Methods of interacting with audio and ambient music

• US 7,562,392 B1
• Filed: 12/30/1999
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Conwell, William Y., Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song; Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US09/476,686
• Time in Patent Office: 3,484 Days
• Field of Search: 713/176, 713/192, 713/194, 713200-202, 713/165, 713/167, 713/170, 380200-205, 380235-237, 380/270, 380 54- 55, 705/51, 705 57- 59, 709/200, 709/217, 726 26- 33, 382/115
• US Class Current: 726/26
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 45/1418 the inserts being deformed or preformed, e.g. by the injection pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B42D 25/29 Securities; Bank notes
• 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 16/634 Query by example, e.g. query by humming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/68 Retrieval characterised by using metadata, e.g. metadata not derived from the content or metadata generated manually
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/683 using metadata automatically derived from the content
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06037 multi-dimensional coding
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/06046 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/14 the marking being sensed by radiation
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 2019/06253 for a specific application
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1417 2D bar codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 7/1447 extracting optical codes from image or text carrying said optical code
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/40145 Biometric identity checks
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/0034 using watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: G07D 7/004 using digital security elements, e.g. information coded on a magnetic thread or strip
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/16 for devices exhibiting advertisements, announcements, pictures or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 17/26 for printing, stamping, franking, typing or teleprinting apparatus ticket printing or the like apparatus G07F17/42
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/086 : by passive credit-cards adapted therefor, e.g. constructive particularities to avoid counterfeiting, e.g. by inclusion of a physical or chemical security-layer for security documents G07D7/00; for the reading of record-carriers in general G06K7/00; for the design of coded credit-cards G06K19/10
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 : Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 : Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00007 : Time or data compression or expansion audio compression based on psychoacoustics G10L19/00; data processing for reproducing audio data at different playback speeds G10L21/04; video compression H04N19/00; data compression per se H03M7/30
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00086 : Circuits for prevention of unauthorised reproduction or copying, e.g. piracy indicating unauthorised use of record carriers in general G11B23/28; scrambling for television signal recording H04N5/913; network architectures or network protocols for network security H04L63/00; cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communication H04L9/00
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00144 : involving a user identifier, e.g. a unique customer ID
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00195 : using a device identifier associated with the player or recorder, e.g. serial numbers of playback apparatuses or MAC addresses
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 20/00891 : embedded in audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 : using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/84 : combined with power distribution network
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/93 : which locates resources of other pieces of information, e.g. URL [Uniform Resource Locator]
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/50 : characterised by the use of watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 : for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/74 : using programme related information, e.g. title, composer or interpreter
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00005 : relating to image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00037 : Detecting, i.e. determining the occurrence of a predetermined state H04N1/00031 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00079 : remotely
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/00973 : from a remote device, e.g. receiving via the internet instructions input to a computer terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32122 : in a separate device, e.g. in a memory or on a display separate from image data
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32144 : embedded in the image data, i.e. enclosed or integrated in the image, e.g. watermark, super-imposed logo or stamp
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/3216 : using Fourier transforms
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32203 : Spatial or amplitude domain methods H04N1/32309 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32219 : involving changing the position of selected pixels, e.g. word shifting, or involving modulating the size of image components, e.g. of characters H04N1/32224 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32229 : with selective or adaptive application of the additional information, e.g. in selected regions of the image H04N1/32213 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32261 : in binary data H04N1/32256 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32304 : Embedding different sets of additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 1/32352 : Controlling detectability or arrangements to facilitate detection or retrieval of the embedded information, e.g. using markers for decoding, detection or retrieval operations H04N1/32149 and subgroups take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/23892 : involving embedding information at multiplex stream level, e.g. embedding a watermark at packet level
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42203 : sound input device, e.g. microphone
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4394 : involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/47202 : for requesting content on demand, e.g. video on demand
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 : for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8113 : comprising music, e.g. song in MP3 format
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8358 : involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3205 : of identification information, e.g. name or ID code H04N2201/3209 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3207 : of an address
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3225 : of data relating to an image, a page or a document
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3226 : of identification information or the like, e.g. ID code, index, title, part of an image, reduced-size image
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3233 : of authentication information, e.g. digital signature, watermark
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3239 : using a plurality of different authentication information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/327 : which are undetectable to the naked eye, e.g. embedded codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3271 : Printing or stamping
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/3274 : Storage or retrieval of prestored additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 2201/328 : Processing of the additional information
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 : Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The present invention relates generally to interacting with audio and ambient music, e.g., as obtained by a handheld device such as a cell phone. One combination includes: receiving electronic signals representing ambient music captured with a microphone in a user device; transferring the electronic signals representing the ambient music to a processor; receiving from the processor data derived from the electronic signals; using said data to obtain information from a database, said information relating to the ambient music; and providing at least textual information to a user about the ambient music, said provided textual information being based at least in part on information obtained from the database. This combination may also provide to the user a pointer to an online site, the online site including third-party reviews of content. A related combination may provide to the user a pointer to an online site that provides streaming media content associated with the ambient music. Still another related combination may provide to the user a pointer to dynamic user metadata associated with the ambient music. Of course, other combinations are provided and claimed as well.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving audio at a device;

discerning from the audio a plural-bit audio ID comprising a Digital Object Identifier;

obtaining information from a memory in the device;

with reference to at least the information, transmitting at least a portion of the audio ID to a location remote from said device.

2. A method comprising:

receiving audio at a device by a microphone,

discerning from the audio a plural-bit audio ID;

obtaining a user ID from a memory in the device;

transmitting at least portions of both the audio ID and the user ID to a location remote from said device; and

discerning at least two IDs from the audio, one being said audio ID, another being an ID corresponding to an environment in which the device is located.

3. A method comprising:

receiving audio at a device;

providing the audio to a processing system;

receiving from the processing system an audio ID decoded from the audio, the audio ID comprises a Digital Object Identifier;

obtaining information from a memory in the device;

with reference to at least the information, transmitting at least a portion of the audio ID to a location remote from said device.

4. A method comprising:

receiving audio at a device by a microphone;

providing the audio to a processing system;

receiving from the processing system an audio ID decoded from the audio;

obtaining a user ID from a memory in the device;

transmitting at least portions of both the audio ID and the user ID to a location remote from said device;

receiving from the processing system at least two IDs corresponding to the audio, one being said audio ID, another being an ID corresponding to an environment in which the device is located.

5. A method comprising:

receiving electronic signals representing ambient music captured with a microphone in a user device;

transferring the electronic signals representing the ambient music to a multi-purpose electronic processor;

receiving from the multi-purpose electronic processor data derived from the electronic signals;

using said data to obtain information from a database, said information relating to the ambient music;

providing at least textual information to a user about the ambient music, said provided textual information being based at least in part on information obtained from the database;

providing to the user a pointer to an online site, the online site including third-party reviews of content.

6. The method of claim 5 in which the textual information provided to the user specifies the artist and title of the ambient music.

7. The method of claim 5 in which the textual information provides the user an opportunity to have the ambient music, or data related thereto, electronically sent to a destination device.

8. The method of claim 7 that further includes the act of electronically sending the ambient music, or data related thereto, to said destination device.

9. The method of claim 7 in which the destination device is distinct from the user device.

10. The method of claim 5 in which the textual information identifies packaged media on which the music is available.

11. The method of claim 5 in which the user device includes a display, and the textual information is presented to the user on said display.

12. The method of claim 5, triggered by a user action including pressing a button on the user device.

13. The method of claim 5, triggered by a voice command of the user, acted upon by a voice recognition feature of the user device.

14. The method of claim 5 in which the device is portable, sized to carry in a user'"'"'s pocket.

15. The method of claim 5 that includes:

transmitting data from the user device to a remote computer, said data including user/device data relating to at least one of the following;

user name, audio delivery information, user age, user gender, model of user device, device UID, or user UID;

wherein the text presented to the user is dependent, at least in part, on said transmitted user/device data.

16. The method of claim 5 that further includes the act of processing the transferred electronic signals to derive the data.

17. The method of claim 16 in which at least some of said processing is performed in the user device.

18. The method of claim 16 in which the processing comprises decoding a watermark from the transferred electronic signals.

19. The method of claim 5 in which the user device comprises a cell phone.

20. The method of claim 5 in which the electronic signals representing the ambient music are filtered prior to deriving the data.

21. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 20.

22. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 20.

23. The method of claim 5 in which the data comprises an identifier.

24. The method of claim 5 in which the pointer comprises one or more URL links.

25. The method of claim 5 in which the online site provides audio associated with the ambient music for a fee.

26. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 5.

27. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 5.

28. The method of claim 5 in which the multi-purpose electronic processor is programmed for deriving data from the electronic signals.

29. A method comprising:

receiving electronic signals representing ambient music captured with a microphone in a user device, the user device comprises wireless transmit and receive capabilities;

transferring the electronic signals representing the ambient music to a multi-purpose electronic processor;

receiving from the multi-purpose electronic processor data derived from the electronic signals;

using said data to obtain information from a database, said information relating to the ambient music;

providing at least textual information to a user about the ambient music, said provided textual information being based at least in part on information obtained from the database;

the wireless device has a store-and-forward capability, wherein ambient music can be stored and later identified if wireless service is not available at the time when the ambient music is received by the microphone.

30. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 29.

31. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 29.

32. The method of claim 29 in which the multi-purpose electronic processor is programmed for deriving data from the electronic signals.

33. The method of claim 29 in which the electronic signals representing the ambient music are filtered prior to deriving the data.

34. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 33.

35. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 33.

36. A method comprising:

receiving electronic signals representing ambient music captured with a microphone in a user device;

transferring the electronic signals representing the ambient music to a multi-purpose electronic processor;

receiving from the multi-purpose electronic processor data derived from the electronic signals;

using said data to obtain information from a database, said information relating to the ambient music;

providing at least textual information to a user about the ambient music, said provided textual information being based at least in part on information obtained from the database; and

providing to the user a pointer to an online site that provides streaming media content associated with the ambient music.

37. The method of claim 36 in which the data comprises an identifier.

38. The method of claim 36 in which the pointer comprises one or more URL links.

39. The method of claim 36 in which the user device comprises a cell phone.

40. The method of claim 36 in which the user device includes one or more speakers, and the streaming media content is rendered to a user via at least the one or more speakers.

41. The method of claim 36 in which the data is derived through decoding a watermark from the electronic signals.

42. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 36.

43. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 36.

44. The method of claim 36 in which the multi-purpose electronic processor is programmed for deriving data from the electronic signals.

45. The method of claim 36 in which the electronic signals representing the ambient music are filtered prior to deriving the data.

46. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 45.

47. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 45.

48. A method comprising:

receiving electronic signals representing ambient music captured with a microphone in a user device;

transferring the electronic signals representing the ambient music to a multi-purpose electronic processor;

receiving from the multi-purpose electronic processor data derived from the electronic signals;

using said data to obtain information from a database, said information relating to the ambient music;

providing at least textual information to a user about the ambient music, said provided textual information being based at least in part on information obtained from the database; and

providing to the user a pointer to dynamic user metadata that is associated with the ambient music.

49. The method of claim 48 in which the dynamic user metadata is updatable over time.

50. The method of claim 49 in which the dynamic user metadata comprises artist concert scheduling.

51. The method of claim 49 in which the dynamic user metadata comprises fan-generated metadata.

52. The method of claim 48 in which the data comprises an identifier.

53. The method of claim 48 wherein the pointer comprises one or URL links.

54. The method of claim 48 in which the user device comprises a cell phone.

55. The method of claim 48 in which the data is derived through decoding a watermark from the electronic signals.

56. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 48.

57. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 48.

58. The method of claim 48 in which the multi-purpose electronic processor is programmed for deriving data from the electronic signals.

59. The method of claim 48 in which the electronic signals representing the ambient music are filtered prior to deriving the data.

60. A programmed computing system storing instructions in memory, said instructions are executable by said programmed computing system to perform the acts of claim 59.

61. One or more computer readable media comprising instructions stored thereon to cause one or more multi-purpose electronic processors to perform the acts of claim 59.