Identification and evaluation of audience exposure to logos in a broadcast event

1. A method for insuring the video broadcast of a logo for a period of time, comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one video datastream of an event;

identifying one or more regions of interest (ROIs) having characteristics associated with a logo of interest in one or more images comprising the at least one datastream;

analyzing the one or more ROIs to detect if the logo is present in at least one of the ROIs;

responding to the detection of the presence of the logo for selectively broadcasting the associated ROI for at least a minimum period of time; and

tracking in real time the total time the logo is present during the period of time the event is broadcast, to permit associated advertisers to independently confirm acceptable broadcast of paid for advertising.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one video datastream comprises a single broadcast datastream.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one video datastream comprises two or more separate video datastreams, the two or more datastreams being individually selectable for broadcasting the event via the one's of said datastreams showing the logo until the total time the logo has been broadcasted during the event is at least equivalent to the associated paid for advertising time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of identifying one or more ROIs for the logo is based on at least one of a color, shape, and texture of the logo.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying one or more ROIs for the logo comprises identifying a number of adjacent pixels having the same color as the logo.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying one or more ROIs for the logo comprises identifying measures of texture in samples of a location within the image that correspond to like measures of texture of the logo.

7. The method of claim 4 , wherein identifying one or more ROIs for the logo comprises using template matching that identifies shapes within the image that correspond with the shape of the logo.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the one or more ROIs to detect if the logo is present in at least one of the ROIs comprises using radial basis function (RBF) classification modeling.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the RBF classification modeling includes training using images of the logo having a multiplicity of perspectives and scales.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein analyzing the one or more ROIs to detect if the logo is present in at least one of the ROIs comprises using template matching.

11. A system for detecting and analyzing the presence of a logo, the system comprising a processor having input that receives at least one video datastream of an event, identifies one or more regions of interest (ROIs) for the logo in one or more images comprising the at least one datastream, analyzes the one or more ROIs to detect if the logo is present in at least one of the ROIs, and insures that an ROI having the logo is broadcast during the event for at least a total period of time corresponding to an associated advertiser's prepaid advertising.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor receives one video datastream of the event, the one video datastream comprising a single broadcast datastream.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the processor receives two or more separate video datastreams, the two or more datastreams being individually selectable for broadcasting the event via the one's of said datastreams showing the logo until the total time the logo has been broadcasted during the event is at least equivalent to the associated paid for advertising time.

14. Software stored on a computer readable medium for detecting and analyzing the presence of a logo, the software receiving as input digital representations of images that comprise at least one video datastream of an event, the software identifying one or more regions of interest (ROIs) for the logo in one or more images comprising the at least one datastream, analyzing the one or more ROIs to detect if the logo is present in at least one of the ROIs, and monitoring the presence of the logo in the image when so detected, wherein the software provides an output regarding detection of the presence of the logo that is usable in insuring the broadcast of the logo during the event for a total accumulated time corresponding to paid for advertising of an advertiser.

15. A system for detecting and analyzing the presence of a logo, the system comprising a processor having input that receives at least one video datastream of an event, analyzes the image to determine if the logo is present in at least one portion of the image and monitors the presence of the logo in the image when so detected, wherein the detection of the presence of the logo is used in insuring the broadcast of the logo during the event for a total accumulated time corresponding to paid for advertising of an advertiser.