INTERACTING WITH TIME-BASED CONTENT

• US 20130018936A1
• Filed: 07/12/2012
• Published: 01/17/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nate D'Amico, Vijay Chandrasekhar
• Original Assignee: Nate D'Amico, Vijay Chandrasekhar
• Inventors: D'Amico, Nate, Chandrasekhar, Vijay
• Granted Patent: US 9,197,945 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/201
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/56 Arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition covered by groups H04H60/29-H04H60/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44008 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in the video stream arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for facilitating user and time-based content interaction. Sampling data received from a user device is compared to time-based content. The comparison is carried out, optionally without relying on watermark matching, to determine whether a match exists between the sampling data and the time-based content. Information relating to the sampling data may be transmitted to the user if the identification engine determines that the match exists.

Claims

1. A method for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

(a) receiving time-based content from a source of time-based content;

(b) analyzing the time-based content received by the content receiver as the content is received;

(c) receiving user sampling data from a user device that is capable of receiving time-based content from the source of time-based content substantially simultaneously to when the time-based content is received; and

(d) determining, without relying on watermark matching, whether a match exists between the sampling data received by the sampling data receiver and the time-based content received by the content receiver.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein step (a) comprises receiving time-based content from a plurality of sources of time-based content.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein step (a) comprises receiving time-based content simultaneously from the sources of time-based content.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a) comprises receiving time-based content from a television station, radio station, and/or an internet content provider.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein step (a) comprises receiving time-based content via cable, satellite, and/or cellular signals.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (b) comprises (b1) collecting the time-based content received by the content receiver as content blocks.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the content blocks are about 1 to about 6 seconds in duration.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein

step (b) further comprises (b2) computing content signatures on the content blocks, and

step (d) comprises using the content signatures to determine whether the match exists.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising, wherein step (b) further comprises (b3) searching the content blocks against pre-computed content media signatures and generating at least one time based cue to mark at least one interactive point in the time-based content in a database if a match is found between the blocks and the pre-computed content media signatures.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein step (b) further comprises (b4) searching the content blocks against metadata and generating at least one metadata cue to at least one interactive point in the time-based content if a match is found between the blocks and the metadata.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein step (b) further comprises (b5) generating at least user-generated in the time-based content according to user input.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises (c1) collecting the data received by user sampling data receiver as successive data blocks.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the data blocks are about 1 to about 6 seconds in duration.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein step (c) comprises receiving optical and/or audio sampling data.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein step (d) comprises (d1) determining whether the match exists by using time-based content received in step (a) for a predetermined timespan before the sampling data is received in step (c).

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the predetermined timespan does not exceed 24 hours.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the predetermined timespan does not exceed 1 hour.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein step (d) is carried out at least partially during step (c).

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising (e) transmitting information relating to the sampling data to the user device if the match is found during step (d).

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted during step (e) identifies the source of time-based content associated with the match.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted during step (e) pertains to at least one cue and/or asset associated with the match.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted during step (e) pertains to time-based content received during at least step (c).

23. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted during step (e) pertains to time-based content received before step (c).

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted during step (e) excludes information that pertains to time-based content received during step (c).

25. The method of claim 19, wherein the information transmitted during step (e) is useful to the user for engaging in an activity selected from

delivery of content,

participating in a survey, quiz, or poll,

initiating or taking a call,

requesting for information,

engaging in a commercial transaction,

adding a calendar event or reminder, and

adding a contact to an address book.

26. A method for a user to interact with time-based content from an apparatus that receives time-based content from a source and can present the content to the user, comprising:

(a) using a user device to sample the time-based content received and/or presented by the apparatus, thereby generating sampling data;

(b) having the user device to transmitting sample data to a computer system for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, the computer system comprising

a content receiver for receiving time-based content from a source of time-based content;

a substantially real-time content analyzer that analyzes the time-based content as the content is received by the content receiver;

a sampling data receiver for receiving sampling data from a device of a user that is capable of sampling time-based content from the source of time-based content substantially simultaneously to when the content receiver receives the time-based content;

an identification engine for determining, without relying on watermark matching, whether a match exists between the sampling data and the time-based content; and

a transmitter for transmitting information relating to the sampling data if the identification engine determines that the match exists;

(c) using the user device to receive the information relating to the sampling data.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the user device is detached from the apparatus.

28. The method of claim 26, wherein the user device comprises a computer, cellular phone and/or a set-top box.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein the user device and the apparatus are physically connected to each other.

30. The method of claim 26, wherein the user device and the apparatus form a unitary item.

31. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) comprises

(a1) having the apparatus present the time-based content to the user, and

(a2) activating user device to sample the content presented in step (a1).

32. The method of claim 31, wherein step (a2) comprises activating user device via touch, sound input, and/or light input.

33. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a) comprises

(a1) having the apparatus present the time-based content to the user, and

(a2) having the user device automatically to sample the content presented in step (a1).

34. A method for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

(a) receiving time-based content from a plurality of sources of time-based content;

(b) analyzing the time-based content as the content is received;

(c) receiving user sampling data from a user device that is capable of receiving time-based content from at least one source of time-based content substantially simultaneously to when the time-based content is received;

(d) determining, without relying on watermark matching, whether a match exists between the sampling data received in step (c) and any of the time-based content received in step (a); and

(e) identifying the source of time-based content if the match exists.

35. A method for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

(a) receiving time-based content from a plurality of sources of time-based content;

(b) analyzing the time-based content;

(c) receiving user sampling data from a user device that is capable of receiving time-based content from the source of time-based content; and

(d) determining, without relying on watermark matching within 6 seconds of when step (c) begins, whether a match exists between the sampling data received in step (c) and any of the time-based content received in step (a).

36. A method for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

(a) receiving time-based content from a source of time-based content;

(b) analyzing the time-based content received in (a) by computing content signatures thereon;

(c) receiving user sampling data from a user device that is capable of receiving time-based content from the source of time-based content substantially simultaneously to when the time-based content is received;

(d) determining, without relying on watermark matching, whether a match exists between the sampling data received in step (c) and the time-based content received in step (a); and

(e) sending information relating to a content signature associated with a time before when step (c) occurred.

37. A method for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

(a) receiving time-based content from a plurality of sources;

(b) receiving user sampling and locational data from a user device sampling time-based content from an apparatus at a sampling location; and

(c) determining whether a match exists between the sampling data and the time-based content in view of the locational data, wherein the match may exist if at least one source has a transmission range sufficient to deliver the time-based content to the sampling location.

38. A method for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

(a) providing a database of time-based content, wherein each entry of the database is associated with a time of transmission from a source;

(b) receiving user sampling data from a secondary device that has sampled output from a primary device capable of receiving time-based content from the source, wherein the sampling data is associated with a time of sampling and/or receipt; and

(c) determining whether a match exists between the sampling data received in step (b) and time-based content in the database, excluding any entry that is associated with a time of transmission outside within a predetermined timespan relative to the time of sampling and/or receipt.

39. A system for facilitating user and time-based content interaction, comprising:

a content receiver for receiving time-based content from a source of time-based content;

a substantially real-time content analyzer that analyzes the time-based content as the content is received by the content receiver;

a sampling data receiver for receiving sampling data from a device of a user that is capable of sampling time-based content from the source of time-based content substantially simultaneously to when the content receiver receives the time-based content;

an identification engine for determining, without relying on watermark matching, whether a match exists between the sampling data and the time-based content; and

a transmitter for transmitting information relating to the sampling data if the identification engine determines that the match exists.