Patent · US Expired

Method for increasing the functionality of a media player/recorder device

US6510234B1 · kind B1 · utility

101Cited by
13References
61Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 12, 1999
Grant dateJan 21, 2003
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 12, 2019

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
  • CPC primaryH04N2005/91335
  • WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method for utilizing a title signal contained in data through a comparison of the title signal to a player signal stored in a player device is provided. Preferably, the data is digital image, video, or audio data. The method includes the steps of: providing data having the title signal; detecting, at the player device, the title signal in the data: comparing the title signal to the player signal stored at the player device; and performing an action based upon the comparison. In a preferred implementation, the action is performed if the title signal matches the player signal, and the action is to inform the device user of the match and the winning of a prize. In another preferred implementation, the title signal is a subsignal of a watermark signal encoded in the digital data, in which case the method further comprises the steps of: extracting the watermark signal from the digital data; and decoding the subsignal. Also provided are devices, such as DVD players/recorders, for carrying out the methods of the present invention.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.