SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR EXTRACTING, DECODING, AND UTILIZING HIDDEN DATA EMBEDDED IN AUDIO SIGNALS

• US 20090132391A1
• Filed: 01/21/2009
• Published: 05/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Jacobs, Paul E.
• Granted Patent: US 8,462,950 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 19/018 Audio watermarking, i.e. embedding inaudible data in the audio signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal

Abstract

A system and method for enabling a user to retrieve, decode, and utilize hidden data embedded in audio signals. An exemplary implementation includes a microphone structured to receive sound waves representative of an audio signal and hidden data embedded in the audio signal. The then microphone converts the received sound waves into an electrical output signal. The system also includes a processor electrically coupled to the microphone and configured to receive the electrical output signal in order to extract the hidden data and provide information represented by the hidden data as an output thereof. A user interface is also provided and is electrically coupled to the processor and configured to receive a first input from the user and activate the processor to selectively initiate extraction of the hidden data. The processor produces as an output the information represented by the hidden data. Finally, the system includes a user presentation mechanism configured to present the information to the user.

Claims

1. An electronic system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a radio frequency signal comprising hidden data;

a processor configured to extract the hidden data;

a presentation mechanism configured to display the hidden data upon said extraction; and

a user interface configured to initiate said extraction, and select a representative portion of the extracted hidden data for display by the presentation mechanism.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the receiver is a microphone.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the hidden data comprises an internet uniform resource locator (URL) address.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the presentation mechanism is a visual display that employs a menu scheme to facilitate selection of a portion of the hidden data.

5. The system of claim 1, further comprising an output mechanism configured to establish a communications link with an entity associated with the hidden data.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the output mechanism is configured to transmit a user response signal indicative of a user'"'"'s response to the extracted hidden data displayed on the presentation mechanism.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the output mechanism comprises a transmitter and an antenna, and wherein the communications link comprises wireless communication.

8. The system of claim 5, wherein the entity is a content provider.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the user response signal comprises a user'"'"'s purchasing selection related to the extracted hidden data.

10. The system of claim 9, further comprising an embedding unit configured to embed the user response signal with identification information associated with the system.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the identification information associated with the system is a serial number of the system.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the identification information facilitates allocation of revenue generated from the user'"'"'s purchasing selection.

13. An electronic system, comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a radio frequency signal comprising hidden data;

a processor configured to extract the hidden data;

a presentation mechanism configured to display the hidden data upon said extraction;

a user interface configured to initiate said extraction, and select a representative portion of the extracted hidden data for display by the presentation mechanism; and

an output mechanism configured to establish a communications link with an entity associated with the hidden data, and to transmit a user response signal indicative of a user'"'"'s response to the hidden data displayed on the presentation mechanism.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising an embedding unit configured to embed the user response signal with identification information associated with the system, and wherein the user response signal comprises a user'"'"'s purchasing selection related to the extracted hidden data.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the identification information facilitates allocation of revenue generated from the user'"'"'s purchasing selection.

16. A communication device implemented method of displaying hidden data, the method comprising:

receiving a radio frequency signal comprising hidden data;

extracting the hidden data upon instruction from a user interface;

displaying the hidden data upon said extraction; and

selecting a representative portion of the extracted hidden data for display.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising establishing a communications link with an entity associated with the hidden data, and transmitting a user response signal indicative of a user'"'"'s response to the extracted hidden data displayed.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising embedding the user response signal with identification information, wherein the user response signal comprises a user'"'"'s purchasing selection, and wherein the identification information facilitates allocation of revenue generated from the user'"'"'s purchasing selection.

19. A system comprising:

means for receiving a radio frequency signal comprising hidden data;

means for extracting the hidden data upon instruction from a user interface;

means for displaying the hidden data upon said extraction; and

means for selecting a representative portion of the extracted hidden data for display.

20. The system of claim 19, further comprising means for establishing a communications link with an entity associated with the hidden data, and means for transmitting a user response signal indicative of a user'"'"'s response to the extracted hidden data displayed.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for embedding the user response signal with identification information associated with the system, wherein the user response signal comprises a user'"'"'s purchasing selection, and wherein the identification information facilitates allocation of revenue generated from the user'"'"'s purchasing selection.

22. A program storage medium having computer executable instructions stored thereon, which when executed performs the steps of:

receiving a radio frequency signal comprising hidden data;

extracting the hidden data upon instruction from a user interface;

displaying the hidden data upon said extraction; and

selecting a representative portion of the extracted hidden data for display.

23. The program storage medium of claim 22, further performing the steps of establishing a communications link with an entity associated with the hidden data, and transmitting a user response signal indicative of a user'"'"'s response to the extracted hidden data displayed.

24. The program storage medium of claim 23, further performing the steps of embedding the user response signal with identification information, wherein the user response signal comprises a user'"'"'s purchasing selection, and wherein the identification information facilitates allocation of revenue generated from the user'"'"'s purchasing selection.