IP Library Granted Patent US 8,972,033
Granted Patent B2
US 8,972,033 · App. 13/250,354 · Granted Mar 3, 2015

Methods and apparatus for embedding codes in compressed audio data streams

Inventor: Venugopal Srinivasan (Palm Harbor, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
G10L19/018G10L19/0212G10L19/035
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,972,033
App. No.
13/250,354
Granted
Mar 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus for embedding codes in compressed audio data streams are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein to embed a code in a compressed audio data stream comprises an unpacking unit to determine a plurality of transform coefficients associated with the compressed audio data stream, the plurality of transform coefficients being represented by a respective plurality of mantissas and a respective plurality of scale factors, and an embedding unit to modify a mantissa in the plurality of mantissas and a corresponding scale factor in the plurality of scale factors to embed the code in the compressed audio data stream.

Claims (44)

1. A method to embed a watermark in a compressed data stream, the method comprising:

obtaining a set of transform coefficients from the compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients comprising a set of mantissas and a set of scale factors; and

modifying, with a processor, a first one of the mantissas and a first one of the scale factors corresponding to a first transform coefficient from the set of transform coefficients based on a second mantissa and a second scale factor associated with a temporary watermarked transform coefficient to embed the watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein modifying the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors comprises:

reducing the first one of the scale factors by a unit of resolution to determine the second scale factor; and

quantizing the temporary watermarked transform coefficient based on the second scale factor to determine the second mantissa.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the set of scale factors comprises a set of exponents and a set of fractional multipliers, and further comprising modifying at least one of a first one of the exponents or a first one of the fractional multipliers corresponding to the first one of the scale factors to modify the first one of the scale factors.

4. A method as defined in claim 3 wherein modifying the first one of the scale factors comprises modifying the first one of the exponents and the first one of the fractional multipliers.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein modifying the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors comprises:

determining the second scale factor to be the first one of the scale factors reduced by a unit of resolution;

quantizing the temporary transform coefficient based on the second scale factor;

encoding the quantized temporary transform coefficient based on a same codebook used to encode the first one of the mantissas to determine the second mantissa; and

replacing the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors with the second mantissa and the second scale factor.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the compressed data stream comprises a compressed audio data stream and the set of transform coefficients comprises a set of modified discrete cosine transform coefficient.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the watermark corresponds to a frequency change in audio content carried by the compressed data stream, and the watermark is recoverable from a presentation of the audio content without access to the compressed data stream.

8. A machine readable storage disk or a machine readable storage device comprising circuitry, the machine readable storage disk or storage device comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

obtain a set of transform coefficients from a compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients comprising a set of mantissas and a set of scale factors; and

modify a first one of the mantissas and a first one of the scale factors corresponding to a first transform coefficient from the set of transform coefficients based on a second mantissa and a second scale factor associated with a temporary watermarked transform coefficient to embed a watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream.

9. A machine readable storage disk or storage device as defined in claim 8 wherein to modify the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors, the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

reduce the first one of the scale factors by a unit of resolution to determine the second scale factor; and

quantize the temporary watermarked transform coefficient based on the second scale factor to determine the second mantissa.

10. A machine readable storage disk or storage device as defined in claim 8 wherein the set of scale factors comprises a set of exponents and a set of fractional multipliers, and the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to modify at least one of a first one of the exponents or a first one of the fractional multipliers corresponding to the first one of the scale factors to modify the first one of the scale factors.

11. A machine readable storage disk or storage device as defined in claim 10 wherein to modify the first one of the scale factors, the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to modify the first one of the exponents and the first one of the fractional multipliers.

12. A machine readable storage disk or storage device as defined in claim 8 wherein to modify the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors, the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

determine the second scale factor to be the first one of the scale factors reduced by a unit of resolution;

quantize the temporary transform coefficient based on the second scale factor;

encode the quantized temporary transform coefficient based on a same codebook used to encode the first one of the mantissas to determine the second mantissa; and

replace the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors with the second mantissa and the second scale factor.

13. A machine readable storage disk or storage device as defined in claim 8 wherein the compressed data stream comprises a compressed audio data stream and the set of transform coefficients comprises a set of modified discrete cosine transform coefficient.

14. A machine readable storage disk or storage device as defined in claim 8 wherein the watermark corresponds to a frequency change in audio content carried by the compressed data stream, and the watermark is recoverable from a presentation of the audio content without access to the compressed data stream.

15. An apparatus to embed a watermark in a compressed data stream, the apparatus comprising:

an unpacking unit to obtain a set of transform coefficients from the compressed data stream, the set of transform coefficients comprising a set of mantissas and a set of scale factors; and

an embedding unit to modify a first one of the mantissas and a first one of the scale factors corresponding to a first transform coefficient from the set of transform coefficients based on a second mantissa and a second scale factor associated with a temporary watermarked transform coefficient to embed a watermark in the compressed data stream without uncompressing the compressed data stream, at least one of the unpacking unit or the embedding unit comprising hardware.

16. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein to modify the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors, the embedding unit is to:

reduce the first one of the scale factors by a unit of resolution to determine the second scale factor; and

quantize the temporary watermarked transform coefficient based on the second scale factor to determine the second mantissa.

17. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the set of scale factors comprises a set of exponents and a set of fractional multipliers, and the embedding unit is to modify at least one of a first one of the exponents or a first one of the fractional multipliers corresponding to the first one of the scale factors to modify the first one of the scale factors.

18. An apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein to modify the first one of the scale factors, the embedding unit is to modify the first one of the exponents and the first one of the fractional multipliers.

19. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein to modify the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors, the embedding unit is to:

determine the second scale factor to be the first one of the scale factors reduced by a unit of resolution;

quantize the temporary transform coefficient based on the second scale factor;

encode the quantized temporary transform coefficient based on a same codebook used to encode the first one of the mantissas to determine the second mantissa; and

replace the first one of the mantissas and the first one of the scale factors with the second mantissa and the second scale factor.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein the compressed data stream comprises a compressed audio data stream, the set of transform coefficients comprises a set of modified discrete cosine transform coefficient, the watermark corresponds to a frequency change in audio content carried by the compressed audio data stream, and the watermark is recoverable from a presentation of the audio content without access to the compressed data stream.

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 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded May 1, 2014
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC.
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
Reel/Frame 032806/0574 →
MERGER Recorded May 1, 2014
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 032801/0931 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Nov 21, 2011
From: SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 027259/0307 →
Continuity (3)
Continuation 11870275 · Oct 10, 2007
Provisional Application 60850745 · Oct 11, 2006
Related Publication 20120022879A1 · Jan 26, 2012