Methods and apparatus to detect an operating state of a display based on visible light

• US 20060232575A1
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Christen V.
• Granted Patent: US 7,786,987 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/207
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/145 the light originating from the display screen
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/20 for presentation of an assembly of a number of characters, e.g. a page, by composing the assembly by combination of individual elements arranged in a matrix no fixed position being assigned to or needed to be assigned to the individual characters or partial characters
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to detect operating states of a display based on visible light are disclosed. An example device to detect an operating state of a display includes at least one optical sensor and a logic circuit. The at least one optical sensor is disposed to detect visible light emanating from a screen of the display and to convert the visible light into an electrical signal. The logic circuit is coupled to the at least one optical sensor to generate an output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal.

Claims

1. A device to detect an operating state of a display, the device comprising:

at least one optical sensor disposed to detect visible light emanating from a screen of the display and to convert the visible light into an electrical signal; and

a logic circuit coupled to the at least one optical sensor, the logic circuit being configured to generate an output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal.

2. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the display is one of a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a plasma display.

3. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one optical sensor comprises at least one of a photodetector.

4. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one optical sensor is disposed adjacent an edge of the screen.

5. The device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a processor coupled to the logic circuit, the processor being configured to associate a time stamp with the output signal from the logic circuit and to provide operating information associated with the display to a data collection facility.

6. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the operating state of the display comprises at least one of an on state and an off state.

7. The device as defined in claim 1, wherein the device is integrated into a set top box (STB).

8. The device as defined in claim 1 further comprising a transparent waveguide coupled to the optical sensor, the transparent waveguide being configured to relay visible light emanating from the screen of the display to the optical sensor.

9. A system to detect an operating state of a display comprising:

a display having a screen, the screen configured to emanate visible light; and

a display monitoring device disposed to detect visible light emanating from the screen, to convert the visible light into an electrical signal, and to generate an output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal.

10. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the display is one of a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a plasma display.

11. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the display monitoring device comprises at least one optical sensor disposed to detect visible light emanating from the screen and to convert the visible light into an electrical signal.

12. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the display monitoring device comprises at least one optical sensor disposed adjacent an edge of the screen.

13. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the display monitoring device comprises a logic circuit configured to generate an output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal.

14. A system as defined in claim 13 further comprising a processor coupled to the logic circuit, the processor being configured to associate a time stamp with the output signal from the logic circuit and to provide operating information associated with the display to a data collection facility.

15. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the operating state of the display comprises at least one of an on state and an off state.

16. A system as defined in claim 9, wherein the display monitoring device is integrated into a set top box (STB).

17. A method to detect an operating state of a display comprising:

monitoring for visible light emanated from a screen of the display;

converting the visible light from the screen to an electrical signal; and

generating an output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal.

18. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein the display is one of a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a plasma display.

19. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein monitoring for visible light emanated from the screen of the display comprises disposing at least one optical sensor adjacent an edge of the screen to detect the visible light emanating from the screen.

20. A method as defined in claim 17, wherein generating the output signal indicative of the operating state of the display comprises generating an output signal indicative of at least one of an on state and an off state of the display.

21. A method as defined in claim 17 further comprising associating a time stamp with the output signal.

22. A method as defined in claim 17 further comprising providing operating information associated with the display to a data collection facility.

23. A machine readable medium storing instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to:

monitor for visible light emanated from a screen of the display;

convert the visible light from the screen to an electrical signal; and

generate an output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal.

24. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the machine to monitor for visible light emanated from the screen of the display by monitoring for visible light emanated from a screen of one of a cathode ray tube (CRT) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), and a plasma display.

25. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 23, wherein the instructions cause the machine to generate the output signal indicative of the operating state of the display based on the electrical signal by generating an output signal indicative of at least one of an on state and an off state of the display.

26. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 23 further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to associate a time stamp with the output signal.

27. A machine readable medium as defined in claim 23 further comprising instructions, which when executed, cause a machine to provide operating information associated with the display to a data collection facility.