Method for determining the likelihood of a match between source data and reference data
View Patent ↗A method for reducing data in the form of successive groups of N values may comprise finding the largest X values of the N values of each group, setting all but the largest X values of each group equal to zero, averaging W respective ones of the N values to produce N average values, finding the largest Y of the N average values, where Y is less than X, and setting the largest Y of the N average values equal to a first binary value, and a reminder of the N average values equal to a second binary value.
1. A method for providing a digital representation of a signal, comprising:
receiving a signal;
dividing the received signal into a series of frames;
for each frame, dividing a spectrum of the received signal into a series of frequency segments;
determining which of a number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments have largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame;
setting a value of zero for all of said frequency segments other than the number having the largest amplitudes;
using a representative value for said frequency segments having the largest amplitudes,
wherein each said representative value is representative of amplitude associated with the respective frequency segment;
averaging respective values, for a series of frames, to produce a series of average values;
selecting a number of the average values which are largest average values; and
producing said digital representation by setting bits to a first binary value for said selected number of the average values, and setting bits set to a second binary value for all other average values, wherein the digital representation is used for a more efficient analysis of the signal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is predetermined.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined fixed number.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is predetermined; and
the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
averaging is performed on data from five frames;
the spectrum is divided into forty eight frequency segments;
a value representative of amplitude is used for twelve of the frequency segments having the largest amplitudes; and
the number of average values selected is eight.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said first binary value is one and said second binary value is zero.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining which of a number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments have largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame comprises performing a Fourier transform on the signal.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein said transform is a Discrete Fourier Transform.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein, averaging respective values, for a series of frames, to produce a series of average values includes averaging the values of zero.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing said digital representation to a set of predefined digital representations corresponding to known content; and
using results, of said comparison to determine whether the signal contains said known content.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein, said signal is a broadcast signal, and said content comprises a series of broadcast items.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein said signal is an audio signal.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein said signal is representative of music.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein said signal is representative of a song.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein said signal is an audio signal.
18. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a reference library of digital reference representations;
comparing the digital representation of said signal to said reference representations in said library; and
determining whether said representation of said signal matches one of said digital representations in said reference library.
19. An apparatus for processing a signal, comprising:
a divider which divides the signal into a series of frames;
an arrangement for dividing the spectrum of the signal into a series of frequency segments;
a processor for determining which of a number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments have largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame;
a first value setter for setting a value of zero for all of said frequency segments other than the number having the largest amplitudes;
a second value setter for setting a representative value for said frequency segments having the largest amplitudes, wherein each said representative value is representative of amplitude associated with the respective frequency,
an average arrangement for averaging respective values, for a series of frames, to produce a series of average values;
a selector for selecting a number of the average values which are largest average values; and
a binary value generator for producing a digital representation by setting bits to a first binary value for said selected number of the average values, and for setting bits to a second binary value for all other average values.
20. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is a predetermined number.
21. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is a predetermined fixed number.
22. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
23. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined fixed number.
24. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein:
the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is a predetermined number; and
the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
25. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein:
the averaging is performed on data from five frames;
the spectrum is divided into forty eight frequency segments;
a value representative of amplitude is set for twelve of the frequency segments having the largest amplitudes; and
the number of average values selected is eight.
26. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said first binary value is one and said second binary value is zero.
27. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
apparatus for performing a Fourier transform on the signal to determine which of a number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments have largest amplitudes.
28. The apparatus of claim 27 , wherein said Fourier transform is a Discrete Fourier Transform.
29. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said averaging arrangement averages the values of zero when producing a series of average values.
30. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a comparator for comparing said digital representation to a set of predefined digital representations corresponding to known content, to determine whether the signal includes said known content.
31. The apparatus of claim 30 , configured to process a broadcast signal, and wherein said content comprises a series of broadcast items.
32. The apparatus of claim 30 , configured to process an audio signal.
33. The apparatus of claim 32 , configured to process a signal representative of music.
34. The apparatus of claim 30 , configured to process a signal representative of a song.
35. The apparatus of claim 19 , wherein said signal is an audio signal.
36. The apparatus of claim 19 , further comprising:
a reference library of reference digital representations; and
a comparator for comparing the digital representation of said signal to said representations in said library to determine whether said digital representation of said signal matches one of said reference digital representations in said reference library.
37. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having computer readable program code embodied therein for causing a computer to provide a digital representation of a signal, by a method comprising:
dividing the signal into a series of frames;
for each frame, dividing a spectrum of the signal into a series of frequency segments;
determining which of a number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments have largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame;
setting a value of zero for all of said frequency segments other than the number having the largest amplitudes;
using a representative value for said frequency segments having the largest amplitudes;
wherein each said representative value is representative of amplitude associated with the respective frequency segment;
averaging respective values, for a series of frames, to produce a series of average values;
selecting a number of the average values which are largest average values; and
producing said digital representation by setting its to a first binary value for said selected number of the average values, and setting bits to a second binary value for all other average values, wherein the digital representation is used for a more efficient analysis of the signal.
38. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is predetermined.
39. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is a predetermined fixed number.
40. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
41. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined fixed number.
42. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method:
the number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments having largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame is predetermined; and
the number of the average values having largest average values that are selected is a predetermined number.
43. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method:
averaging is performed on data frown, five frames;
the spectrum is divided into forty eight frequency segments;
a value representative of amplitude is set for twelve of the frequency segments having the largest amplitudes; and
the number of average values selected is eight.
44. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, said first binary value is one and said second binary value is zero.
45. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, determining which of a number of frequency segments of said series of frequency segments have largest amplitudes in said spectrum of said frame comprises performing a Fourier transform on the signal.
46. The article of manufacture of claim 45 , wherein, in the method, said transform is a Discrete Fourier Transform.
47. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, averaging respective values, for a series of frames, to produce a series of average values includes averaging the values of zero.
48. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein the method further comprises:
comparing said digital representation to a set of predefined digital representations corresponding to known content; and
using results of said comparison to determine whether the signal contains said known content.
49. The article of manufacture of claim 48 , wherein, in the method, said signal is a broadcast signal, and said content comprises a series of broadcast items.
50. The article of manufacture of claim 48 , wherein, in the method, said signal is an audio signal.
51. The article of manufacture of claim 50 , wherein, in the method, said signal is representative of music.
52. The article of manufacture of claim 50 , wherein, in the method, said signal is representative of a song.
53. The article of manufacture of claim 37 , wherein, in the method, said signal is an audio signal.