IP Library Granted Patent US 8,359,205
Granted Patent B2
US 8,359,205 · App. 12/551,220 · Granted Jan 22, 2013

Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermarking and watermark detection and extraction

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,359,205
App. No.
12/551,220
Granted
Jan 22, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate samples, storing the samples in a buffer, determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples, extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, and storing the identifier in a tangible memory.

Claims (33)

1. A method to extract identifiers from media, the method comprising:

sampling an audio signal to generate digital samples;

storing the samples in a buffer;

determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer;

determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples;

calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples;

extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, wherein the identifier is repeated in the media signal after a period of T seconds and wherein determining the second sequence of samples comprises selecting a sequence of samples that starts T seconds after a start of the first sequence of samples; and

storing the identifier in a tangible memory.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , further comprising determining if a stacking process is to be utilized.

3. A method as defined in claim 2 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples is performed based on the determination.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples includes summing the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate a summed sequence of samples.

5. A method as defined in claim 4 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples further includes dividing the summed sequence of samples by a number of sequences of samples included in the summed sequence of samples.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate the average sequence of samples comprises calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the respective ones of the second sequence of samples to generate the average sequence of samples.

7. A storage device or storage disk comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

determine a first sequence of samples of an audio signal, the samples stored in a buffer;

determine a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples;

calculate an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples;

extract an identifier from the average sequence of samples, wherein the identifier is repeated in the media signal after a period of T seconds and wherein the second sequence of samples is determined by selecting a sequence of samples that starts T seconds after a start of the first sequence of samples; and

store the identifier in a tangible memory.

8. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to determine if a stacking process is to be utilized.

9. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples is performed based on the determination.

10. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples includes summing the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate a summed sequence of samples.

11. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 10 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples further includes dividing the summed sequence of samples by a number of sequences of samples included in the summed sequence of samples.

12. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate the average sequence of samples comprises calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and respective ones of the second sequence of samples to generate the average sequence of samples.

13. An apparatus to extract identifiers from media, the apparatus comprising:

a time domain to frequency domain converter to, sample an audio signal to generate samples, and store the samples in a buffer;

a stacker to determine a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determine a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculate an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples; and

a decoder to extract an identifier from the average sequence of samples and store the identifier in a tangible memory, wherein the identifier is repeated in the media signal after a period of T seconds and wherein the stacker determines the second sequence of samples by selecting a sequence of samples that starts T seconds after a start of the first sequence of samples wherein at least one of the time domain to frequency domain converter, the stacker, or the decoder comprises a storage device or storage disk.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 , further comprising a stacker controller to determine if a stacking process is to be utilized.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples is performed based on the determination.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples includes summing the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate a summed sequence of samples.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 16 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples further includes dividing the summed sequence of samples by a number of sequences of samples included in the summed sequence of samples.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 , wherein calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate the average sequence of samples comprises calculating the average of the first sequence of samples and respective ones of the second sequence of samples to generate the average sequence of samples.

Assignments (10)
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 →
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 →
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 024059 / FRAME 0074) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061727/0091 →
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 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Mar 10, 2010
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024059/0074 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 8, 2009
From: TOPCHY, ALEXANDER; SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC., A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 023345/0121 →