Using cross-matching between users and matching against reference data to facilitate content identification

Abstract

Techniques for identifying video and/or audio content are presented. An identification management component (IMC) groups users determined to be at least potentially be watching the same content based on first content fingerprints associated with respective content viewed by the users on communication devices, and a defined matching criterion. IMC facilitates identifying the content associated with the group of users based on first content fingerprints associated with the group of users and first reference content fingerprints. IMC receives a second content fingerprint associated with a communication device of a user in the group, sends the second content fingerprint to a third-party identification component for comparison with second reference content fingerprints, and receives content identification information in response. IMC identifies the content for the group of users based on the content identification information and/or the content identification made based on the first content fingerprints associated with the group.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for identifying content, the method comprising:
 receiving, using a hardware processor, a first fingerprint associated with a first media content item;   determining, using the hardware processor, that the first fingerprint matches a subset of reference content fingerprints from a plurality of reference content fingerprints that are associated with reference media content items;   determining, using the hardware processor, that a first reference content fingerprint from the subset of reference content fingerprints matches the first fingerprint in comparison with other reference content fingerprints in the subset of reference content fingerprints; and   identifying, using the hardware processor, the first media content item based on information associated with the first reference content fingerprint.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises determining that the first media content item is related to a reference media content item associated with the first reference content fingerprint by determining that characteristic components of a characteristic type match between a first group of characteristic components associated with the first fingerprint and a second group of characteristic components associated with the first reference fingerprint. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the determination that the first media content item is related to the reference media content item associated with the first reference content fingerprint includes determining that at least a predetermined number of characteristics components from the first group of characteristic components match the second group of characteristic components. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first media content item is being presented on a first device and the second media content item is being presented on a second device. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises identifying the first media content item based on the information associated with the first reference content fingerprint, wherein a confidence value is associated with the identification and wherein a reference content item associated with the first reference content fingerprint is identified in response to determining that the confidence value exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the method further comprises generating a subset of user accounts that includes a first user account associated with the first device and a second user account associated with the second device based on the determining that the confidence value exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the method further comprises:
 in response to determining that the confidence value does not exceed the predetermined threshold, requesting a second content fingerprint associated with the first media content item;   receiving, from the first device, the second content fingerprint associated with the first media content item; and   determining a second identity of the first media content item based on the second content fingerprint.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein determining the second identity of the first media content item further comprises comparing the second content fingerprint to the plurality of reference content fingerprints. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:
 transmitting, to a third device, the second content fingerprint; and   receiving, from the third device, the second identity of the first media content item.   
     
     
         10 . A system for identifying content, the system comprising:
 a memory; and   a hardware processor that, when executing computer-executable instructions stored in the memory, is configured to:
 receive a first fingerprint associated with a first media content item; 
 determine that the first fingerprint matches a subset of reference content fingerprints from a plurality of reference content fingerprints that are associated with reference media content items; 
 determine that a first reference content fingerprint from the subset of reference content fingerprints matches the first fingerprint in comparison with other reference content fingerprints in the subset of reference content fingerprints; and 
 identify the first media content item based on information associated with the first reference content fingerprint. 
   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to determine that the first media content item is related to a reference media content item associated with the first reference content fingerprint by determining that characteristic components of a characteristic type match between a first group of characteristic components associated with the first fingerprint and a second group of characteristic components associated with the first reference fingerprint. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the determination that the first media content item is related to the reference media content item associated with the first reference content fingerprint includes determining that at least a predetermined number of characteristics components from the first group of characteristic components match the second group of characteristic components. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the first media content item is being presented on a first device and the second media content item is being presented on a second device. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to identify the first media content item based on the information associated with the first reference content fingerprint, wherein a confidence value is associated with the identification and wherein a reference content item associated with the first reference content fingerprint is identified in response to determining that the confidence value exceeds a predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to generate a subset of user accounts that includes a first user account associated with the first device and a second user account associated with the second device based on the determining that the confidence value exceeds the predetermined threshold. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
 in response to determining that the confidence value does not exceed the predetermined threshold, request a second content fingerprint associated with the first media content item;   receive, from the first device, the second content fingerprint associated with the first media content item; and   determine a second identity of the first media content item based on the second content fingerprint.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein determining the second identity of the first media content item further comprises comparing the second content fingerprint to the plurality of reference content fingerprints. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:
 transmit, to a third device, the second content fingerprint; and   receive, from the third device, the second identity of the first media content item.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory computer-readable medium containing computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a hardware processor, cause the hardware processor to perform a method for identifying content, the method comprising:
 receiving a first fingerprint associated with a first media content item;   determining that the first fingerprint matches a subset of reference content fingerprints from a plurality of reference content fingerprints that are associated with reference media content items;   determining that a first reference content fingerprint from the subset of reference content fingerprints matches the first fingerprint in comparison with other reference content fingerprints in the subset of reference content fingerprints; and   identifying the first media content item based on information associated with the first reference content fingerprint.