Connected Audio and Other Media Objects

• US 20080140573A1
• Filed: 10/31/2007
• Published: 06/12/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Levy, Kenneth L., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Granted Patent: US 10,713,340 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/58
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/10 Protecting distributed programs or content, e.g. vending or licensing of copyrighted material protection in video systems or pay television H04N7/16 ; Digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/16 Program or content traceability, e.g. by watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/1235 with control of digital rights management [DRM]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/10 Usage protection of distributed data files
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 2220/16 Copy protection or prevention
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0277 Online advertisement
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

Media objects are transformed into active, connected objects via identifiers embedded into them or their containers. A decoding process extracts the identifier from a media object and possibly additional context information and forwards it to a server. The server, in turn, maps the identifier to an action, such as returning metadata, re-directing the request to one or more other servers, requesting information from another server to identify the media object, etc. The linking process applies to broadcast objects as well as objects transmitted over networks in streaming and compressed file formats.

Claims

1. A method of linking a broadcast content signal to metadata comprising:

receiving an identifier derived from a broadcast content signal received from a receiver device, the identifier identifying a broadcaster or distributor of the broadcast content signal;

obtaining context information related to the broadcast content signal;

making a request for metadata using the identifier and the context information, wherein the request includes transmitting the identifier and the context information to a server; and

by the server, obtaining an object ID of a content object in the broadcast content signal using the identifier and the context information;

determining the metadata corresponding to the object ID at the server or another server; and

providing the metadata to the receiver device, where at least a portion of the metadata is presented.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises one or more links including a link to an electronic transaction for purchasing a product related to the broadcast content signal.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises one or more links including a link to a web page.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises one or more links including a link to a programmatic action for retrieving video or audio via streaming or file download delivery.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the metadata comprises one or more links to a database for additional information related to the audio signal.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the context information comprises a time associated with the broadcast content signal.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the time comprises a play time of the broadcast content signal.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the time comprises air time of the broadcast content signal.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the context information includes user information and the metadata is determined at least in part on the user information.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the context information includes device information of the receiver device and the context information is used to determine the type of data to be returned for rendering on the receiver device.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of the metadata is performed in a database that associates object IDs with actions.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the database includes a web interface enabling users to change an association between an object ID and an action.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein the database automatically changes actions associated with an object ID according to a rule set.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiver device is a wireless phone and the metadata is sent to the wireless phone via wireless carrier.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the broadcast content signal is recorded through a capture device for later extraction of the identifier.

16. A device for linking a broadcast content signal to metadata comprising:

a receiver for deriving an identifier from a broadcast content signal, the identifier identifying a broadcaster or distributor of the broadcast content signal, and for obtaining context information related to the broadcast content signal;

a communication device for making a request for metadata using the identifier and the context information, wherein the request includes transmitting the identifier and the context information to a server, and for receiving metadata associated with the broadcast content signal from the server or another server, wherein the identifier and the context information is used by the server to obtain an object ID of a content object in the broadcast content signal, and the object ID is used to look up metadata corresponding to the object ID in the server or another server; and

an output device for presenting at least a portion of the metadata.

17. A method of linking metadata to a content object, the method comprising:

receiving the content object at a server to which the content object is uploaded via a network;

executing a registration process to associate an object ID with the content object;

linking the object ID with metadata corresponding to the content object, including storing an association between the object ID and the metadata in a database; and

once registered, providing the content object for distribution, wherein after distribution, the object ID is derived from the content object and used to obtain metadata about the content signal from the database.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the metadata in the database is changed dynamically after the object ID is registered.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the metadata is changed automatically in response to events.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the metadata is changed interactively by a user via a web interface.