Audio Watermark Detection Using Overlapping Block Voting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audio watermark detection systems face challenges in reliably extracting embedded information due to interference from noise, quiet audio, and transient interference, making it difficult to detect codes in media signals.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for audio watermark detection that analyzes multiple overlapping blocks of samples in a media signal, utilizing a decoder to select initial and preceding blocks, and employs a voting scheme to determine the most occurring symbol value, thereby enhancing detection reliability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional audio watermark detection methods are used, then the detection process is simple, but the detection reliability is poor due to noise and transient interference

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoiddetection process complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The audio signal is divided into multiple overlapping blocks, where each block is analyzed separately to determine symbol values. This segmentation allows the system to process local regions independently and combine results, improving reliability by reducing the impact of transient interference in any single block while maintaining a manageable detection process through modular analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Symbol values from multiple overlapping blocks are merged through a voting scheme to determine the final detected symbol. This combining approach increases detection reliability by aggregating information from multiple blocks, allowing the system to overcome noise and transient interference through consensus while the overall process remains systematic and controllable.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Reliability

If multiple overlapping blocks are analyzed, then the impact of transient interference is reduced, but the computational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection reliabilityVSAvoidcomputational power
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSPower

Solution Approach 1:

By segmenting the audio signal into overlapping blocks, the system distributes computational work across multiple smaller units rather than processing the entire signal at once. Each block requires comparable computational resources, but the overlapping structure ensures reliability without requiring exponentially more power, as blocks share common samples that can be efficiently reused.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses a voting scheme where symbol values from multiple blocks are combined, potentially using more computational resources than a single-block analysis would require. However, this partial redundancy across overlapping blocks ensures reliable detection by allowing the system to tolerate some computational overhead while maintaining robustness against interference.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Measurement precision

If overlapping blocks with voting scheme are used, then detection accuracy is improved, but the processing time increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedetection accuracyVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The signal is segmented into overlapping blocks that can be processed in parallel or sequential order. The overlap ensures that each block contains sufficient information for accurate symbol determination, while the segmented structure allows for efficient processing by reusing computations across adjacent blocks, reducing overall processing time compared to analyzing the entire signal as one unit.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis on overlapping blocks to extract symbol values before combining them through voting. This preliminary action on smaller units allows for optimized processing where common computations across overlapping regions are performed once and reused, improving detection accuracy while minimizing the total processing time required.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP3846163B1Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermark detection and extraction
Publication Date: 2026.02.25 THE NIELSEN CO (US) LLC
  • EP3846163B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3846163B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3846163B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermark detection and extraction are disclosed. An example method includes sampling a media signal to generate samples, wherein the media signal includes an embedded message, determining a first symbol value for a first block of the samples, determining a second symbol value for a second block of the samples, and determining, using a processor, a resulting symbol value, representative of a part of the embedded message, based on the first symbol value and the second symbol value for the first block of samples and the second block of samples, wherein the first block and the second block partially overlap.