IP Library Granted Patent US 11,272,225
Granted Patent B2
US 11,272,225 · App. 16/713,486 · Granted Mar 8, 2022

Watermarking with phase shifting

Inventors: Timothy Christian (Oldsmar, FL); Rasha Rahaman (West Palm Beach, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
H04N21/233H04N21/8358G10L19/018H04N21/2335H04N21/23892
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,272,225
App. No.
16/713,486
Granted
Mar 8, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

Apparatus, devices, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are disclosed for watermarking with phase shifting. An example watermark decoding apparatus includes a component detector to identify watermark components in a media signal and detect phases of the respective ones of the watermark components in the media signal. The example apparatus also includes a phase reference determiner to identify a phase reference for the watermark components. The example apparatus also includes a phase comparator to perform comparisons of the phases of the respective ones of the watermark components with the phase reference. The example apparatus also includes a phase shift determiner to determine phase shifts associated with respective ones of the watermark components based on the comparisons. In addition, the example apparatus also includes a symbol determiner to determine a symbol based on the phase shifts.

Claims (44)

1. A watermark decoding apparatus comprising:

a component detector to:

identify watermark components in a media signal; and

detect phases of respective ones of the watermark components in the media signal;

a phase reference determiner to identify a phase reference for the watermark components;

a phase comparator to perform comparisons of the phases of the respective ones of the watermark components with the phase reference;

a phase shift determiner to determine phase shifts associated with respective ones of the watermark components based on the comparisons; and

a symbol determiner to determine a symbol based on the phase shifts.

2. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the symbol determiner is to determine the symbol by referencing a table correlating phase shifts with coded numerical representations.

3. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 2 , wherein the coded numerical representations include hexadecimal numbers.

4. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the component detector is to detect an alignment symbol, and the phase reference determiner is to determine the phase reference based on the position of the alignment symbol.

5. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 4 , wherein the phase reference is broadcast in the watermark after the alignment symbol.

6. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the watermark components include a first watermark component and a second watermark component, and the phase shift determiner is to determine a first phase shift of the first watermark component and a second phase shift of the second watermark component, the second phase shift different than the first phase shift.

7. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the second phase shift is 180 degrees different than the first phase shift.

8. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the watermark components include a first watermark component and a second watermark component,

the component detector to detect a first frequency of the first watermark component and a second frequency of the second watermark component, the second frequency different than the first frequency, and

the phase shift determiner to determine a first phase shift of the first watermark component and a second phase shift of the second watermark component, the second phase shift equal to the first phase shift.

9. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the phase reference is a first phase reference,

the component detector to identify a first watermark and a second watermark,

the phase reference determiner to identify the phase reference in the first watermark and to identify a second phase reference in the second watermark, the second phase reference different than the first phase reference.

10. The watermark decoding apparatus as defined in claim 1 , wherein the symbol determiner is to determine the symbols of respective ones of the watermark components based on a pattern of the phase shifts.

11. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to, at least:

identify watermark components in a media signal;

detect phases of respective ones of the watermark components in the media signal;

identify a phase reference for the watermark components;

perform comparisons of the phases of the respective ones of the watermark components with the phase reference;

determine phase shifts associated with respective ones of the watermark components based on the comparisons; and

determine a symbol based on the phase shifts.

12. The storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the symbol by referencing a table correlating phase shifts with coded numerical representations.

13. The storage medium as defined in claim 12 , wherein the coded numerical representations include hexadecimal numbers.

14. The storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

detect an alignment symbol; and

determine the phase reference based on the position of the alignment symbol.

15. The storage medium as defined in claim 14 , wherein the phase reference is broadcast in the watermark after the alignment symbol.

16. The storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the watermark components include a first watermark component and a second watermark component, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine a first phase shift of the first watermark component and a second phase shift of the second watermark component, the second phase shift different than the first phase shift.

17. The storage medium as defined in claim 16 , wherein the second phase shift is 180 degrees different than the first phase shift.

18. The storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the watermark components include a first watermark component and a second watermark component, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

detect a first frequency of the first watermark component and a second frequency of the second watermark component, the second frequency different than the first frequency; and

determine a first phase shift of the first watermark component and a second phase shift of the second watermark component, the second phase shift equal to the first phase shift.

19. The storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the phase reference is a first phase reference, and wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to:

identify a first watermark and a second watermark;

identify the phase reference in the first watermark; and

identify a second phase reference in the second watermark, the second phase reference different than the first phase reference.

20. The storage medium as defined in claim 11 , wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the one or more processors to determine the symbols of respective ones of the watermark components based on a pattern of the phase shifts.

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 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 26, 2020
From: CHRISTIAN, TIMOTHY; RAHAMAN, RASHA
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 053597/0953 →
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 →