Devices, systems, methods, and media for detecting, indexing, and comparing video signals from a video display in a background scene using a camera-enabled device

Abstract

The present invention discloses methods for detecting, indexing, and comparing video signals from a video display in a background scene using a camera-enabled device. Methods include the steps of: pointing a camera-enabled (CEN) device at a video-signal surface; detecting a location of the video-signal surface in the background scene on the CEN device; and extracting at least one frame from the detected video-signal surface. Preferably, the method further includes the steps of: obtaining at least one image from at least one extracted frame; computing at least one compact signature from at least one image; comparing at least one compact signature with at least one stored compact signature in a database; and determining whether at least one match was found between at least one compact signature and at least one stored compact signature.

1 - 22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . A method for obtaining a Video-Signal Camera Capture (VSCC), the method comprising:
 detecting a video-signal surface in a background scene captured by a camera-enabled (CEN) device;   extracting a frame of a video signal from said detected video-signal surface;   obtaining at least one image from said extracted frame;   computing a compact signature from said at least one image;   comparing said compact signature with at least one stored compact signature in a database; and   determining whether a match was found between said compact signature and said at least one stored compact signature.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said determining is terminated upon finding a first match. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said determining is terminated upon finding a sufficiently-close match according to a greedy-matching scheme. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 23 , the method further comprising:
 storing said database on said CEN device for performing said comparing and said determining.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said comparing and said determining are performed by transferring said compact signature to a remote entity for providing said match. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said detecting includes detecting a quadrangle in said background scene. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein said computing includes dividing said extracted frame into sub-images and computing a signature component for each sub-image. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , wherein said computing said signature component for each sub-image includes comparing a sum of all pixels in a first portion of said sub-image with a sum of all pixels in a second portion of said sub-image. 
     
     
         31 . A method for obtaining a Video-Signal Camera Capture (VSCC), the method comprising:
 detecting a video-signal surface in a background scene captured by a camera-enabled (CEN) device;   extracting a frame of a video signal from said detected video-signal surface;   generating a video from said extracted frame and at least one additional frame;   computing a compact video signature from said video;   comparing said compact video signature with at least one stored signature in a database; and   determining whether a match was found between said compact video signature and said at least one stored signature.   
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said determining is terminated upon finding a first match. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said determining is terminated upon finding a sufficiently-close match according to a greedy-matching scheme. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 31 , the method further comprising:
 storing said database on said CEN device for performing said comparing and said determining.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said comparing and said determining are performed by transferring said compact video signature to a remote entity for providing said match. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein said detecting includes detecting a quadrangle in said background scene. 
     
     
         37 . A method for obtaining a Video-Signal Camera Capture (VSCC), the method comprising:
 detecting a video-signal surface in a background scene captured by a camera-enabled (CEN) device;   extracting a frame of a video signal from said detected video-signal surface; and   displaying at least one graphic indication on said CEN device at a location of said detected video-signal surface.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 37 , wherein said detecting includes detecting a quadrangle in said background scene. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 obtaining at least one image from said extracted frame; and   computing a compact signature from said at least one image.   
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 39 , wherein said computing includes dividing said extracted frame into sub-images and computing a signature component for each sub-image. 
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said computing said signature component for each sub-image includes comparing a sum of all pixels in a first portion of said sub-image with a sum of all pixels in a second portion of said sub-image. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 37 , further comprising:
 extracting a frame of a video signal from said detected video-signal surface;   generating a video from said extracted frame and at least one additional frame; and   computing a compact video signature from said video.