IDENTIFYING MEDIA ON A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20130347017A1
• Filed: 06/26/2012
• Published: 12/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/26/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Instrument Corporation (CommScope Holding Company, Inc.)
• Inventors: Li, Renxiang, Baum, Kevin L., Ishtiaq, Faisal, Needham, Michael L.
• Granted Patent: US 9,628,829 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23418 involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]

Abstract

Disclosed is a method of associating, at a secondary device, secondary media content with primary media content being output at a primary device. The method includes receiving, at the secondary device, first information based upon the primary content being output at the primary device, wherein the first information includes at least one of an audio and a visual signal, determining at the secondary device second information corresponding to the first information, receiving at the secondary device one or more portions of secondary media content that have been made available by a third device, determining at the secondary device whether one or more of the portions of the secondary media content match one or more portions of the second information, and taking at least one further action upon determining that there is a match.

Claims

1. A method of associating secondary media content with primary media content being output at a primary device, the method comprising:

receiving, at a secondary device, first information based upon the primary media content being output at the primary device, wherein the first information includes at least one of an audio and a visual signal;

determining, at the secondary device, second information corresponding to the first information;

receiving, at the secondary device, one or more portions of secondary media content that have been made available by a third device;

determining, at the secondary device, whether one or more of the portions of the secondary media content substantially match one or more portions of the second information; and

taking at least one further action upon determining that there is a match.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first information is obtained at the secondary device by at least one of an audio input device and a visual input device.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein determining second information corresponding to the first information includes determining a data signature based on at least one of the audio signal and the visual signal.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the one or more portions of secondary media content include at least one of audio-based and visual-based media signatures for one or more media programs.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

sending, from the secondary device for receipt by the third device, at least one request for the one or more portions of the secondary media content, wherein the receiving of the one or more portions is in response to the sending of the at least one request.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

upon determining that the one or more portions of the secondary media content match the one or more portions of the second information, then additionally sending, for receipt by the third device, at least one instruction configured to cause the third device to refrain from sending additional portions of the secondary media content.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

commencing an operation by which the secondary device is capable of receiving push communication signals transmitted by the third device, wherein the one or more portions of the secondary media content are received via the push communication signals.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the first information includes obtaining, by use of the secondary device, a media sample of primary media content being output by the first device, wherein the taking of the at least one further action includes launching a service tied to an identified program directly, or indirectly, by at least one of forwarding program identification information and related information to an entity other than the secondary device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the second information is data signature information and the one or more portions of the secondary media content include one or more media signatures.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein each media signature is attributable to at least one of a channel or program viewable during a media time window and associated with the primary media content.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein at least one media signature is grouped with one or more other media signatures derived from another point in time or another program to form one or more signature chunks.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the one or more signature chunks include media signature information limited to a media time window.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the media signatures chosen for partial inclusion in the one or more signature chunks is selected according to a prioritization scheme.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein at least one of the one or more signature chunks selected for transmission to the secondary device is selected according to a prioritization scheme.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the secondary device is a mobile device selected from the group consisting of:

a cell phone, a personal digital assistant, a mobile computer device, and a tablet computer device, and wherein the primary device is a set-top box or a television set, and the third device is a server.

16. A mobile device comprising:

a memory device configured to store one or more portions of a data signature generated based upon one or more portions of primary media content being output by an additional device distinct from the mobile device;

a wireless transceiver configured to receive communication signals originating at a server computer, the communication signals including one or more portions of secondary media content; and

a processing device coupled at least indirectly to each of the memory device and the wireless transceiver, the processing device configured to determine whether the one or more portions of the secondary media content match the one or more portions of the data signature;

wherein the mobile device is further configured to take at least one action upon determining that there is a match.

17. A method of associating secondary media content with primary media content being output at a primary device, the method comprising:

obtaining, at at least one of a primary device and a secondary device, a media sample related to the primary media content being viewed on the primary device;

generating one or more data signatures from the media sample at the at least one of the primary device and the secondary device;

transmitting a request to a first server to receive secondary media content that includes one or more signature chunks derived from the primary media content; and

determining, at the at least one of the primary device and the secondary device, whether the one or more data signatures match one or more media signatures within the one or more signature chunks, wherein the at least one of the primary device and the secondary device is further configured to take at least one action upon determining that there is a match.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the at least one action taken upon determining that there is a match includes communicating to at least one of the first server and a second server at least one of the identity of the primary media content and related information.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the one or more signature chunks are selected based on a prioritization scheme obtained from at least one of the first server and the at least one of the primary device and the secondary device.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein upon verification that a match has been obtained, the at least one of the primary device and the secondary device sends a request to the first server to cease transmission of additional signature chunks.

21. The method of claim 17 wherein a plurality of media signatures are bundled to form the signature chunks, which are transmitted by the first server as either a discrete signature chunk, a limited number of signature chunks, or as a continuous stream of signature chunks.