Content-recognition facilitator

• US 20050066177A1
• 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 7,152,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/181
• 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;

storing the hash value in relationship with the digital signal;

watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal;

subsequently distributing the watermarked digital signal over a network;

collecting a digital signal from a remote site on the network;

computing a hash value of the digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the hash value of the collected digital signal with the stored hash value; and

identifying the collected digital signal as a pirated version of the digital signal if the hash values match.

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 computer-implemented method as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital signals are digital audio signals.

4. A computer-implemented hashing method, comprising:

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

storing the hash value and an indication of an association with the digital signal;

watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal;

subsequently distributing the watermarked digital signal over a network;

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site on the network;

second computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with the stored hash value associated with the digital signal;

identifying the subject digital signal as a pirated version of the digital signal if the stored hash value and subject hash values match.

5. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 4, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

6. A computer-implemented hashing method, comprising:

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

storing the hash value and an indication of an association with the digital signal;

watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal.

7. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6 further comprising subsequently distributing the watermarked digital signal over a network.

8. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 6 further comprising:

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site;

second computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with the stored hash value associated with the digital signal;

identifying the subject digital signal as a pirated version of the digital signal if the stored hash value and subject hash values match.

9. 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.

10. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed, by a computer perform acts comprising:

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

storing the hash value and an indication of an association with the digital signal;

watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal.

11. One or more computer-readable media as recited-in claim 10 further comprising subsequently distributing the watermarked digital signal over a communications network.

12. 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.

13. One or more computer-readable media as recited in claim 10, the acts further comprising:

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site;

second computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with the stored hash value associated with the digital signal;

identifying the subject digital signal as a pirated version of the digital signal if the stored hash value and subject hash values match.

14. A system comprising means for performing functions comprising:

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

storing the hash value and an indication of an association with the digital signal;

watermarking the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal;

subsequently distributing the watermarked digital signal over a communications network.

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.

16. A system as recited in claim 14, wherein the system further comprises means for performing additional functions comprising:

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site on the network;

second computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with the stored hash value associated with the digital signal;

identifying the subject digital signal as a pirated version of the digital signal if the stored hash value and subject hash values match.

17. A computer-implemented hashing method, comprising:

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site on the network;

computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with a stored hash value which is representative of and associated with an original digital signal, the stored hash value being representative of the original digital signal such that computations of digital signals that are perceptually distinct from the original digital signal produce hash values that are approximately independent of one another and computations of digital signals that are perceptually same as the original digital signal produce identical hash values.

18. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 17, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

19. A computer-implemented method as recited in claim 17 further comprising identifying the subject digital signal as a pirated version of the digital signal if the stored hash value and subject hash values match.

20. A system comprising means for performing functions comprising:

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site on the network;

computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with a stored hash value which is representative of and associated with an original digital signal, the stored hash value being representative of the original digital signal such that computations of digital signals that are perceptually distinct from the original digital signal produce hash values that are approximately independent of one another and computations of digital signals that are perceptually same as the original digital signal produce identical hash values.

21. A system as recited in claim 20, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

22. One or more computer-readable media having computer-executable instructions stored thereon that, when executed by a computer, perform acts Comprising:

collecting a subject digital signal from a remote site on the network;

computing a subject hash value of the subject digital signal collected from the remote site;

comparing the subject hash value of the subject digital signal with a stored hash value which is representative of and associated with an original digital signal, the stored hash value being representative of the original digital signal such that computations of digital signals that are perceptually distinct from the original digital signal produce hash values that are approximately independent of one another and computations of digital signals that are perceptually same as the original digital signal produce identical hash values.

23. One or more media as recited in claim 22, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.

24. 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 watermark encoder to watermark the digital signal using, in part, the hash value to produce a watermarked digital signal.

25. A system as recited in claim 24, wherein the digital signals are selected from a group consisting of digital audio signals, digital image signals, digital video signals, and digital multimedia signals.