IP Library Granted Patent US 8,887,191
Granted Patent B2
US 8,887,191 · App. 13/337,890 · Granted Nov 11, 2014

Methods and apparatus for identifying media using temporal signal characteristics

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,887,191
App. No.
13/337,890
Granted
Nov 11, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to identify media content using temporal signal characteristics are disclosed. An example method to identify media content includes generating a first signature based on a media content signal, the first signature comprising a plurality of first normalized features, each normalized feature corresponding to a signal peak and located at a temporal location of the signal peak in the audio signal, correlating the first signature to a reference signature comprising second normalized features to obtain an index, and determining that the first signature represents the same media content as the reference signature when the index is greater than a threshold.

Claims (29)

1. A method to identify media, comprising:

generating a first signature based on a media signal, the first signature comprising a plurality of first normalized features, the normalized features respectively corresponding to a corresponding signal peak and located at a temporal location of the signal peak in the media signal;

correlating the first signature to a reference signature comprising second normalized features to obtain an index; and

determining that the first signature represents the same media as the reference signature when the index is greater than a threshold.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the index comprises a cross-correlation coefficient of the first signature and the reference signature.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second normalized features has an identical magnitude.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the magnitude of the first signature at locations other than the first normalized features is equal to a second magnitude different from the magnitude of the first normalized features.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein each of the first normalized features has an identical length.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the media signal comprises at least one of an audio signal or a video signal.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the signal peak is based on a sum of a plurality of peak magnitudes of the media signal, the peak magnitudes existing between zero crossings of the media signal.

8. An apparatus, comprising:

a feature generator to generate a first signature based on a media signal, the first signature comprising a plurality of first normalized features, the normalized features respectively corresponding to a corresponding signal peak and located at a temporal location of the signal peak in the media signal;

a correlator to correlate the first signature to a reference signature comprising second normalized features to obtain an index; and

an index comparator to determine that the first signature represents the same media as the reference signature when the index satisfies a threshold.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the index comprises a cross-correlation coefficient of the first signature and the reference signature.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein each of the first and second normalized features has an identical magnitude.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the magnitude of the first signature at locations other than the first normalized features is equal to a second magnitude different from the magnitude of the first normalized features.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein each of the first normalized features has an identical length.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the media signal comprises at least one of an audio signal or a video signal.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 , wherein the signal peak is based on a sum of a plurality of peak magnitudes of the media signal, the peak magnitudes existing between zero crossings of the media signal.

15. An article of manufacture comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

generate a first signature based on a media signal, the first signature comprising a plurality of first normalized features, the normalized features respectively corresponding to corresponding signal peaks and located at a temporal location of the signal peak in the media signal;

correlate the first signature to a reference signature comprising second normalized features to obtain an index; and

determine that the first signature represents the same media as the reference signature when the index is greater than a threshold.

16. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 15 , wherein the index comprises a cross-correlation coefficient of the first signature and the reference signature.

17. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 15 , wherein each of the first and second normalized features has an identical magnitude.

18. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 15 , wherein the magnitude of the first signature at locations other than the first normalized features is equal to a second magnitude different from the magnitude of the first normalized features.

19. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 15 , wherein each of the first normalized features has an identical length.

20. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 15 , wherein the media signal comprises at least one of an audio signal or a video signal.

Assignments (10)
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 Jan 27, 2012
From: LEE, MORRIS
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 027606/0608 →