Parallel identification of media source
View Patent ↗Small changes in a broadcast version of a base media item can be identified by performing a multi-level comparison of digital fingerprints. A fingerprint of a base media item is compared to a fingerprint of a media broadcast to determine whether a media item embedded in a broadcast is likely, to a first level of certainty, to be the base media item. A second, more stringent, match between the fingerprint of the base media item and loosely matched items can be used to identify potentially-altered versions of the base media item. Potentially-altered versions can be compared against each other, and resulting matches are flagged as altered base media items, which can be fingerprinted and tested against broadcast fingerprints in the same manner as the base media item.
1. A method for use in a computing device implementing an identification server, the method comprising:
obtain, at the identification server, first representations of broadcast content broadcast by a plurality of different media stations;
storing each of the first representations of broadcast content in separate buffers as buffered representations, wherein particular separate buffers are associated with particular media stations of the plurality of different media stations;
receiving, at the identification server, a second representation of media content captured by an end user device;
performing comparisons in parallel between the second representation of media content and each of a plurality of the buffered representations; and
identifying, at the identification server, a media station associated with the second representation of media content based, at least in part, on a result of the comparisons.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein:
the buffered representations each include a substantially continuous fingerprint of broadcast content over a limited time duration.
3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
appending newer-in-time portions of substantially continuous fingerprints to the particular separate buffers.
4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising:
limiting a size of the substantially continuous fingerprints by flushing older-in-time portions of the substantially continuous fingerprints from the particular separate buffers as newer-in-time portions of the substantially continuous fingerprints are appended.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing comparisons includes:
performing a series of successively stricter comparisons between the second representation of media content and each of the buffered representations.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein performing comparisons includes:
comparing a single block of the second representation of media content against a succession of sliding blocks generated from each of the buffered representations.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
accumulating the buffered representations in parallel.
8. A device implementing an identification server, the device comprising:
a processor;
memory coupled to the processor, the memory configured to implement a plurality of buffers;
processor configured to:
obtain first representations of broadcast content broadcast by a plurality of different media stations;
store each of the first representations of broadcast content as buffered representations in separate buffers of the memory, wherein particular separate buffers are associated with particular media stations of the plurality of different media stations;
receive a second representation of media content captured by an end user device;
perform comparisons in parallel between the second representation of media content and each of a plurality of the buffered representations; and
identify a media station associated with the second representation of media content based, at least in part, on a result of the comparisons.
9. The device of claim 8 , wherein:
the buffered representations each include a substantially continuous fingerprint of broadcast content over a limited time duration.
10. The device of claim 9 , the processor further configured to:
append newer-in-time portions of substantially continuous fingerprints to the particular separate buffers.
11. The device of claim 10 , the processor further configured to:
limit a size of the substantially continuous fingerprints by flushing older-in-time portions of the substantially continuous fingerprints from the particular separate buffers as newer-in-time portions of the substantially continuous fingerprints are appended.
12. The device of claim 8 , the processor further configured to:
perform a series of successively stricter comparisons between the second representation of media content and each of the buffered representations.
13. The device of claim 8 , the processor further configured to:
compare a single block of the second representation of media content against a succession of sliding blocks generated from each of the buffered representations.
14. The device of claim 8 , the processor further configured to:
accumulate the buffered representations in parallel.
15. A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of computer executable instructions, the program of computer executable instructions including:
at least one instruction to obtain first representations of broadcast content broadcast by a plurality of different media stations;
at least one instruction to store each of the first representations of broadcast content as buffered representations in separate buffers of a memory, wherein particular separate buffers are associated with particular media stations of the plurality of different media stations;
at least one instruction to receive a second representation of media content captured by an end user device;
at least one instruction to perform comparisons in parallel between the second representation of media content and each of a plurality of the buffered representations; and
at least one instruction to identify a media station associated with the second representation of media content based, at least in part, on a result of the comparisons.
16. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , wherein:
the buffered representations each include a substantially continuous fingerprint of broadcast content over a limited time duration.
17. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 16 , the program of computer executable instructions further including:
at least one instruction to append newer-in-time portions of substantially continuous fingerprints to the particular separate buffers.
18. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 17 , the program of computer executable instructions further including:
at least one instruction to limit a size of the substantially continuous fingerprints by flushing older-in-time portions of the substantially continuous fingerprints from the particular separate buffers as newer-in-time portions of the substantially continuous fingerprints are appended.
19. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the program of computer executable instructions further including:
at least one instruction to perform a series of successively stricter comparisons between the second representation of media content and each of the buffered representations.
20. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 15 , the program of computer executable instructions further including:
at least one instruction to accumulate the buffered representations in parallel.