Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to provide media content are disclosed. Example apparatus disclosed herein include means for identifying primary media content presented on a first media presentation device. Disclosed example apparatus also include means for accessing a secondary content schedule associated with the primary media content. The secondary content schedule includes a plurality of secondary content items and time values associated with the secondary content items. The secondary content items are also associated with a loyalty value for a user of the first media presentation device. Disclosed example apparatus further include means for selecting one of the secondary content items to be accessed in response to a timestamp associated with the primary media content being between time values associated with the selected one of the secondary content items in the secondary content schedule.

A method and apparatus for recognizing and synchronizing to in-band data at a multimedia device is provided. A content stream includes in-band data. The in-band data is processed and in-band data pattern data associated with the content stream are created. Metadata are attached to the event identification data. The event identification data are provided to multimedia devices which receive broadcasted multimedia content streams containing video programs with in-band data. The in-band data are processed and compared to the event identification data. If a match occurs, the multimedia device uses the metadata to perform specified actions.

A method and apparatus for recognizing and synchronizing to in-band data at a multimedia device is provided. A content stream includes in-band data. The in-band data is processed and in-band data pattern data associated with the content stream are created. Metadata are attached to the event identification data. The event identification data are provided to multimedia devices which receive broadcasted multimedia content streams containing video programs with in-band data. The in-band data are processed and compared to the event identification data. If a match occurs, the multimedia device uses the metadata to perform specified actions.

Some examples include a computing device that receives media content to distribute to a plurality of electronic devices. The computing device may receive an indication of first data to relate to the media content for distribution to the plurality of electronic devices. A portion of the multimedia content may be decoded to enable a determination that the media content already has second data embedded in the media content. A psychoacoustic mask may be extracted from the media content and subtracted from the received media content to remove the embedded second data. The first data may be associated with the media content by either embedding third data in the media content, or by embedding the first data in the media content.

Some examples include a computing device that receives media content to distribute to a plurality of electronic devices. The computing device may receive an indication of first data to relate to the media content for distribution to the plurality of electronic devices. A portion of the multimedia content may be decoded to enable a determination that the media content already has second data embedded in the media content. A psychoacoustic mask may be extracted from the media content and subtracted from the received media content to remove the embedded second data. The first data may be associated with the media content by either embedding third data in the media content, or by embedding the first data in the media content.

Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermarking and watermark detection and extraction are disclosed. Example apparatus include means for transforming an audio signal into a frequency domain representation, and means for determining characteristics of frequencies of the frequency domain representation that may contain the code. In some examples, the means for determining is to normalize the characteristics of the frequencies of the frequency domain representation in respective ones of the code bands that may contain the code to determine normalized characteristics of the frequencies representative of the code, a respective one of the code bands that may contain the code to be normalized against a first characteristic of a first frequency in that code band; sum the normalized characteristics of the frequencies representative of the code; determine the sum is representative of the code when the sum satisfies a threshold; and validate the code based on an encoding scheme.

Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermarking and watermark detection and extraction are disclosed. Example apparatus include means for transforming an audio signal into a frequency domain representation, and means for determining characteristics of frequencies of the frequency domain representation that may contain the code. In some examples, the means for determining is to normalize the characteristics of the frequencies of the frequency domain representation in respective ones of the code bands that may contain the code to determine normalized characteristics of the frequencies representative of the code, a respective one of the code bands that may contain the code to be normalized against a first characteristic of a first frequency in that code band; sum the normalized characteristics of the frequencies representative of the code; determine the sum is representative of the code when the sum satisfies a threshold; and validate the code based on an encoding scheme.

The present disclosure describes an efficient computer-implemented near-field communication system and method based on broadcasting audio signals for dynamically providing context-related additional content to a mobile device. In embodiments of the present invention, the additional content is mapped to specific audio watermarks and/or triggering commands which are encoded together into a digital signal. Based on continuously scanning the received background noise, an exactly defined frequency range and volume is dynamically selected for broadcasting the signal. Hence, the encoded digital signal is further modulated into an audio signal in the exactly defined frequency range. In embodiments of the present invention, the selected exactly defined frequency range for transmitting the audio signal may preferably be located in the ultrasound and/or infrasound frequency range. In case of transmitting ultrasound signals, gyrosensors of the mobile device may be employed as audio signal receivers in embodiments of the present invention. Moreover, in further embodiments of the present invention, audio signal receiver of a mobile device such as gyrosensors or microphones may be switched on by transmitting a command via a wireless network such as Wifi or Bluetooth. Also the information about the selected frequency range and volume for broadcasting the audio signal may be provided to the mobile device via a wireless network in embodiments of the present invention. In response, an audio signal receiver of the mobile device may be tuned to the selected frequency range. The received audio signal is further processed on the mobile device so that the context-related additional content may be displayed and/or rendered.

Some examples include a computing device that receives media content to distribute to a plurality of electronic devices. The computing device may receive an indication of first data to relate to the media content for distribution to the plurality of electronic devices. A portion of the multimedia content may be decoded to enable a determination that the media content already has second data embedded in the media content. A psychoacoustic mask may be extracted from the media content and subtracted from the received media content to remove the embedded second data. The first data may be associated with the media content by either embedding third data in the media content, or by embedding the first data in the media content.

Some examples include a computing device that receives media content to distribute to a plurality of electronic devices. The computing device may receive an indication of first data to relate to the media content for distribution to the plurality of electronic devices. A portion of the multimedia content may be decoded to enable a determination that the media content already has second data embedded in the media content. A psychoacoustic mask may be extracted from the media content and subtracted from the received media content to remove the embedded second data. The first data may be associated with the media content by either embedding third data in the media content, or by embedding the first data in the media content.