Hash Key Error Correction for Accurate Media Identification

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing audience measurement systems for media exposure face challenges in accurately identifying media content due to errors introduced by conversion to lossy formats, ambient noise, and transmission errors, which affect the reliability of hash key matching and demographic analysis.

Innovation Solution

A system that generates reference hash keys from high-quality, lossless media samples and compares them with metered hash keys to correct errors by leveraging adjacent hash keys, using a hash key manager and error handler to ensure accurate identification and logging of media impressions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If hash keys are generated from lossy format media, then media identification speed is improved, but identification accuracy deteriorates due to conversion errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedia identification speedVSAvoididentification accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-generates hash keys from high-quality lossless media samples and stores them in a reference database before actual media identification occurs. This preliminary preparation allows the system to compare against accurate reference hashes without performing real-time conversion, thus maintaining both speed and accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary reference database that stores hash keys generated from lossless media samples. This intermediary layer mediates between the lossy captured media and the identification process, allowing accurate comparison without direct conversion of the captured signal.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Device complexity

If traditional hash key matching is used, then processing simplicity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to ambient noise and transmission errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveprocessing simplicityVSAvoidmatching reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements feedback mechanisms where hash keys from adjacent time periods are used to verify and correct identified media. The error handler uses feedback from neighboring hash keys to detect and correct mismatches, improving reliability while maintaining processing simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent prepares reference hash keys in advance from high-quality sources, creating a cushion of accuracy before the actual matching process. This pre-prepared reference data cushions against the effects of ambient noise and transmission errors that occur during media capture and transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Productivity

If lossy format conversion is applied, then data transmission efficiency is improved, but hash key accuracy deteriorates due to format conversion errors

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata transmission efficiencyVSAvoidhash key accuracy
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

Hash keys are preliminarily generated from lossless media samples before any lossy conversion occurs. This preliminary action ensures that the reference standards for comparison are created at the highest quality level, preventing conversion errors from affecting accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates accurate copies of hash keys from high-quality lossless media and stores them in the reference database. These copied reference hashes serve as the gold standard for comparison, allowing efficient processing of lossy captured media without sacrificing accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentEP3127343B1Methods and apparatus to identify media using hash keys
Publication Date: 2026.02.04 THE NIELSEN CO (US) LLC
  • EP3127343B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3127343B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3127343B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods and apparatus are disclosed to identify media using hash keys. An example method involves when a first metered hash key does not match a first reference hash key, generating, with a processor, an error level using a bitwise comparison of the first metered hash key and a second reference hash key corresponding to a second metered hash key. When the error level satisfies a threshold, the example method involves obtaining, with a processor, media reference data stored in association with the second reference hash key, and storing, with a processor, the media reference data in association with the first metered hash key.