Systems and methods to verify and/or correct media lineup information

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497505-B2
Application number	US-201414511805-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2014
Priority date	Sep 30, 2014
Publication date	Nov 15, 2016
Grant date	Nov 15, 2016

Abstract

Systems and methods to verify and/or correct media lineup information are disclosed. An example method includes comparing signature data representative of media to recurring segment reference signatures in a signature database. The recurring segment reference signatures are representative of segments of media recurring in multiple different episodes of a same media series. The example method further includes, when the signature data matches one of the recurring segment reference signatures, generating identifying information for the media indicating the media as corresponding to an episode of the media series.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method, comprising:
comparing, by executing an instruction with a processor, signature data representative of media to recurring segment reference signatures in a signature database, the recurring segment reference signatures representative of segments of media recurring in multiple different episodes of a same media series;
when the signature data matches one of the recurring segment reference signatures, generating, by executing an instruction with the processor, identifying information for the media indicating the media as corresponding to an episode of the media series;
determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, timing information for presentation of the media based on the signature data; and
comparing, by executing an instruction with the processor, the identifying information and the timing information to a media lineup table to identify when at least one of the identifying information or the timing information is inconsistent with the media lineup table.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the timing information is based on a time at which the signature data was generated and the one of the recurring segment reference signatures, the timing information including at least one of a start time of presentation of the episode or an end time of presentation of the episode.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 , further including determining the at least one of the start time or the end time based on a temporal placement of the recurring segment reference signatures relative to a timing of a common reference point associated with each of the multiple different episodes of the media series.

4. A method comprising:
comparing, with a processor, signature data representative of media to recurring segment reference signatures in a signature database, the recurring segment reference signatures representative of segments of media recurring in multiple different episodes of a same media series;
when the signature data matches one of the recurring segment reference signatures, generating, with the processor, identifying information for the media indicating the media as corresponding to an episode of the media series;
determining timing information for presentation of the media based on a time at which the signature data was presented and based on the one of the recurring segment reference signatures, the timing information including at least one of a start time of presentation of the episode or an end time of presentation of the episode;
generating a media lineup table based on lineup information;
comparing the identifying information and the timing information to the media lineup table; and
when at least one of the identifying information or the timing information is inconsistent with the media lineup table, at least one of flagging or updating the media lineup table based on the timing information.

5. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including generating the recurring segment reference signatures in the signature database by:
comparing first signature data representative of a first one of the multiple different episodes of the media series to second signature data representative of a second one of the multiple different episodes of the media series;
identifying the segments of media that are recurring based on matching portions of the first signature data and the second signature data; and
designating the matching portions of the first signature data and the second signature data as the recurring segment reference signatures with information identifying the media series.

6. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the segments of media correspond to at least one of an intro sequence or a closing sequence occurring in respective ones of the multiple different episodes.

7. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the signature data corresponds to at least one of a theme song, a voice-over, a logo, a title, a title sequence, opening credits, or end credits occurring in respective ones of the multiple different episodes.

8. A system, comprising:
a reference signature database to store recurring segment reference signatures representative of media segments recurring in multiple different episodes of a media series;
a signature comparator to compare signature data representative of media to the recurring segment reference signatures, the signature comparator to generate identifying information for the media indicating the media as corresponding to an episode of the media series when the signature data matches one of the recurring segment reference signatures,
a program timing analyzer to determine timing information corresponding to presentation of the media based on the signature data; and
a lineup comparator to compare the identifying information and the timing information to a media lineup table to identify when at least one of the identifying information or the timing information is inconsistent with the media lineup table.

9. The system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the program timing analyzer is to determine the timing information based on a time at which the signature data was generated and the one of the recurring segment reference signatures, the timing information including at least one of a start time of presentation of the episode or an end time of presentation of the episode.

10. The system as defined in claim 9 , wherein the program timing analyzer is to determine the at least one of the start time or the end time based on a temporal placement of the recurring segment reference signatures relative to a timing of a common reference point associated with each of the multiple different episodes of the media series.

11. A system comprising:
a reference signature database to store recurring segment reference signatures representative of media segments recurring in multiple different episodes of a media series;
a signature comparator to compare signature data representative of media to the recurring segment reference signatures, the signature comparator to generate identifying information for the media indicating the media as corresponding to an episode of the media series when the signature data matches one of the recurring segment reference signatures;
a program timing analyzer is to determine timing information corresponding to presentation of the media based on a time at which the signature data was presented and based on the one of the recurring segment reference signatures, the timing information including at least one of a start time of presentation of the episode or an end time of presentation of the episode;
a media lineup table generator to generate a media lineup table based on lineup information; and
a lineup comparator to compare the identifying information and the timing information to the media lineup table, the media lineup table generator to at least one of flag or update the media lineup table based on the timing information when at least one of the identifying information or the timing information is inconsistent with the media lineup table.

12. The system as defined in claim 8 , further including:
a recurring segment detector to identify the media segments that are recurring based on matching portions of first signature data representative of a first one of the multiple different episodes and second signature data representative of a second one of the multiple different episodes; and
a reference signature tagger to designate the matching portions of the first signature data and the second signature data as the recurring segment reference signatures with information identifying the media series.

13. The system as defined in claim 8 , wherein the media segme

Assignees

• Nielsen Co Us Llc

Inventors

• Heffernan Ronan
• Hage Chad A

Classifications

• H04N21/8352

  involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID] · CPC title

• H04N21/262

  Content or additional data distribution scheduling, e.g. sending additional data at off-peak times, updating software modules, calculating the carousel transmission frequency, delaying a video stream transmission, generating play-lists {(scheduling strategies for dispatcher in multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/4881; arrangements for scheduling broadcast services or broadcast-related services H04H60/06; flow control in packet networks H04L47/10; establishing a time schedule or organising the servicing of application requests H04L67/62)} · CPC title

• H04N21/2407

  Monitoring of transmitted content, e.g. distribution time, number of downloads (arrangements for monitoring programmes for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/14) · CPC title

• H04N21/23418

  involving operations for analysing video streams, e.g. detecting features or characteristics (television picture signal circuitry for scene change detection H04N5/147; filtering for image enhancement G06T5/00; methods or arrangements for recognising scenes G06V20/00; arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of video in broadcast systems H04H60/59) · CPC title

• H04N21/44204 Primary

  Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched (monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31) · CPC title