Methods and devices responsive to ambient audio

• US 8,151,113 B2
• Filed: 09/04/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Original Assignee: Digimarc Corporation
• Inventors: Rhoads, Geoffrey B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Song, Hosuk
• Application Number:
  US12/554,722
• Publication Number:
  US 20100046744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 726 26- 33, 713/165, 713/167, 713/170, 713/176, 380200-203, 380 54- 55, 705/51, 705 57- 59, 382/115
• US Class Current: 713/176
• 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

A portable device uses a microphone to listen to ambient audio, derives data from captured audio signals, and uses the derived data to request delivery of the audio or related information to the user'"'"'s home or other location. The device is desirably pocket-sized, or suitable for carrying on a key-ring. The device may also detect a watermark signal that is present in the user'"'"'s environment (e.g., played through a public address speaker system) to aid the user in recalling the context from which the audio was requested.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving, through a user interface of a device, a user input signaling interest in ambient audio;

capturing the ambient audio with a microphone;

converting the captured ambient audio into digital form;

providing the digital form of the ambient audio to a processor;

receiving data corresponding to the ambient audio back from the processor;

storing the received data in a memory of the device for later transmission in a store-and-forward mode;

at a later time, recalling the received data from the memory of the device, and also recalling identification information from a memory, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying a model of the device;

transmitting both the recalled received data and the recalled identification information to a remote computer;

receiving information relating to the ambient audio in response to the transmission of both the recalled received data and the recalled identification information; and

controlling an operational aspect of the device in accordance with the received information.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the received information relating to the ambient audio comprises plural internet links for presentation to the user, through which the user can link to additional information related to the audio.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the received information relating to the ambient audio comprises XML tags.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving information relating to the ambient audio comprises receiving a URL, and wherein the method further comprises receiving a digital song file at the user device from a remote computer indicated by the URL.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the digital song file is in MP3 format.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting, to the remote computer, location information relating to a location of the device when the ambient audio was captured.

7. A device comprising:

a transducer configured to receive ambient audio and to output electrical signals corresponding thereto;

a processor configured to decode a watermark from the electrical signals corresponding to the ambient audio, wherein the watermark comprises an identifier;

a memory configured to store identification information; and

an interface configured to transmit both the identifier and at least some of the identification information to a relay station.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the interface is a wireless interface.

9. The device of claim 7, further comprising an alphanumeric display.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the interface is further configured to receive data related to the ambient audio from the relay station, wherein the alphanumeric display is configured to present at least part of the received data.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the received data comprises data representing a song title.

12. The device of claim 7, further comprising a keypad.

13. The device of claim 7, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying a user of the device.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein the identification information comprises at least one of name, address information, age, gender, or unique identifier, for the user of the device.

15. The device of claim 7, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying the device.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein the identification information comprises information identifying a model of the device.

17. A method comprising:

receiving identification data originally transmitted from a portable device, wherein the identification data corresponds to a watermark encoded in audible or visual information sensed by a sensor at the portable device;

by reference to the identification data, making an identification of the sensed information; and

transmitting, to a destination device distinct from the portable device, information corresponding to the identified information.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the portable device is associated with a user, and the destination device is also associated with the same user.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the received data corresponds to ambient audio sensed at the portable device.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising receiving instructions, wherein the instructions identify the destination device.

21. A method comprising:

sampling content from the user'"'"'s environment, using an audio sensor or a video sensor in a microprocessor-equipped first device;

decoding a watermark from the sampled content, wherein the watermark comprises identification data; and

wirelessly transmitting the identification data, together with context information, from the first device, wherein the context information relates to a second microprocessor-equipped device.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising receiving information relating to the sampled content in response to the wireless transmission, and controlling an operational aspect of the first device in accordance with the received information.

23. A method comprising:

sampling human perceptible content, using one or more sensors for producing data corresponding to human perceptible stimulus;

decoding a first watermark from the sampled content, wherein the first watermark comprises identification data;

decoding a second watermark from the sampled content, wherein the second watermark comprises context information, wherein the context information is different than the identification information and is different than the sampled content; and

wirelessly transmitting at least the identification information and the context information from the device.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the context information comprises information related to a physical environment of the portable device.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising receiving information in response to the transmitting.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising controlling an operational aspect of the portable device in accordance with the received information.

27. The method of claim 23 wherein the one or more sensors comprise an audio sensor.

28. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving identification data originally transmitted from a portable device, wherein the identification data corresponds to a watermark encoded in audible or visual information sensed by a sensor at the portable device;

by reference to the identification data, making an identification of the sensed information; and

transmitting, to a destination device distinct from the portable device, information corresponding to the identified information.

29. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon that, if executed by a computing device, cause the computing device to perform operations comprising:

receiving data corresponding to sampled human perceptible content;

decoding a first watermark from the data, wherein the first watermark comprises identification data;

decoding a second watermark from the data, wherein the second watermark comprises context information, wherein the context information is different than the identification information and is different than the data; and

transmitting at least the identification information and the context information to a remote device.