Identification of unknown altered versions of a known base media item

A device implementing an identification server, the device comprises:

• a processor;
• a memory coupled to the processor;
• the memory configured to implement a plurality of buffers;
• a processor configured to:
• obtain, at the identification server, first representations of broadcast content broadcast by a plurality of different media stations;
• store each of the first representations of broadcast content in separate buffers as buffered representations, wherein particular separate buffers are associated with particular media stations of the plurality of different media stations;
• receive, at the identification server, a second representation of media content captured by an end user device;
• perform comparisons in parallel between the second representation of media content and each of a plurality of the buffered representations to distinguish between a known base media item and unknown altered versions of the known base media item;
• and
• wherein the comparison of the first representations of broadcast content and the second representation of media content is performed without prior storage of the unknown altered versions of the known base media item by the identification server.

A non-transitory computer readable medium tangibly embodying a program of computer executable instructions, the program of computer executable instructions including:

• at least one instruction to obtain first representations of broadcast content broadcast by a plurality of different media stations;
• at least one instruction to store each of the first representations of broadcast content as buffered representations in separate buffers of a memory, wherein particular separate buffers are associated with particular media stations of the plurality of different media stations;
• at least one instruction to receive a second representation of media content captured by an end user device;
• at least one instruction to perform comparisons in parallel between the second representation of media content and each of a plurality of the buffered representations to distinguish between a known base media item and unknown altered versions of the known base media item;
• and
• wherein the comparison of the first representations of broadcast content and the second representation of media content is performed without prior storage of the unknown altered versions of the known base media item.