Remote control signaling using audio watermarks
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- capturing, at a hand-held device, an acoustically propagated audio content transmitted by a speaker device, wherein the acoustically propagated audio content comprises inaudible signals with designed characteristics that improve robustness of the inaudible signals against impairments due to acoustic propagation of the audio content;
recovering, at the hand-held device, information carried by the inaudible signals from the received audio content; and
responsive to the recovered information, providing an electronic coupon to the hand-held device, wherein the electronic coupon is redeemable at a specified retail store, and wherein;
the information carried by the inaudible signals includes a timing data, andthe electronic coupon is provide only when the timing data included in the inaudible signals is received within a predefined time interval with respect to a locally-generated time data at the hand-held device.
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Abstract
A system for using a watermark embedded in an audio signal to remotely control a device. Various devices such as toys, computers, and appliances, equipped with an appropriate detector, detect the hidden signals, which can trigger an action, or change a state of the device. The watermarks can be used with a “time gate” device, where detection of the watermark opens a time interval within which a user is allowed to perform an action, such as pressing a button, typing in an answer, turning a key in a lock, etc.
622 Citations
27 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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capturing, at a hand-held device, an acoustically propagated audio content transmitted by a speaker device, wherein the acoustically propagated audio content comprises inaudible signals with designed characteristics that improve robustness of the inaudible signals against impairments due to acoustic propagation of the audio content; recovering, at the hand-held device, information carried by the inaudible signals from the received audio content; and responsive to the recovered information, providing an electronic coupon to the hand-held device, wherein the electronic coupon is redeemable at a specified retail store, and wherein; the information carried by the inaudible signals includes a timing data, and the electronic coupon is provide only when the timing data included in the inaudible signals is received within a predefined time interval with respect to a locally-generated time data at the hand-held device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A hand-held device, comprising:
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a microphone configured to receive an acoustically propagated audio content transmitted by a speaker device, wherein the acoustically propagated audio content comprises inaudible signals with designed characteristics that improve robustness of the inaudible signals against impairments due to acoustic propagation of the audio content; and a controller configured to; recover information carried by the inaudible signals from the received audio content; and responsive to the recovered information, provide an electronic coupon to the hand-held device, wherein the electronic coupon is redeemable at a specified retail store, and wherein the information carried by the inaudible signals includes a timing data, and the controller is configured to provide the electronic coupon only when the timing data included in the inaudible signals is received within a predefined time interval with respect to a locally-generated timing data at the hand-held device. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A system, comprising:
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a speaker device configured to transmit an audio content comprising inaudible signals with designed characteristics that improve robustness of the inaudible signals against impairments due to acoustic propagation of the audio content; and a hand-held device, comprising; a microphone configured to receive the acoustically propagated audio content transmitted by the speaker device, and a controller configured to; recover information carried by the inaudible signals from the received audio content, and responsive to the recovered information, provide an electronic coupon to the hand-held device, wherein the electronic coupon is redeemable at a specified retail store, and wherein; the information carried by the inaudible signals includes a timing data, and the controller is configured to provide the electronic coupon only when the timing data included in the inaudible signals is received within a predefined time interval with respect to a locally-generated timing data at the hand-held device.
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Specification