Method and device for monitoring and analyzing signals

US 20080109417A1
Filed: 12/26/2007
Published: 05/08/2008
Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
Status: Active Grant

First Claim

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1-20. -20. (canceled)

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Abstract

A method and system for monitoring and analyzing at least one signal are disclosed. An abstract of at least one reference signal is generated and stored in a reference database. An abstract of a query signal to be analyzed is then generated so that the abstract of the query signal can be compared to the abstracts stored in the reference database for a match. The method and system may optionally be used to record information about the query signals, the number of matches recorded, and other useful information about the query signals. Moreover, the method by which abstracts are generated can be programmable based upon selectable criteria. The system can also be programmed with error control software so as to avoid the re-occurrence of a query signal that matches more than one signal stored in the reference database.

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54 Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. An electronic system for monitoring and analyzing at least one signal, comprising:
- a first input that receives at least one reference signal to be monitored, a first processor that creates an abstract of each reference signal input to said first processor through said first input;
  
  a second input that receives at least one query signal to be analyzed, a second processor that creates an abstract of each query signal;
  
  a reference database that stores abstracts of each at least one reference signal;
  
  a comparing device that compares an abstract of said at least one query signal to the abstracts stored in the reference database to determine if the abstract of said at least one query signal matches any of the stored abstracts.
- View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 53)
- - 22. The system of claim 21, wherein said second input is remotely coupled to the system.
  - 23. The system of claim 21, wherein said second processor is remotely coupled to the system.
  - 24. The system of claim 21, wherein the system transmits the criteria that are being used by the first processor to the second processor.
  - 26. The system of claim 21, wherein the stored abstracts comprise a self-similar representation of at least one reference signal.
  - 27. The system of claim 21, wherein at least two of the stored abstracts comprise information corresponding to two versions of at least one reference signal.
  - 28. The system of claim 21, wherein the stored abstracts comprise data describing a portion of the characteristics of its associated reference signal.
  - 29. The system of claim 28, wherein the characteristics of the reference signal being described comprise at least one of a perceptible characteristic, a cognitive characteristic, a subjective characteristic, a perceptual quality, a recognizable characteristic or combinations thereof.
  - 30. The system of claim 21, wherein each stored abstract comprises data unique to each variation of its corresponding reference signal.
  - 31. The system of claim 21, wherein the system applies a cryptographic protocol to the abstract of said reference signal, said query signal, or both said reference signal and said query signal.
  - 32. The system of claim 31, wherein the cryptographic protocol is one of at least a hash or digital signature and further comprising storing the hashed abstract and/or digitally signed abstract.
  - 53. The system of claim 21, further comprising an embedder to embed uniquely identifiable data into at least one of the received reference signal, the received query signal or both the received reference signal and the received query signal.

25. (canceled)

33. A method for monitoring the distribution of data signals, comprising:
- creating an abstract for a data signal, the data signal having an unknown distribution status;
  
  comparing the created data signal abstract to at least one database of data signal abstracts, each abstract in the at least one database corresponding to a data signal having a known distribution status; and
  
  determining the distribution status for the created data signal abstract based on the comparison.
- View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 54)
- - 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the database is created by at least one of a music company, a movie studio, an image archive, an owner of a general computing device, a user of the data signal, an internet service provider, an information technology company, a body politic, a telecommunications company and combinations thereof.
  - 35. The method of claim 33, wherein the data signals comprise at least one of images, audio, video, and combinations thereof.
  - 36. The method of claim 33, wherein the stored data signal abstracts are derived from one of a cognitive feature or a perceptible characteristic of the associated data signals.
  - 37. The method of claim 33, furthering comprising applying a cryptographic protocol to at least one created signal abstract, at least one database signal abstract or both at least one created signal abstract and at least one database signal abstract.
  - 38. The method of claim 37, wherein the cryptographic protocol comprises one of a hash or digital signature.
  - 39. The method of claim 33, wherein the stored signal abstracts comprise data to differentiate versions of the corresponding data signals.
  - 40. The method of claim 33, wherein each of the stored data signal abstracts comprise information configured to differentiate variations of each referenced corresponding data signal.
  - 41. The method of claim 33, further comprising storing information associated with the comparison step to enable at least one of a re-calibration of the database, a heuristic-based adjustment of the database, a computational efficiency adjustment of the database, an adjustment for database collisions and/or null cases, changes to the recognition or use parameters governing the database and combinations thereof.
  - 42. The method of claim 33, further comprising applying one of a relatedness index or measure of similarity to generate uniquely identifiable information to determine distribution status.
  - 54. The method of claim 33, further comprising encoding information into the data signal with a watermarking technique.

43. A system for identifying and distributing signals, comprising:
- a first input that receives a query abstract of a signal to identify;
  
  a database containing a plurality of signal abstracts, the plurality of signal abstracts each associated with a corresponding signal;
  
  a comparing device that compares the query abstract to the plurality of abstracts stored in the reference database to identify a matching signal abstract; and
  
  a device for retrieving the signal corresponding to the matching signal abstract; and
  
  a device for conducting a transaction, the transaction selected from the group consisting of a download and a subscription.
- View Dependent Claims (44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
- - 44. The system of claim 43, wherein each signal abstract comprises a link to its corresponding signal.
  - 45. The system of claim 43, wherein the comparing device determines if the signal abstracts stored in the database are authorized.
  - 46. The system of claim 43, wherein the comparing device determines if the link is an authorized link.
  - 47. The system of claim 43, wherein the reference database is governed by heuristics or experience-based parameters.
  - 48. The system of claim 43, wherein the plurality of abstracts stored in the reference database are derived from one of data reduced versions of said corresponding signals, compressed variations of said corresponding signals, bit-addressable relationships between said corresponding signals, and a least amount of data required to uniquely identify each corresponding signal, and combinations thereof.
  - 49. The system of claim 43, wherein the device for conducting transactions or the device for retrieving the signal is remotely coupled to the system.
  - 50. The system of claim 43, wherein the device for conducting transactions or the device for retrieving the signal is controlled by the database.
  - 51. The system of claim 43, wherein the device for retrieving the signal and the device for conducting transactions comprise the same device.
  - 52. The system of claim 43, further comprising an embedder to watermark signals with uniquely identifiable information.

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Current Assignee
Wistaria Trading Inc.
Original Assignee
Blue Spike, Inc.
Inventors
Moskowitz, Scott, Berry, Michael

Granted Patent

US 7,660,700 B2
Time in Patent Office

Days
Field of Search
US Class Current

707/3
CPC Class Codes

G06F 11/30   Monitoring

G06F 11/3003   Monitoring arrangements spe...

G06F 16/2468   Fuzzy queries

G06F 16/903   Querying for retrieval from...

G10L 17/00   Speaker identification or v...

H04N 19/00   Methods or arrangements for...

Y10S 707/99931   Database or file accessing

Y10S 707/99932   Access augmentation or opti...

Y10S 707/99933   Query processing, i.e. sear...

Method and device for monitoring and analyzing signals

First Claim

3 Assignments

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Abstract

Citations

54 Claims

Specification

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Method and device for monitoring and analyzing signals

First Claim

3 Assignments

Subscription Required

Subscription Required

0 Petitions

Subscription Required

Accused Products

Subscription Required

Abstract

Citations

54 Claims

Specification

Subscription Required

Solutions

Use Cases

Quick Links