Scene Categorization for Media Content Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current digital media encoding techniques lack efficient methods for identifying scenes within media content, which hinders tailored transcoding and downstream applications, as they typically process media content as a whole rather than on a per-scene basis.

Innovation Solution

A computer-implemented method that receives media content and applies scene delineation parameters based on thematic and cinematic criteria to identify sets of media blocks, determining scene boundaries and forwarding them to downstream applications for optimized processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If media content is processed as a whole without scene identification, then processing simplicity is maintained, but processing efficiency and adaptability for downstream applications deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing efficiencyVSAvoidprocessing complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments media content into distinct scenes based on thematic and cinematic criteria. Scene boundaries are detected by analyzing changes in visual characteristics (color, luminance, motion vectors) and audio properties across media blocks. This segmentation enables downstream applications to process individual scenes independently, improving efficiency for tasks like transcoding, preview generation, and adaptive bitrate streaming without requiring complex manual intervention

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Measurement precision

If scene identification using multiple criteria is implemented, then scene detection precision is improved, but computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvescene detection precisionVSAvoidcomputational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple analysis criteria into a unified scene detection framework. Visual criteria (color histograms, luminance levels, motion vectors) and audio criteria (spectral features, zero-crossing rates) are combined and evaluated together to identify scene boundaries. This integrated approach improves detection precision by considering multiple aspects of media content simultaneously while managing computational complexity through efficient algorithm design

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If automated scene identification is implemented, then adaptability for downstream applications is improved, but processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptability for downstream applicationsVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary scene identification and delineation during the initial processing stage, creating a scene structure that can be reused by multiple downstream applications. By pre-identifying scene boundaries and characteristics, the system enables subsequent operations (transcoding, preview generation, streaming) to operate efficiently on pre-segmented content, reducing overall processing time across the workflow while maintaining high adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10701365B2Systems and methods for scene categorization
Publication Date: 2020.06.30 DISNEY ENTERPRISES INC
  • US10701365B2 patent drawing
  • US10701365B2 patent drawing
  • US10701365B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for manually or automatically identifying delineating scenes in media content. Scene categorization parameters setting forth thematic and/or cinematic criteria are used to analyze frames or groups of pictures (GOPs) making up the media content. Those frames or GOPs having one or more characteristics that meet the thematic and/or cinematic criteria may be deemed to belong or be a part of a particular scene in the media content. Downstream applications or processes can be optimized based on the scene segmentation.