PLACEMENT DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

I. Technical field

The present invention relates to system and method for virtual content placement in videos by replacing a special element existing in the photographed scene with different advertisements.

II. Background art

Ever since the Internet has enabled people all around the world to communicate with each other, entrepreneurs have tried to use it as a media for broadcasting content suitable for their needs. However, at the moment most of the advertisement models used in these videos are harmful to the viewer experience and thus, irritating for the viewers. For example, the addition of intrusive elements to the video, such as pre/post rolls and banners (used in YouTube for example) is not welcomed by the users. In order to avoid this, virtual replacement of the content of the video was created.

Virtual replacement of the content of a video is a technique used mainly in the advertisement industry. The goal of the advertisers is to keep the viewer's attention focused on the commercial. The best way to achieve that is by embedment of the commercial into the video so that it can't be avoided by the viewer. The advertisements embedded in the video should be suitable for its content and interesting for the viewer regarding the type of video he is watching. The technology should be perfected enough so that the advertisement can appear as a part of the video scene and blend with the whole picture. In order to appear realistic, the virtual content placement must take into account a broad variety of factors such as size and perspective of the camera, illumination, shadows, colors in the video etc.

The present technology allows any image file formats to be embedded in the video (JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, WEBP), including in different sizes (16:9, 4:3) so the commercials can appear as clear and realistic as possible. The embedment is done by the replacement of a special element (marker) existing in the photographed scene with the selected advertisement. This technology allows the advertisers to place their advertisements in different videos distributed in the Internet via different websites at the lowest cost. III. Disclosure of the invention

The present technology of virtual replacement envisions the use of special elements (markers), which are created before filming the video and placed in the scene as a two- dimensional (2D) objects. Each marker has specific characteristics (size, shape and color) that allow it to be detected by algorithms for video processing. For example, the marker can be a distinctive spot in red color with square or rectangular shape, placed in the background while filming the video. Different sizes or shapes of the marker can be used with regard to the type of advertisements that are appropriate for embedment. Surely, the marker should exist in the photographed scene, so in most cases it will visible (partially or entirely) during filming the video.

After filming the video with the marker in it, different processes should be executed in order to replace it with an advertisement. Firstly, the video is transmitted to "the video processor" for processing and customization. "The video processor" is a specific software, working with appropriate set of hardware that can guarantee the fastest and highest quality customization of the video. It processes the video scene by scene as an algorithm executes different steps in order to achieve a satisfying result - embedding the advertisement in the video in a clear and realistic way. The most important part of the process is the proper segmentation of the image so that the number of the redundant details can be minimized in order the algorithm that detects the marker to function quickly and accurately. The next step after segmentation of the image is implementing morphological transformations and different filters such as blurring. Thus, the noises in the video are reduced and the marker becomes easier to detect. After the image is fully processed the coordinates of the marker in the picture are precisely determined with different techniques for detecting objects. The aforementioned techniques depend on the specific type of marker used. For example, in the case of a red colored square or rectangular marker, the applicable technology will detect the precise coordinates of the marker by isolation of all the colors except for the red one. This coordinates are saved and can be utilized multiple times for placing different contents within the marker area without converting the video.

The final step of the process is placing the selected advertisement within the marker. That is achieved by the addition of a new layer to the video - an "overlay", using HTML5. The overlay is coded independently from the video stream and can be used multiple times for embedment of different advertisements. This layer is transparent and it's only visible part is the advertisement that will be shown at the place where the marker used to be. An important part of this process is making the necessary geometrical calculations so that the advertisement can follow the movements of the camera in the different scenes of the video. Thus, the advertisement blends with the whole picture and does not harm the viewer experience.

IV. Best mode for carrying out the invention

In addition to the innovative system and method for embedding advertisements in the videos, the present invention envisions the use of a special web-based software as the best way for carrying out the process. The users of this software are divided into two groups - advertisers and publishers.

The publishers are responsible for execution of the following steps, thoroughly described in the disclosure of the invention:

- Step 1 : Uploading the video into the software. The status of the uploaded video before its processing and customization is "Pending";

- Step 2: Processing and customization of the video using "the video processor". This step includes segmentation and morphological transformations;

- Step 3: Determining and saving the coordinates of the marker used while filming the video;

- Step 4: Changing the video status from "pending" to "converted" so that it can be utilized for embedment of different advertisements by publishers;

- Step 5: Arranging the videos into lists regarding the specific characteristics of the marker used (for example regarding the size of the marker - 16:9, 4:3 etc.)

The advertisers, as clients, are able to manipulate the whole process, including their revenues from the advertisements embedded into the videos, as follows:

- Step 1 : Uploading different advertisements in the form of images with any file format (JPEG, BMP, GIF, PNG, WEBP) and choosing their size (16:9, 4:3 etc.) or selecting an advertisement from the ones already uploaded on the platform;

- Step 2: Determining the videos into which the elected advertisements can be successfully embedded (taking into consideration their content, the size of the marker etc.);

- Step 3: Embedding the chosen advertisements into the chosen videos;

- Step 4: Receiving an "embedded code" for each video. The "embedded code" allows the advertiser to publish the video on every website of his choice; - Step 5: Determining the desired number of broadcasts of the video with the embedded advertisement;

- Step 6: Tracing the number of broadcasts and views of the video with the embedded advertisement.

Thus, the present invention facilitates the work of the publishers (each video is processed and customized only once and can be utilized for embedment of different advertisements) and allows the advertisers to manage the whole process, including the broadcasting of the videos, and to foresee and calculate the interrelation between their costs and revenues.

V. Brief description of the drawings

The present invention can be understood and appreciated more fully from the following drawings, presented herein:

Fig. 1 demonstrates the process of embedding the advertisement into the video

Fig. 2 gives detailed view of the steps that the advertiser undertakes to use the method

Fig. 3 gives detailed view of the steps that the publisher undertakes to create the video with special marker

Fig. 4 demonstrates the interaction between different steps of the process. The publisher's video has a red marker placed inside of it. The advertiser selects the video which he wants his commercial to be placed in. The commercial will be shown on the place of the red marker while the video is playing. When the video and the commercial are put together, the advertiser gets an embeddable code which can be used to reach users all over the web. Every show up changes statistics for number of views and counts impressions.

VI. Industrial applicability

The present invention is applicable in the field of internet advertisement. Its utilization will result in achievement of the ultimate advertising goal- keeping the viewer's attention focused on the commercial without harming his experience while watching the video at a cost determined by the advertisers with regard to the number of broadcasts.