Metadata acquisition using embedded watermarks

A server device, comprising:

• at least one processor;
• a non-transitory data storage device configured to store one or more of metadata or interactive multimedia content;
• and
• a memory, comprising processor executable code, the processor executable code when executed by one of the at least one processor configures to server device to:
• receive a query at a metadata server, the query having been initiated by a requesting device coupled to a network, the query including an interval code having been obtained from a watermark message embedded in the multimedia content, the metadata server identifiable by an Internet Protocol (IP) address obtained based on a server code of the watermark message embedded in the multimedia content;
• and
• transmit a response to the query based on information in the received query including the server code and the interval code, the response comprising at least a portion of metadata including an Interval Start Time indicative of a starting time of a particular segment of the multimedia content that carries the interval code and at least one of the following:
• a service identification value indicative of a service associated with at least one watermarked segment of the multimedia content;
• an activation time value indicative of a starting time at which an application or service associated with the multimedia content is available for activation;
• a next query time value indicative of an earliest time at which a new query for an event or service is permitted to occur;
• or
• a next query slack indicative of a time duration during which a new query is allowed to occur.

A computer program product, embodied on one or more non-transitory computer readable media, comprising:

• program code for receiving a query at a metadata server, the query having been initiated by a requesting device coupled to a network, the query including an interval code having been obtained from a watermark message embedded in the multimedia content, the metadata server identifiable by an Internet Protocol (IP) address obtained based on a server code of the watermark message embedded in the multimedia content;
• and
• program code for transmitting a response to the query based on information in the received query including the server code and the interval code, the response comprising at least a portion of metadata including an Interval Start Time indicative of a starting time of a particular segment of the multimedia content that carries the interval code and at least one of the following:
• a service identification value indicative of a service associated with at least one watermarked segment of the multimedia content;
• an activation time value indicative of a starting time at which an application or service associated with the multimedia content is available for activation;
• a next query time value indicative of an earliest time at which a new query for an event or service is permitted to occur;
• or
• a next query slack indicative of a time duration during which a new query is allowed to occur.