METHODS, APPARATUS AND PROGRAMS FOR GENERATING AND UTILIZING CONTENT SIGNATURES

• US 20120076348A1
• Filed: 12/09/2011
• Published: 03/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hugh L. Brunk, Kenneth L. Levy
• Original Assignee: Hugh L. Brunk, Kenneth L. Levy
• Inventors: Brunk, Hugh L., Levy, Kenneth L.
• Granted Patent: US 8,542,870 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/46 Extracting features or characteristics from the video content, e.g. video fingerprints, representative shots or key frames
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/467 characterised by the embedded information being invisible, e.g. watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/48 using compressed domain processing techniques other than decoding, e.g. modification of transform coefficients, variable length coding [VLC] data or run-length data motion estimation in a transform domain H04N19/547; processing of decoded motion vectors H04N19/513

Abstract

The presently claimed invention generally relates to deriving and/or utilizing content signatures (e.g., so-called “fingerprints”). One claim recites a method of generating a fingerprint associated with a content item including: pseudo-randomly selecting a segment of the content item; and utilizing a processor or electronic processing circuitry, fingerprinting the selected segment of content item as at least an identifier of the content item. Of course, other claims and combination are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

pseudo-randomly selecting a segment of a content item; and

utilizing a processor or electronic processing circuitry, fingerprinting the selected segment of the content item as at least an identifier of the content item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the segment is pseudo-randomly selected based on a known key.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the known key comprises a user identifier.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fingerprinting comprises at least one type of fingerprinting selected from a group of fingerprinting comprising:

evaluating perceptually relevant features, a frequency domain analysis, hashing and a lossy transformation.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item comprises video.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item comprises audio.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising deriving a content signature for the content item from data within the selected segment.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising comparing the derived content signature with a stored signature, wherein failure to match indicates the content item has been altered.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

memory comprising instructions for execution by the processor, wherein the instructions are configured to;

pseudo-randomly select a segment of a content item; and

derive a fingerprint from the selected segment of the content item as at least an identifier of the content item.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the segment is pseudo-randomly selected based on a known key.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the known key comprises a user identifier.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the fingerprint comprises at least one type of fingerprint selected from a group of fingerprints comprising:

perceptually relevant features, a frequency domain analysis, hashing and a lossy transformation.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content item comprises video.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the content item comprises audio.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured to derive a content signature for the content item from data within the selected segment.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the instructions are further configured to compare the derived content signature with a stored signature, wherein failure to match indicates the content item has been altered.

17. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to pseudo-randomly select a segment of a content item; and

instructions to fingerprint the selected segment of the content item as at least an identifier of the content item.

18. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the segment is pseudo-randomly selected based on a known key.

19. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the known key comprises a user identifier.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the fingerprint comprises at least one type of fingerprint selected from a group of fingerprints comprising:

perceptually relevant features, a frequency domain analysis, hashing and a lossy transformation.