Album Data Construction Using Track Fingerprint Matching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional systems for constructing album data from CDs are unreliable due to changes in album structure, metadata modifications, and track name changes, leading to inaccurate identifier computation and retrieval issues.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that identify sets of tracks with similar album titles, search for matching fingerprints and metadata, group tracks according to original album titles, and generate album data by juxtaposing track data from multiple client devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single identifier is computed from CD track data and used to lookup album information in a database, then the system is simple and fast, but the system becomes unreliable when track metadata changes or album structure is modified
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the album identification process into multiple independent components: individual track fingerprints are extracted and compared separately, then aggregated to form an album-level identification. Instead of computing a single identifier from the entire album, the system processes each track independently and combines results, making the system more robust to individual track modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges data from multiple sources including user submissions, database lookups, and fingerprint matching results to construct reliable album data. By combining multiple independent data sources and cross-validating information across them, the system achieves higher reliability than any single method could provide alone.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional systems compute an identifier based on number and lengths of tracks, then the process is simple, but it fails when users rip tracks to hard disk and later rip back to CD causing structure changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates digital fingerprints (copies) of the actual audio content of each track, which serve as a immutable reference that cannot be altered by metadata changes. These fingerprint copies are compared against a database of known track fingerprints to positively identify tracks regardless of how their metadata or album structure may have changed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the identification parameter from structural metadata (number of tracks, track lengths) to acoustic content-based fingerprints. This parameter change makes the identification system invariant to structural modifications while maintaining precise track identification through content-based matching.
3Reliability
If a single matching record is retrieved from the database using the computed identifier, then the lookup is fast, but the system cannot handle cases where the identifier does not match any stored identifier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-computing and storing fingerprints for all known tracks in the database, and by implementing a systematic process for collecting and validating user-submitted track data. This preliminary preparation enables faster and more reliable album identification when queries are executed, as the heavy lifting of fingerprint comparison and validation has already been structured in advance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements feedback loops where user submissions are validated against the database, and where identification results are used to refine and expand the database. The system continuously learns from user data, cross-validates information, and updates its album data constructions based on accumulated evidence, improving accuracy over time while managing the time investment through iterative refinement.
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a system are provided for constructing album data using discrete track data from multiple sources. In one example, the system identifies one or more set of tracks having a similar album title, wherein the one or more set of tracks are obtained from one or more client devices. The system then searches across the one or more set of tracks for tracks having a matching fingerprint and a matching album title. The system groups tracks that match according to an original album title in metadata to obtain grouped tracks. The system mines across the grouped tracks to generate a juxtaposition of track data from the one or more client devices. The system then generates album data for one or more albums based on the juxtaposition of track data.