Systems and methods of managing audio and other media

• US 8,036,418 B2
• Filed: 09/22/2009
• Issued: 10/11/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B., Meyer, Joel R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TUCKER, WESLEY J
• Application Number:
  US12/564,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20100008586A1
• Time in Patent Office: 749 Days
• Field of Search: 382/190, 382/100, 382/181, 382/232, 382/305, 382/307
• US Class Current: 382/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 1/0021 Image watermarking
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0051 Embedding of the watermark in the spatial domain
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2201/0052 Embedding of the watermark in the frequency domain
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• 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 21/25816 involving client authentication restricting access to computer systems by authenticating users using a predetermined code G06F21/33; cryptographic authentication protocols H04L9/32; networks authentication protocols H04L63/08; authentication in wireless network security H04W12/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/26258 for generating a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlist, or scheduling item distribution according to such list retrieval of multimedia data based on playlists G06F16/40
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41407 embedded in a portable device, e.g. video client on a mobile phone, PDA, laptop constructional details of equipment or arrangements specially adapted for portable computer application G06F1/1626; arrangements specially adapted for mobile receivers in broadcast systems H04H20/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42684 Client identification by a unique number or address, e.g. serial number, MAC address, socket ID network arrangements, protocols or services for addressing or naming H04L61/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4622 Retrieving content or additional data from different sources, e.g. from a broadcast channel and the Internet web site content organization and management for information retrieval from the Internet G06F16/958; transmission by internet of broadcast information H04H60/82; stock exchange data over packet-switching network H04L12/1804; push services including data channel over packet-switching network H04L12/1859
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4722 for requesting additional data associated with the content
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4825 using a list of items to be played back in a given order, e.g. playlists
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6581 Reference data, e.g. a movie identifier for ordering a movie or a product identifier in a home shopping application
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• 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 21/84 Generation or processing of descriptive data, e.g. content descriptors systems specially adapted for using meta-information in broadcast systems H04H60/73
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8586 by using a URL processing chained hypermedia data for information retrieval G06F16/94; information retrieval from the Internet by using URLs G06F16/955; URL in broadcast information H04H20/93; Web-based protocols H04L67/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/17318 Direct or substantially direct transmission and handling of requests

Abstract

The presently claimed invention relates to audio and video processing. One claim recites a method including: obtaining streaming audio or video on a handheld wireless device, the handheld wireless device comprising: i) a programmed electronic processor, and ii) memory; using the programmed electronic processor, analyzing data representing the audio or video to extract identifying information there from; obtaining a device identifier or user identifier from the memory; communicating the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier to a database as part of a request to add a title corresponding to the streaming audio or video to a media collection associated with the device identifier or user identifier, and in which the title is associated with the identifying information. Of course, other claims and combinations are provided too.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

obtaining streaming audio or video on a handheld wireless device, wherein a media title corresponds to the streaming audio or video;

extracting, using a processor, identifying information from data representing picture elements of the video or from data representing audio portions of the audio;

obtaining a device identifier or user identifier;

communicating the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier to a database as part of a request to add the media title corresponding to the streaming audio or video to a media collection associated with the device identifier or user identifier, wherein the media title is associated with the identifying information.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein extracting the identifying information comprises using fingerprinting.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying information is steganographically encoded in the data representing picture elements of the video or in the data representing audio portions of the audio, and wherein extracting the identifying information comprises decoding the steganographically encoded identifying information.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

requesting playback of the media title from the media collection after communicating the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein of extracting the identifying information or communicating the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier is initiated with a voice command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the media collection comprises an on-line media collection.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a fingerprint from a portion of the streaming audio or video; and

determining based at least in part on the fingerprint whether the streaming audio or video is watermarked.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a memory configured to store a device identifier or user identifier; and

a processor configured to;

extract identifying information from data representing picture elements of streaming video or from data representing audio portions of streaming audio, wherein a media title corresponds to the streaming audio or video;

obtain a device identifier or user identifier from the memory; and

communicate the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier to a database as part of a request to add the media title corresponding to the streaming audio or video to a media collection associated with the device identifier or user identifier, wherein the media title is associated with the identifying information.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the identifying information is extracted using fingerprinting.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the identifying information is steganographically encoded in the data representing picture elements of the streaming video or data representing audio portions of the streaming audio, and wherein the identifying information is extracted by decoding the steganographically encoded identifying information.

10. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is further configured to request playback of the media title from the media collection.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the apparatus further comprises a microphone configured to receive a voice command, and wherein the processor is further configured to initiate extracting the identifying information or communicating the identifying information and the device identifier or user identifier based on the voice command.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the media collection comprises an on-line media collection.

13. A method comprising:

receiving, from a remotely located handheld device, identifying information, and a device identifier or a user identifier, wherein the identifying information has been extracted from data representing picture elements of video or from data representing audio portions of audio;

identifying, using a processor, a media title associated with the identifying information;

identifying a collection of media titles associated with the device identifier or the user identifier;

adding the identified media title to the identified collection of media titles; and

providing the identified media title to the remotely located handheld device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the identifying information was extracted using fingerprinting.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising receiving a request for playback of the identified media title from the media collection.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein an online computer server performs the method.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein adding the identified media title to the identified collection of media titles comprises associating a pointer to the identified media title in the identified collection of media titles.

19. The method of claim 13, further comprising carrying out a purchase transaction for the identified media title prior to adding the identified media title to the identified collection of media titles.

17. A tangible computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to receive, from a remotely located handheld device, identifying information, and a device identifier or a user identifier, wherein the identifying information has been extracted from data representing picture elements of video or from data representing audio portions of audio;

instructions to identify a media title associated with the identifying information;

instructions to identify a collection of media titles associated with the device identifier or the user identifier;

instructions to add the identified media title to the identified collection of media titles; and

,

instructions to provide the identified media title to the remotely located handheld device.