IP Library Granted Patent US 9,420,277
Granted Patent B1
US 9,420,277 · App. 14/676,319 · Granted Aug 16, 2016

Using scene-change transitions to output an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up video-broadcast system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,420,277
App. No.
14/676,319
Granted
Aug 16, 2016
Kind
B1
Abstract

In one aspect, an example method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a back-up video-broadcast system involves: a computing device receiving a first video-stream that represents first video-content; the computing device generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within the first video-content; the computing device receiving a second video-stream that represents second video-content; the computing device generating a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within the second video-content; the computing device making a determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack a threshold extent of similarity; and responsive to the determination that the generated first-signature and the generated second-signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, the computing device outputting an alert.

Claims (33)

1. A method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a video broadcast system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a first video-stream that represents first video-content, wherein the first video-stream was generated by a primary video-broadcast system;

generating, by the computing device, a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within the first video-content, wherein the generated first signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time;

receiving, by the computing device, a second video-stream that represents second video-content, wherein the second video-stream was generated by a back-up video-broadcast system;

generating, by the computing device, a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within the second video-content;

making, by the computing device, a determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity, wherein making the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the generated second signature does not represent a second transition that (i) has the first type and (ii) is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time; and

responsive to the determination that the generated first signature and the generated second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, outputting, by the computing device, an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a scene-change transition within the first video-content.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining that the identified scene-change transition is associated with the first time.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying multiple scene-change transitions within the first video-content.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly comprises displaying a message.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly comprises transmitting an instruction.

7. A method for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a video-broadcast system, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device, a first video-stream that represents first video-content, wherein the first video-stream was generated by one of a primary video-broadcast system and a back-up video-broadcast system;

generating, by the computing device, a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within the first video-content, wherein the generated first signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time;

receiving, by the computing device, a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within second video-content represented by a second video-stream, wherein the second video-stream was generated by another one of the primary video-broadcast system and the back-up video-broadcast system;

making, by the computing device, a determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity, wherein making the determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the received second signature does not represent a second transition that (i) has the first type and (ii) is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time; and

responsive to the determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity outputting, by the computing device, an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a scene-change transition within the first video-content.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining that the identified scene-change transition is associated with the first time.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying multiple scene-change transitions within the first video-content.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly comprises displaying a message.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly comprises transmitting an instruction.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed cause a computing device to perform a set of acts for outputting an alert indicating a functional state of a video-broadcast system, the set of acts comprising:

receiving a first video-stream that represents first video-content, wherein the first video-stream was generated by one of a primary video-broadcast system and a back-up video-broadcast system;

generating a first signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within the first video-content, wherein the generated first signature represents a first transition that has a first type and that is associated with a first time;

receiving a second signature based, at least in part, upon an extent of scene-change transitions included within second video-content represented by a second video-stream, wherein the second video-stream was generated by another one of the primary video-broadcast system and the back-up video-broadcast system;

making a determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack a threshold extent of similarity, wherein making the determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity comprises determining that the received second signature does not represent a second transition that (i) has the first type and (ii) is associated with a time that is within a tolerance period of the first time; and

responsive to the determination that the generated first signature and the received second signature lack the threshold extent of similarity, outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein generating the first signature comprises identifying a scene-change transition within the first video-content.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 14 , wherein generating the first signature comprises determining that the identified scene-change transition is associated with the first time.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly comprises displaying a message.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein outputting an alert indicating that the back-up video-broadcast system is not functioning properly comprises transmitting an instruction.

Assignments (6)
PARTIAL RELEASE - REEL/FRAME 040306/0814 Recorded Sep 24, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 050474/0176 →
PARTIAL RELEASE - REEL/FRAME 036354/0902 Recorded Sep 24, 2019
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
To: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 050475/0342 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 19, 2019
From: CHICAGOLAND TELEVISION NEWS, INC.; KPLR, INC.; KSTU, LLC; KSWB, LLC; KTLA, LLC; KTVI, LLC; KWGN, LLC; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING DENVER, LLC; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING FORT SMITH, LLC; TRIBUNE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY, LLC; TRIBUNE MEDIA COMPANY; TRIBUNE TELEVISION NEW ORLEANS, INC.; WDAF LICENSE, INC.; WDCW, LLC; WGHP, LLC; WGN CONTINENTAL BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC; WHNT, LLC; WJW TELEVISION, LLC; WNEP, LLC; WPIX, LLC; WQAD, LLC; WREG, LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 050438/0004 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Nov 14, 2016
From: GRACENOTE, INC.; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC; TRIBUNE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 040306/0814 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 14, 2015
From: GRACENOTE, INC.; TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS AGENT
Reel/Frame 036354/0902 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 2, 2015
From: HUNDEMER, HANK J.
To: TRIBUNE BROADCASTING COMPANY, LLC
Reel/Frame 035321/0962 →