Supplemental Audio Masking for Timed Audio Watermark Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inserting an audio watermark at a desired time point in a media stream is impractical due to potential human perceptible distortion of underlying audio content, as the audio watermark may constructively and/or destructively interfere with the audio waveform, making it difficult to guarantee insertion without noticeable interference.
Innovation Solution
Add overtly human-perceptible supplemental audio content coincident in time with the audio watermark to mask any human-perceptible effects, serving as an audio cue for the interactive event.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If an audio watermark is inserted into the media stream at a desired time point, then the interactive event can be triggered at the appropriate moment, but the audio watermark may cause human-perceptible distortion of the underlying audio content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful distortion caused by the audio watermark into a beneficial effect by intentionally adding supplemental audio content that masks the watermark. The distortion that would normally be harmful is transformed into an acceptable artifact by overlaying it with complementary audio content, thereby achieving both timely watermark insertion and acceptable audio quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces supplemental audio content as an intermediary element between the audio watermark and the underlying audio content. This intermediary masks the harmful effects of the watermark while preserving the timing accuracy needed for triggering interactive events, effectively mediating between the conflicting requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the audio watermark is added to the media stream, then it can serve as a trigger for interactive events, but it may constructively or destructively interfere with the audio waveform causing perceptible distortion
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the harmful waveform interference into a beneficial masking effect by adding supplemental audio content. The interference that would normally degrade audio quality is converted into an acceptable characteristic of the enhanced audio output, maintaining the interactive event triggering capability while improving perceived audio quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the audio watermark with supplemental audio content to create a combined audio signal. This combination allows the watermark to retain its function as an interactive event trigger while the supplemental content masks the harmful interference, effectively combining multiple audio elements to achieve the desired outcome.
3Reliability
If an audio watermark is inserted into the media stream, then it can detect and trigger interactive events, but the insertion may distort the underlying audio content in a human-perceptible manner
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful perceptible distortion into a beneficial masking effect by adding supplemental audio content. The distortion that would normally reduce audio quality is transformed into an acceptable artifact that simultaneously maintains the reliability of watermark detection for triggering interactive events.
Solution Approach 2:
The supplemental audio content serves multiple functions: it masks the harmful distortion of the watermark, maintains the reliability of interactive event detection, and potentially enhances the overall audio output. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by achieving both reliable detection and acceptable audio quality.
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
The supplemental audio content effectively masks the audio watermark's distortion, providing a human-perceptible cue for the interactive event while minimizing perceptible interference with the underlying audio content.
Implementation Method 1
the audio watermark may be human perceptible. In particular, an audio watermark could comprise a sequence of sin waves that represent data, and adding that sequence of sin waves into the underlying audio content of the media stream could distort the underlying audio content, as the sin waves may constructively and/or destructively interfere with the audio waveform of the underlying audio content
Data Source
AI summary
A method and system for adding overtly human-perceptible supplemental audio content into a media stream to help mask audio effects of an audio watermark in the media stream. A method involves receiving a media stream that defines a sequence of audio content presentable by a content presentation device, modifying the media stream to produce a modified media stream that defines the sequence of audio content, and outputting the modified media stream for presentation by the content presentation device. The modified media stream includes an audio watermark that is machine-detectable to trigger an interactive event. Further, the act of modifying the media stream involves adding into the media stream supplemental audio content coincident with the audio watermark, to help mask the audio watermark in the modified media stream during presentation of the modified media stream by the content presentation device.