End-point media watermarking

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, methods, and articles of manufacture related to end-point media watermarking are disclosed. An example device includes a media receiver to receive a media signal, a watermark generator to generate a watermark, a trigger to activate the watermark generator to generate the watermark based on an external input, an encoder to encode the media signal with the watermark to synthesize an encoded media signal, a media output to render the encoded media signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device comprising:
 a media receiver to receive a media signal;   a watermark generator to generate a watermark;   a trigger to activate the watermark generator to generate the watermark based on an external input;   an encoder to encode the media signal with the watermark to synthesize an encoded media signal; and   a media output to render the encoded media signal.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the external input is a command received by the device over a communication link. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 2 , wherein the command is received from an audience measurement entity. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the external input is a detection of a presence of a meter. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the meter is a wearable meter. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger is to deactivate the watermark generator after a period of time after receipt of the external input. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1  further including a feedback receiver to receive a quality indicator based on a level of watermarking detected by a meter. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the encoder is to modify the encoded media signal based on the quality indicator. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the quality indicator includes a value corresponding to a sparsity of detected watermarks and the encoder is to change a level of watermark encoding based on the value. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 1 , further including a watermark payload extractor to determine a watermark payload, the watermark payload based on a characteristic of the device. 
     
     
         11 . A non-transitory computer readable medium comprising computer readable instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors to, at least:
 generate a watermark in a media rendering device, the watermark to be generated for a media signal received by the media rendering device, the watermark generation triggered by an external input to the media rendering device;   encode the media signal with the watermark to synthesize an encoded media signal; and   present the encoded media signal to a user from the media rendering device.   
     
     
         12 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to deactivate the watermark generation after a period of time after receipt of the external input. 
     
     
         13 . The computer readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to receive a quality indicator based on a level of watermarking detected by a meter. 
     
     
         14 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions further cause the one or more processors to modify the encoded media signal based on the quality indicator. 
     
     
         15 . The computer readable medium of  claim 13 , wherein the quality indicator includes a value corresponding to a sparsity of detected watermarks and the instructions cause the one or more processors to change a level of watermark encoding based on the value. 
     
     
         16 . A device comprising:
 means for receiving a media signal;   means for generating a watermark;   means for activating the means for generating to generate the watermark based on an external input;   means for encoding the media signal with the watermark to synthesize an encoded media signal; and   means for rendering the encoded media signal.   
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 16 , wherein the means for activating is to deactivate the means for generating after a period of time after receipt of the external input. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 16 , further including means for receiving a quality indicator based on a level of watermarking detected by a meter. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the means for encoding is to modify the encoded media signal based on the quality indicator. 
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein the quality indicator includes a value corresponding to a sparsity of detected watermarks and the means for encoding is to change a level of watermark encoding based on the value.