Signal processing of audio and video data, including deriving identifying information

1. A method comprising:

upon encountering audio or video content, attempting to detect a digital watermark hidden therein with a processor of a computing device;

if the digital watermark is not obtained from the encountered audio or video content, modifying the encountered audio or video content; and

attempting to detect the digital watermark from the modified audio or video content.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein a predetermined computer program is used to modify the encountered audio or video content.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein modifying the audio or video content comprises descrambling the encountered audio or video content.

4. A tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to attempt to detect a digital watermark hidden within encountered audio or video content;

instructions to modify the encountered audio or video content if the digital watermark is not obtained from the encountered audio or video content; and

instructions to attempt to detect the digital watermark from the modified audio or video content.

5. A device comprising:

a processor configured to:

attempt to detect a digital watermark hidden within encountered audio or video content:

modify the encountered audio or video content if the digital watermark is not obtained from the encountered audio or video content; and

attempt to detect the digital watermark from the modified audio or video content.

6. A method comprising:

upon encountering audio or video content, attempting to derive identifying information from data representing the encountered audio or video content with a processor of a computing device;

if a digital watermark is not obtained from the data representing the encountered audio or video content, modifying the encountered audio or video content; and

attempting to derive the identifying information from data representing the modified audio or video content.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein a predetermined computer program is used to modify the encountered audio or video content.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein modifying the encountered audio or video content comprises descrambling the encountered audio or video content.

9. A tangible computer readable medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions comprising:

instructions to attempt to derive identifying information from data representing encountered audio or video content;

instructions to modify the encountered audio or video content if a digital watermark is not obtained from the data representing the encountered audio or video content; and

instructions to attempt to derive the identifying information from data representing the modified audio or video content.

10. A device comprising:

a processor configured to:

attempt to derive identifying information from data representing encountered audio or video content;

modify the encountered audio or video content if a digital watermark is not obtained from the data representing the encountered audio or video content; and

attempt to derive the identifying information from data representing the modified audio or video content.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein modifying the encountered audio or video content comprises:

collecting at least one content instruction; and

concatenating a plurality of data blocks using the at least one content instruction to form modified audio or video content.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least one content instruction comprises display instructions, and wherein the display instructions identify positions of the plurality of data blocks on a web page.

13. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 4 , wherein the instructions to modify further comprise:

instructions to collect at least one content instruction; and

instructions to concatenate a plurality of data blocks using the at least one content instruction to form modified audio or video content.

14. The tangible computer readable medium of claim 13 , wherein the at least one content instruction comprises display instructions, and wherein the display instructions identify positions of the plurality of data blocks on a web page.

15. The processor of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further configured to:

collect at least one content instruction; and

concatenate a plurality of data blocks using the at least one content instruction to form modified audio or video content.

16. The processor of claim 15 , wherein the at least one content instruction comprises display instructions, and wherein the display instructions identify positions of the plurality of data blocks on a web page.