Method and system for remotely controlling consumer electronic devices
A media system replaces content in a first sequence of media content. The media system presents the first sequence of media content to an end-user and generates a fingerprint of the sequence of media content. The fingerprint is for comparison with a plurality of reference fingerprints so as to identify the first sequence of media content and determine a reference position within the first sequence of media content. The media system sends a request for a replacement sequence of content to a content replacement system, and receives replacement media content selected based on the identified first sequence of media content. The media system presents the replacement media content to the end-user instead of the first sequence of media content. Presenting the replacement media content begins at a position in the first sequence of media content that is determined based on the reference position.
1. A method for use in connection with a client device that is configured to present media content sequences, the method comprising:
receiving, by the client device, one or more reference fingerprints;
receiving, by the client device, one or more media content sequences;
generating, by the client device, one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences;
detecting that no match exists between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated one or more fingerprints; and
responsive to the detecting, sending, by the client device, to one or more server devices, a request comprising the generated one or more fingerprints for comparison with one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received one or more reference fingerprints correspond to a subset of multiple channels selected from among a plurality of channels.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the client device is a television and the media content sequences are video content sequences.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request comprises the one or more fingerprints generated by the client device.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request is a request for a replacement media content sequence, wherein the method further comprises:
receiving, by the client device, a replacement media content sequence, wherein the replacement media content sequence is sent to the client device responsive to the one or more server devices detecting a match between (i) the generated one or more fingerprints and (ii) the one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices; and
performing an action that facilitates presenting the replacement media content sequence in place of at least a portion of the received one or more media content sequences.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the request for the replacement media content sequence comprises an indication that the client device detected that no match exists.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the at least a portion of the received one or more media content sequences is an original commercial and the replacement media content sequence is a replacement commercial.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the received one or more reference fingerprints is different from the one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the operation of receiving the one or more reference fingerprints occurs before the operation of generating the one or more fingerprints.
10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
storing, by the client device, in a local storage of the client device, the received one or more reference fingerprints.
11. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
before generating the one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences, generating an additional one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences; and
before detecting that no match exists between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints in the received subset of reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated one or more fingerprints, detecting a match between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints in the received subset of reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated additional one or more fingerprints.
12. A server device comprising one or more processors, wherein the server device is configured to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a client device, one or more reference fingerprints;
receiving, by the client device, one or more media content sequences;
generating, by the client device, one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences;
detecting that no match exists between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated one or more fingerprints; and
responsive to the detecting, sending, by the client device, to one or more server devices, a request comprising the generated one or more fingerprints for comparison with one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices.
13. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the received one or more reference fingerprints correspond to a subset of multiple channels selected from among a plurality of channels.
14. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the client device is a television and the media content sequences are video content sequences.
15. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the request comprises the one or more fingerprints generated by the client device.
16. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the request is a request for a replacement media content sequence, wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by the client device, a replacement media content sequence, wherein the replacement media content sequence is sent to the client device responsive to the one or more server devices detecting a match between (i) the generated one or more fingerprints and (ii) the one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices; and
performing an action that facilitates presenting the replacement media content sequence in place of at least a portion of the received one or more media content sequences.
17. The server device of claim 16 , wherein the request for the replacement media content sequence comprises an indication that the client device detected that no match exists.
18. The server device of claim 16 , wherein the at least a portion of the received one or more media content sequences is an original commercial and the replacement media content sequence is a replacement commercial.
19. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the received one or more reference fingerprints is different from the one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices.
20. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the operation of receiving the one or more reference fingerprints occurs before the operation of generating the one or more fingerprints.
21. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
storing, by the client device, in a local storage of the client device, the received one or more reference fingerprints.
22. The server device of claim 12 , wherein the operations further comprise:
before generating the one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences, generating an additional one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences; and
before detecting that no match exists between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints in the received subset of reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated one or more fingerprints, detecting a match between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints in the received subset of reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated additional one or more fingerprints.
23. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon program instructions that when executed by a server device having one or more processors, cause the server device to perform operations comprising:
receiving, by a client device, one or more reference fingerprints;
receiving, by the client device, one or more media content sequences;
generating, by the client device, one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences;
detecting that no match exists between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated one or more fingerprints; and
responsive to the detecting, sending, by the client device, to one or more server devices, a request comprising the generated one or more fingerprints for comparison with one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices.
24. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the received one or more reference fingerprints correspond to a subset of multiple channels selected from among a plurality of channels.
25. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the client device is a television and the media content sequences are video content sequences.
26. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the request comprises the one or more fingerprints generated by the client device.
27. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the request is a request for a replacement media content sequence, wherein the operations further comprise:
receiving, by the client device, a replacement media content sequence, wherein the replacement media content sequence is sent to the client device responsive to the one or more server devices detecting a match between (i) the generated one or more fingerprints and (ii) the one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices; and
performing an action that facilitates presenting the replacement media content sequence in place of at least a portion of the received one or more media content sequences.
28. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 , wherein the request for the replacement media content sequence comprises an indication that the client device detected that no match exists.
29. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 27 , wherein the at least a portion of the received one or more media content sequences is an original commercial and the replacement media content sequence is a replacement commercial.
30. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the received one or more reference fingerprints is different from the one or more reference fingerprints stored in association with the one or more server devices.
31. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the operation of receiving the one or more reference fingerprints occurs before the operation of generating the one or more fingerprints.
32. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
storing, by the client device, in a local storage of the client device, the received one or more reference fingerprints.
33. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
before generating the one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences, generating an additional one or more fingerprints of the received one or more media content sequences; and
before detecting that no match exists between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints in the received subset of reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated one or more fingerprints, detecting a match between (i) the received one or more reference fingerprints in the received subset of reference fingerprints and (ii) the generated additional one or more fingerprints.