Shock block

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9554188-B2
Application number	US-201414470218-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 27, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2014
Publication date	Jan 24, 2017
Grant date	Jan 24, 2017

Abstract

A system may include a media processor that categorizes at least one scene of a media stream into a category. The media processor may further provide an output media stream that alters the at least one scene of the media stream based on the category, where the category may be shocking or scary scenes. A method may include categorizing, using a computing device, at least one scene of a media stream into at least one category. The method may further include altering, using the computing device, the at least one scene of the media stream based on the category.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A system comprising:
a media processor including a computer processor and a memory configured to:
identify a plurality of categories;
receive an input media stream to be displayed on a screen of a display device;
construct a mask-area with a geometric shape on a section of the screen of the display device to mask at least one segment of the input media stream;
preprocess the input media stream to associate the mask-area of the at least one segment of the input media stream to at least one category from the plurality of categories; and
alter the mask-area of the at least one segment of the input media stream based at least in part on the at least one category to create an altered media stream,
wherein the media processor comprises a modification layer that includes at least one of a video veil and an audio mask, and the modification layer selectively alters the input media stream to create the altered media stream based on the at least one category, and
wherein the media processor identifies the geometric shape drawn on the section of the screen in the at least one segment of the input media stream, the section of the screen contributing to classification of the at least one segment of the input media stream into the at least one category.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one category is an identifier for a human emotion.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein:
the memory is configured to store a user preference including at least a subset of the plurality of categories, and
the media processor is configured to alter the at least one segment of the input media stream based at least in part on the user preference.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein
the at least one category is associated with at least one segment and the user preference.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the video veil transforms the mask-area of the input media stream such that the altered media steam incorporates at least one of at least a partially distorted or obfuscated image.

6. The system of claim 4 , wherein
the memory is configured to store the preprocessed information to include information about the section of the screen.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the media processor is configured to preprocess the input media stream to associate the at least one segment of the input media stream to the at least one category includes an image recognition system.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the preprocess of the media processor is configured to associate the at least one category to at least one segment of the input media stream, provide the input media stream for preview and receive preprocessed information that is used at least in part to associate the at least one segment of the input media stream to the at least one category, whereby the preprocessed information includes input from a person viewing the preview.

9. A method comprising:
identifying, in a computing device, a plurality of categories;
receiving, at a computing device, an input media stream to be displayed on a screen of a display device;
constructing a mask-area with a geometric shape on a section of the screen of the display device to mask at least one segment of the input media stream;
identifying the geometric shape drawn on the section of the screen of the at least one segment of the input media stream, the section of the screen contributing to classification of the at least one segment of the input media stream into at least one category of the plurality of categories; and
altering, using the computing device, the mask-area of the at least one segment of the input media stream based at least in part on at least one category from the plurality of categories associated to the mask-area of the at least one segment of the input media stream, thereby creating an altered media stream,
wherein the altering includes using a modification layer that incorporates at least one of a video veil and an audio mask, the modification layer selectively alters the input media stream to create the altered media stream based on the at least one category, and the video veil selectively distorts or obfuscates the section of the screen.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising
preprocessing the input media stream to associate the at least one segment of the input media stream to the at least one category of the plurality of categories; and
storing a user preference including at least a subset of the plurality of categories;
wherein the altering of the input media stream is based at least in part on the user preference.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the preprocessing of the input media stream to associate the at least one segment of the input media stream to the at least one category of the plurality of categories includes an image recognition system.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the preprocessing of the input media stream to associate the at least one segment of the input media stream to the at least one category of the plurality of categories further includes:
providing the input media stream for previewing, and
receiving preprocessed information that is used at least in part to associate the at least one segment of the input media stream into the at least one category, whereby the preprocessed information is from a person viewing the provided preview of the input media stream.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one category is an identifier for a human emotion.

14. The method of claim 9 , wherein the video veil transforms the mask-area of the input media stream such that the altered media steam incorporates at least one of at least a partially distorted or obfuscated image.

15. The method of claim 9 , wherein the audio mask transforms the input media stream such that the altered media stream incorporates at least one of a muting or an alternative soundtrack.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium tangibly embodying computer-executable instructions comprising instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:
identify a plurality of categories
receive an input media stream to be displayed on a screen of a display device;
construct a mask-area with a geometric shape on a section of the screen of the display device to mask at least one segment of the input media stream;
identify the geometric shape drawn on the section of the screen of the at least one segment of the input media stream, the section of the screen contributing to classification of the at least one segment of the input media stream into at least one category of the plurality of categories;
preprocess the input media stream to associate the mask-area of the at least one segment of the input media stream to at least one category; and
alter the mask-area of the at least one segment of the media stream based at least in part on the at least one category to create an altered media stream,
wherein the altering includes using a modification layer that incorporates at least one of a video veil and an audio mask, the modification layer selectively alters the input media stream to create the altered media stream, and the video veil selectively distorts or obfuscates the section of the screen.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the processor to:
store a user preference including at least a subset of the plurality of categories,
wherein the instructions to alter are based at least in part on the user preference.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 16 ,
wherein

Assignees

• Verizon Patent & Licensing Inc

Inventors

• Felt Michelle
• Venugopal Arulvadivel

Classifications

• G11B27/031

  Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals · CPC title

• H04N21/440245

  the reformatting operation being performed only on part of the stream, e.g. a region of the image or a time segment · CPC title

• H04N21/44008

  involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream (arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59) · CPC title

• H04N21/4755

  for defining user preferences, e.g. favourite actors or genre (retrieval personalisation and generation of user profiles for the retrieval of video data G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306) · CPC title

• H04N21/44213

  Monitoring of end-user related data (arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33) · CPC title