Cold matching by automatic content recognition

A system comprising:

• data processing hardware;
• and
• memory hardware in communication with the data processing hardware, the memory hardware storing instructions that when executed on the data processing hardware cause the data processing hardware to perform operations including:
• receiving broadcast fingerprints indicative of sequential broadcast frames of a broadcast media stream, the sequential broadcast frames corresponding to a first time period of the broadcast media stream,
• compiling a search block of media device fingerprints indicative of sequential media device frames of a media device stream provided for viewing at a media device, the sequential media device frames of the search block corresponding to a second time period of the media device stream, the second time period being shorter than the first time period,
• comparing (i) the search block of the media device fingerprints indicative of the sequential media device frames corresponding with the second time period of the media device stream with (ii) the broadcast fingerprints indicative of the sequential broadcast frames corresponding to the first time period of the broadcast media stream,
• establishing, based on the comparing, a match correlation between at least one media device fingerprint of the search block and at least one of the broadcast fingerprints, wherein the at least one media device fingerprint corresponds with at least one of the media device frames, and wherein the at least one broadcast fingerprint corresponds with at least one of the broadcast frames, and
• determining, based on the established match correlation, that the at least one media device frame has metadata corresponding with the at least one broadcast frame, the metadata comprising a broadcast channel identification and frame location.

A non-transitory memory storing program instructions executable by a processor to carry out operations including:

• receiving broadcast fingerprints indicative of sequential broadcast frames of a broadcast media stream, the sequential broadcast frames corresponding to a first time period of the broadcast media stream,
• compiling a search block of media device fingerprints indicative of sequential media device frames of a media device stream provided for viewing at a media device, the sequential media device frames of the search block corresponding to a second time period of the media device stream, the second time period being shorter than the first time period,
• comparing (i) the search block of the media device fingerprints indicative of the sequential media device frames corresponding with the second time period of the media device stream with (ii) the broadcast fingerprints indicative of the sequential broadcast frames corresponding to the first time period of the broadcast media stream,
• establishing, based on the comparing, a match correlation between at least one media device fingerprint of the search block and at least one of the broadcast fingerprints, wherein the at least one media device fingerprint corresponds with at least one of the media device frames, and wherein the at least one broadcast fingerprint corresponds with at least one of the broadcast frames, and
• determining, based on the established match correlation, that the at least one media device frame has metadata corresponding with the at least one broadcast frame, the metadata comprising a broadcast channel identification and frame location.