Digital Video Ad Break Detection via Edge Response Analysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
In the digital age, pre-inserted advertisement breaks in video content become undetectable when converted to digital format, leading to interruptions during playback and limiting the ability to insert advertisements at appropriate locations, as the cue tones used in analog broadcasting are no longer perceptible by digital players.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that identifies advertisement breaks in digital video files through edge response analysis using the Canny edge detection algorithm, verifies these breaks via audio Fourier transforms, and associates metadata with the identified frames to enable skipping or inserting advertisements during playback.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If video content is converted to digital format, then video quality and storage efficiency are improved, but advertisement breaks become undetectable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary detection system that analyzes video content by examining frame differences, edge responses, and audio cues to indirectly identify advertisement breaks without relying on the original cue tones. This intermediary approach enables detection in digital format where direct tone detection fails.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the acoustic detection mechanism (cue tone detection) with a visual and computational analysis mechanism. Instead of detecting audio frequencies, the system uses image processing techniques like edge detection and frame comparison to identify advertisement break locations in digital video.
2Ease of operation
If cue tones are embedded in analog video, then advertisement break locations are easily detectable, but the system is incompatible with digital video players
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the detection parameters from acoustic frequency analysis to visual feature analysis. By shifting from detecting audio cue tones to analyzing video frame characteristics (edge responses, pixel differences, motion patterns), the system becomes compatible with digital video players while maintaining advertisement break detection capability.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of trying to preserve or convert analog cue tones for digital detection, the patent inverts the approach by detecting advertisement breaks through their visual and structural characteristics in the video content itself. The system looks for patterns that indicate ad breaks (black frames, scene changes, motion pauses) rather than searching for original audio signals.
3Ease of operation
If advertisement breaks are identified and removed, then uninterrupted playback is achieved, but advertisement insertion capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary identification and marking of advertisement break locations before playback. By detecting and storing the temporal positions of ad breaks in advance, the system enables both uninterrupted playback (by skipping marked regions) and advertisement insertion (by injecting ads at the pre-identified locations during playback).
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a dynamic playback system that can adapt its behavior based on the identified ad break locations. The player can dynamically switch between uninterrupted playback mode (skipping ad breaks) and advertisement insertion mode (playing ads at ad break locations), providing flexibility to serve different operational needs.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables the detection and manipulation of advertisement breaks in digital videos, allowing for uninterrupted playback and flexible advertisement placement, thereby restoring the functionality of inserting commercials in digital broadcasts.
Implementation Method 1
generating an edge response for frames in the plurality of frames
Implementation Method 2
performing a Fourier transform on the extracted audio signal to produce a plurality of frequency values
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for identifying advertisement breaks in digital video files. Generally, an advertisement break identification module receives a digital video file and generates an edge response for each of one or more frames extracted from the video file. If one of the generated edge responses for a particular frame is less than a predefined threshold, then the module identifies the particular frame as the start of an advertisement break. The module then generates further edge responses for frames subsequent to the identified particular frame. Once an edge response is generated for a particular subsequent frame that is greater than the threshold, it is identified as the end of the advertisement break. The video file may then be manipulated or transformed, such as by associating metadata with the advertisement break for a variety of uses, removing the advertisement break from the video file, etc. Optionally, various time and/or frame thresholds, as well as an audio verification process, are used to validate the identified advertisement break.