Spatial localization and color histograms based insertion of virtual advertisements in videos

This paper presents a location-sensitive algorithm for the automated insertion of virtual advertisements in videos. Virtual advertisements are objects (text messages, pictures, an animation or video sequence) that are introduced noninvasively into a video. Typically, this is done manually. Most automated approaches involve insertion of virtual advertisements in hard-coded, specific locations of videos that could be intrusive. In this paper we propose an algorithm based on colour histogram processing that works with an inter-frame difference based classifier. Along with the spatial localization input (based on the type of video), this ensures a virtual advertisement is inserted in a manner that it is noticed and yet appears at a location that does not obfuscate a critical portion of the video. We demonstrate the efficacy of this method through experimental results.