Video characterization, identification and search system

摘要

A method of characterising a video stream comprising one or more pictures, the method comprising the steps of;
partitioning a picture in the video stream, to be characterised, into a plurality of blocks of data;
measuring for one or more blocks of data which of a plurality of distinct encoding techniques has been used to encode the block of data or calculating which of a plurality of distinct encoding techniques is preferred to encode the block of data and storing data dependent on the calculation or measurement in a memory; determining a value for the picture based on a comparison of the number of blocks of data that have been encoded, or have been calculated to be preferred to be encoded using a particular encoding technique in the picture;
determining a characterising value of the video stream based on the one or more values assigned to the pictures that a value has been calculated for. In particular, the value of a picture is determined by the ratio of the number of intra encoded macroblocks to the total number of macroblocks or to the number of inter encoded macroblocks, preferably expressed in integer percentage points.