Method and apparatus for identifying media content presented on a media playing device

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a method of identifying media content presented on a client media player, said method comprising:

• creating an analytical representation from a segment of media content of a recording presented on said client media player, wherein said media content is audio data for a song, said segment of said media content is a predetermined portion of said media content present on said media player and said analytical representation is a digital fingerprint of said segment measuring acoustical/perceptual features of said segment;
• comparing said analytical representation to a collection of analytical representation of reference sampled media content to obtain content-related data from said collection of analytical representations of reference sampled media content wherein said content related data includes at least one of a group consisting of a title of said song, an artist name of an artist performing said song;
• and
• presenting said content-related data on said client media player.

In a network having at least on client media player operatively coupled for communication with a lookup server, a system for identifying media content presented on the client media player comprising:

• a client engine executing within the client media player, said client engine structured and configured to create an analytical representation from a segment of media content of a recording presented on said client media player, wherein the media content is audio data for a song played on said client media player and communicate said sample to said lookup server wherein said segment of said media content is a predetermined portion of said media content present on said media player and said analytical representation is a digital fingerprint of said segment measuring acoustical/perceptual features of said segment;
• a collection of analytical representation of reference sampled media content containing a plurality of analytical representations of sampled media content, each associated with corresponding content-specific information including at one from the group consisting of title of a song, an artist performing said song, and an title of an album including said song;
• and
• a server engine executing with said lookup server connected to said collection of analytical representation of sampled media content, said server engine structured and configured to receive said analytical representation from said client media player and compare said received analytical representation with said plurality analytical representations of sampled to media content in said collection of analytical representations of reference sampled media content to query and ascertain content-specific information related to said received analytical representation, said server engine further structured and configured to transmit said content-specific information to said client media player.

In a network having at least on client media player operatively coupled for communication with a lookup server, a client engine executing within the client media player for identifying media content presented on the client media player comprising:

• an interrupt unit structured and configured to monitor the client media player for media content presented thereon, wherein said media content is audio data for a song;
• a sampling unit structured and configured to generate an analytical representation of segment from media content of a recording presented on said client media player, wherein the media content is data of a recording from said media content monitored by said interrupt unit and transmit said analytical representation to said lookup server wherein said segment of said media content is a predetermined portion of said media content present on said media player and said analytical representation is a digital fingerprint of said segment measuring acoustical/perceptual features of said segment;
• and
• a user interface structured and configured to receive content information related to said analytical representation from said lookup server and presenting said content information is at least one from a group consisting of a title of said song, an artist performing said song, and an album including said song.

In a network having at least on client media player operatively coupled for communication with a lookup server, a server engine executing within the lookup server for identifying media content presented on the client media player comprising:

• a collection of analytical representations of reference sampled media content containing a plurality of analytical representations of sampled media content wherein said media content is a song, each associated with corresponding content-specific information;
• and
• a lookup unit coupled to said collection of analytical representations of reference sampled media content, said lookup unit structured and configured to receive an analytical representation from a segment of media content of a recording presented on said client media player, wherein the media content is data for a song played on said client media player, said segment of said media content is a predetermined portion of said media content present on said media player and said analytical representation is a digital fingerprint of said segment measuring acoustical/perceptual features of said segment and compare said received analytical representation with said plurality of analytical representations of sampled media content in said collection of analytical representations of reference sampled media content to query and ascertain content information related to said received analytical representation wherein said content information is at least one from a group consisting of a title of said song, a name of an artist performing said song, and a title of an album including said song, said server engine further structured and configured to transmit said content information to said client media player.