PHONE-BASED BROADCAST AUDIO IDENTIFICATION

• US 20080049704A1
• Filed: 02/12/2007
• Published: 02/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SkyClix, Inc.
• Original Assignee: SkyClix, Inc.
• Inventors: Reid, Robert, Witteman, Bradley James
• Application Number:
  US11/674,015
• Publication Number:
  US 20080049704A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/342
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information

Abstract

This specification describes technologies relating to a phone-based system for identifying broadcast audio streams, and methods of providing such a system. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a plurality of broadcast streams, each from a corresponding broadcast source and generating a first broadcast audio identifier based on a first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams. The method also includes storing for a selected temporary period of time the first broadcast audio identifier. The method further includes receiving a user-initiated telephone connection; and generating a user audio identifier. Other implementations of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a plurality of broadcast streams, each from a corresponding broadcast source;

generating a first broadcast audio identifier based on a first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams;

storing for a selected temporary period of time the first broadcast audio identifier;

receiving a user-initiated telephone connection; and

generating a user audio identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising reporting periodically a status of receiving the plurality of broadcast streams.

3. The method of claims 1., wherein generating the user audio identifier comprises:

receiving an audio sample through the user-initiated telephone connection for a predetermined period of time;

generating a user audio fingerprint of the audio sample;

associating a user audio timestamp with the user audio fingerprint; and

retrieving telephone information through the user-initiated telephone connection.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected temporary period of time is less than about 20 minutes.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the corresponding broadcast source is one selected from a group of a radio station, a television station, an Internet website, an Internet service provider, a cable television station, a satellite radio station, a shopping mall, and a store.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a second broadcast audio identifier based on the first broadcast stream;

generating a third broadcast audio identifier based on a second broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams; and

storing for the selected temporary period of time the second and the third broadcast audio identifiers.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein generating the first broadcast audio identifier based on the first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams comprises:

generating a first broadcast fingerprint of a first portion of the first broadcast stream;

retrieving a first metadata from the first portion of the first broadcast stream; and

associating a first broadcast timestamp with the first broadcast fingerprint.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein generating the second broadcast audio identifier based on the first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams comprises:

generating a second broadcast fingerprint of a second portion of the first broadcast stream;

retrieving a second metadata from the second portion of the first broadcast stream; and

associating a second broadcast timestamp with the second broadcast fingerprint.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein generating the third broadcast audio identifier based on the second broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams comprises:

generating a third broadcast fingerprint of a first portion of the second broadcast stream;

retrieving a third metadata from the first portion of the second broadcast stream; and

associating the first broadcast timestamp with the third broadcast fingerprint.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

retrieving either the first broadcast audio identifier, the second broadcast audio identifier, or the third broadcast audio identifier that most closely corresponds to the user audio identifier.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein generating the user audio identifier comprises:

receiving an audio sample through the user-initiated telephone connection for a predetermined period of time;

generating a user audio fingerprint of the audio sample;

associating a user audio timestamp with the user audio fingerprint; and

retrieving telephone information through the user-initiated telephone connection.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the second broadcast timestamp is separated from the first broadcast timestamp by a time interval.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the time interval is about 5 seconds.

14. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

obtaining a metadata selected from the group of the first, the second, and the third metadata associated with the retrieved broadcast audio identifier; and

transmitting a message based on the obtained metadata.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the message is one selected from a group of a text message, an e-mail message, a multimedia message, an audio message, a wireless application protocol message, and a data feed.

16. The method of claim 9, wherein the first metadata, the second metadata, and the third metadata, each comprises metadata provided by a metadata source.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the metadata source is one selected from a group of a radio broadcast data standard (RBDS) broadcast stream, a radio data system (RDS) broadcast stream, a high definition radio broadcast stream, a vertical blanking interval (VBI) broadcast stream, a digital audio broadcasting (DAB) broadcast stream, a MediaFLO broadcast stream, and a closed caption broadcast stream.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the predetermined period of time is less than about 25 seconds.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the telephone information comprises at least one selected from a group of an automatic number identifier (ANI), a carrier identifier (Carrier ID), a dialed number identification service (DNIS), an automatic location identification (ALI), and a base station number (BSN).

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising selecting either the first broadcast fingerprint, the second broadcast fingerprint, or the third broadcast fingerprint that most closely corresponds to the user fingerprint.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein selecting either the first broadcast fingerprint, the second broadcast fingerprint, or the third broadcast fingerprint that most closely corresponds to the user fingerprint comprises:

selecting either the first broadcast timestamp or the second broadcast timestamp that most closely corresponds to the user timestamp;

retrieving each broadcast fingerprint associated with the selected broadcast timestamp;

comparing each retrieved broadcast fingerprint to the user fingerprint; and

retrieving one of the compared broadcast fingerprints that most closely corresponds to the user fingerprint.

22. A method comprising:

generating a broadcast stream comprised of more than one broadcast segment, each broadcast segment including metadata;

associating each broadcast segment with a broadcast timestamp;

receiving a user-initiated telephone connection; and

generating a user audio identifier.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein generating the user audio identifier comprises:

receiving an audio sample through the user-initiated telephone connection for a predetermined period of time;

associating a user audio timestamp with the audio sample; and

retrieving telephone information through the user-initiated telephone connection.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined period of time is less than about 25 seconds.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein the telephone information comprises at least one selected from a group of an automatic number identifier (ANI), a carrier identifier (Carrier ID), a dialed number identification service (DNIS), an automatic location identification (ALI), and a base station number (BSN).

26. The method of claim 23, further comprising:

selecting one of the associated broadcast timestamps that most closely corresponds to the user audio timestamp; and

retrieving the broadcast segment associated with the selected broadcast timestamp.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

obtaining the metadata from the retrieved broadcast segment; and

transmitting a message based on the obtained metadata.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the transmitted message is one selected from a group of a text message, an e-mail message, a multimedia message, an audio message, a wireless application protocol message, and a data feed.

29. The method of claim 22, wherein the metadata is provided by either a radio broadcast data standard (RBDS) broadcast stream, a radio data system (RDS) broadcast stream, a high definition radio broadcast stream, a vertical blanking interval (VBI) broadcast stream, a digital audio broadcasting (DAB) broadcast stream, a MediaFLO broadcast stream, or a closed caption broadcast stream.

30. A method comprising:

obtaining a broadcast stream comprised of more than one broadcast segment, each broadcast segment including metadata;

associating each broadcast segment with a broadcast timestamp;

receiving a user-initiated telephone connection; and

generating a user audio identifier.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein generating the user audio identifier comprises:

receiving an audio sample through the user-initiated telephone connection for a predetermined period of time;

associating a user audio timestamp with the audio sample; and

retrieving telephone information through the user-initiated telephone connection.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the predetermined period of time is less than about 25 seconds.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the telephone information comprises at least one selected from a group of an automatic number identifier (ANI), a carrier identifier (Carrier ID), a dialed number identification service (DNIS), an automatic location identification (ALI), and a base station number (BSN).

34. The method of claim 31, further comprising:

selecting one of the associated broadcast timestamps that most closely corresponds to the user audio timestamp; and

retrieving the broadcast segment associated with the selected broadcast timestamp.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

obtaining the metadata from the retrieved broadcast segment; and

transmitting a message based on the obtained metadata.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the transmitted message is one selected from a group of a text message, an e-mail message, a multimedia message, an audio message, a wireless application protocol message, and a data feed.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the metadata is provided by either a radio broadcast data standard (RBDS) broadcast stream, a radio data system (RDS) broadcast stream, a high definition radio broadcast stream, a vertical blanking interval (VBI) broadcast stream, a digital audio broadcasting (DAB) broadcast stream, a MediaFLO broadcast stream, or a closed caption broadcast stream.

38. A system comprising:

a broadcast server;

a computer program product stored on one or more computer readable mediums, the computer program product including a first plurality of executable instructions configured to cause the broadcast server to perform a first plurality of operations comprising;

receiving a plurality of broadcast streams, each from a corresponding broadcast source;

generating a first broadcast audio identifier based on a first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams; and

storing for a selected temporary period of time the first broadcast audio identifier.

39. The system of claim 38, further comprising an audio server configured to communicate with the broadcast server.

40. The system of claim 38, wherein the computer program product further including a second plurality of executable instructions configured to cause the audio server to perform a second plurality of operations comprising:

receiving a user-initiated telephone connection; and

generating a user audio identifier.

41. The system of claim 38, wherein the operation generating the user audio identifier comprises:

receiving an audio sample through the user-initiated telephone connection for a predetermined period of time;

generating a user audio fingerprint of the audio sample;

associating a user audio timestamp with the user audio fingerprint; and

retrieving telephone information through the user-initiated telephone connection.

42. The system of claim 38, wherein the first plurality of operations further comprising:

generating a second broadcast audio identifier based on the first broadcast stream;

generating a third broadcast audio identifier based on a second broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams; and

storing for the selected temporary period of time the second and the third broadcast audio identifiers.

43. The system of claim 42, wherein the operation generating the first broadcast audio identifier based on the first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams comprises:

generating a first broadcast fingerprint of a first portion of the first broadcast stream;

retrieving a first metadata from the first portion of the first broadcast stream; and

associating a first broadcast timestamp with the first broadcast fingerprint.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the operation generating the second broadcast audio identifier based on the first broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams comprises:

generating a second broadcast fingerprint of a second portion of the first broadcast stream;

retrieving a second metadata from the second portion of the first broadcast stream; and

associating a second broadcast timestamp with the second broadcast fingerprint.

45. The system of claim 44, wherein the operation generating the third broadcast audio identifier based on the second broadcast stream of the plurality of broadcast streams comprises:

generating a third broadcast fingerprint of a first portion of the second broadcast stream;

retrieving a third metadata from the first portion of the second broadcast stream; and

associating the first broadcast timestamp with the third broadcast fingerprint.

46. The system of claim 45, wherein the first plurality of operations further comprising:

retrieving either the first broadcast audio identifier, the second broadcast audio identifier, or the third broadcast audio identifier that most closely corresponds to the user audio identifier.

47. The system of claim 46, further comprising a commerce server configured to communicate with the broadcast server.

48. The system of claim 47, wherein the computer program product further including a third plurality of executable instructions configured to cause the commerce server to perform a third plurality of operations comprising:

transmitting a message to a user based on the retrieved broadcast audio identifier.