IP Library Granted Patent US 11,234,050
Granted Patent B2
US 11,234,050 · App. 15/929,225 · Granted Jan 25, 2022

Use of steganographically-encoded data as basis to control dynamic content modification as to at least one modifiable-content segment identified based on fingerprint analysis

Inventors: Shashank Merchant (Sunnyvale, CA); Do Phuoc Hoang Tuong Lan (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Roku, Inc.
H04N21/440245G06F16/783H04N21/4627H04N21/4852H04N21/4854
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,234,050
App. No.
15/929,225
Granted
Jan 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure provides for use of steganographically-encoded data as a basis to control content modification. A server could determine through a fingerprint comparison that a portion of media content on a channel being rendered by a content presentation device matches at least one modifiable-content segment, such as at least one replaceable ad. The server could then use watermark data encoded in the media content of the channel as a basis to determine an actual identity of a modifiable-content segment present on the channel, so as to then control content modification.

Claims (28)

1. A method comprising:

determining based on a fingerprint comparison that a portion of media content on a channel being rendered by a content presentation device matches multiple modifiable-content segments, wherein the multiple modifiable-content segments are different than each other;

responsive to the determining that the portion of media content on the channel being rendered by the content presentation device matches the multiple modifiable-content segments, using watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to determine which of the multiple modifiable-content segments is present on the channel; and

using the watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to control whether to allow modification of the media content to occur,

wherein the method is carried out by at least a server that is in network communication with the content presentation device, and wherein using the watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to control whether to allow the modification to occur is carried out after the server has directed the content presentation device to carry out the modification.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the modifiable-content segments is a replaceable ad.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the fingerprint comparison is video based and the watermark data is audio based.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multiple modifiable-content segments that are different than each begin with the same media content as each other, and wherein determining that the portion of the media content matches the multiple modifiable-content segments is a result of the multiple modifiable-content segments beginning with the same media content as each other.

5. A system comprising:

a network communication interface;

a processing unit;

non-transitory data storage; and

program instructions stored in the non-transitory data storage and executable by the processing unit to carry out operations including:

determining based on a fingerprint comparison that a portion of media content on a channel being rendered by a content presentation device matches multiple modifiable-content segments,

responsive to the determining that the portion of media content on the channel being rendered by the content presentation device matches the multiple modifiable-content segments, using watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to determine which of the multiple modifiable-content segments is present on the channel, and

using the watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to control whether to allow modification of the media content to occur,

wherein the system is separate from the content presentation device, and wherein using the watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to control whether to allow the modification to occur is carried out after the system has directed the content presentation device to carry out the modification.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein each of the modifiable-content segments is a replaceable ad.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the fingerprint comparison is video based and the watermark data is audio based.

8. The system of claim 5 , wherein the multiple modifiable-content segments that are different than each other begin with the same media content as each other, and wherein determining that the portion of the media content matches the multiple modifiable-content segments is a result of the multiple modifiable-content segments beginning with the same media content as each other.

9. At least one non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying program instructions executable by at least one processing unit to carry out operations including:

determining based on a fingerprint comparison that a portion of media content on a channel being rendered by a content presentation device matches multiple modifiable-content segments, wherein the multiple modifiable-content segments are different than each other,

responsive to the determining that the portion of media content on the channel being rendered by the content presentation device matches the multiple modifiable-content segments, using watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to determine which of the multiple modifiable-content segments is present on the channel, and

using the watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to control whether to allow modification of the media content to occur,

wherein using the watermark data encoded on the channel as a basis to control whether to allow the modification to occur is carried out after directing the content presentation device to carry out the modification.

10. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein each of the modifiable-content segments is a replaceable ad.

11. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the multiple modifiable-content segments that are different than each other begin with the same media content as each other, and wherein determining that the portion of the media content matches the multiple modifiable-content segments is a result of the multiple modifiable-content segments beginning with the same media content as each other.

12. The at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 9 , wherein the fingerprint comparison is video based and the watermark data is audio based.

Assignments (10)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 18, 2024
From: ROKU, INC.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 068982/0377 →
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 →
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT (REEL/FRAME 056982/0194) Recorded Feb 22, 2023
From: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
To: ROKU, INC.; ROKU DX HOLDINGS, INC.
Reel/Frame 062826/0664 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Jun 29, 2021
From: ROKU, INC.
To: MORGAN STANLEY SENIOR FUNDING, INC.
Reel/Frame 056982/0194 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 30, 2021
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ROKU, INC.
Reel/Frame 056106/0376 →
PARTIAL RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 20, 2021
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 056973/0280 →
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 Feb 17, 2020
From: MERCHANT, SHASHANK; LAN, DO PHUOC HOANG TUONG
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 051830/0204 →