IP Library Granted Patent US 8,805,689
Granted Patent B2
US 8,805,689 · App. 12/101,738 · Granted Aug 12, 2014

Methods and apparatus to generate and use content-aware watermarks

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,805,689
App. No.
12/101,738
Granted
Aug 12, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to generate and use content-aware watermarks are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method, media composition data is received and at least one word present in an audio track of the media composition data is selected. The word is then located in a watermark.

Claims (46)

1. A method, comprising:

obtaining a plurality of words present in an audio track of a media composition, the plurality of words to be audible during playback of the audio track;

selecting at least one of the words based on weight values for a plurality of terms respectively corresponding to the words, and the corresponding weight values of the at least one of the words being greater than a weight value of the ones of words which is not selected; and

encoding the selected word in a watermark.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising associating the watermark with the media composition.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media composition includes at least one of audio data or video data.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the selected word is indicative of a product name or a product type mentioned in the audio track.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein obtaining the plurality of words comprises obtaining the plurality of words from closed caption text for the media composition.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein obtaining the plurality of words comprises:

performing a speech-to-text conversion to generate a textual representation of at least a portion of the audio track; and

obtaining the plurality of words from the textual representation.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein selecting the at least one word is further based on the at least one word being descriptive of content in the media composition.

8. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein selecting the at least one word is further based on the at least one word being a term for searching for the media composition in one or more servers.

9. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein encoding the word in the watermark comprises:

at least one of truncating the word or omitting characters from the word to form a partial word; and

encoding the partial word in the watermark.

10. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising selecting metadata associated with the media composition, the metadata including spatial information defining a location on a screen at which visual information is displayed.

11. An apparatus, comprising:

a data interface to receive a media composition;

a word selector to select a first one of a plurality of words present in an audio track of the media composition, the plurality of words to be audible during playback of the audio track, the word selector to select the first word based on respective weight values for a plurality of terms respectively corresponding to the words, and a first one of the weight values corresponding to the first word being greater than a second weight value of a non-selected one of the words; and

a watermark encoder to encode the selected word in a watermark.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , further comprising a watermark embedder to associate the watermark with the media composition.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 , wherein the media composition and the associated watermark are to be broadcast to one or more media devices associated with one or more audience members.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the media composition includes at least one of audio data or video data.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the selected word is indicative of a product name or a product type mentioned in the media composition.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the word selector is to obtain the plurality of words from closed caption text.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the word selector is to obtain the plurality of words by:

performing a speech-to-text conversion to generate a textual representation of at least a portion of the audio track; and

obtaining the plurality of words from the textual representation.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the word selector is to select the first word based on the first word being descriptive of content in the media composition.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , wherein the word selector is to select the first word based on the first word being a term for searching for the media composition in at least one server.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 , further comprising a metadata detector to select metadata associated with the media composition, the metadata to include spatial information defining a location on a screen at which visual information is displayed.

21. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

obtain a plurality of words present in an audio track of a media composition, the plurality of words to be audible during playback of the audio track;

select at least one of the words based on weight values for a plurality of terms respectively corresponding to the words, and the corresponding weight values of the at least one of the words being greater than a weight value of the ones of words which is not selected; and

encode the selected word in a watermark.

22. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to associate the watermark with the media composition.

23. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , wherein the media composition includes at least one of audio data or video data.

24. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , wherein the selected word is indicative of a product name or a product type mentioned in the media composition.

25. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to obtain the plurality of words from closed caption text of the media composition.

26. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to obtain the plurality of words by:

performing a speech-to-text conversion to generate a textual representation of at least a portion of the audio track; and

obtaining the plurality of words from the textual representation.

27. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to select the at least one word based on the at least one word being descriptive of content in the media composition.

28. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , wherein the instructions cause the machine to select the at least one word based on the at least one word being a term for searching for the media composition one or more servers.

29. A tangible machine accessible storage device or storage disc as defined in claim 21 , further comprising instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to select metadata associated with the media composition, the metadata to include spatial information defining a location on a screen at which visual information is displayed.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
RELEASE (REEL 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 26, 2009
From: TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC., A NEW YORK CORPORATION
To: NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC, THE, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, THE
Reel/Frame 023430/0457 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Oct 26, 2009
From: NIELSEN COMPANY (U.S.), INC., THE
To: TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC., A NEW YORK CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 023429/0602 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 22, 2008
From: RAMASWAMY, ARUN; LUFF, ROBERT A.
To: NIELSEN COMPANY (U.S.), INC., THE
Reel/Frame 021278/0548 →