IP Library › Patent Application 18982908
Patent Application
App. No. 18/982,908

Use of Steganographically-Encoded Time Information as Basis to Control Implementation of Dynamic Content Modification

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
18/982,908
Abstract

A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.

Claims (42)

1 . A method comprising:

using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client; and

using the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether the media client implements dynamic content modification.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media stream is transmitted to the media client from a content distribution system, and wherein using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client comprises:

using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission from the content distribution system to the media client.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp indicates a reference time at the content distribution system, and wherein using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission from the content distribution system to the media client comprises:

decoding the steganographically-encoded timestamp from the media stream to determine the reference time;

determining a current time at the media client; and

comparing the determined current time with the determined reference time to determine the transmission delay.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the steganographically-encoded timestamp comprises a watermark.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the steganographically-encoded timestamp comprises an audio watermark.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the dynamic content modification comprises dynamic ad insertion.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the media client comprises a content presentation device.

8 . A computing system comprising:

a network communication interface;

at least one processor;

non-transitory data storage; and

program instructions stored in the non-transitory data storage and executable by the at least one processor to carry out operations including:

using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and

using the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether the media client implements dynamic content modification.

9 . The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the media stream is transmitted to the media client from a content distribution system, and wherein using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client comprises:

using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission from the content distribution system to the media client.

10 . The computing system of claim 9 , wherein the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp indicates a reference time at the content distribution system, and wherein using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission from the content distribution system to the media client comprises:

decoding the steganographically-encoded timestamp from the media stream to determine the reference time;

determining a current time at the media client; and

comparing the determined current time with the determined reference time to determine the transmission delay.

11 . The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the steganographically-encoded timestamp comprises a watermark.

12 . The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the dynamic content modification comprises dynamic ad insertion.

13 . The computing system of claim 8 , wherein the media client comprises a content presentation device.

14 . Non-transitory data storage storing program instructions executable by one or more processors to carry out operations comprising:

using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and

using the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether the media client implements dynamic content modification.

15 . The non-transitory data storage of claim 14 , wherein the media stream is transmitted to the media client from a content distribution system, and wherein using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client comprises:

using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission from the content distribution system to the media client.

16 . The non-transitory data storage of claim 15 , wherein the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp indicates a reference time at the content distribution system, and wherein using the at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in the media stream transmitted to the media client as a basis to determine the transmission delay for media-stream transmission from the content distribution system to the media client comprises:

decoding the steganographically-encoded timestamp from the media stream to determine the reference time;

determining a current time at the media client; and

comparing the determined current time with the determined reference time to determine the transmission delay.

17 . The non-transitory data storage of claim 14 , wherein the steganographically-encoded timestamp comprises a watermark.

18 . The non-transitory data storage of claim 14 , wherein the media stream represents audio, and wherein watermark is an audio watermark.

19 . The non-transitory data storage of claim 14 , wherein the dynamic content modification comprises dynamic ad insertion.

20 . The non-transitory data storage of claim 14 , wherein the media client comprises a content presentation device.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 17, 2024
From: ROPKE, BENJAMIN J.; MERCHANT, SHASHANK C.; STAVROPOULOS, JOHN S.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 069608/0721 →