Method and system for finding approximate matches in database

• US 20030046283A1
• Filed: 10/29/2002
• Published: 03/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: Gracenote, Inc. (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Inventors: Roberts, Dale T.
• Granted Patent: US 7,167,857 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/957 Browsing optimisation, e.g. caching or content distillation
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 19/02 Control of operating function, e.g. switching from recording to reproducing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/213 Read-only discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2562 DVDs [digital versatile discs]; Digital video discs; MMCDs; HDCDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/034 on discs G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/105 of operating discs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/11 by using information not detectable on the record carrier
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

Entertainment content complementary to a musical recording is delivered to a user'"'"'s computer by means of a computer network link. The user employs a browser to access the computer network. A plug-in for the browser is able to control an audio CD or other device for playing the musical recording. A script stored on the remote computer accessed over the network is downloaded. The script synchronizes the delivery of the complementary entertainment content with the play of the musical recording.

Claims

1. (NEW) A method of searching for a match in a database of records, each record including an identifier that is at least substantially unique, and length information and number of segments in a recording corresponding to the record, said method comprising:

calculating approximate length information for the records in the database and for a selected recording having a number of segments; and

determining at least one approximately matching record in the database for the selected recording based on the number of segments and the approximate length information without using the identifier.

2. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the length information for the records in the database and for the selected recording includes information indicating the length of each segment individually, and

wherein said determining includes comparing the length of corresponding segments in the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said determining does not require the number of segments to be identical and includes obtaining at least one value indicative of a difference in length between corresponding segments of the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, wherein said obtaining includes

calculating a total length based on at least one of the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record;

calculating accumulated differences in length between corresponding segments of the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record; and

comparing a ratio of the total length to the accumulated differences in length to a predetermined value in determining each approximately matching record.

5. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising receiving a query to search for a match between the selected recording and the records in the database, the query including the number of segments and the length information for the selected recording.

6. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the recordings corresponding to the records in the database and the selected recording each contains at least an audio portion and the number of segments are the number of tracks in the audio portion.

7. A method as recited in claim 6, wherein the recordings are compact discs.

8. A method as recited in claim 5, wherein the recordings are digital versatile discs.

9. A method as recited in claim 5,

wherein the selected recording is played at a first location, and

wherein said method further comprises:

generating the query by a computer at the first location where the selected recording is being played; and

sending the query to a server at a second location, remote from the first location, where the database is stored.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising sending from the server to the computer additional information stored in the at least one approximately matching record and not included in the selected recording.

11. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein the recordings corresponding to the records in the database and the selected recording each contains at least an audio portion and the number of segments are the number of tracks in the audio portion.

12. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the recordings are compact discs.

13. A method as recited in claim 11, wherein the recordings are digital versatile discs.

14. A method as recited in claim 1,

wherein the length information for the records in the database and for the selected recording includes information indicating the length of each mutually exclusive segment, and

wherein said determining includes comparing the length of corresponding segments in the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record.

15. A database system, comprising:

a storage unit storing a database of records, each record including an identifier that is at least substantially unique, and length information and number of segments in a recording corresponding to the record; and

a processing unit, coupled to said storage unit, programmed to calculate approximate length information for the records in the database and for a selected recording having a number of segments, and to determine at least one approximately matching record in the database for the selected recording based on the number of segments and the approximate length information without using the identifier.

16. A database system as recited in claim 15,

wherein the length information for the records in the database and for the selected recording includes information indicating the length of each segment individually, and

wherein said processing unit compares the length of corresponding segments in the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record in the database.

17. A database system as recited in claim 16, wherein said processing unit does not require the number of segments to be identical in the selected recording and the at least one approximately matching record, and obtains at least one value indicative of a difference in length between corresponding segments of the selected recording and the at least one approximately matching record in the database.

18. A database system as recited in claim 15,

wherein the length information for the records in the database and for the selected recording includes information indicating the length of each mutually exclusive segment, and

wherein said processing unit compares the length of corresponding segments in the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record in the database.

19. A database system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a communication unit, coupled to said storage unit, to receive a query to search for a match between the selected recording and the records in the database, the query including the number of segments and the length information for the selected recording.

20. A database system as recited in claim 19, wherein the recordings corresponding to the records in the database and the selected recording each contains at least an audio portion and the number of segments are the number of tracks in the audio portion.

21. A database system as recited in claim 20, wherein the recordings are compact discs.

22. A database system as recited in claim 19, wherein the recordings are digital versatile discs.

23. A database system as recited in claim 19,

wherein said processing unit, storage unit and communication unit are at a first location, and

wherein said database system further comprises:

a computer at a second location, remote from the first location, to generate the query and play the selected recording; and

a communication network at least temporarily coupling said computer and said communication unit to send the query from said computer to said communication unit.

24. A database system as recited in claim 23, wherein said communication unit sends to the computer via said communication network additional information stored in the at least one approximately matching record and not included in the selected recording.

25. A database system as recited in claim 15, wherein the recordings corresponding to the records in the database and the selected recording each contains at least an audio portion and the number of segments are the number of tracks in the audio portion.

26. A database system as recited in claim 25, wherein the recordings are compact discs.

27. A database system as recited in claim 15, wherein the recordings are digital versatile discs.

28. At least one computer program stored on a computer-readable medium, embodying a method of searching for a match in a database of a plurality of records, each record including an identifier that is at least substantially unique, and length information and number of segments in a recording corresponding to the record, comprising:

calculating approximate length information for the records in the database and for a selected recording having a number of segments; and

determining at least one approximately matching record in the database for the selected recording based on the number of segments and the approximate length information without using the identifier.

29. At least one computer program as recited in claim 28,

wherein the length information for the records in the database and for the selected recording includes information indicating the length of each segment individually, and

wherein said determining includes comparing the length of corresponding segments in the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record in the database.

30. At least one computer program as recited in claim 29, wherein said determining does not require the number of segments to be identical and obtains at least one value indicative of a difference in length between corresponding segments of the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record in the database.

31. At least one computer program as recited in claim 30, wherein said obtaining includes

calculating a total length based on at least one of the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record;

calculating accumulated differences in length between corresponding segments of the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record; and

comparing a ratio of the total length to the accumulated differences in length to a predetermined value in determining each approximately matching record.

32. At least one computer program as recited in claim 29, further comprising receiving a query to search for a match between the selected recording and the records in the database, the query including the number of segments and the length information for the selected recording.

33. At least one computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the recordings corresponding to the records in the database and the selected recording each contains at least an audio portion and the number of segments are the number of tracks in the audio portion.

34. At least one computer program as recited in claim 33, wherein the recordings are compact discs.

35. At least one computer program as recited in claim 32, wherein the recordings are digital versatile discs.

36. At least one computer program as recited in claim 32,

wherein the selected recording is played at a first location, and

wherein said method further comprises:

generating the query by a computer at the first location where the selected recording is being played; and

sending the query to a server at a second location, remote from the first location, where the database is stored.

37. At least one computer program as recited in claim 36, further comprising sending from the server to the computer additional information stored in the at least one approximately matching record and not included in the selected recording.

38. At least one computer program as recited in claim 29, wherein the recordings corresponding to the records in the database and the selected recording each contains at least an audio portion and the number of segments are the number of tracks in the audio portion.

39. At least one computer program as recited in claim 38, wherein the recordings are compact discs.

40. At least one computer program as recited in claim 29, wherein the recordings are digital versatile discs.

41. At least one computer program as recited in claim 28,

wherein the length information for the records in the database and for the selected recording includes information indicating the length of each mutually exclusive segment, and

wherein said determining includes comparing the length of corresponding segments in the selected recording and the recording corresponding to each approximately matching record in the database.