IP Library Granted Patent US 10,186,247
Granted Patent B1
US 10,186,247 · App. 15/920,060 · Granted Jan 22, 2019

Methods and apparatus to extract a pitch-independent timbre attribute from a media signal

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 10,186,247
App. No.
15/920,060
Granted
Jan 22, 2019
Kind
B1
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to extract a pitch-independent timbre attribute from a media signal are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an interface to receive a media signal; and an audio characteristic extractor to determine a spectrum of audio corresponding to the media signal; and determine a pitch-independent timbre attribute of the audio based on an inverse transform of a magnitude of a transform of the spectrum.

Claims (33)

1. An apparatus to extract a pitch-independent timbre attribute from a media signal, the apparatus comprising:

an interface to receive a media signal; and

an audio characteristic extractor to:

determine a spectrum of audio corresponding to the media signal; and

determine a pitch-independent timbre attribute of the audio based on an inverse transform of a magnitude of a transform of the spectrum.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media signal is the audio.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media signal is a video signal with an audio component, further including an audio extractor to extract the audio from the video signal.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the audio characteristic extractor is to determine the spectrum of the audio using a constant Q transform.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the audio characteristic extractor is to determine the transform of the spectrum using a Fourier transform and determine the inverse transform using an inverse Fourier transform.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the audio characteristic extractor is to determine a timbre-independent pitch attribute of the audio based on an inverse transform of a complex argument of the transform of the spectrum.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface is a first interface, further including a second interface to:

transmit the pitch-independent timbre attribute to a processing device; and

in response to transmitting the pitch-independent timbre attribute to the processing device, receive at least one of a classification of the audio or an identifier corresponding to the media signal from the processing device.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the second interface is to transmit the at least one of the classification of the audio or an identifier corresponding to the media signal to a user interface.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface is a microphone to receive the media signal via ambient audio.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the media signal corresponds to a media signal to be output by a media output device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the interface receives the media signal from a microphone.

12. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

access a media signal;

determine a spectrum of audio corresponding to the media signal; and

determine a pitch-independent timbre attribute of the audio based on an inverse transform of a magnitude of a transform of the spectrum.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the media signal is the audio.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the media signal is a video signal with an audio component, wherein the instructions when executed cause the machine to extract the audio from the video signal.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the machine to determine the spectrum of the audio using a constant Q transform.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the machine to determine the transform of the spectrum using a Fourier transform and determine the inverse transform using an inverse Fourier transform.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the machine to determine a timbre-independent pitch attribute of the audio based on an inverse transform of a complex argument of the transform of the spectrum.

18. The computer readable storage medium of claim 12 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the machine to:

transmit the pitch-independent timbre attribute to a processing device; and

in response to transmitting the pitch-independent timbre attribute to the processing device, receive at least one of a classification of the audio or an identifier corresponding to the media signal from the processing device.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18 , wherein the instructions when executed cause the machine to transmit the at least one of the classification of the audio or an identifier corresponding to the media signal to a user interface.

20. A method to extract a pitch-independent timbre attribute from a media signal, the method comprising:

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a spectrum of audio corresponding to a received media signal; and

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a pitch-independent timbre attribute of the audio based on an inverse transform of a magnitude of a transform of the spectrum.

Assignments (8)
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 →
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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 1, 2018
From: RAFII, ZAFAR
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 045678/0126 →