Abstract: A method segments a video into objects, without user assistance. An MPEG compressed video is converted to a structure called a pseudo spatial/temporal data using DCT coefficients and motion vectors. The compressed video is first parsed and the pseudo spatial/temporal data are formed. Seeds macro-blocks are identified using, e.g., the DCT coefficients and changes in the motion vector of macro-blocks. A video volume is “grown” around each seed macro-block using the DCT coefficients and motion distance criteria. Self-descriptors are assigned to the volume, and mutual descriptors are assigned to pairs of similar volumes. These descriptors capture motion and spatial information of the volumes. Similarity scores are determined for each possible pair-wise combination of volumes. The pair of volumes that gives the largest score is combined iteratively. In the combining stage, volumes are classified and represented in a multi-resolution coarse-to-fine hierarchy of video objects.

Abstract: A marketing system and method for a retail environment periodically reads RFID tags attached to products to produce a list of product identifications. Consumer recommendation rules are updated according to each list, and recommendations are generated according to the updated consumer recommendation rules. Then, content can be displayed in the retail environment based on the recommendations.

Abstract: A method measures an intensity of motion activity in a compressed video. The intensity of the motion activity is used to partition the video into segments of equal cumulative motion activity. Key-frames are then selected from each segments. The selected key-frames are concatenated in temporal order to form a summary of the video.

Abstract: A method refines labeled training data audio classification of multimedia content. A first set of audio classifiers is trained using labeled audio frames of a training data set having labels corresponding to a set of audio features. Each audio frame of the labeled training data set is classified using the first set of audio classifiers to produce a refined training data set. A second set of audio classifiers is obtained using audio frames of the refined training data set, and highlights are extracted from unlabeled audio frames using the second set of audio classifiers.

Abstract: A method and system for presenting a set of graphic images on a television system is presented. A sequence of frames of a video is received. The frames are decoded and scaled to reduced size frames, which are sampled temporally and periodically to provide selected frames. The selected frames are stored in a circular buffer and converted to graphic images. The graphic images are periodically composited and rendered as an output graphic image using a graphic interface.

Abstract: A method presents a video according to compositional structures associated with the video. Each compositional structure has a label, and multiple segments that can be organized temporally or hierarchically. A particular compositional structure is selected with a remote controller, and the video is presented by a playback controller on a display device according to the compositional structure.

Abstract: A method identifies highlight segments in a video including a sequence of frames. Audio objects are detected to identify frames associated with audio events in the video, and visual objects are detected to identify frames associated with visual events. Selected visual objects are matched with an associated audio object to form an audio-visual object only if the selected visual object matches the associated audio object, the audio-visual object identifying a candidate highlight segment. The candidate highlight segments are further refined, using low level features, to eliminate false highlight segments.

Abstract: A method describes activity in a video sequence. The method measures intensity, direction, spatial, and temporal attributes in the video sequence, and the measured attributes are combined in a digital descriptor of the activity of the video sequence.

Abstract: A system and method for temporally processing an input video including input frames. Each frame has an associated frame play time, and the input video has a total input video play time that is a sum of the input frame play times of all of the input frames. Each of the input frames is classified according to a content characteristic of each frames. An output frame play time is allocated to each of the input frames that is based on the classified content characteristic of each of the input frames to generate a plurality of output frames that form an output video.

Abstract: A method detects events in multimedia. Features are extracted from the multimedia. The features are sampled using a sliding window to obtain samples. A context model is constructed for each sample. An affinity matrix is determined from the models and a commutative distance metric between each pair of context models. A second generation eigenvector is determined for the affinity matrix, and the samples are then clustered into events according to the second generation eigenvector.

Abstract: A method detects events in multimedia. Features are extracted from the multimedia. The features are sampled using a sliding window to obtain samples. A context model is constructed for each sample. The context models form a time series. An affinity matrix is determined from the time series models and a commutative distance metric between each pair of context models. A second generalized eigenvector is determined for the affinity matrix, and the samples are then clustered into events according to the second generalized eigenvector.

Abstract: A method for summarizing a video first detects audio peaks in a sub-sampled audio signal of the video. Then, motion activity in the video is extracted and filtered. The filtered motion activity is quantized to a continuous stream of digital pulses, one pulse for each frame. If the motion activity is greater than a predetermined threshold the pulse is one, otherwise the pulse is zero. Each quantized pulse is tested with respect to the timing of rising and falling edges. If the pulse meets the condition of the test, then the pulse is selected as a candidate pulse related to an interesting event in the video, otherwise the pulse is discarded. The candidate pulses are correlated, time-wise to the audio peaks, and patterns between the pulses and peaks are examined. The correlation patterns segment the video into uninteresting and interesting portions, which can then be summarized.

Abstract: A system and method summarizes multimedia stored in a compressed multimedia file partitioned into a sequence of segments, where the content of the multimedia is, for example, video signals, audio signals, text, and binary data. An associated metadata file includes index information and an importance level for each segment. The importance information is continuous over as closed interval. An importance level threshold is selected in the closed interval, and only segments of the multimedia having a particular importance level greater than the importance level threshold are reproduced. The importance level can also be determined for fixed-length windows of multiple segments, or a sliding window. Furthermore, the importance level can be weighted by a factor, such as the audio volume.

Abstract: A system and method summarizes multimedia stored in a compressed multimedia file partitioned into a sequence of segments, where the content of the multimedia is, for example, video signals, audio signals, text, and binary data. An associated metadata file includes index information and an importance level for each segment. The importance information is continuous over as closed interval. An importance level threshold is selected in the closed interval, and only segments of the multimedia having a particular importance level greater than the importance level threshold are reproduced.

Abstract: A system and method summarizes multimedia stored in a compressed multimedia file partitioned into a sequence of segments, where the content of the multimedia is, for example, video signals, audio signals, text, and binary data. An associated metadata file includes index information and an importance level for each segment. The importance information is continuous over as closed interval. An importance level threshold is selected in the closed interval, and only segments of the multimedia having a particular importance level greater than the importance level threshold are reproduced. The importance level can also be determined for fixed-length windows of multiple segments, or a sliding window. Furthermore, the importance level can be weighted by a factor, such as the audio volume.

Abstract: A method learns a structure of a video, in an unsupervised setting, to detect events in the video consistent with the structure. Sets of features are selected from the video. Based on the selected features, a hierarchical statistical model is updated, and an information gain of the hierarchical statistical model is evaluated. Redundant features are then filtered, and the hierarchical statistical model is updated, based on the filtered features. A Bayesian information criteria is applied to each model and feature set pair, which can then be rank ordered according to the criteria to detect the events in the video.

Abstract: A method uses probabilistic fusion to detect highlights in videos using both audio and visual information. Specifically, the method uses coupled hidden Markov models (CHMMs). Audio labels are generated using audio classification via Gaussian mixture models (GMMs), and visual labels are generated by quantizing average motion vector magnitudes. Highlights are modeled using discrete-observation CHMMs trained with labeled videos. The CHMMs have better performance than conventional hidden Markov models (HMMs) trained only on audio signals, or only on video frames.

Abstract: A method analyzes a high-level syntax and structure of a continuous compressed video according to a plurality of states. First, a set of hidden Markov models for each of the states is trained with a training video segmented into known states. Then, a set of domain specific features are extracted from a fixed-length sliding window of the continuous compressed video, and a set of maximum likelihoods is determined for each set of domain specific features using the sets of trained hidden Markov models. Finally, dynamic programming is applied to each set of maximum likelihoods to determine a specific state for each fixed-length sliding window of frames of the compressed video.

Abstract: A method plays frames of a video adaptively according to a visual complexity of the video. First a spatial frequency of pixel within frames of the video is measured, as well as a temporal velocity of corresponding pixels between frames of the video. The spatial frequency is multiplied by the temporal velocity to obtain a measure of the visual complexity of the frames of the video. The frames of the video are then played at a speed that corresponds to the visual complexity.

Abstract: A method identifies a talking head or principal cast in a compressed video by first segmenting the video into shots. Motion activity descriptors are extracted from each of the shots, and combined into a shot motion activity descriptor. A distance between the shot motion activity descriptor and a template motion activity descriptor is measured. The template motion activity descriptor is obtained from a training video. If the measured distance is less than a predetermined threshold, then the shot is identified as including a talking head.