U.S. patent application number 10/636851 was filed with the patent office on 2004-02-12 for method for watermarking a video display based on viewing mode.
Invention is credited to Proehl, Andrew M..
Application Number | 20040028257 10/636851 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 27766489 |
Filed Date | 2004-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040028257 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Proehl, Andrew M. |
February 12, 2004 |
Method for watermarking a video display based on viewing mode
Abstract
A format to be used with the MPEG-4 standard alters the way
video content is displayed on a screen based on whether the content
is played in a normal playback mode or a fast playback mode by
"watermarking" different or additional visual content onto the
original video data stream. Metadata is included in the format to
instruct a server to change the video display during fast playback
by, for example, adding advertising information, closed captioning,
scene summaries, help data, or station identification to the
original image, either in a separate section of the screen or
superimposed on the original image.
Inventors: |
Proehl, Andrew M.; (San
Francisco, CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
RADER FISHMAN & GRAUER PLLC
LION BUILDING
1233 20TH STREET N.W., SUITE 501
WASHINGTON
DC
20036
US
|
Family ID: |
27766489 |
Appl. No.: |
10/636851 |
Filed: |
August 8, 2003 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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10636851 |
Aug 8, 2003 |
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09712317 |
Nov 14, 2000 |
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6614844 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
382/100 ;
348/461; 348/E5.099; 386/E5.052 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04N 5/783 20130101;
H04N 21/234318 20130101; H04N 9/8042 20130101; H04N 5/445 20130101;
H04N 21/84 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
382/100 ;
348/461 |
International
Class: |
G06K 009/00 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A encoding format for displaying varying visual content on a
screen based on a viewing mode, comprising: a main video portion
having primary content data to be displayed during a normal viewing
mode; and a metadata portion having watermark data corresponding to
the primary content data and instructions for displaying the
watermark data during a modified playback viewing mode.
2. The format of claim 1, wherein the format is an MPEG-4
format.
3. The format of claim 2, wherein during the modified playback
viewing mode, the primary content data is removed from the screen
and the watermark data is displayed on the screen.
4. The format of claim 2, wherein during the modified playback
viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on a first
portion of the screen and the watermark data is displayed on a
second portion of the screen.
5. The format of claim 2, wherein during the modified playback
viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on the screen
and the watermark data is superimposed on the primary content
data.
6. The format of claim 2, wherein the watermark data is at least
one of text data and graphic data.
7. The format of claim 2, wherein the secondary data includes
instructions for displaying at least one of text data and graphic
data stored in a remote location.
8. The format of claim 7, wherein the remote location is a set-top
box.
9. The format of claim 1, wherein the modified playback viewing
mode is a fast playback mode.
10. A method for displaying varying visual content from a video
stream on a screen based on a viewing mode, comprising the steps
of: displaying a main video portion that includes primary content
data during a normal viewing mode; detecting a modified playback
viewing mode; and displaying a watermark corresponding to the
primary content data during a modified playback viewing mode,
wherein the watermark and instructions for displaying the watermark
are stored in metadata in the video stream.
11. The method of claim 10, wherein the video stream complies with
an MPEG-4 standard.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein during the modified playback
viewing mode, the primary content data is removed from the screen
and the watermark data is displayed on the screen.
13. The method of claim 11, wherein during the modified playback
viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on a first
portion of the screen and the watermark data is displayed on a
second portion of the screen.
14. The method of claim 11, wherein during the modified playback
viewing mode, the primary content data is displayed on the screen
and the watermark data is superimposed on the primary content
data.
15. The method of claim 11, wherein the watermark data is at least
one of text data and graphic data.
16. The method of claim 11, wherein the secondary data includes
instructions for displaying at least one of text data and graphic
data stored in a remote location.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the remote location is a
set-top box.
18. The method of claim 10, wherein the modified playback viewing
mode is a fast playback mode.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to a video display method and
format, and more particularly to a video display method and format
that changes a video display during a fast playback mode.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] Current technology has provided television and video viewers
with many viewing options, including the ability to fast-forward
past commercials or program portions that are not of interest to
the viewer. Fast-forwarding tends to cause some problems for both
advertisers and viewers, however. With respect to advertisers, the
visual content of commercials progresses too quickly in a
fast-forward or rewind mode for viewers to see the name/logo of the
product being advertised. With respect to viewers, fast-forwarding
or rewinding (collectively referred to as "fast playback") makes it
more difficult for viewers to ascertain station/broadcaster
information or scene information. Although the video data itself
could be altered so that information appears during a fast playback
mode, alteration of the video data is impractical and may adversely
affect image quality when the video data is played during normal
playback mode.
[0003] There is a need for a system that can provide viewer
information when the visual content is being viewed in a fast
playback mode without requiring extensive modification of the
video's encoding format.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Accordingly, the present invention takes advantage of the
additional flexibility provided by an MPEG-4 standard by including
metadata that varies the visual content on a screen based on the
playback mode. More particularly, the format according to the
invention has a main video potion that includes primary content
data to be displayed during a normal viewing mode and a metadata
portion that includes watermark data corresponding to the primary
content data and instructions for displaying the watermark data
during a modified mode, such as a fast playback (e.g., fast forward
or fast reverse) mode.
[0005] The watermark data itself can be any information that a
program producer or advertiser wishes to be displayed when the
program is played in the modified playback mode. The watermark can
be displayed in any manner, such as by superimposing the watermark
over the primary program content, removing the primary program and
displaying the watermark by itself, or displaying the watermark in
one portion of the screen and the primary program content in the
remaining portion of the screen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between
object-oriented structures according to the MPEG-4 standard;
[0007] FIG. 2 shows a relationship between content data and hint
tracks for a movie according to the MPEG-4 standard; and
[0008] FIGS. 3A through 3F are representative examples of ways in
which the inventive format can be used to alter a screen
display.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0009] The Motion Pictures Expert Group-4 ("MPEG-4") standard
provides a way to store "metadata", or information that describes
other data or includes instructions on how to deliver media
objects. This metadata capability provides video display
flexibility that was previously unavailable with other standards.
For clarity, the characteristics of the MPEG-4 standard that are
relevant to implementation of the invention will be described below
with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0010] Generally, MPEG-4 standardizes and organizes primitive media
objects (e.g. still images, video objects, audio objects, etc.) so
that the media objects can be represented and modified
independently of its surroundings and background, allowing greater
flexibility and functionality in both scene construction and
playback. As shown in FIG. 1, the MPEG-4 standard includes
object-oriented structures called "atoms" 100 and unique tags 102
identifying each atom. Many of the tags 102 describe a hierarchy of
"metadata", which provide information about the actual media
objects/content data, such as index points, durations, and
pointers. The media objects themselves can be located in the MPEG-4
file itself, in one or more media data atoms 100, or outside the
MPEG-4 file for reference via URL's.
[0011] The MPEG-4 file format is a streamable, as opposed to
streaming, format; the file format does not define an on-the-wire
protocol and is never actually streamed over a transmission line.
Instead, the metadata includes data that provides content delivery
instructions by telling a server application how to deliver the
content over a particular delivery protocol. The file can include
multiple hint tracks for one presentation to provide instructions
on how to deliver the content over different delivery
protocols.
[0012] FIG. 2 shows one example of a relationship between the
content data and RTP protocol hint tracks for streaming a simple
movie that only has video data (i.e., no audio data). As can be
seen in the Figure, an RTP hint track 200 and a video track 202
direct a server to specific locations of the media data 204 such
that the media data 204 is delivered to an output in discrete
sections. Of course, the use of metadata in the MPEG-4 standard is
not limited to the examples shown above; metadata can include any
data that corresponds to other data in the video stream and/or
instructions for presenting the data. The metadata, combined with
the flexible data storage options provided by the MPEG-4 standard,
allows the format to support streaming, editing, local playback,
and content interchange.
[0013] The present invention takes advantage of the flexibility
provided by the MPEG-4 standard by including metadata that alters
the way content is displayed on a video screen according to whether
the content is displayed during a normal playback mode or a
modified playback mode, such as a fast-forward playback mode.
Generally, the invention encodes or "watermarks" different or
additional video content separately from the original video stream
and decodes the different or additional video content at an output,
such as a television or set-top box, when selected criteria, such
as information corresponding to a specific program or commercial
played in a specific playback mode, are met.
[0014] FIGS. 3A through 3F illustrate possible ways in which the
metadata can be used to watermark the primary video content in a
fast playback mode (in these examples, a fast forward mode). These
examples are not meant to be an exhaustive list; the inventive
format can accommodate any combination of data, logos, and
programming as long as the format includes instructions for
changing the display when the playback mode changes. For example,
watermark data can be added to selected key frames in the video
stream to act as bookmarks for those selected frames so they can be
easily located during fast playback (FIG. 3A). A watermark can also
be superimposed onto a commercial when the commercial is played in
a fast STET mode (FIG. 3B). Similarly, a watermark can be
superimposed onto a television program to indicate the program's
sponsorship when the program is played in a fast-forward mode (FIG.
3C). Intellectual property information, such as copyright ownership
(FIG. 3D), or broadcaster identification (FIG. 3F) can also be
superimposed onto a program or simply displayed on the screen
alone. Alternatively, the watermark can be displayed in a letterbox
area of the display so that the program is not obscured (FIG. 3E).
Other possible watermarks can include credit information,
closed-captioning, or any other information that may be considered
useful for display during a modified playback mode.
[0015] The watermark data itself can be simple text data that is
transmitted along with the primary content data in the video
stream. Preferably, the text data is large enough and is displayed
on the screen long enough so that it can be easily seen by the
viewer; both of these variables can be controlled by metadata that
includes the watermark data itself and instructions on how and when
the watermark data is to be displayed. To enhance the appearance of
the watermark data when it is displayed, the metadata may also
instruct a set top box to display graphic data (e.g. graphic logos
stored in the set top box) as the watermark data. Although graphic
data and instructions for displaying the data can be sent via the
video stream, accessing graphic data that is already stored in the
set top box uses bandwidth more efficiently in many cases by
limiting the amount of data transmitted in the stream.
[0016] The present invention therefore takes advantage of the
display flexibility offered by the MPEG-4 standard by including
metadata that instructs a playback apparatus to alter the video
display during a modified playback viewing mode, such as a fast
playback mode. The invention therefore provides a way to provide
usable viewer content even during a fast playback mode, during
which the regular video content may progress too quickly to provide
any meaningful information.
[0017] It should be understood that various alternatives to the
embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in
practicing the invention. It is intended that the following claims
define the scope of the invention and that the method and apparatus
within the scope of these claims and their equivalents be covered
thereby.
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