Patents by Inventor Benjamin J. Ropke
Benjamin J. Ropke has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Publication number: 20240107115Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2023Publication date: March 28, 2024Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11863817Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: GrantFiled: January 25, 2023Date of Patent: January 2, 2024Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20230336796Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when to carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 16, 2023Publication date: October 19, 2023Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Patent number: 11736746Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2022Date of Patent: August 22, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Publication number: 20230247240Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2023Publication date: August 3, 2023Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20230171463Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 25, 2023Publication date: June 1, 2023Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11653044Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: GrantFiled: August 30, 2022Date of Patent: May 16, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11589109Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2021Date of Patent: February 21, 2023Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20230007320Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 7, 2022Publication date: January 5, 2023Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Publication number: 20220417572Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 30, 2022Publication date: December 29, 2022Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11470364Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: October 11, 2022Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Patent number: 11463751Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2021Date of Patent: October 4, 2022Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20220150601Abstract: Use of watermarking in a media stream as a trigger for carrying out a fingerprint-related action, such as starting to generate fingerprints of the media stream, increasing a rate of generation of fingerprints of the media stream, starting to report fingerprints of the media stream, requesting fingerprints, or engaging in a fingerprint comparison. In an implementation, a media client that is processing the media stream could detect the watermark in the media stream and could responsively carry out or cause to be carried out a fingerprint-related action. Or an entity in a media-distribution path along which the media stream flows to a media client could detect the watermark in the media stream and could responsively carry out or cause to be carried out a fingerprint-related action. Further, the watermark could be inserted into the media stream in the first place based on transport-stream carried metadata, among other possibilities.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 21, 2022Publication date: May 12, 2022Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos, Benjamin J. Ropke, Steven M. Cormie
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Publication number: 20220103895Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2021Publication date: March 31, 2022Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11234049Abstract: A method and system for controlling implementation of dynamic content modification. The disclosure provides for using at least one steganographically-encoded timestamp in a media stream transmitted to a media client as a basis to determine a transmission delay for media-stream transmission to the media client, and for providing the determined transmission delay as a basis to facilitate control over whether to have the media client implement dynamic content modification. In addition, the disclosure provides for receiving respectively from each of various media clients a report indicating transmission delay determined for the media client based on such steganographically-encoded timestamp data, and using the transmission delays for the media clients to establish a dynamic-content-modification footprint that could be used to control whether, where, and to what extent dynamic content modification will be applied.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2020Date of Patent: January 25, 2022Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, Shashank C. Merchant, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11212560Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2020Date of Patent: December 28, 2021Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Publication number: 20210344981Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 14, 2021Publication date: November 4, 2021Inventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Publication number: 20210266617Abstract: A method and system for using steganographically-encoded time information as a basis to control when a client carries out a content-related action. The client processes for presentation one or more linear media streams, each defining a respective time sequence of frames of media content, and at least one of the streams being steganographically encoded with at least one watermark at a respective time-point within the linear media stream, the watermark encoding a timestamp of the respective time-point within the linear media stream according to a server clock. The client extracts the timestamp from the watermark and computes a time offset based on a difference between the extracted timestamp and a current time according to a client clock. And the client uses the computed time offset as a basis to determine when the client should carry out a content-related action in a given one of the one or more linear media streams.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2021Publication date: August 26, 2021Inventors: Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos, Shashank C. Merchant
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Patent number: 11095927Abstract: A method and system for dynamically watermarking media content based on transport-stream metadata, to facilitate action by a downstream entity. An intermediary in a media-distribution path could receive a transport stream carrying media content and carrying metadata that is not watermarked in the media content. The intermediary could then obtain from the transport stream the metadata that is not watermarked in the media content and could modify the media content at least by encoding into the media content a watermark that represents the obtained metadata. And the intermediary could then output at least the modified media content for transmission to a downstream entity. The downstream entity could thus obtain from the watermark in the media content the metadata and could use the metadata to facilitate carrying out one or more useful actions.Type: GrantFiled: February 6, 2020Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: The Nielsen Company (US), LLCInventors: Shashank C. Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, John S. Stavropoulos
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Patent number: 11095944Abstract: In one aspect, a method includes (i) accessing, by a computing system, broadcast-schedule data associated with a channel; (ii) using, by the computing system, the accessed broadcast-schedule data to identify an upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel; (iii) determining, by the computing system, that a content-presentation device is receiving content on the channel; (iv) determining, by the computing system, a content-transmission delay associated with the content-presentation device and the channel; and (v) causing, by the computing system, the content-presentation device to perform an action to facilitate the content-presentation device performing, during a time-period that accounts for the determined content-transmission delay, a content-modification operation related to the identified upcoming content-modification opportunity on the channel.Type: GrantFiled: August 18, 2020Date of Patent: August 17, 2021Assignee: Roku, Inc.Inventors: Andrew Laurence Ashbacher, Steven Michael Cormie, John L Haynes, III, Shashank Merchant, Benjamin J. Ropke, Markus Kurt Peter Cremer