Method and apparatus for automatically identifying and selectively altering segments of a television broadcast signal in real-time

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In accordance with the invention, a method and apparatus, intended to be marketed under the mark Sound!Off.
TM.
, is provided for identifying selected segments of a broadcast signal in real-time for the purpose of, for example, muting the video and audio portions of the signal during the selected segment.
Hereinafter, "selected segment" refers to any selected portion of a broadcast signal including, for example, unwanted broadcast segments such a commercial advertisement segments.
In one embodiment wherein the broadcast signal is a television signal, the method includes the steps of detecting a signature pattern associated with the beginning of a received segment of the television signal and comparing the signature pattern to stored signature patterns representative of selected segments.
If the signature pattern matches one of the stored signature patterns, the received segment is thereby immediately identified as being one of the selected segments and can be processed accordingly in real-time to, for example, mute the audio and video portions of the television signal during the received segment as the television signal is output to, for example, a television monitor.
If the signature pattern of the received segment does not match any of the stored signature patterns, the received segment is analyzed to determine whether it is nevertheless one of the selected segments and, if so, its signature pattern is stored along with the stored signature patterns.
The analysis to determine whether the received segment is one of the selected segments even though its signature does not match any of the stored signatures may be performed by, for example, detecting the length of the received segment upon its completion and then determining whether the length of the received segment matches any of a pre-determined set of permissible lengths for selected segments.
If so, the segment is identified as being a selected segment and its signature pattern is stored along with the other stored signature patterns such that, the next time the same segment is received, its signature will then match one of the stored signatures and therefore the received segment will be identified promptly at a selected segment and muted or otherwise altered in real-time