Abstract: A system and method for controlling a media player for replacement content, such as dynamic ad insertion. The system tracks video watermarks from a content stream, where the input content timeline is being modified by a user exercising the transport controls of a digital video recorder (DVR). A Detector Engine receives decoded video frames and extracts a time-offset field, a VP1 payload, and a Cyclic Redundance Check (CRC) field in each video frame. A Content Timeline Tracker monitors and analyzes the output of the Detector Engine to produce a piecewise linear approximation of the content timeline, wherein playback rate changes by a user in an upstream device can be tracked. This enables the playback of auxiliary content which is synchronized to a watermark timeline recovered from the received content in cases where the recovered timeline has a non-linear mapping to real time.

Abstract: Content screening operations, which can include watermark extraction and the application of content usage enforcement actions, may be organized such that some or all of the operations can be conducted by different devices that are connected via connectors such as HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), analog composite video, DVI (Digital Visual Interface), SDI (Serial Digital Interface), DisplayPort, or networked via Ethernet or wireless. Authentication and encryption methods are disclosed that can be used to establish the trust and secure communication between devices that conduct collaborative content screening. Delegation architecture may be based on ascertained screening capabilities of the sink device wherein the source device verifies that the sink device is capable and trusted to perform partial or whole screening operations delegated by the source.

Abstract: The disclosed technology relates to methods, devices, systems and computer program products that facilitate access to metadata associated with a content. In one example, a method is described that includes receiving a multimedia content at a receiver device, extracting a watermark message from a first segment of the multimedia content, using at least a portion of the first watermark message to obtain additional information regarding the first segment of the multimedia content that includes the first watermark message, and associating and storing one or more values of the first watermark message and the additional information. The method further includes repeating the above operations to extract additional watermark messages from additional segments of the content and to form a table or array of items that can be accessed by specifying the one or more values of the first watermark message or one or more values of the additional watermark messages.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to media devices implementing new television standards, such as ATSC 3.0, which includes audio/video essence and metadata/signaling. The disclosed embodiments include techniques for creating a signaling file that contains metadata and signaling data about the broadcast service being presented. The signaling file may include URLs that can be used to access signaling information for supplementary signaling and content. The signaling also contains a mapping between a first timing system and a second timing system. The first timing system may comprise the watermark timeline represented in interval s and the second timing system may comprise a DASH presentation time.

Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and computer program products facilitate accessing metadata associated with a primary audio visual content. Upon reception of a primary content, one or more watermark messages are extracted from the primary content obtain a server code and an interval code. A query to a metadata server is initiated based on the information obtained from the extracted watermark messages. In response to the query, service recovery information is received that includes information identifying one or more timed events, where each timed event identifies an operation to be performed at a corresponding instance in time as the primary content is being presented by the receiver device. One or more operations identified the timed events are initiated at the corresponding instance(s) in time.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer program products are described that improve acquisition of metadata that is associates with a multimedia content, such an audio or video content. In one exemplary method, the multimedia content is received at a first device that is equipped with a watermark detector and watermark extraction operations are conducted to detect a plurality of watermark messages. Each watermark message includes a server code and an interval code. In this method, a server Internet Protocol (IP) address is obtained that corresponds to a server that stores at least a portion of the metadata associated with the multimedia content. The IP address corresponds to at least one of the server codes detected from the plurality of watermark messages. According to the above method, the metadata is requested from the server having the server IP address, and a response including the metadata associated with the multimedia content is received.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to facilitate acquisition of information associated with a multimedia content through embedded watermarks. One such method includes obtaining a server code for embedding into a content. The server code identifies a particular domain name registered to a registrant entity and provides a mapping to an Internet address of a metadata server. Upon receiving an indication that a trigger event is associated with a particular segment of the content, a first watermark payload is formed and embedded in the content. The watermark payload includes the server code, an interval code and a first trigger value. The interval code identifies the particular content segment and the first trigger value indicates that additional information associated with the particular segment is. Detection of the first trigger value from a subsequently distributed content enables a query to the metadata server for acquisition of metadata.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to methods, devices and computer program products that enable watermark-based metadata recovery for content with multiple alternative components. The content can, for example, be included in broadcast television services which include multiple alternative audio and video components, only a subset of which may be presented by a given receiver at a given time. The disclosed techniques, among other features, enable broadcasters to deliver different services to different customers by using different watermarks into the feeds they provide to multichannel video program distributors (MVPDs). For instance, coincident audio and video components are embedded with different watermark payloads.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer program products allow embedding and detection of watermarks into and from a multimedia content. One watermark embedding method includes selecting a content segment that lacks inherent features for embedding of watermarks without producing perceptible artifacts, and obtaining a first dither pattern corresponding to a first watermark symbol of a watermark symbol alphabet, where each symbol is associated with a particular dither pattern. Further, each particular dither pattern, upon combination with the multimedia content segment that lacks inherent features, produces a composite content segment without perceptible artifacts. By combining the first dither pattern with the multimedia content segment that lacks inherent features, a first composite content segment with the first embedded watermark symbol is produced.

Abstract: Methods, devices and computer program products allow improved synchronization among multiple contents. One disclosed method includes receiving a first and a second content and performing watermark extraction to recover a first timecode as part of a watermark embedded into a segment of that content. The first timecode conforms to a first type of timing system. Next, a timing system associated with the second content is determined, and a mapping is obtained that allows timecode conversion between the first and the second timing systems. Using the mapping to synchronize the presentation of the second content with that of the first content. Thus synchronization of multiple contents is properly maintained even when processing operations such as format conversion and transcoding cause metadata streams that carry timing information to be removed.

Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and computer program products facilitate accessing metadata associated with a primary audio visual content. Upon reception of a primary content, one or more watermark messages are extracted from the primary content obtain a server code and an interval code. A query to a metadata server is initiated based on the information obtained from the extracted watermark messages. In response to the query, service recovery information is received that includes information identifying one or more timed events, where each timed event identifies an operation to be performed at a corresponding instance in time as the primary content is being presented by the receiver device. One or more operations identified the timed events are initiated at the corresponding instance(s) in time.

Abstract: Method, devices, systems and computer program products are described that improve speed and accuracy of watermark detection from multimedia content, and allow faster and better content recognition. One technique for improving detection of boundaries of an embedded multimedia content segment includes detecting a synchronization header and a full watermark from the multimedia content, constructing a predicted watermark segment that is positioned at a predicted distance from the synchronization header, and comparing the group of candidate watermark symbols obtained from the multimedia content to the first predicted watermark segment to obtain a match. The disclosed techniques enable extraction of watermarks from short content segments, and can utilize a shortened payload design to establish media time during content usage.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to automatic content recognition and recovery of metadata associated with multimedia content. Embodiments include the use of audio watermarks, video watermarks or both to recover metadata. Embodiments also describe improved video watermark embedding techniques including quantization-based video watermarking in the spatial domain and quantization-based video watermarking in frequency domain, as well as improved video watermark detection techniques based on multiple video frames. Embodiments also include improvements to payload structure and improvements to payload recovery.

Abstract: Methods, systems and devices enable enhanced delivery of metadata, as well as auxiliary programs and services associated with a primary content. In one method, a primary content with pre-existing watermarks is received at a content distributor device. The pre-existing watermark include specific fields that allow retrieval of a first metadata. The values and boundary locations of the symbols of the pre-existing watermark messages are determined, and symbols of a new watermark message are embedded in the primary content to render the pre-existing watermarks undetectable. The new watermark message includes symbol values that different from those in the pre-existing watermark messages and enable retrieval of a second metadata. Upon transmission of the primary content to a client device, detection of the new watermark message, and initiation of a request by the client device, access to the first or the metadata, as well as associated programs or services, are enabled.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to facilitate acquisition of information associated with a multimedia content through embedded watermarks. One such method includes obtaining a server code for embedding into a content. The server code identifies a particular domain name registered to a registrant entity and provides a mapping to an Internet address of a metadata server. Upon receiving an indication that a trigger event is associated with a particular segment of the content, a first watermark payload is formed and embedded in the content. The watermark payload includes the server code, an interval code and a first trigger value. The interval code identifies the particular content segment and the first trigger value indicates that additional information associated with the particular segment is. Detection of the first trigger value from a subsequently distributed content enables a query to the metadata server for acquisition of metadata.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to automatic content recognition and recovery of metadata associated with multimedia content. Embodiments include the use of audio watermarks, video watermarks or both to recover metadata. Embodiments also describe improved video watermark embedding techniques including quantization-based video watermarking in the spatial domain and quantization-based video watermarking in frequency domain, as well as improved video watermark detection techniques based on multiple video frames. Embodiments also include improvements to payload structure and improvements to payload recovery.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and systems use embedded watermarks to determine whether the segments of a multimedia content has been rearranged. The embedded watermarks are recovered from the content and one or more attributes associated with the recovered watermarks are identified. A continuity of the content can then be assessed in accordance with the one or more attributes. The continuity assessment may be based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to a determined heartbeat of the recovered watermarks, a density, separation, location, or extent, of the recovered watermarks, as well as information associated with the watermarks, such as a stego key, channel bits, packet numbers, a fingerprint, or the like.

Abstract: Methods, devices, systems and computer program products enable enhances delivery and use of metadata that is associated a primary multimedia content. Watermarks that are detected by a watermark extractor produce an indication as to a state of the watermark detector as being in one of a an unmarked content state, a marked content state or a gap state, and cause the watermark extractor to transition from one state to another state based on event that are recognized based a failure or a success in detecting watermarks, an indication of low content activity and a previous state of the watermark extractor. The events and states associated with the watermark extractor further allows retrieval of new metadata associated with the primary content, use of an existing metadata in a modified manner or a change in presentation of a secondary content that is associated with the primary content.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to embed a watermark message in a multimedia content to facilitate acquisition of associated information. One such method includes obtaining a server code that is assigned by a registrar entity and identifying a particular domain name that is registered to a registrant entity. Such a server code provides a mapping to an Internet address of a metadata server that includes information associated with the content. After obtaining one or more interval code, a watermark payload is formed that includes the server code and an interval code and embedded in the content. The identifies a particular segment of the content and upon distribution of such embedded content, a query based on the server code and one interval code allows metadata associated with the content to be acquired.

Abstract: Methods and devices are provided to facilitate acquisition of information associated with a multimedia content through embedded watermarks. One such method includes obtaining a server code for embedding into a content. The server code identifies a particular domain name registered to a registrant entity and provides a mapping to an Internet address of a metadata server. Upon receiving an indication that a trigger event is associated with a particular segment of the content, a first watermark payload is formed and embedded in the content. The watermark payload includes the server code, an interval code and a first trigger value. The interval code identifies the particular content segment and the first trigger value indicates that additional information associated with the particular segment is. Detection of the first trigger value from a subsequently distributed content enables a query to the metadata server for acquisition of metadata.