Patents Assigned to Sorenson Media, Inc.
  • Patent number: 10057657
    Abstract: A method of content replacement with onscreen displays. The method can further include sending an overlay request to provide overlay content and an overlay format. The method can include receiving the overlay content and the overlay format selected in view of overlay parameters. The method can include superimposing the overlay content over the media content using the overlay format. The method can include detecting a presence of an onscreen display. The method can include determining a location of a portion of the onscreen display that extends underneath the overlay content. The method can include defining a window in the overlay content that corresponds to at least the location of the portion of the onscreen display. The method can include setting a transparency level of the overlay content in the window to permit the portion of the onscreen display to be at least partially visible through the overlay content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2018
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc
    Inventor: Mitchell M. Holyoak
  • Publication number: 20180184166
    Abstract: A processing device for generating a viewing data report is disclosed. The processing device may include a memory device and a processor. The memory device may store instructions. The processor may be operatively coupled to the memory device. The processor may execute the instructions to: determine first viewing data associated with a first ACR event; determine second viewing data associated with a second ACR event; determine that a data field of a plurality of data fields in the first viewing data is incomplete; derive new data for the data field using other data fields of the first viewing data; aggregate the first viewing data and the second viewing data into a single data model to obtain aggregated viewing data of viewing behavior of a first viewer and a second viewer; and create a viewing data report as a compilation of the aggregated viewing data.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 13, 2018
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Cormie, Stefan Liassides
  • Publication number: 20180160169
    Abstract: A server device includes memory to store: a database of frame fingerprints ordered sequentially by media item number and frame number for media items, and a hash table containing (key, value) entries each including a hashed frame fingerprint and index number(s) to the database. A processor coupled to the memory is to, for an input set of hashed frame fingerprints, select a most recent hashed frame fingerprint. The processor performs a lookup with the most recent hashed frame fingerprint to identify a plurality of index numbers from a matching entry. The processor retrieves a target plurality of frame fingerprints from the database using each of the plurality of index numbers as a starting point; calculates a rank distance between the input set and each respective target plurality of frame fingerprints; and selects the target plurality of frame fingerprints for which the rank distance is shortest, to identify a media item.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2018
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Juikun Chen
  • Publication number: 20180109822
    Abstract: A method, system, or device to determine when media content has been displayed. The method can include receiving a unique identifier (UID) and fingerprint for a media segment. The method can also include determining a media segment ID for the media segment, generating and submitting a query for the media segment ID in a record database, determining that the media segment ID is not stored in the record database, and identifying an overlay content segment ID. The method can include generating and submitting for the overlay content segment ID in the record database, determining it is not stored in an entry, sending the overlay content segment to the electronic device, and receiving a notification from the electronic device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 14, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Grover
  • Publication number: 20180098133
    Abstract: A processing device can execute instructions to query a database to determine a top-ranked avail for a target audience, to generate a target avail, determine the target avail is not within a sell CPM price for the target audience, and determine that demand for the target avail as addressable television (ATV) impressions is beyond a predetermined threshold sufficient to discount the CPM price of the target avail for the target audience. The ATV impressions can be derived from directly addressable replacement ads. The processing device can further determine that the target avail is within the sell CPM price for the target audience with a determined discount and discount the sell CPM price for the target avail by the determined discount that decreases a margin for an ad campaign when filling the target avail with a broadcast ad. Also, ATV sell CPM price can be adjusted according to programmable TV campaign performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2017
    Publication date: April 5, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Liassides, Stefan Liassides
  • Publication number: 20180084303
    Abstract: A content device and method is disclosed to include a processing device to process streaming video content. A fingerprinter receives captured frames of the streaming video content and, for each frame of a plurality of the captured frames, generates a one-dimensional histogram function of pixel values and transforms the histogram function with a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to generate a plurality of complex values for the frame. The fingerprinter further, for each of the plurality of complex values, assigns a binary one (“1”) when a real part of the complex value is greater than zero (“0”) and assigns a binary zero (“0”) when the real part is less than or equal to zero, to generate a plurality of bits. The fingerprinter further concatenates a specific number of the bits to generate a fingerprint for the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 29, 2017
    Publication date: March 22, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Juikun Chen
  • Patent number: 9912991
    Abstract: A processing device for generating a viewing data report is disclosed. The processing device may include a memory device and a processor. The memory device may store instructions. The processor may be operatively coupled to the memory device. The processor may execute the instructions to: determine first viewing data associated with a first ACR event; determine second viewing data associated with a second ACR event; determine that a data field of a plurality of data fields in the first viewing data is incomplete; derive new data for the data field using other data fields of the first viewing data; aggregate the first viewing data and the second viewing data into a single data model to obtain aggregated viewing data of viewing behavior of a first viewer and a second viewer; and create a viewing data report as a compilation of the aggregated viewing data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc
    Inventors: Steven M. Cormie, Stefan Liassides
  • Patent number: 9906831
    Abstract: A server device includes memory to store: a database of frame fingerprints ordered sequentially by media item number and frame number for media items, and a hash table containing (key, value) entries each including a hashed frame fingerprint and index number(s) to the database. A processor coupled to the memory is to, for an input set of hashed frame fingerprints, select a most recent hashed frame fingerprint. The processor performs a lookup with the most recent hashed frame fingerprint to identify a plurality of index numbers from a matching entry. The processor retrieves a target plurality of frame fingerprints from the database using each of the plurality of index numbers as a starting point; calculates a rank distance between the input set and each respective target plurality of frame fingerprints; and selects the target plurality of frame fingerprints for which the rank distance is shortest, to identify a media item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Juikun Chen
  • Publication number: 20180035175
    Abstract: A method, system, or device determine when media content is to be displayed. The method can include receiving media content on a broadcast channel from a content feed. The method can also include receiving an identifier for upcoming media content from an automatic content recognition (ACR) system in response to a trigger event. The method can include receiving overlay content from an overlay content server. The method can include storing the overlay content at a memory device. The method can include determining a time that the media content is to be displayed using the identifier.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2017
    Publication date: February 1, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Ashbacher
  • Patent number: 9877085
    Abstract: A method includes receiving broadcast fingerprints indicative of broadcast frames of broadcast media streams being streamed to a plurality of channels by a broadcaster and receiving television (TV) fingerprints indicative of an ordered sequence of TV frames of a TV media stream at a corresponding media device. The method further includes matching the TV fingerprints with the broadcast fingerprints by determining a difference between respective broadcast fingerprints and corresponding TV fingerprints of the ordered sequence of TV frames. The matching includes populating a binary tree structure with respective differences. The method also includes detecting a channel change of the media device from a first channel to a second channel in response to locating a value indicative of the channel change in the binary tree structure within a threshold number of children nodes from a root node upon traversing down the binary tree structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc
    Inventor: Juikun Chen
  • Publication number: 20180014087
    Abstract: A method of content replacement with onscreen displays. The method can further include sending an overlay request to provide overlay content and an overlay format. The method can include receiving the overlay content and the overlay format selected in view of overlay parameters. The method can include superimposing the overlay content over the media content using the overlay format. The method can include detecting a presence of an onscreen display. The method can include determining a location of a portion of the onscreen display that extends underneath the overlay content. The method can include defining a window in the overlay content that corresponds to at least the location of the portion of the onscreen display. The method can include setting a transparency level of the overlay content in the window to permit the portion of the onscreen display to be at least partially visible through the overlay content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 24, 2017
    Publication date: January 11, 2018
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Mitchell M. Holyoak
  • Patent number: 9854326
    Abstract: A processing device can execute instructions to query a database to determine a top-ranked avail for a target audience, to generate a target avail, determine the target avail is not within a sell CPM price for the target audience, and determine that demand for the target avail as addressable television (ATV) impressions is beyond a predetermined threshold sufficient to discount the CPM price of the target avail for the target audience. The ATV impressions can be derived from directly addressable replacement ads. The processing device can further determine that the target avail is within the sell CPM price for the target audience with a determined discount and discount the sell CPM price for the target avail by the determined discount that decreases a margin for an ad campaign when filling the target avail with a broadcast ad. Also, ATV sell CPM price can be adjusted according to programmable TV campaign performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus Liassides, Stefan Liassides
  • Patent number: 9848214
    Abstract: A method, system, or device to determine when media content has been displayed. The method can include receiving a unique identifier (UID) and fingerprint for a media segment. The method can also include determining a media segment ID for the media segment, generating and submitting a query for the media segment ID in a record database, determining that the media segment ID is not stored in the record database, and identifying an overlay content segment ID. The method can include generating and submitting for the overlay content segment ID in the record database, determining it is not stored in an entry, sending the overlay content segment to the electronic device, and receiving a notification from the electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Matthew Grover
  • Patent number: 9848235
    Abstract: A content device and method is disclosed to include a processing device to process streaming video content. A fingerprinter receives captured frames of the streaming video content and, for each frame of a plurality of the captured frames, generates a one-dimensional histogram function of pixel values and transforms the histogram function with a Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), to generate a plurality of complex values for the frame. The fingerprinter further, for each of the plurality of complex values, assigns a binary one (“1”) when a real part of the complex value is greater than zero (“0”) and assigns a binary zero (“0”) when the real part is less than or equal to zero, to generate a plurality of bits. The fingerprinter further concatenates a specific number of the bits to generate a fingerprint for the frame.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc
    Inventor: Juikun Chen
  • Publication number: 20170325005
    Abstract: A system and method includes an automatic content recognition (ACR) headend to perform ACR recognition on a video stream that is also being streamed to a smart TV, to detect timing of an upcoming ad spot to be delivered within the video stream. An addressable TV (ATV) engine can be in communication with the ACR head end and to: determine, from data of an ad campaign, whether a first ad to be delivered to the ad spot is off target for the ad spot; notify the ad replacer client to replace the first ad with an addressable ad when the first ad is off target for the ad spot; and provide, to the ad replacer client, criteria with which to constrain an ad request to obtain a second ad that is on target for the ad spot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 14, 2017
    Publication date: November 9, 2017
    Applicant: SORENSON MEDIA, INC.
    Inventors: Marcus Liassides, Stefan Liassides
  • Patent number: 9813781
    Abstract: A method, system, or device determine when media content is to be displayed. The method can include receiving media content on a broadcast channel from a content feed. The method can also include receiving an identifier for upcoming media content from an automatic content recognition (ACR) system in response to a trigger event. The method can include receiving overlay content from an overlay content server. The method can include storing the overlay content at a memory device. The method can include determining a time that the media content is to be displayed using the identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Ashbacher
  • Publication number: 20170302984
    Abstract: A method includes receiving, at a data processing device, a fingerprint of a media segment to be displayed on a media device and determining, by the data processing device, a number of times the media segment has been displayed on the media device based on the fingerprint. The method further includes determining, by the data processing device, whether the number of times the media segment has been displayed on the media device satisfies a threshold criterion. When the number of times the media segment has been displayed on the media device satisfies the threshold criterion, the method includes identifying, by the data processing device, an overlay content segment to be displayed on the electronic device in lieu of the media segment and instructing, by the data processing device, the media device to display the overlay content segment in lieu of the media segment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc
    Inventor: Matthew Grover
  • Publication number: 20170272836
    Abstract: A method includes receiving broadcast fingerprints indicative of broadcast frames of broadcast media streams being streamed to a plurality of channels by a broadcaster and receiving television (TV) fingerprints indicative of an ordered sequence of TV frames of a TV media stream at a corresponding media device. The method further includes matching the TV fingerprints with the broadcast fingerprints by determining a difference between respective broadcast fingerprints and corresponding TV fingerprints of the ordered sequence of TV frames. The matching includes populating a binary tree structure with respective differences. The method also includes detecting a channel change of the media device from a first channel to a second channel in response to locating a value indicative of the channel change in the binary tree structure within a threshold number of children nodes from a root node upon traversing down the binary tree structure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventor: Juikun Chen
  • Patent number: 9641870
    Abstract: A processing device and method are disclosed to manage content of a content feed is disclosed. The method can include receiving, from a content provider, media content. The method can also include analyzing the media content to determine targeting information. The method can further include receiving, from a client device, an overlay request requesting a media content overlay, where the overlay request includes a targeting parameter and an overlay parameter. The method can further include comparing the targeting parameter with overlay content stored in an overlay database to determine targeted overlay content. The method can further include retrieving, from the overlay database, the targeted overlay content. The method can further include comparing the overlay parameter with the targeted overlay content to identify an overlay configuration of the targeted overlay content. The method can further include delivering, to the client device, the targeted overlay content within the overlay configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven M. Cormie, Stefan Liassides
  • Patent number: 9628830
    Abstract: Automatic content recognition (ACR) and media content encoding technologies are described. A content device can include a processing device and a capture interface. The processing device can be on a circuit board. A capture interface can be coupled to the processing device and include a data port. The processing device can be operable to execute a capture daemon. The capture daemon can include a capturer to receive media content from a content feed and generate content frames of the media content. The capture daemon can also include an encoder to receive the content frames from the capturer and encode the media content. The capture daemon can include an uploader to receive the encoded media content from the encoder and communicate the encoded media content to a broadcast sever. The capture daemon can also include an ACR fingerprinter to receive the content frames from the capturer and generate ACR fingerprint information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2017
    Assignee: Sorenson Media, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew Ashbacher, Marcus Liassides