching to autonomously determine which segments are commercials and which are program content, then automatically fast-forwards through the commercial portions while maintaining accurate positioning at program boundaries.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Measurement precision

If automated content filtering is implemented, then skipping accuracy improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of content identificationVSAvoidcomplexity of filtering system

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the recorded content to identify and tag commercial segments before playback. Metadata is generated in advance that marks the boundaries of commercials and program content, enabling the DVR to automatically recognize and skip these segments during playback without requiring manual user intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses metadata as an intermediary layer between the recorded content and the playback function. This metadata contains pre-analyzed information about content boundaries, commercial segments, and program portions, allowing the DVR to make accurate skipping decisions without requiring complex real-time analysis during playback.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Measurement precision

If signature data is used to identify content boundaries, then skipping precision improves, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of segment boundary identificationVSAvoidtime for content analysis

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary analysis of the recorded content to identify and tag commercial segments before playback. Metadata is generated in advance that marks the boundaries of commercials and program content, enabling the DVR to automatically recognize and skip these segments during playback without requiring manual user intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system analyzes only specific signature portions of the content (such as audio or video signatures at segment boundaries) rather than processing the entire content stream. This partial analysis approach provides sufficient precision for identifying commercial boundaries without requiring excessive processing time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8510771B2Methods and apparatus for filtering content from a presentation stream using signature data

Publication Date: 2013.08.13 DISH TECHNOLOGIES LLC

AI summary

Described herein are methods and apparatus for the identification of locations in a presentation stream based on metadata associated with the presentation stream. Locations within a presentation stream are identified using signature data associated with the presentation stream. The identified locations within a presentation stream may be utilized to identify boundaries of segments within the presentation stream, such as segments of a show and interstitials (e.g., commercials) of the show. The identified portions of a presentation stream may then be utilized for filtering segments of content during presentation.