Geographically independent determination of segment boundaries within a video stream

A system for processing video stream data, comprising:

• a communication module, configured to receive characterizing metadata for a first video stream;
• and
• a processor architecture coupled to the communication module, wherein the processor architecture comprises:
• a video stream analysis module, configured to analyze a second video stream to obtain characterizing metadata for the second video stream;
• and
• a comparison module, configured to compare the characterizing metadata for the first video stream to the characterizing metadata for the second video stream to generate offset data wherein the comparing progresses in using at least one of a time-forward direction and a time-reverse direction,
• wherein the comparing in the time-forward direction comprises:
• comparing individual video frames sequentially, beginning with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is earliest in time and completing the comparing process with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is latest in time;
• and
• wherein the comparing in the time-reverse direction comprises:
• comparing individual video frames sequentially, beginning with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is latest in time and completing the comparing process with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is earliest in time;
• and
• wherein the video stream analysis module is further configured to calculate timing information corresponding to segment boundaries for the second video stream using the offset data.

A method for processing video stream data, comprising:

• receiving, at a computer system having a processor, a first waveform depicting data comprising average luminance values for each of a plurality of video frames contained within a first video stream;
• calculating, at the computer system, average luminance values for each of a plurality of video frames contained within a second video stream;
• generating a second waveform, corresponding to the second video stream, using the calculated average luminance values;
• obtaining offset data by comparing the first waveform to the second waveform wherein the comparing progresses in using at least one of a time-forward direction and a time-reverse direction,
• wherein the comparing in the time-forward direction comprises:
• comparing individual video frames sequentially, beginning with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is earliest in time and completing the comparing process with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is latest in time;
• and
• wherein the comparing in the time-reverse direction comprises:
• comparing individual video frames sequentially, beginning with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is latest in time and completing the comparing process with the individual video frame of the second video stream comprising timing information that is earliest in time;
• and
• generating timing information regarding the beginning and ending of at least one portion of the video stream using the offset data.