Hash value computer of content of digital signals

• US 20050065974A1
• Filed: 11/04/2004
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Venkatesan, Ramarathnam, Mihcak, M. Kivanc
• Granted Patent: US 7,240,210 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/433 using audio data
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence

Abstract

Described herein is a technology for facilitating the recognition of the content of digital signals. This abstract itself is not intended to limit the scope of this patent. The scope of the present invention is pointed out in the appending claims.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented hashing method, comprising:

computing a hash value representative of a digital signal such that perceptually distinct digital signals result in hash values that are approximately independent of one another and perceptually same digital signals result in identical hash values; and

storing the hash value in relationship with the digital signal.

2. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

3. A system for processing digital signals, comprising:

a digital signal hashing unit to compute a hash value representative of a digital signal such that perceptually distinct digital signals result in hash values that are approximately independent of one another and perceptually same digital signals result in identical hash values; and

a storage to hold the hash values.

4. A system as recited in claim 3, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

5. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions, which when executed on a processor, direct a computer to:

compute a hash value representative of a digital signal such that perceptually distinct digital signals result in hash values that are approximately independent of one another and perceptually same digital signals result in identical hash values; and

store the hash value in relationship with the digital signal.

6. A computer-implemented hashing method, comprising acts of:

computing a hash value representative of a digital signal based upon intrinsic characteristics of the digital signal, wherein perceptually distinct digital signals have computed hash values that are approximately independent of one another and perceptually same digital signals have computed hash values are substantially identical;

storing the hash value in relationship with the digital signal.

7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

8. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6 further comprising indexing the digital signal using the hash value.

9. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6 further comprising watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal.

10. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions, which when executed on a computer, perform acts comprising:

computing a hash value representative of a digital signal based upon intrinsic characteristics of the digital signal, wherein perceptually distinct digital signals have computed hash values that are approximately independent of one another and perceptually same digital signals have computed hash values are substantially identical;

storing the hash value in relationship with the digital signal.

11. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 10, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

12. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 10 further comprising indexing the digital signal using the hash value.

13. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 10 further comprising watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal.

14. A system comprising means for performing functions comprising:

computing a hash value representative of a digital signal based upon intrinsic characteristics of the digital signal, wherein perceptually distinct digital signals have computed hash values that are approximately independent of one another and perceptually same digital signals have computed hash values are substantially identical;

storing the hash value in relationship with the digital signal.

15. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.