Media Application Session Detection Using DTMF Tones
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for identifying smart television application sessions using watermarks are inefficient, often taking longer than 1.6 seconds, which hinders viewers and media providers.
Innovation Solution
The use of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones inserted at the beginning of media sessions to rapidly identify the session within 1 second, allowing for prompt viewer engagement and demographic data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If watermarks are used to identify smart television application sessions, then media session identification can be achieved, but the identification process takes longer than 1.6 seconds
Solution Approach 1:
The patent embeds DTMF tones during the media session playback (specifically during commercial breaks or idle periods) so that when the viewer needs to engage with the system, the identification data is already prepared and can be immediately retrieved, reducing the identification time from over 1.6 seconds to under 1 second
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses DTMF tones as an intermediary carrier to encode session identification information. These tones are inserted into the media audio stream and can be easily extracted by the measurement system, providing a reliable and fast identification mechanism that overcomes the limitations of traditional watermark methods
2Ease of operation
If traditional watermark methods are used for session identification, then media sessions can be identified, but the process is inefficient and hinders viewer engagement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional mechanical/extraction-based watermark identification system with an acoustic signal-based DTMF tone recognition system. This substitution allows for much faster and more efficient session identification, as acoustic signals can be processed and recognized by automated systems in under 1 second, eliminating the engagement delays caused by slow watermark processing
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables rapid identification of media sessions, reducing viewer wait time and facilitating timely demographic data association for targeted advertising and content recommendations.
Implementation Method 1
the use of dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones inserted at the beginning of media sessions to rapidly identify the session within 1 second
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus to identify media application sessions are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an audio interface to monitor an audio output of a media presentation device during a viewing session, a tone analyzer to identify one or more dual-tone multi-frequency (DTMF) tones presented by the audio output of the media presentation device, a session identification determiner to determine a session identification value associated with the viewing session based on the one or more identified DTMF tones, and a session report generator to associate a panelist identifier with the viewing session, and generate a session report based on the session identification value associated with the DTMF tones and the panelist identifier associated with the viewing session.