Methods, apparatus and programs for generating and utilizing content signatures

• US 8,488,836 B2
• Filed: 12/11/2008
• Issued: 07/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Brunk, Hugh L., Levy, Kenneth L.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUCKER, WESLEY J
• Application Number:
  US12/332,654
• Publication Number:
  US 20090089587A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,678 Days
• Field of Search: 382/100, 382/307
• 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 comprising: obtaining a sequence of content identifiers, the sequence of content identifiers corresponding to one or more segments of a media signal; and utilizing at least a processor or electronic processing circuitry, carrying out a convolution operation based on the sequence of content identifiers and content signatures housed or stored in a database to identify the media signal. Of course, other claims and combination are provided as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining a content item, wherein the content item includes auxiliary data steganographically embedded therein through changes to perceptible elements of data representing the content item, wherein the embedded auxiliary data is imperceptible;

decoding, using an electronic processor, the auxiliary data steganographically embedded within the content item;

dynamically deriving, using the electronic processor, a content signature from the content item, wherein the content signature comprises a reduced-bit representation of the content item; and

carrying out an action as dictated by the auxiliary data, wherein the action is associated with the content signature.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the content item comprises video or audio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises forwarding the content signature to a remote database.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises storing the content signature in a local repository.

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

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the action comprises restricting rendering of the content item.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary data comprises a content distributor identifier identifying a distributor of the content item, wherein the action comprises selecting a database for interrogation based on the content distributor identifier, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining information associated with the content item stored in the selected database.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

obtaining a content item, wherein the content item includes auxiliary data steganographically embedded therein through changes to perceptible elements of data representing the content item, wherein the embedded auxiliary data is imperceptible;

decoding the auxiliary data steganographically embedded within the content item;

deriving a content signature from the content item, wherein the content signature comprises a reduced-bit representation of the content item; and

carrying out an action as dictated by the auxiliary data, wherein the action is associated with the content signature.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the content item comprises video or audio.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the action comprises forwarding the content signature to a remote database.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the action comprises storing the content signature in a local repository.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the action comprises filtering the content item.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the action comprises restricting rendering of the content item.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein the auxiliary data comprises a content distributor identifier identifying a distributor of the content item;

wherein the action comprises selecting a database for interrogation based on the content distributor identifier; and

wherein the instructions further comprise instructions to obtain information associated with the content item stored in the selected database.

15. A system comprising:

one or more electronic processors configured to;

obtain a content item, wherein the content item includes auxiliary data steganographically embedded therein through changes to perceptible elements of data representing the content item, wherein the embedded auxiliary data is imperceptible;

decode the auxiliary data steganographically embedded within the content item;

derive a content signature from the content item, wherein the content signature comprises a reduced-bit representation of the content item; and

carry out an action as dictated by the auxiliary data, wherein the action is associated with the content signature.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the content item comprises video or audio.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises forwarding the content signature to a remote database or storing the content signature in a local repository.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises filtering the content item.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the action comprises restricting rendering of the content item.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the auxiliary data comprises a content distributor identifier identifying a distributor of the content item, wherein the action comprises selecting a database for interrogation based on the content distributor identifier, and wherein the one or more processors are further configured to obtain information associated with the content item stored in the selected database.