Methods and apparatus to identify media based on watermarks across different audio streams and/or different watermarking techniques

US11330328B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Nielsen Company (US), LLC · US

Inventors

• Justin Fahnestock · Tampa, US
• Ronan Heffernan · Wesley Chapel, US
• Muhammad Amir · Palm Harbor, US
• Wes Kercher · Tampa, US
• Scott Barraclough · Gloucester, US
• John Kistenmacher · Brunswick, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 22, 2020
• Grant date: May 10, 2022
• Expiry date: Jun 22, 2040

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G10L19/018
• WIPO field: Audio-visual technology
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to identify media based on watermarks across different audio streams and/or different watermarking techniques are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include a watermark detector to detect a first watermark embedded in a first audio stream, the first watermark including a first source identifier and a first timing identifier, and detect a second watermark embedded in a second audio stream, the second watermark including a second source identifier and a second timing identifier. The disclosed example apparatus also include a controller to associate the first and second watermarks with a media detection event when both (1) the first and second source identifiers match and (2) the first and second timing identifiers are chronologically congruent. The disclosed example apparatus further include a transmitter to transmit the media detection event to a data collection facility.