CONTINUOUS CONTENT IDENTIFICATION OF BROADCAST CONTENT

• US 20130290502A1
• Filed: 04/30/2012
• Published: 10/31/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: R2 Solutions LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Inventors: Schafhauser, Andres Hernandez, Bilobrov, Sergiy
• Granted Patent: US 9,703,932 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• 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]

Abstract

The present disclosure provides identification and continuous monitoring of content, such as broadcast content, in real time, using a hierarchical, distributed approach to content identification. Identification, synchronization and verification are provided. Identification may be performed by an identification server using a reference database of fingerprints. The same or another computing device may be used perform synchronization, such that at least some portion of each fingerprint generated by client devices that form a verification group are synchronized for verification. Verification used to determine whether a client device continues to receive the same content identified during identification compares at least a portion of each fingerprint generated by each client device of a verification group. If a mismatch occurs, identification may be repeated to identify the new content being received by a client device.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, by an identification computing device, a request for a content identification operation to identify content being received by a client computing device, the request comprising a fingerprint generated using the content to be identified;

searching, by the identification computing device, a fingerprint database for a reference fingerprint matching the received fingerprint to identify the content being received by the client computing device;

where a matching reference fingerprint is found, transmitting, by the identification computing device, a response to the request, the response identifying a verification computing device other than the identification computing device to perform a content verification operation to determine whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the content identified by the identification computing device in the content identification operation.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning, by the identification computing device, the client computing device to one verification group of a plurality of verification groups, the verification computing device providing verification for a plurality of client computing devices assigned to the verification group to which the client computing device is assigned, each client computing device of the plurality having been identified as receiving the content identified in the content identification operation for the client computing device.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

synchronizing, by the identification computing device, generation of fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

4. A method comprising:

receiving, by a verification computing device, a request to perform a content verification operation to determine whether or not a client computing device assigned to a verification group of client computing devices assigned to the verification computing device continues to receive identified content, the request comprising a fingerprint generated using content being received by the client computing device;

comparing, by the verification computing device, the received fingerprint with one or more reference fingerprints to determine whether or not the content being received by the client computing device is the identified content;

where the received fingerprint is determined not to match the one or more reference fingerprints, initiating a content identification operation to identify the content being received by the client computing device.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

synchronizing, by the verification computing device, generation of subsequent fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

6. The method of claim 4, the verification computing device servicing multiple verification groups, each verification group comprising client computing devices identified as receiving the same content, the method further comprising:

performing, by the verification computing device, the content identification operation by determining whether or not the received fingerprint matches fingerprints received in connection with any one of the multiple verification groups;

assigning, by the verification computing device, the client computing device to a new verification group selected from the multiple verification groups where the received fingerprint matches fingerprints received in connection with the new verification group; and

transmitting, by the verification computing device to an identification computing device, a request to perform the content identification operation where the received fingerprint does not match fingerprints received in connection with any of the multiple verification groups.

7. The method of claim 4, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising a plurality of client computing devices including the client computing device, and the verification computing device is one of the plurality of client computing devices.

8. The method of claim 4, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising a plurality of client computing devices, the method further comprising:

synchronizing, by the verification computing device, generation of subsequent fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

9. The method of claim 4, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising one or more other client computing devices, the method further comprising:

receiving, by the verification computing device, a fingerprint from the one or more other client computing devices; and

the comparing further comprising comparing the one or more other client computing devices'"'"' fingerprints as the one or more reference fingerprints to determine whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the identified content.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein the one or more reference fingerprints are stored in a reference fingerprint database.

11. A method comprising:

receiving, by a client computing device, a content stream;

generating, by the client computing device, a first fingerprint using a portion of the content stream;

transmitting, by the client computing device, a request for an identification operation, the request comprising the first fingerprint;

receiving, by the client computing device, a response to the request for a content identification operation, the response identifying a verification computing device of a plurality of verification computing devices, the verification computing device to be used to verify whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the content identified in the identification operation; and

generating, by the client computing device, a second fingerprint using the content stream;

transmitting, by the client computing device, a request to perform a verification operation to the verification computing device identified in the response, the request comprising the second fingerprint.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

receiving, by the client computing device, instructions to provide an interactive experience supplementing the content identified as being received by the client computing device, the interactive experience for a user of the computing device and being based on the content stream identified as being received by the client computing device.

13. The method of claim 11, a response to the verification operation identifying a new verification computing device, the client computing device directing any subsequent requests to perform a verification operation to the new verification computing device.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the request for an identification operation is directed to an identification computing device, which identification computing device is other than the verification computing device.

15. A system comprising:

at least one identification computing device comprising one or more processors to execute and memory to store instructions to;

receive a request for a content identification operation to identify content being received by a client computing device, the request comprising a fingerprint generated using the content to be identified;

search a fingerprint database for a reference fingerprint matching the received fingerprint to identify the content being received by the client computing device;

where a matching reference fingerprint is found, transmit a response to the request, the response identifying a verification computing device other than the identification computing device to perform a content verification operation to determine whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the content identified by the identification computing device in the content identification operation.

16. The system of claim 15, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

assign the client computing device to one verification group of a plurality of verification groups, the verification computing device providing verification for a plurality of client computing devices assigned to the verification group to which the client computing device is assigned, each client computing device of the plurality having been identified as receiving the content identified in the content identification operation for the client computing device.

17. The system of claim 16, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

synchronize generation of fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

18. A system comprising:

at least one verification computing device comprising one or more processors to execute and memory to store instructions to;

receive a request to perform a content verification operation to determine whether or not a client computing device assigned to a verification group of client computing devices assigned to the verification computing device continues to receive identified content, the request comprising a fingerprint generated using content being received by the client computing device;

compare the received fingerprint with one or more reference fingerprints to determine whether or not the content being received by the client computing device is the identified content;

where the received fingerprint is determined not to match the one or more reference fingerprints, initiate a content identification operation to identify the content being received by the client computing device.

19. The system of claim 18, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

synchronize generation of subsequent fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

20. The system of claim 18, the verification computing device servicing multiple verification groups, each verification group comprising client computing devices identified as receiving the same content, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

perform the content identification operation by determining whether or not the received fingerprint matches fingerprints received in connection with any one of the multiple verification groups;

assign the client computing device to a new verification group selected from the multiple verification groups where the received fingerprint matches fingerprints received in connection with the new verification group; and

transmit, to an identification computing device, a request to perform the content identification operation where the received fingerprint does not match fingerprints received in connection with any of the multiple verification groups.

21. The system of claim 18, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising a plurality of client computing devices including the client computing device, and the verification computing device is one of the plurality of client computing devices.

22. The system of claim 18, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising a plurality of client computing devices, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

synchronize generation of subsequent fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

23. The system of claim 18, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising one or more other client computing devices, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

receive a fingerprint from the one or more other client computing devices; and

the instructions to compare further comprising instructions to compare the one or more other client computing devices'"'"' fingerprints as the one or more reference fingerprints to determine whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the identified content.

24. The system of claim 18, wherein the one or more reference fingerprints are stored in a reference fingerprint database.

25. A system comprising:

at least one client computing device comprising one or more processors to execute and memory to store instructions to;

receive a content stream;

generate a first fingerprint using a portion of the content stream;

transmit a request for an identification operation, the request comprising the first fingerprint;

receive a response to the request for a content identification operation, the response identifying a verification computing device of a plurality of verification computing devices, the verification computing device to be used to verify whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the content identified in the identification operation;

generate a second fingerprint using the content stream; and

transmit a request to perform a verification operation to the verification computing device identified in the response, the request comprising the second fingerprint.

26. The system of claim 25, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

receive instructions to provide an interactive experience supplementing the content identified as being received by the client computing device, the interactive experience for a user of the computing device and being based on the content stream identified as being received by the client computing device.

27. The system of claim 25, a response to the verification operation identifying a new verification computing device, the instructions further comprising instructions to direct any subsequent requests to perform a verification operation to the new verification computing device.

28. The system of claim 25, wherein the request for an identification operation is directed to an identification computing device, which identification computing device is other than the verification computing device.

29. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions that when executed cause at least one processor of an identification computing device to:

receive a request for a content identification operation to identify content being received by a client computing device, the request comprising a fingerprint generated using the content to be identified;

search a fingerprint database for a reference fingerprint matching the received fingerprint to identify the content being received by the client computing device;

where a matching reference fingerprint is found, transmit a response to the request, the response identifying a verification computing device other than the identification computing device to perform a content verification operation to determine whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the content identified by the identification computing device in the content identification operation.

30. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 29, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

assign the client computing device to one verification group of a plurality of verification groups, the verification computing device providing verification for a plurality of client computing devices assigned to the verification group to which the client computing device is assigned, each client computing device of the plurality having been identified as receiving the content identified in the content identification operation for the client computing device.

31. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 30, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

synchronize generation of fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

32. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions that when executed cause at least one processor of a verification computing device to:

receive a request to perform a content verification operation to determine whether or not a client computing device assigned to a verification group of client computing devices assigned to the verification computing device continues to receive identified content, the request comprising a fingerprint generated using content being received by the client computing device;

compare the received fingerprint with one or more reference fingerprints to determine whether or not the content being received by the client computing device is the identified content;

where the received fingerprint is determined not to match the one or more reference fingerprints, initiate a content identification operation to identify the content being received by the client computing device.

33. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 32, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

synchronize generation of subsequent fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

34. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 32, the verification computing device servicing multiple verification groups, each verification group comprising client computing devices identified as receiving the same content, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

perform the content identification operation by determining whether or not the received fingerprint matches fingerprints received in connection with any one of the multiple verification groups;

assign the client computing device to a new verification group selected from the multiple verification groups where the received fingerprint matches fingerprints received in connection with the new verification group; and

transmit, to an identification computing device, a request to perform the content identification operation where the received fingerprint does not match fingerprints received in connection with any of the multiple verification groups.

35. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 32, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising a plurality of client computing devices including the client computing device, and the verification computing device is one of the plurality of client computing devices.

36. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 32, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising a plurality of client computing devices, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

synchronize generation of subsequent fingerprints by each of the client computing devices assigned to the verification group.

37. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 32, the client computing device is assigned to a verification group serviced by the verification computing device, the verification group comprising one or more other client computing devices, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

receive a fingerprint from the one or more other client computing devices; and

the instructions to compare further comprising instructions to compare the one or more other client computing devices'"'"' fingerprints as the one or more reference fingerprints to determine whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the identified content.

38. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 32, wherein the one or more reference fingerprints are stored in a reference fingerprint database.

39. A computer readable non-transitory storage medium for tangibly storing thereon computer readable instructions that when executed cause at least one processor of a client computing device to:

receive a content stream;

generate a first fingerprint using a portion of the content stream;

transmit a request for an identification operation, the request comprising the first fingerprint;

receive a response to the request for a content identification operation, the response identifying a verification computing device of a plurality of verification computing devices, the verification computing device to be used to verify whether or not the client computing device continues to receive the content identified in the identification operation; and

generate a second fingerprint using the content stream;

transmit a request to perform a verification operation to the verification computing device identified in the response, the request comprising the second fingerprint.

40. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 39, the instructions further comprising instructions to:

receive instructions to provide an interactive experience supplementing the content identified as being received by the client computing device, the interactive experience for a user of the computing device and being based on the content stream identified as being received by the client computing device.

41. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 39, a response to the verification operation identifying a new verification computing device, the instructions further comprising instructions to direct any subsequent requests to perform a verification operation to the new verification computing device.

42. The computer readable non-transitory storage medium of claim 39, wherein the request for an identification operation is directed to an identification computing device, which identification computing device is other than the verification computing device.