Media Stream Verification via Watermark Probes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for verifying video and audio streams in multiplatform distribution systems are inadequate, as they assume constant frame rates and fail to compensate for propagation delays, leading to inefficiencies in real-time stream alignment and verification.
Innovation Solution
A system with monitoring probes installed at the content source and near the end-user, capable of resizing, interpolating, and hashing video frames to align and compare streams, determining if they are identical or altered, and reporting any differences in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual comparison of media streams is performed, then verification accuracy is improved, but operational complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses watermarks as simplified copies or representations of the original media content. Instead of comparing entire video or audio streams manually, the system embeds watermarks in the source media and detects them in the delivered media, creating a lightweight proxy for verification that maintains accuracy while reducing complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual mechanical comparison processes with automated electronic detection systems. The watermark detection system uses algorithmic processing to automatically verify stream integrity, substituting human operators and manual procedures with computational methods that are both accurate and efficient
2Measurement precision
If watermarks are embedded in media streams, then stream identification and verification are improved, but robustness against compression and decompression deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs dynamic watermarking techniques where watermark parameters such as strength, frequency, and embedding method are adjusted based on the specific media characteristics and transmission conditions. This allows the watermarking system to adapt to different compression schemes and maintain robustness across varying delivery environments
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes watermark parameters dynamically based on the media type, compression level, and delivery platform. By adjusting embedding depth, frequency, and encoding strength, the watermarks maintain detectability and robustness through various compression and decompression operations without sacrificing verification accuracy
3Speed
If real-time stream comparison is performed, then verification speed is improved, but computational complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential verification information (watermark signals) from the full media streams, separating the critical identification data from the bulk content. This extraction approach allows real-time verification by focusing computational resources on detecting specific watermark patterns rather than processing entire video or audio streams
Solution Approach 2:
The watermark acts as a simplified copy or representative signature of the original media content. By comparing these lightweight watermark representations instead of full streams, the system achieves real-time verification speeds while maintaining the ability to detect stream alterations and ensure delivery integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for comparing video and audio information at first and second spaced-apart locations on a content distribution network. Network probes are located on the network and extract a respective first and second plurality of video frames and audio segments. Two fingerprints sequences are determined from each one of the frames and segments, then the sequences are matched and time-aligned. A beginning of a matched segment is determined and the individual fingerprints within each of the fingerprint sequences are compared from the beginning of the matched segment. Fingerprints that are determined to be different during the comparison process indicate a change in video or audio content between the two probes.