Abstract: A method for placing overlay elements in images of a digital video so that desirable viewing areas of the images are not occluded by the overlay element, the method includes extracting frames from the video, each of the frames defining an image which may have one or more desirable viewing areas. For each frame, an area is selected in the image for placing an overlay element and the percentage the overlay element overlaps the desirable viewing areas is determined for the selected area. The overlay element is placed in the selected area if the percentage is below a maximum allowed predetermined percentage of overlapping. If it is not, one or more other areas in the image are selected and/or the size, shape, aspect ratio of the overlay element is changed until a position and/or size, shape, aspect ratio is found which minimizes occlusion of the desirable viewing areas in the image.

Abstract: A method and system to automatically detect and isolate segments of interest from sports programs is provided. Accordingly, the method includes the steps of: segmenting incoming video programs into a plurality of segments; detecting a slow moving object between the frames; computing the corresponding gravity level of the detected segments representing the slow moving object; and, comparing the computed gravity level to a predetermined threshold. The system includes a segmentation circuit for segmenting each frame of incoming video programs into a plurality of segments, and a motion detection circuit for detecting the slow moving object between successive frames and for determining the gravity level corresponding to the slow moving object.

Abstract: For use in a video signal processor, there is disclosed a system and method for locating program boundaries and commercial boundaries using audio categories. The system comprises an audio classifier controller that obtains information concerning the audio categories of the segments of an audio signal. Audio categories include such categories as silence, music, noise and speech. The audio classifier controller determines the rates of change of the audio categories. The audio classifier controller then compares each rate of change of the audio categories with a threshold value to locate the boundaries of the programs and commercials. The audio classifier controller is also capable of classifying at least one feature of an audio category change rate using a multifeature classifier to locate the boundaries of the programs and commercials.