Fingerprint Matching for Simultaneous Media Source Identification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to accurately determine the source of media content being consumed by viewers, especially when multiple sources transmit the same content simultaneously, and struggle with environments lacking scheduling information or channel tuning data.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that generate fingerprints of media content at regular intervals, store them in a database, and compare them to identify the correct content source, even when multiple sources transmit the same asset, by iterating through contemporaneous fingerprints to find divergent pairs and matching them with stored logs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional channel tuning information and television schedules are used to identify content source, then the system works well for broadcast content, but it fails when scheduling information does not exist (e.g., Internet content) or when tuning information is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates fingerprints (copies) of media content characteristics at regular intervals from multiple content sources and stores them in a database. Instead of relying on traditional tuning information, the system compares fingerprints copied from the actual content being viewed with fingerprints copied from known content sources, enabling identification to work across different content delivery mechanisms including Internet content without scheduling information
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces fingerprints as an intermediary element that mediates between the content viewer and content sources. Rather than directly using tuning information or scheduling data, the system uses fingerprints as an intermediate representation that can be compared to identify content sources, bridging the gap between different content delivery systems
2Loss of information
If the system returns multiple content sources transmitting the same media asset simultaneously, then it provides complete information, but it becomes difficult to determine which specific source the viewer is watching
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of listing multiple possible content sources with a computational fingerprint matching system. By comparing the temporal patterns and characteristics of fingerprints from multiple sources against the viewer's content, the system automatically identifies the specific source through algorithmic analysis rather than requiring manual selection or providing ambiguous lists
3Measurement precision
If the system monitors and stores fingerprints from multiple content sources, then it can identify content sources accurately, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the content identification task into distinct components: fingerprint generation from content sources, fingerprint storage in organized databases, fingerprint capture from viewer content, and comparison/matching operations. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and simplifies the overall system architecture while maintaining high identification accuracy
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are described for identifying a content source of media content being transmitted to a viewer in situations when a specific media asset is being transmitted to the viewer from two different content sources nearly simultaneously. For example, if a certain movie is being broadcast at nearly the same time by two different channels, the system is able to identify the channel that the viewer is watching. The system performs the identification by obtaining fingerprints for two different channels, matching the fingerprints based on time and then finding a divergent pair of fingerprints by iterating in reverse chronological order through the pairs and comparing the fingerprints. The system then compares the fingerprints to fingerprints in a log that stores fingerprints and corresponding generation times for content that the viewer is consuming. The matching fingerprint corresponds to the correct content source.