A decorative wall system is provided that includes a number of panels that can be secured to an underlying wall and to one another in an overlapping configuration to provide a multi-layer, three-dimensional appearance to the wall. In one embodiment of the wall system, the system includes individual panels that include a decorative front surface and a rear surface. The rear surface includes undercuts along each side of the rear surface that can be positioned over the side edges of the front surface of an adjacent wall panel. The panels may each include an adhesive layer including compressible strings therein that assist the adhesive in holding the panel on a surface by forming a vacuum between the panel and the surface to which the panel is attached.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems to help disambiguate channel identification in a scenario where fingerprint data of media content being rendered by a media presentation device matches multiple reference fingerprints corresponding respectively with multiple different channels. Upon detecting such a multi-match, a server or other entity will perform disambiguation based at least in part on a comparison of time of broadcast of the media content being rendered by the media presentation device with time of broadcast of the media content represented by the reference fingerprints. The server or other entity will thereby determine the channel on which the media content being rendered by the media presentation device is arriving, so as to facilitate taking channel-specific action.

A computing system receives from a media presentation device a query fingerprint stream representing media content being presented by the media presentation device, where the query fingerprint stream has been determined to represent a first channel. The computing system then detects that a threshold mismatch exists between the received query fingerprint stream and a reference fingerprint stream representing the first channel, thus indicating a likelihood that the media presentation device has transitioned from presenting the first channel to presenting a second channel. Responsive to detecting the threshold mismatch, the system thus discontinues channel-specific action with respect to the first channel. For instance, the system could discontinue superimposing of first-channel-specific content on the presented media content and perhaps start superimposing of second-channel-specific content instead.

Disclosed herein are methods and systems to help disambiguate channel identification in a scenario where fingerprint data of media content being rendered by a media presentation device matches multiple reference fingerprints corresponding respectively with multiple different channels. Upon detecting such a multi-match, a server or other entity will perform disambiguation based at least in part on a comparison of time of broadcast of the media content being rendered by the media presentation device with time of broadcast of the media content represented by the reference fingerprints. The server or other entity will thereby determine the channel on which the media content being rendered by the media presentation device is arriving, so as to facilitate taking channel-specific action.

A plank and plank system for covering a wall or other surface is provided. Each longitudinally extending plank comprises a generally planar front façade and a back member. The back member comprises multiple plateaus interspersed with channels. Each plateau provides a flat surface that will be adjacent to the wall/surface when the plank is installed and onto which, optionally, a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape may be applied. The channels provide a predetermined location and predetermined holding capacity to regulate the location and amount of construction adhesive to be applied by a user. In an aspect of the invention, the channels also provide a degree of flexibility that allows the plank to adhere securely to the wall and that allows the depth of the plank to be greater than conventional wood wall covering panels.

A method and kit for installing siding panels to an exterior surface of a structure. The method and kit are directed to the positioning of a mending plate between the ends of horizontally adjacent siding panels. Lines of an adhesive are applied to the mending and the mending plate is disposed approximately midway between the ends of each of the adjacent first and second siding panels. Pressure is applied to the ends of the siding panels that are disposed over the respective portions of the mending plate thereby uniformly spreading the adhesive across the back surface of the siding panel and the mending plate to enhance the chemical bond of the adhesive once fully cured.

Disclosed are methods and systems involving location-based disambiguation of media channel identification, in a scenario where a fingerprint of media content being rendered by a media presentation device matches multiple reference fingerprints corresponding respectively with multiple different media channels. Upon detecting such a multi-match situation, a server or other entity will use a location of the media presentation device as a basis to disambiguate between the matching reference fingerprints and thus to determine the channel on which the media content being rendered by the media presentation device is arriving.

A plank and plank system for covering a wall or other surface is provided. Each longitudinally extending plank comprises a generally planar front façade and a back member. The back member comprises multiple plateaus interspersed with channels. Each plateau provides a flat surface that will be adjacent to the wall/surface when the plank is installed and onto which, optionally, a strip of pressure sensitive adhesive tape may be applied. The channels provide a predetermined location and predetermined holding capacity to regulate the location and amount of construction adhesive to be applied by a user. In an aspect of the invention, the channels also provide a degree of flexibility that allows the plank to adhere securely to the wall and that allows the depth of the plank to be greater than conventional wood wall covering panels.

A computing system will compare various reference fingerprints each representing a reference media stream broadcast on a different respective known channel, and the computing system will determine that a plurality of the reference fingerprints match each other, thus defining a multi-match group of the matching reference fingerprints. Further, the computing system will determine that a query fingerprint representing a media stream being rendered by a media presentation device matches the multi-match group, thus raising a question of which channel is carrying the media stream that is being rendered by the media presentation device. By considering one or more attributes of the query fingerprint, the server may then disambiguate and thereby determine the channel at issue, and the server may in turn take channel-specific action.

A computing system compares various reference fingerprints each representing a reference media stream broadcast on a different respective known channel, and the computing system determines that a plurality of the reference fingerprints match each other, thus defining a multi-match group of the matching reference fingerprints. In response, the computing system identifies a fingerprint feature that could define a distinction between the reference fingerprints, and the computing system resolves the multi-match based on the identified feature, thereby determining the channel carrying the media stream being rendered by the media presentation device. And the computing system could then take channel-specific action based on the determined channel.