Unknown Signature Stacking for Meter-to-Meter Media Matching
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing media monitoring systems struggle to identify and credit media presentations that are not yet represented in the reference database, such as newly released content or regional broadcasts, due to mismatched signatures.
Innovation Solution
A system and method that collects and analyzes segments of unknown media signatures, stacks matching segments together, associates them with URLs to identify the media, and adds them to the reference database, using a matcher to facilitate meter-to-meter matching and media identification.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional signature matching is used against a fixed reference database, then identification speed is maintained, but newly released or regional media content cannot be identified
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by collecting and stacking unknown signature segments from multiple meters before attempting identification. This allows the system to build sufficient data about new media content before it can be matched against reference signatures, enabling identification of previously unknown content while maintaining accuracy through the stacking process that consolidates multiple observations
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary process between signature collection and identification: the unknown signature segment stacking mechanism. This intermediary layer allows unknown signatures to be aggregated and processed through multiple comparisons across different meters before being added to the reference database, serving as a bridge that enables new content identification while maintaining the integrity of the traditional matching system
2Measurement precision
If unknown signature segments are collected and stacked from multiple meters, then media identification accuracy improves, but processing time and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the signature matching process into distinct phases: collection of unknown signature segments, stacking of these segments from multiple meters, and subsequent identification attempts. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and manages complexity by breaking down the overall process into manageable stages rather than attempting to solve the entire problem at once
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs partial actions by collecting and stacking only the necessary number of unknown signature segments required to achieve reliable identification, rather than processing all possible data. The stacking process continues until sufficient confidence is reached, avoiding excessive processing while maintaining high identification accuracy through targeted data aggregation
3Reliability
If reference database is updated with new media signatures, then completeness of media monitoring improves, but database management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements self-service by automatically adding verified unknown signature segments to the reference database without requiring manual intervention. Once unknown signatures are stacked and identified through the meter-to-meter matching process, they are automatically integrated into the reference database, enabling the system to self-expand its knowledge base while maintaining reliability and reducing operational complexity
Data Source
AI summary
Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed to facilitate meter to meter matching for media identification. Example apparatus disclosed herein include an unknown signature comparer, a stack counter, and a reference database updater. The unknown signature comparer is to select a candidate unknown signature segment meeting a threshold length from a set of unknown signature segments collected at a first audience measurement location, and compare individual signatures of the candidate unknown signature segment with a collection of unknown signature segments collected at a second audience measurement location. The stack counter is to count a number of times that the candidate unknown signature segment matches unknown signature segments in the collection, and identify the candidate unknown signature segment as a matched signature segment when the number of times meets a counter threshold. The reference database updater is to store the matched signature segment in a signature reference database.