Method and device for monitoring and analyzing signals

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.

1 - 100 . (canceled) 
     
     
         101 . A method for generating a signal abstract representative of a content signal, the method comprising:
 receiving a version of a content signal;   performing a first signal analysis of a first version of said content signal to determine perceptual features of said first version of said content signal;   performing a second signal analysis of a second version of said content signal to determine perceptual features of said second version of said content signal;   comparing the first content signal's analysis to the second content signal's analysis which results in a comparison; and   generating at least one signal abstract, depending on said comparison, wherein said at least one signal abstract is representative of said content signal.   
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 101  wherein said comparing comprises determining at least one of similarity; self-similarity, absolute error criteria, and cognitive identification. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 101  wherein perceptual features determined by said first signal analysis comprise at least one of a psychoacoustic feature and a psychovisual feature. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 101  wherein said generating said at least one signal abstract comprises lossy or lossless data compression. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 101  wherein perceptual features determined by said first signal analysis comprises bit-addressable information. 
     
     
         106 . A method for generating a signal abstract representative of a content signal, the method comprising:
 receiving at least two versions of the content signal;   performing a first signal analysis of a first version of the content signal to provide perceptual features of said first version of the content signal;   performing a second signal analysis of a second version of the content signal to provide perceptual features of the second version of the content signal;   comparing the first content signal's perceptual features to the second content signal's perceptual features; and   assigning a value depending on the comparison;   generating the signal abstract depending upon said comparison; and   wherein said signal abstract is representative of said content signal.   
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 106  wherein said comparing comprises determining at least one of similarity; self-similarity, absolute error criteria, and cognitive identification. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 106  wherein perceptual features determined by said first signal analysis comprise at least one of a psychoacoustic feature and a psychovisual feature. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 106  wherein said generating said signal abstract comprises lossy or lossless data compression. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 106  wherein perceptual features determined by said first signal analysis comprises bit-addressable information. 
     
     
         111 . A comparison unit for providing a signal abstract representative of a content signal, the signal abstract comparison unit comprising:
 a first feature selector for analyzing the content signal and for identifying a first content signal filter parameter;   a second feature selector for receiving the content signal and identifying a second content signal filter parameter;   a comparator for comparing the first content signal filter parameter and the second content signal filter parameter and for providing a comparison result representative of a signal abstract of the content signal.   
     
     
         112 . The unit of  claim 111  wherein said comparator is configured to determine at least one of similarity; self-similarity, absolute error criteria, and cognitive identification. 
     
     
         113 . The unit of  claim 111  wherein said first content signal filter parameter comprises at least one of a psychoacoustic parameter and a psychovisual parameter. 
     
     
         114 . The unit of  claim 111  wherein the said comparator performs lossy or lossless data compression to provide said signal abstract. 
     
     
         115 . The unit of  claim 111  wherein said first content signal filter parameter comprises bit-addressable information. 
     
     
         116 . An apparatus for providing an indication of a similarity of versions of signals, the apparatus comprising:
 a first signal feature selector for selecting a first version of a signal and a second version of a signal and for identifying the first version signal's perceptual qualities and the second version signal's perceptual qualities;   a second signal feature selector for selecting a third version of a signal and a fourth version of a signal and for identifying the third version signal's perceptual qualities and the fourth version signal's perceptual qualities;   a comparing device configured to receive the first version signal's perceptual qualities, the second version signal's perceptual qualities, the third version signal's perceptual qualities, and the fourth version signal's perceptual qualities and configured to analyze the first version signal's perceptual qualities with the second version signal's perceptual qualities to differentiate between the first and second versions of the signal and further configured to analyze the third version signal's perceptual qualities with the fourth version signal's perceptual qualities to differentiate between the third and fourth versions of the signal,   said comparing device further configured to compare said first signal feature selector's analysis with said second signal feature selector's analysis and to provide an indication of similarity in said first and second versions of the signal and an indication of similarity of said third and forth versions of the signal and to indicate differences in perceptual features between the indicated similarity of the first and second versions of the signal from the indicated third and fourth versions of the signal.   
     
     
         117 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein the third and fourth versions of the signal are an audiovisual or A/V signal or features derived therefrom. 
     
     
         118 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein the third and fourth versions of the signal are an audiovisual or A/V signal or features derived therefrom and wherein the audio or video portion have perceptible differences. 
     
     
         119 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein the third and fourth versions of the signal are an audiovisual or A/V signal or features derived therefrom and wherein the audio or video portion have bit-addressable differences. 
     
     
         120 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein the first and second versions of the signal are an audio signal or features derived therefrom. 
     
     
         121 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein said comparing device's indications of similarity are based upon said comparing device using at least one absolute error criteria and cognitive identification. 
     
     
         122 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein said first signal feature selector is configured to identify perceptual qualities comprising at least one of a psychoacoustic parameter and a psychovisual parameter. 
     
     
         123 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein said apparatus is further configured to perform lossy or lossless data compression to generate a signal abstract for a signal. 
     
     
         124 . The apparatus of  claim 116  wherein said first signal feature selector is configured to identify perceptual qualities comprising bit-addressable information. 
     
     
         125 . A method for analyzing content files for one or more of monitoring, identifying, and determining content file characteristics, comprising:
 1) measuring at least one perceptual feature from a set of perceptual features consisting of cognitive features, a perceptible characteristic; and bit-addressable differences thereof, for a first content file to provide a first measurement;   2) measuring at least one perceptual feature from the set of perceptual features consisting of cognitive features, a perceptible characteristic; and bit-addressable differences thereof, for a second content file to provide a second measurement;   3) associating said first measurement with said first content file;   4) associating said second measurement with said second content file;   5) computing at least one value based upon said first measurement and said second measurement;   6) comparing said first measurement to said second measurement.   
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 125  wherein said comparing comprises determining at least one of similarity; self-similarity, absolute error criteria, and cognitive identification. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 125  wherein said perceptible characteristic comprise at least one of a psychoacoustic feature and a psychovisual feature. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 125  wherein the said generating said at least one signal abstract comprises lossy or lossless data compression. 
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 125  wherein said perceptible characteristic comprises bit-addressable information. 
     
     
         130 . A computer program product comprising a tangible medium modified to store computer readable code, which, when implemented in a computer system, causes the computer system to perform the following method for analyzing content files for one or more of monitoring, identifying, and determining content file characteristics, comprising:
 1) measuring at least one perceptual feature from a set of perceptual features consisting of cognitive features, a perceptible characteristic; and bit-addressable differences thereof, for a first content file to provide a first measurement;   2) measuring at least one perceptual feature from the set of perceptual features consisting of cognitive features, a perceptible characteristic; and bit-addressable differences thereof, for a second content file to provide a second measurement;   3) associating said first measurement with said first content file;   4) associating said second measurement with said second content file;   5) computing at least one value based upon said first measurement and said second measurement;   6) comparing said first measurement to said second measurement.   
     
     
         131 . A computer program product of  claim 130  further comprising on said tangible medium computer readable code, which, when implemented in a computer system, causes the computer system to determine at least one of similarity; self-similarity, absolute error criteria, cognitive identification, of two content files. 
     
     
         132 . A computer program product of  claim 130  wherein said perceptual feature is a psychoacoustic and/or psychovisual feature. 
     
     
         133 . A computer program product of  claim 130  wherein said measuring comprises lossy or lossless data compression. 
     
     
         134 . A computer program product of  claim 130  wherein said perceptual features consist of bit-addressable information.