Methods and apparatus to monitor a media presentation

• US 10,148,317 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2017
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Krug, William K., Zhang, James
• Primary Examiner(s): McCord, Paul
• Application Number:
  US15/477,711
• Publication Number:
  US 20170207822A1
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 700 94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to monitor a media presentation are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a housing defining a sleeve dimensioned to receive a monitoring device, the monitoring device to monitor the media presentation. The example apparatus includes a receiver carried by the housing to receive a first modulated audio signal from a media device via a wireless data connection using a wireless communication protocol, the first modulated audio signal associated with the media presentation, the receiver to output a baseband audio signal corresponding to the first modulated audio signal. The example apparatus includes a speaker carried by the housing to emit the baseband audio signal for receipt by the monitoring device within the sleeve. The example apparatus further includes a monitoring device to be received by the housing to receive the baseband audio signal from the speaker, and to generate research data identifying the media.

Claims

1. An apparatus for gathering research data indicating exposure to media, the apparatus comprising:

a housing dimensioned to receive a monitoring device, the monitoring device to monitor a media presentation;

a receiver carried by the housing to receive a first modulated audio signal via a wireless data connection from an audio source device using a wireless communication protocol, the first modulated audio signal associated with the media, the receiver to output a baseband audio signal corresponding to the first modulated audio signal;

a speaker carried by the housing to emit the baseband audio signal for receipt by the monitoring device; and

the monitoring device to be received by the housing to receive the baseband audio signal from the speaker, and to generate research data identifying the media.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the media device is a cellular phone.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a pairing button to cause the receiver to pair with the media device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol includes at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, a wireless LAN protocol, an infrared data link, or an inductive link.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device includes:

a microphone to receive the baseband audio signal from the speaker; and

a processor to generate research data identifying media associated with the media presentation based on the received baseband audio signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the monitoring device is to decode a code identifying the media or to extract an audio signature identifying the media from the baseband audio signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the speaker is oriented to emit the baseband audio signal in the housing towards a microphone of the monitoring device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media comprises at least one of a program, music, television, radio, or an advertisement.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol is an A2DP profile.

10. A method for gathering research data indicating exposure to media, the method comprising:

receiving a monitoring device within a sleeve formed by a housing;

receiving a first modulated audio signal at a receiver node within the housing from a media device external to the sleeve using a wireless communication protocol;

demodulating, with a processor carried by the housing, the first modulated audio signal to form a baseband audio signal;

emitting the baseband audio signal inside the sleeve using a speaker carried by the housing; and

generating, with the monitoring device, research data identifying based on the baseband audio signal received at a microphone of the monitoring device.

11. The method of claim 10, further including pairing the receiver with the media device.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating of the research data includes:

transducing the baseband audio signal received from the speaker to an electrical signal; and

processing the electrical signal to identify media.

13. The method of claim 12, further including transmitting an identifier of the media to a research organization.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the identifying of the media includes decoding a code or extracting an audio signature from the baseband audio signal.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the media comprises a program, music, video, or an advertisement.

16. A tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

receive a monitoring device within a sleeve formed by a housing;

receive a first modulated audio signal at a receiver node within the housing from a media device external to the sleeve using a wireless communication protocol;

demodulate the first modulated audio signal to form a baseband audio signal;

emit the baseband audio signal inside the sleeve using a speaker carried by the housing; and

generate research data identifying based on the baseband audio signal received at a microphone of the monitoring device.

17. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to pair the receiver node with the media device.

18. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

transduce the baseband audio signal received from the speaker to an electrical signal; and

process the electrical signal to identify media.

19. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 18, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to transmit an identifier of the media to a research organization.

20. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 18, wherein the identifying of the media includes decoding a code or extracting an audio signature from the baseband audio signal.

21. The tangible machine readable storage disk or storage device of claim 18, wherein the media comprises a program, music, video, or an advertisement.

22. An apparatus for gathering research data indicating exposure to media, the apparatus comprising:

first receiving means for receiving a monitoring device within a sleeve formed by a housing;

second receiving means for receiving a first modulated audio signal at a receiver node within the housing from a media device external to the sleeve using a wireless communication protocol;

means for demodulating the first modulated audio signal to form a baseband audio signal;

means for emitting the baseband audio signal inside the sleeve using a speaker carried by the housing; and

means for generating research data identifying based on the baseband audio signal received at a microphone of the monitoring device.

23. The apparatus of claim 22, further including means for pairing the receiver with the media device.

24. The apparatus of claim 22, wherein the generating of the research data includes:

means for transducing the baseband audio signal received from the speaker to an electrical signal; and

means for processing the electrical signal to identify media.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, further including means for transmitting an identifier of the media to a research organization.