IP Library Granted Patent US 12,189,684
Granted Patent B2
US 12,189,684 · App. 18/484,792 · Granted Jan 7, 2025

Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermarking and watermark detection and extraction

Inventors: Venugopal Srinivasan (Palm Harbor, FL); Alexander Topchy (New Port Richey, FL)
Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLC
G06F16/683G11B20/10H04H20/31H04H60/37H04H60/58H04H2201/50
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,189,684
App. No.
18/484,792
Granted
Jan 7, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate samples, storing the samples in a buffer, determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples, extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, and storing the identifier in a tangible memory.

Claims (41)

1. A computing system comprising a processor and a memory, the computing system configured to perform a set of acts comprising:

obtaining a first sequence of samples of an audio signal;

obtaining a second sequence of samples of the audio signal;

averaging samples of the first sequence of samples with respective samples of the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples;

extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples; and

storing the identifier.

2. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the first sequence of samples comprises sampling the audio signal.

3. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein extracting the identifier comprises:

identifying emphasized code frequencies; and

determining, based on the emphasized code frequencies, a symbol encoded in the audio signal.

4. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein the set of acts further comprises converting the average sequence of samples from time-based information into frequency-based information.

5. The computing system of claim 3 , wherein determining the symbol comprises using a look up table to map the emphasized code frequencies to the symbol.

6. The computing system of claim 1 , wherein obtaining the second sequence of symbols comprises obtaining a second sequence of samples that is separated in time from the first sequence of samples by a repetition period.

7. The computing system of claim 6 , wherein the identifier is repeated in the audio signal in accordance with the repetition period.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having stored therein instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors, cause a computing system to perform a set of acts comprising:

obtaining a first sequence of samples of an audio signal;

obtaining a second sequence of samples of the audio signal;

averaging samples of the first sequence of samples with respective samples of the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples;

extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples; and

storing the identifier in a memory.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the first sequence of samples comprises sampling the audio signal.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein extracting the identifier comprises:

identifying emphasized code frequencies; and

determining, based on the emphasized code frequencies, a symbol encoded in the audio signal.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein the set of acts further comprises converting the average sequence of samples from time-based information into frequency-based information.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 , wherein determining the symbol comprises using a look up table to map the emphasized code frequencies to the symbol.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 8 , wherein obtaining the second sequence of symbols comprises obtaining a second sequence of samples that is separated in time from the first sequence of samples by a repetition period.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the identifier is repeated in the audio signal in accordance with the repetition period.

15. A method comprising:

obtaining, by a computing system, a first sequence of samples of an audio signal;

obtaining, by the computing system, a second sequence of samples of the audio signal;

averaging, by the computing system, samples of the first sequence of samples with respective samples of the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples;

extracting, by the computing system, an identifier from the average sequence of samples; and

storing, by the computing system, the identifier in a memory.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein obtaining the first sequence of samples comprises sampling the audio signal.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein extracting the identifier comprises:

identifying emphasized code frequencies; and

determining, based on the emphasized code frequencies, a symbol encoded in the audio signal.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising converting the average sequence of samples from time-based information into frequency-based information.

19. The method of claim 17 , wherein determining the symbol comprises using a look up table to map the emphasized code frequencies to the symbol.

20. The method of claim 15 , wherein obtaining the second sequence of symbols comprises obtaining a second sequence of samples that is separated in time from the first sequence of samples by a repetition period.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Oct 11, 2023
From: TOPCHY, ALEXANDER; SRINIVASAN, VENUGOPAL
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 065184/0448 →
Continuity (8)
Continuation 17676461 · Feb 21, 2022
Continuation 16672128 · Nov 1, 2019
Continuation 15698373 · Sep 7, 2017
Continuation 13708578 · Dec 7, 2012
Continuation 12551220 · Aug 31, 2009
Provisional Application 61174708 · May 1, 2009
Provisional Application 61108380 · Oct 24, 2008
Related Publication 20240152552A1 · May 9, 2024
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