Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the operation of a video recorder during the recording of a video signal containing picture information, including standard length commercials, to edit the commercials from the recording. The video signal is supplied to an automatically calibrated picture break detector, which detects dark picture breaks in the video signal having a length or duration greater than a predetermined minimum length and less than a predetermined maximum length. An timer circuit, actuated by the picture break detector, measures and identifies a plurality of standard commercial lengths after each detected picture break. A commercial indicator circuit, actuated by the picture break detector and the timer circuit, detects and identifies the length of a standard length commercial whenever the end of a standard commercial length measured by the timer circuit after one detected picture break occurs during a subsequent detected picture break. A rewind circuit is actuated by the commercial detecting circuit stops the recording operation, rewinds the recording for a length corresponding to the length of the detected commercial, and restarts the recording operation.

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First Claim