Electronic Display Image Verification Using CRC Proof of Play
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems for proof of play in digital out-of-home advertising fail to accurately verify the display of images due to issues like missing or corrupted media files, hardware updates, and media player malfunctions, leading to discrepancies between intended and actual content displayed.
Innovation Solution
Implementing unit controllers with proof of play modules that generate cyclic redundancy check (CRC) codes for images transmitted by media players, allowing for accurate tracking of play duration and count by monitoring data between media players and electronic displays, and storing CRC codes with associated metadata in a database.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If playlists are provided as input to media players, then content items can be scheduled for display, but the playlists may not accurately represent the content items actually displayed due to missing files, corruption, or hardware issues
Solution Approach 1:
A proof of play module is introduced as an intermediary component between the media player and electronic display. This module generates CRC codes for each image frame leaving the media player and stores them with metadata (start time, end time, duration, play count). The CRC codes serve as a reliable verification mechanism that accurately tracks what content was actually displayed, resolving the discrepancy between intended and actual content delivery without requiring complex system changes.
2Measurement precision
If CRC codes are generated for every image frame, then accurate proof of play information can be obtained, but storage requirements and network usage increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of storing complete image frames, the system extracts only the essential verification element - the CRC code - from each image frame. The CRC code is a compact mathematical representation that uniquely identifies the content while occupying minimal storage space. This extraction approach maintains measurement precision for proof of play while dramatically reducing the quantity of data that needs to be stored and transmitted.
Data Source
AI summary
A proof of play information system, and related assemblies and methods are provided. Electronic display assemblies include media players providing content for display at electronic displays thereof, some of which includes static advertising images. A unit controller is electronically interposed between the media player and the electronic display. Redundancy check codes are generated for the content items transmitted from the media player to the electronic display. If a consistent redundancy check code is consecutively generated for a respective one of the content items, cause a play count associated with the respective one of the content items is incremented.