Methods and apparatus for automatic TV on/off detection

• US 10,205,939 B2
• Filed: 06/26/2017
• Issued: 02/12/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Liss, Michael Jordan, Horner, Richard Lee, Conklin, Charles Clinton, Vitt, James Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Flynn, Nathan J
• Assistant Examiner(s): Somera, Caroline
• Application Number:
  US15/633,394
• Publication Number:
  US 20170295364A1
• Time in Patent Office: 596 Days
• Field of Search: 348 18
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 35/005 Calibrating; Standards or reference devices, e.g. voltage or resistance standards, "golden" references G01R33/0035, G01R35/002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2330/021 Power management, e.g. power saving
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/04 Exchange of auxiliary data, i.e. other than image data, between monitor and graphics controller
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/004 for digital television systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/64 Constructional details of receivers, e.g. cabinets or dust covers furniture aspects of television cabinets A47B81/06

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to determine a power state of an information presentation device. The method includes measuring power drawn by the information presentation device during a calibration period to generate a log of measurement values, determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, respective counts indicating respective numbers of times respective different ones of the measurement values were detected during the calibration period, and determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first threshold based on at least one of the counts. The method also includes determining whether the presentation device is in an ON state based on a comparison of measured power drawn by the information presentation device after the calibration period to the first threshold.

Claims

1. A method to determine a power state of an information presentation device, the method comprising:

measuring power drawn by the information presentation device during a calibration period to generate a log of measurement values;

determining, by executing an instruction with a processor, a first count indicating a number of times a first one of the measurement values was detected during the calibration period, and a second count indicating a number of times a second one of the measurement values was detected during the calibration period;

identifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, first and second most frequently logged measurement values based on the first and second counts after expiration of the calibration period, the first count of the first most frequently logged measurement value is greater than the second count of the second most frequently logged measurement value;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, the second most frequently logged measurement value to be a first power state measurement;

calculating, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first threshold as a product of the first power state measurement and a first multiplier; and

determining whether the presentation device is in an ON state based on a comparison of (a) measured power drawn by the information presentation device after the calibration period to (b) the first threshold.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, further including selecting the first multiplier based on a value of the first power state measurement.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, further including:

designating the first most frequently logged measurement to be a second power state measurement when the calibration period is in a first mode; and

determining the second power state measurement to be a product of the first power state measurement and a second multiplier when the calibration period is in a second mode.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, further including:

calculating a second threshold as a product of the second power state measurement and a third multiplier, the third multiplier different than the first multiplier.

5. The method as defined in claim 4, further including:

identifying a difference between the first threshold and the second threshold; and

storing the first threshold and the second threshold when the difference between the first threshold and the second threshold is greater than an ON/OFF difference threshold.

6. The method as defined in claim 5, further including storing a previously calculated first threshold and second threshold when the difference between the first threshold and the second threshold is less than the ON/OFF difference threshold.

7. An apparatus to determine a power state of an information presentation device, the apparatus comprising:

a sensor to measure power drawn by the information presentation device during a calibration period to generate a log of measurement values;

a chart generator to determine a first count indicating a number of times a first one of the measurement values was detected during the calibration period, and a second count indicating a number of times a second one of the measurement values was detected during the calibration period;

a chart analyzer to identify first and second most frequently logged measurement values based on the first and second counts after expiration of the calibration period;

a power level calculator to determine the lesser valued measurement of the first and second identified measurements as a first power state measurement;

a threshold calculator to calculate a first threshold as a product of the first power state measurement and a first multiplier; and

a state detector to determine whether the presentation device is in an ON state based on a comparison of (a) measured power drawn by the information presentation device after the calibration period to (b) the first threshold.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the threshold calculator is to select the first multiplier based on the value of the first power state measurement.

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, further including:

a timer to identify whether the calibration period is in a first mode or a second mode; and

wherein;

the power level calculator to determine the greater valued measurement of the two identified measurements to be a second power state measurement when the calibration period is in the first mode; and

the power level calculator is to determine the second power state measurement to be a product of the first power state measurement and a third multiplier when the calibration period is in the second mode.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein the threshold calculator is further to calculate a second threshold as a product of a second power state measurement and a second multiplier, the second multiplier different than the first multiplier.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, further including:

a thresholds checker to compare the first threshold to the second threshold and to store the first threshold and the second threshold when a difference between the first threshold and the second threshold is greater than an ON/OFF difference threshold.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein the thresholds checker is to store a previously calculated first threshold and second threshold when the difference between the first threshold and the second threshold is less than the ON/OFF difference threshold.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the state detector is to determine whether the presentation device is in an OFF state based on a comparison of (a) measured power drawn by the information presentation device after the calibration period to (b) the second threshold.

14. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

measure power drawn by the information presentation device during a calibration period to generate a log of measurement values;

determine a first count indicating a number of times a first one of the measurement values was detected during the calibration period, and a second count indicating a number of times a second one of the measurement values was detected during the calibration period;

identify first and second most frequently logged measurement values based on the first and second counts after expiration of the calibration period, the first count of the first most frequently logged measurement value is greater than the second count of the second most frequently logged measurement value;

determine the second most frequently logged measurement value as a first power state measurement;

calculate a first threshold as a product of the first power state measurement and a first multiplier; and

determine whether the presentation device is in an ON state based on a comparison of (a) measured power drawn by the information presentation device after the calibration period to (b) the first threshold.

15. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 14, the instructions to cause the machine to, select the multiplier based on the value of the first power state measurement.

16. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 14, the instructions to cause the machine to, when the calibration period is in a first mode:

designate the second most frequently logged measurement value as a second power state measurement.

17. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 14, the instructions to cause the machine to, when the calibration period is in a second mode:

determine the second power state measurement as a product of the first power state measurement and a third multiplier.

18. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 14, the instructions to cause the machine to:

identify a difference between the first threshold and a second threshold; and

store the first threshold and the second threshold when the difference between the first threshold and the second threshold is greater than an ON/OFF difference threshold.

19. The non-transitory computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 18, the instructions to cause the machine to, when the difference between the first threshold and the second threshold is less than the ON/OFF difference threshold:

store a previously calculated first threshold and second threshold.