Rules driven pan id metadata routing system and network

Abstract

Content objects are associated with metadata via content identifiers that are derived from sensed signals captured by requesting mobile devices. In response to a content based query from a mobile device, content fingerprints and extracted digital codes decoded from the sensed signals are issued to a network based router system. This system determines identification priority, metadata responses associated with different forms of identification, and priority of metadata responses to the query.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A system for providing metadata responses for objects in response to a requesting device, the system comprising:
 a fingerprint handler for receiving fingerprints extracted from an audio or image signal sensed from a mobile device sensor of the requesting device, the handler in communication with a first database for obtaining a content ID corresponding to the fingerprints, and one or more metadata responses corresponding to the content ID;   a handler for receiving a digital code extracted from the audio or image signal sensed from the mobile device sensor, the handler in communication with a second database for obtaining one or more metadata responses corresponding to the digital code;   a rules processor for processing rules associated with the content ID and digital code, and for determining priority of metadata response to be provided to a requesting mobile device; and   a response aggregator for forming a metadata response based on output of the rules processor, and for providing an aggregated metadata response for presentation on the requesting device.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the fingerprints comprise sub-fingerprints taken from portions of the audio or image signal, the sub-fingerprints linking to the content ID. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further including a fingerprint calculator for receiving the portions of the audio or image signal and computing the sub-fingerprints from the portions of the signal. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the digital code comprises a digital identifier conveying a second content ID extracted from a digital watermark embedded in the audio or image signal. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  including:
 a first registration interface for receiving electronic registration of the content ID and the one or more metadata responses, and a content signal version of the audio or image signal for registering fingerprints of the content signal in the first database; and 
 a first fingerprint calculator in communication with the first registration interface to receive the content signal and calculate fingerprints of the content signal for registration in the first database. 
 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  including a second registration interface configured to receive the digital code and register the digital code in the second database. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the rule processor is configured to determine, in response to a metadata request, types of content IDs to be extracted from the signal, and provide an instruction to be sent to the requesting mobile device specifying the types of content IDs. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1  wherein the rule processor is configured to determine priority of metadata response based on priority of content ID and digital code. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  including:
 plural different registration interfaces for registering different content ID types for the audio or image signal; and wherein the rules processor is configured to determine priority of metadata response among the different content ID types. 
 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  including:
 plural different fingerprint handlers, each of the plural different fingerprint handlers having a corresponding database; 
 plural different handlers for processing corresponding digital codes of different types extracted from the audio or image signal; and 
 wherein the rule processor is configured to determine priority of metadata response among metadata responses obtained by one of the fingerprint handlers relative to one of the handlers for processing the digital codes of different types. 
 
     
     
         11 . A method for providing metadata responses for objects in response to a requesting device, the method comprising:
 in a network based resolver system, comprising one or more processors, executing on the one or processors, acts of:   in response to receiving for registration in the router system a content object, calculating sub-fingerprints for audio or image portions of the content object;   assigning a content ID to the sub-fingerprints in a first database;   assigning a digital code to be encoded on the content object in second database;   receiving fingerprints extracted from an audio or image signal sensed from a mobile device sensor of the requesting device;   from the first database, obtaining a content ID corresponding to the fingerprints, and one or more metadata responses corresponding to the content ID;   receiving the digital code extracted from the audio or image signal sensed from the mobile device sensor;   from the second database, obtaining one or more metadata responses corresponding to the digital code;   processing rules associated with the content ID and digital code, and determining priority of metadata response to be provided to a requesting mobile device; and   forming a metadata response based on output of the processing of the rules, and for providing an aggregated metadata response for presentation on the requesting device.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the digital code comprises a digital identifier conveying a second content ID extracted from a digital watermark embedded in the audio or image signal. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the processing of the rules comprises, determining, in response to a metadata request, types of content IDs to be extracted from the signal, and providing an instruction to be sent to the requesting mobile device specifying the types of content IDs. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the processing of the rules comprises determining priority of metadata response based on priority of content ID and digital code. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 :
 providing plural different registration interfaces for registering different content ID types for the audio or image signal; and wherein the processing of rules comprises determining priority of metadata response among the different content ID types.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  including:
 providing plural different fingerprint handlers, each of the plural different fingerprint handlers having a corresponding database; 
 providing plural different handlers for processing corresponding digital codes of different types extracted from the audio or image signal; and 
 wherein the processing of rules comprises determining priority of metadata response among metadata responses obtained by one of the fingerprint handlers relative to one of the handlers for processing the digital codes of different types.