Data capture bridge

• US 20090169024A1
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Published: 07/02/2009
• 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: Zhang, James, Krug, William K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,930,003 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 381/58
• 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

A method and apparatus are provided for gathering research data indicating exposure to audio content to a user of an audio source device and an audio receiver device. The audio source device wirelessly transmits an audio signal containing the audio content. The audio receiver device receives an audio signal containing the audio content. The audio receiver device includes a speaker to output the audio content to be heard by the user. The apparatus includes a bridge device for wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device. The bridge device includes a speaker for outputting the audio content from the audio signal. The apparatus also includes a monitoring device acoustically coupled to the bridge device for monitoring the audio content output by the speaker of the bridge device, and generating research data identifying the audio content.

Claims

1. An apparatus for gathering research data indicating exposure to audio content to a user of an audio source device and an audio receiver device, the audio source device for wirelessly transmitting an audio signal containing the audio content, and the audio receiver device for receiving an audio signal containing the audio content and using a speaker to output the audio content to be heard by the user, the apparatus comprising:

a bridge device for wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device, the bridge device including a speaker for outputting the audio content from the audio signal; and

a monitoring device acoustically coupled to the bridge device for monitoring the audio content output by the speaker of the bridge device, and generating research data identifying the audio content.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device communicates with the audio source device and the audio receiver device using a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, or a wireless LAN protocol, or using an infrared data link or an inductive link.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio source device includes a wireless transmitter node for wirelessly transmitting the audio signal, the bridge device includes a wireless receiver node for receiving the audio signal transmitted by the audio source device, the bridge device further including a wireless transmitter node for transmitting an outgoing wireless audio signal containing the audio content to the audio receiver device, and the audio receiver device includes a wireless receiver node for receiving the outgoing wireless audio signal from the bridge device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device includes a wireless receiver node, a wireless transmitter node, and a processor, and wherein the wireless receiver node receives the audio signal from the audio source device and outputs a demodulated audio baseband signal to the processor, and wherein the processor transmits the demodulated audio baseband signal to the wireless transmitter node and to the speaker of the bridge device, the wireless transmitter node re-modulating the audio baseband signal for wireless transmission to the audio receiver device, and the speaker transducing the audio baseband signal to an acoustic output of the audio content.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device includes a wireless node that receives the audio signal from the audio source device and transmits the audio signal to the audio receiver device, the wireless node also outputting a demodulated audio baseband signal to the speaker of the bridge device, the speaker transducing the audio baseband signal to an acoustic output of the audio content.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio source device comprises a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a radio, a television, a game system, a computer, a GPS device, a DVD player, or a walkie-talkie.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio receiver device comprises a wireless headset, a wireless earphone, or a speaker system.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the monitoring device includes a microphone for transducing the audio content received from the speaker of the bridge device to an electrical signal, and a processor for processing the electrical signal to generate the research data identifying the audio content.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the monitoring device further includes a memory for storing the research data.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the monitoring device is configured to decode ancillary codes identifying the audio content or to extract audio signatures identifying the audio content.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device forms a sleeve in which the monitoring device is received.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device and the monitoring device are integrated in a single device.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the audio content comprises programs, music, or advertisements.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device includes a plurality of wireless transmitter nodes for wirelessly transmitting audio signals containing the audio content to a plurality of audio receiver devices.

43. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the bridge device wirelessly bridges a stereo audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device.

44. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the bridge device follows the A2DP protocol.

15. A method for gathering research data indicating exposure to audio content to a user of an audio source device and an audio receiver device, the audio source device for wirelessly transmitting an audio signal containing the audio content, and the audio receiver device for receiving an audio signal containing the audio content and using a speaker to output the audio content to be heard by the user, the method comprising:

(a) wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device;

(b) outputting the audio content from the audio signal; and

(c) monitoring the audio content output in (b) and generating research data identifying the audio content.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein wirelessly bridging the audio signal comprises wirelessly bridging the audio signal using a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, or a wireless LAN protocol, or using an infrared data link or an inductive link.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein wirelessly bridging the audio signal comprises wirelessly receiving the audio signal from the audio source device, generating a demodulated audio baseband signal from the received audio signal, re-modulating the audio baseband signal to an outgoing audio signal;

and wirelessly transmitting the outgoing audio signal to the audio receiver device.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising transducing the audio baseband signal to an acoustic output of the audio content.

19. The method of claim 15 wherein

wirelessly bridging the audio signal comprises receiving the audio signal from the audio source device and transmitting the audio signal to the audio receiver device, and

outputting the audio content from the audio signal comprises generating a demodulated audio baseband signal from the audio signal and transducing the audio baseband signal to an acoustic output of the audio content.

20. The method of claim 15 wherein the audio source device comprises a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a radio, a television, a game system, a computer, a GPS device, a DVD player, or a walkie-talkie.

21. The method of claim 15 wherein the audio receiver device comprises a wireless headset, a wireless earphone, or a speaker system.

22. The method of claim 15 wherein generating research data identifying the audio content comprises transducing the audio content to an electrical signal, and processing the electrical signal to generate research data identifying the audio content.

23. The method of claim 15 further comprising storing the research data.

24. The method of claim 15 further comprising transmitting the research data to a research organization.

25. The method of claim 15 wherein generating research data identifying the audio content comprises decoding ancillary codes identifying the audio content or extracting audio signatures identifying the audio content.

26. The method of claim 15 wherein the audio content comprises programs, music, or advertisements.

27. The method of claim 15 wherein wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device comprises pairing the audio source device to a bridge device, and pairing the bridge device to the audio receiver device.

28. The method of claim 15 further comprising wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to at least one additional audio receiver device.

45. The method of claim 15 wherein wirelessly bridging the audio signal comprises wirelessly bridging a stereo audio signal.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein wirelessly bridging a stereo audio signal comprises wirelessly bridging a stereo audio signal in accordance with the A2DP protocol.

29. A system for gathering research data indicating exposure to audio content to a user, comprising:

an audio source device for wirelessly transmitting an audio signal containing the audio content;

an audio receiver device including a speaker for outputting the audio content to be heard by the user;

a bridge device for wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device, the bridge device including a speaker for outputting the audio content from the audio signal; and

a monitoring device acoustically coupled to the bridge device for monitoring the audio content output by the speaker of the bridge device and generating research data identifying the audio content.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device communicates with the audio source device and the audio receiver device using a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, or a wireless LAN protocol, or using an infrared data link or an inductive link.

31. The system of claim 29 wherein the audio source device includes a wireless transmitter node for wirelessly transmitting the audio signal, the bridge device includes a wireless receiver node for receiving the audio signal transmitted by the audio source device, the bridge device further including a wireless transmitter node for transmitting an outgoing wireless audio signal containing the audio content to the audio receiver device, and wherein the audio receiver device includes a wireless receiver node for receiving the outgoing wireless audio signal from the bridge device.

32. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device includes a wireless receiver node, a wireless transmitter node, and a processor, and wherein the wireless receiver node of the bridge device receives the audio signal from the audio source device and outputs a demodulated audio baseband signal to the processor, and wherein the processor transmits the demodulated audio baseband signal to the wireless transmitter node of the bridge device and to the speaker of the bridge device, the wireless transmitter node re-modulating the audio baseband signal for wireless transmission to the audio receiver device, and the speaker transducing the audio baseband signal to an acoustic output.

33. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device includes a wireless node that receives the audio signal from the audio source device and transmits the audio signal to the audio receiver device, the wireless node also outputting a demodulated audio baseband signal to the speaker of the bridge device, the speaker transducing the audio baseband signal to an acoustic output.

34. The system of claim 29 wherein the audio source device comprises a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a personal digital assistant, a smart phone, a radio, a television, a game system, a notebook computer, a GPS device, a DVD player, or a walkie-talkie.

35. The system of claim 29 wherein the audio receiver device comprises a wireless headset, a wireless earphone, or a speaker system.

36. The system of claim 29 wherein the monitoring device includes a microphone for transducing the audio content received from the speaker of the bridge device to an electrical signal, and a processor for processing the electrical signal to identify the audio content.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the monitoring device further includes a memory for storing the research data.

38. The system of claim 29 wherein the monitoring device is configured to decode ancillary codes identifying the audio content or to extract audio signatures identifying the audio content.

39. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device forms a sleeve in which the monitoring device is received.

40. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device and the monitoring device are integrated in a single device.

41. The system of claim 29 wherein the audio content comprises programs, music, or advertisements.

42. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device includes a plurality of wireless transmitter nodes for wirelessly transmitting audio signals containing the audio content to a plurality of audio receiver devices.

47. The system of claim 29 wherein the bridge device wirelessly bridges a stereo audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device.

48. The system of claim 47 wherein the bridge device follows the A2DP protocol.