Syndication Including Melody Recognition and Opt Out

• US 20150332024A1
• Filed: 07/24/2015
• Published: 11/19/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: King, David G., Harrison, Kyle
• Granted Patent: US 9,396,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A63H 5/00 Musical or noise- producing devices for additional toy effects other than acoustical musical tops A63H1/28; sound-producing dolls A63H3/28; musical toy vehicles A63H17/268; acoustical vehicle-signalling devices A63H17/32; whistling toy locomotive arrangements A63H19/14; music, sound or noise production in general G10
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6218 to a system of files or objects, e.g. local or distributed file system or database
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/101 Collaborative creation, e.g. joint development of products or services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/00 Information and communication technology [ICT] specially adapted for implementation of business processes of specific business sectors, e.g. utilities or tourism healthcare informatics G16H
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/28 by using information signals recorded by the same method as the main recording G11B27/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/20 for managing network security; network security policies in general filtering policies H04L63/0227
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/233 Processing of audio elementary streams monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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 21/2541 Rights Management protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment G06F21/10; security in data switching network management H04L41/28; security management or policies for network security H04L63/20; access security in wireless networks H04W12/08
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31

Abstract

A syndication system facilitates rights management services between media content owners and media hosting services that elect to participate in the syndication system and mutually elect to participate with each other. The syndication system utilizes a content recognition system to identify hosted media content and ownership rights associated with the hosted content. By applying melody recognition, the content recognition system can identify compositions embodied in hosted media content even when these compositions do not precisely match any known sound recording. Thus, the content recognition system is beneficially able to detect, for example, recorded cover performances and recorded live performances embodied in hosted media content. Once identified, ownership information is determined and the syndication system can facilitate rights management policies associated with the content such as monetizing or blocking the protected content.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for facilitating a rights management service between a composition owner and a media hosting service, the method comprising:

receiving from the media hosting service, a representation of an input media file, the input media file including an audio clip;

processing the audio clip to extract dominant musical tones present in the audio clip;

generating, by a processing device, an input melody fingerprint for the audio clip, the input melody fingerprint representing a sequence of pitch intervals between the dominant musical tones present in the processed audio clip;

determining a matching reference melody fingerprint from a melody fingerprint reference database that matches the input melody fingerprint, the matching reference melody fingerprint representing a melody of a composition that is embodied in the audio clip;

determining a strength of the match between the matching reference melody fingerprint and the input melody fingerprint;

generating an input audio fingerprint for the audio clip representing features that uniquely represent a sound recording embodied by the audio clip;

comparing the input audio fingerprint to a plurality of reference audio fingerprints in an audio fingerprint reference database; and

identifying a matching reference audio fingerprint that matches the input audio fingerprint responsive to the comparing and the determined strength of the match between the matching reference melody fingerprint and the input melody fingerprint;

identifying the composition owner as having ownership of the composition based on a reference sound recording associated with the determined matching reference melody fingerprint and with the identified matching reference audio fingerprint; and

facilitating an ownership management policy between the media hosting service and the composition owner, the ownership management policy associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an agreement over a first online interface from the composition owner to participate in the rights management service;

presenting to the media hosting service via a second online interface, an option to participate with the composition owner in the rights management service;

responsive to receiving from the media hosting service via the second online interface, an affirmative response to participate with the composition owner, presenting to the composition owner via the first online interface, an option to participate with the media hosting service; and

responsive to receiving from the composition owner via the first online interface, an affirmative response to participate with the media hosting service storing an indication of an agreement between the composition owner and the media hosting service.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein facilitating an ownership management policy comprises:

determining an ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

responsive to the ownership policy indicating a block on the composition, causing the media hosting service to block access to the input media file.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining an ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

responsive to the ownership policy indicating monetization of the composition, allocating a portion of revenue associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service to the composition owner.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating an input audio fingerprint for the audio clip representing features that uniquely represent a sound recording embodied by the audio clip;

determining a matching reference audio fingerprint from an audio fingerprint reference database that matches the input audio fingerprint;

identifying a sound recording owner as having ownership of the sound recording based on metadata associated with the matching reference audio fingerprint; and

facilitating an ownership management policy between the media hosting service and the sound recording owner, the ownership management policy associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service.

18. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein determining a matching reference melody fingerprint comprises:

dividing the input melody fingerprint into a plurality of bands determined using locality-sensitive hashing (LSH);

using each band as an index into the melody fingerprint reference database to identify a set of candidate reference fingerprints; and

comparing the input melody fingerprint to the candidate reference fingerprints in the set to identify the matching reference melody fingerprint.

19. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the input melody fingerprint is invariant to parameters used to perform or record a performance of the composition that is embodied in the audio clip.

6. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for facilitating a rights management service between a composition owner and a media hosting service, the instructions when executed by a processor causing the processor to perform steps comprising:

receiving from the media hosting service, a representation of an input media file, the input media file including an audio clip;

processing the audio clip to extract dominant musical tones present in the audio clip;

generating an input melody fingerprint for the audio clip, the input melody fingerprint representing a sequence of pitch intervals between the dominant musical tones present in the processed audio clip;

determining a matching reference melody fingerprint from a melody fingerprint reference database that matches the input melody fingerprint, the matching reference melody fingerprint representing a melody of a composition that is embodied in the audio clip;

determining a strength of the match between the matching reference melody fingerprint and the input melody fingerprint;

generating an input audio fingerprint for the audio clip representing features that uniquely represent a sound recording embodied by the audio clip;

comparing the input audio fingerprint to a plurality of reference audio fingerprints in an audio fingerprint reference database; and

identifying a matching reference audio fingerprint that matches the input audio fingerprint responsive to the comparing and the determined strength of the match between the matching reference melody fingerprint and the input melody fingerprint;

identifying the composition owner as having ownership of the composition based on a reference sound recording associated with the determined matching reference melody fingerprint and with the identified matching reference audio fingerprint; and

facilitating an ownership management policy between the media hosting service and the composition owner, the ownership management policy associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service.

7. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising instructions for:

receiving an agreement over a first online interface from the composition owner to participate in the rights management service;

presenting to the media hosting service via a second online interface, an option to participate with the composition owner in the rights management service;

responsive to receiving from the media hosting service via the second online interface, an affirmative response to participate with the composition owner, presenting to the composition owner via the first online interface, an option to participate with the media hosting service; and

responsive to receiving from the composition owner via the first online interface, an affirmative response to participate with the media hosting service storing an indication of an agreement between the composition owner and the media hosting service.

8. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein facilitating an ownership management policy comprises:

determining an ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

responsive to the ownership policy indicating a block on the composition, causing the media hosting service to block access to the input media file.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, wherein facilitating the ownership management policy comprises:

determining an ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

responsive to the ownership policy indicating monetization of the composition, allocating a portion of revenue associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service to the composition owner.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 6, further comprising instructions for:

generating an input audio fingerprint for the audio clip representing features that uniquely represent a sound recording embodied by the audio clip;

determining a matching reference audio fingerprint from an audio fingerprint reference database that matches the input audio fingerprint;

identifying a sound recording owner as having ownership of the sound recording based on metadata associated with the matching reference audio fingerprint; and

facilitating an ownership management policy between the media hosting service and the sound recording owner, the ownership management policy associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, further comprising instructions for:

receiving an agreement from the sound recording owner to participate in the rights management service;

presenting to the media hosting service, an option to participate with the sound recording owner in the rights management service;

responsive to receiving from the media hosting service, an affirmative response to participate with the sound recording owner, presenting to the sound recording owner, an option to participate with the media hosting service; and

responsive to receiving from the sound recording owner, an affirmative response to participate with the media hosting service storing an indication of an agreement between the sound recording owner and the media hosting service.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein facilitating the ownership management policy comprises:

determining a first ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

determining a second ownership policy associated with use of the sound recording by the media hosting service; and

responsive to one of the first and second ownership policies indicating a block, causing the media hosting service to block access to the input media file.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein facilitating the ownership management policy comprises:

determining a first ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

determining a second ownership policy associated with use of the sound recording by the media hosting service; and

responsive to both the first and second ownership policies indicating monetization, allocating a first portion of revenue associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service to the composition owner and allocating a second portion of the revenue to the sound recording owner.

14. A system for facilitating a rights management service between a composition owner and a media hosting service, the system comprising:

a computer system; and

a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by the computer system cause the computer system to perform steps comprising;

receiving from the media hosting service, a representation of an input media file, the input media file including an audio clip;

processing the audio clip to extract dominant musical tones present in the audio clip;

generating an input melody fingerprint for the audio clip, the input melody fingerprint representing a sequence of pitch intervals between the dominant musical tones present in the processed audio clip;

determining a matching reference melody fingerprint from a melody fingerprint reference database that matches the input melody fingerprint, the matching reference melody fingerprint representing a melody of a composition that is embodied in the audio clip;

determining a strength of the match between the matching reference melody fingerprint and the input melody fingerprint;

generating an input audio fingerprint for the audio clip representing features that uniquely represent a sound recording embodied by the audio clip;

comparing the input audio fingerprint to a plurality of reference audio fingerprints in an audio fingerprint reference database; and

identifying a matching reference audio fingerprint that matches the input audio fingerprint responsive to the comparing and the determined strength of the match between the matching reference melody fingerprint and the input melody fingerprint;

identifying the composition owner as having ownership of the composition based on a reference sound recording associated with the determined matching reference melody fingerprint and with the identified matching reference audio fingerprint; and

facilitating an ownership management policy between the media hosting service and the composition owner, the ownership management policy associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable storage medium further comprises instructions for:

receiving an agreement over a first online interface from the composition owner to participate in the rights management service;

presenting to the media hosting service via a second online interface, an option to participate with the composition owner in the rights management service;

responsive to receiving from the media hosting service via the second online interface, an affirmative response to participate with the composition owner, presenting to the composition owner via the first online interface, an option to participate with the media hosting service; and

responsive to receiving from the composition owner via the first online interface, an affirmative response to participate with the media hosting service storing an indication of an agreement between the composition owner and the media hosting service.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein facilitating the ownership management policy comprises:

determining an ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

responsive to the ownership policy indicating a block on the composition, causing the media hosting service to block access to the input media file.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein facilitating the ownership management policy comprises:

determining an ownership policy associated with use of the composition by the media hosting service; and

responsive to the ownership policy indicating monetization of the composition, allocating a portion of revenue associated with use of the input media file by the media hosting service to the composition owner.