IP Library Granted Patent US 11,049,507
Granted Patent B2
US 11,049,507 · App. 16/238,189 · Granted Jun 29, 2021

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture to identify sources of network streaming services

Inventors: Zafar Rafii (Berkeley, CA); Markus Cremer (Orinda, CA); Bongjun Kim (Evanston, IL)
Assignee: Gracenote, Inc.
G10L19/0212G10L25/51G10L19/02G10L25/03H04H60/58
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,049,507
App. No.
16/238,189
Granted
Jun 29, 2021
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to identify sources of network streaming services are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a first audio signal that represents a decompressed second audio signal, identifying, from the first audio signal, a parameter of an audio compression configuration used to form the decompressed second audio signal, and identifying a source of the decompressed second audio signal based on the identified audio compression configuration.

Claims (63)

1. An apparatus, comprising:

a signal bandwidth identifier logic circuit to identify a signal bandwidth of a received first audio signal that represents a decompressed second audio signal, the signal bandwidth identifier including:

a transformer logic circuit to form a plurality of frequency spectrums for respective ones of a plurality of time intervals of the received first audio signal;

a thresholder logic circuit to identify a plurality of indices representative of cutoff frequencies of respective ones of the plurality of time intervals; and

a smoother logic circuit to determine a median of the plurality of indices, the median representative of an overall cutoff frequency of the received first audio signal; and

a source identifier logic circuit to identify a source of the second audio signal based on the identified signal bandwidth.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the thresholder logic circuit is to identify an index representative of a cutoff frequency by sequentially comparing values of a frequency spectrum starting with a highest frequency with a threshold until a value of the frequency spectrum exceeds the threshold.

3. An apparatus, comprising:

a signal bandwidth identifier logic circuit to identify a signal bandwidth of a received first audio signal that represents a decompressed second audio signal;

a source identifier logic circuit to identify a source of the second audio signal based on the identified signal bandwidth;

an audio coding format identifier to identify, from the received first audio signal, an audio coding format used to compress a third audio signal to form the second audio signal, wherein the source identifier is to identify the source of the second audio signal based on the identified signal bandwidth and the identified audio coding format;

a time-frequency analyzer to perform a first time-frequency analysis of a first block of the received first audio signal according to a first trial audio coding format, and perform a second time-frequency analysis of the first block of the received first audio signal according to a second trial audio coding format;

an artifact computer to determine a first compression artifact resulting from the first time-frequency analysis, and determine a second compression artifact resulting from the second time-frequency analysis; and

a controller to select between the first trial audio coding format and the second trial audio coding format as the audio coding format based on the first compression artifact and the second compression artifact.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the signal bandwidth identifier includes:

a transformer logic circuit to form a frequency spectrum for a time interval of the received first audio signal; and

a thresholder logic circuit to identify an index representative of a cutoff frequency for the time interval.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein:

the time-frequency analyzer performs a third time-frequency analysis of a second block of the received first audio signal according to the first trial audio coding format, and performs a fourth time-frequency analysis of the second block of the received first audio signal according to the second trial audio coding format;

the artifact computer determines a third compression artifact resulting from the third time-frequency analysis, and determine a fourth compression artifact resulting from the fourth time-frequency analysis; and

the controller selects between the first trial audio coding format and the second trial audio coding format as the audio coding format based on the first compression artifact, the second compression artifact, the third compression artifact, and the fourth compression artifact.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , further including a post processor to combine the first compression artifact and the third compression artifact to form a first score, and combine the second compression artifact and the fourth compression artifact to form a second score, wherein the controller selects between the first trial audio coding format and the second trial audio coding format as the audio coding format by comparing the first score and the second score.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 , wherein the received first audio signal is recorded at a media presentation device.

8. A method, comprising:

receiving a first audio signal that represents a decompressed second audio signal;

identifying a signal bandwidth of the first audio signal by:

forming a plurality of frequency spectrums for respective ones of a plurality of time intervals of the first audio signal;

identifying a plurality of indices representative of cutoff frequencies for respective ones of the plurality of time intervals; and

determining a median of the plurality of indices, the median representative of an overall cutoff frequency of the first audio signal; and

identifying a source of the second audio signal based on the signal bandwidth.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein identifying the plurality of indices representative of cutoff frequencies for respective ones of the plurality of time intervals includes sequentially comparing values of a frequency spectrum starting with a highest frequency with a threshold until a value of the frequency spectrum exceeds the threshold is identified.

10. A method, comprising:

receiving a first audio signal that represents a decompressed second audio signal;

identifying a signal bandwidth of the first audio signal;

identifying a source of the second audio signal based on the signal bandwidth;

identifying, from the first audio signal, an audio coding format used to compress a third audio signal to form the second audio signal;

identifying the source of the second audio signal based on the identified signal bandwidth and the identified audio coding format;

performing a first time-frequency analysis of a first block of the first audio signal according to a first trial audio coding format;

determining a first compression artifact resulting from the first time-frequency analysis;

performing a second time-frequency analysis of the first block of the first audio signal according to a second trial audio coding format;

determining a second compression artifact resulting from the second time-frequency analysis; and

selecting between the first trial audio coding format and the second trial audio coding format as the audio coding format based on the first compression artifact and the second compression artifact.

11. The method of claim 10 , further including:

performing a third time-frequency analysis of a second block of the first audio signal according to the first trial audio coding format;

determining a third compression artifact resulting from the third time-frequency analysis;

performing a fourth time-frequency analysis of the second block of the first audio signal according to the second audio coding format;

determining a fourth compression artifact resulting from the fourth time-frequency analysis; and

selecting between the first trial audio coding format and the second trial audio coding format as the audio coding format based on the first compression artifact, the second compression artifact, the third compression artifact, and the fourth compression artifact.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein selecting between the first trial audio coding format and the second trial audio coding format as the audio coding format based on the first compression artifact, the second compression artifact, the third compression artifact, and the fourth compression artifact includes:

combining the first compression artifact and the third compression artifact to form a first score;

combining the second compression artifact and the fourth compression artifact to form a second score; and

comparing the first score and the second score.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein the audio coding format indicates at least one of an audio codec, a time-frequency transform, a window function, or a window length.

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

receive a first audio signal that represents a decompressed second audio signal;

identify a signal bandwidth of the first audio signal by:

forming a plurality of frequency spectrums for a plurality of time intervals of the first audio signal;

identifying a plurality of indices representative of cutoff frequencies for respective ones of the plurality of time intervals; and

determining a median of the plurality of indices, the median representative of an overall cutoff frequency of the first audio signal; and

identify a source of the second audio signal based on the identified signal bandwidth.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 14 , including further instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to:

identify, from the first audio signal, an audio coding format used to compress a third audio signal to form the second audio signal; and

identify the source of the second audio signal based on the identified signal bandwidth and the identified audio coding format.

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 Oct 4, 2019
From: RAFII, ZAFAR; CREMER, MARKUS; KIM, BONGJUN
To: GRACENOTE, INC.
Reel/Frame 050630/0473 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation In Part 15793543 · Oct 25, 2017
Related Publication 20190139559A1 · May 9, 2019
Cited By (2)
US 12,230,282 US 12,236,965