Audience Measurement System Utilizing Voice Recognition Technology

• US 20110004474A1
• Filed: 07/02/2009
• Published: 01/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Nuance Communications, Inc. (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kottawar, Saidas T., Macias, Mike V., Gandhi, Salil P., Mahajan, Sandip D., Bansal, Ravi P.
• Application Number:
  US12/496,860
• Publication Number:
  US 20110004474A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/246
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 17/00 Speaker identification or verification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users

Abstract

A method, a system, and a computer program product for determining a total count of audience members within a sensory receiving environment during the presentation of a program. A voice recognition unit is enabled when a signal for a program/subject/event, such as a broadcast program, is received. The voice recognition unit receives one or more sounds in the sensory receiving environment and analyzes the characteristics of the sounds. When one or more unique human voices are identified during the program, a count of the number of unique human voices is determined. The count of unique human voices is transmitted to a server, whereby the count of unique human voices is equal to a count of audience members. The total count of audience members is calculated for all sensory receiving environment associated with the program. An audience analysis graphical user interface is generated to display the total count of audience members.

Claims

1. In a data processing device having a processor and a voice capture and recognition unit coupled to the processor, a processor-implemented method for determining a total count of audience members in a sensory receiving environment, said method comprising:

detecting, via the voice capture and recognition unit, one or more human voices in the sensory receiving environment;

identifying each unique human voice among the one or more human voices;

determining a number of unique human voices detected in the sensory receiving environment; and

outputting the number of unique human voices as a count of audience members.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating the sensory receiving environment with one or more of a subject and event;

determining the count of unique human voices within the sensory receiving environment associated with one or more of the subject and the event;

receiving the count of audience members from multiple sensory receiving environments;

calculating a total count of audience members received from multiple sensory receiving environments having one or more of a same subject and a same event associated therewith; and

dynamically updating the total count of audience members for one or more of the same subject and the same event across the multiple sensory receiving environments when one or more new unique human voices are detected within one or more of the multiple sensory receiving environments.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

tracking an amount of time one or more of the subject and event is outputted within the sensory receiving environment;

initiating the count of unique human voices when one or more of the subject and event is output at least a predefined minimum amount of time; and

when one or more of a new subject and a new event is associated with the sensory receiving environment, resetting the count of audience members; and

associating a subsequent count of audience members to one or more of the new subject and the new event.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said outputting further comprises generating a graphical user interface (GUI), and displaying the total count of audience members within the GUI.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

storing the total count of audience members in a database;

automatically modifying the total count of audience members within the database when a new unique human voice is detected;

dynamically updating content displayed within the GUI when the total count of audience members within the database is modified;

when output of one or more of the new subject and new event is detected, for a predefined amount of time, the audience member count is dynamically reset; and

initiating a new count of the audience members for one or more of the new subject and the new event.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein said dynamically updating content displayed within the GUI further comprises updating a date, a time, an event listing, and the total count of the audience members.

7. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

displaying one or more of a past event listing, a current event listing, the total count of audience members, and a future event listing within the GUI, wherein all current and previously outputted events are displayed with an audience count calculated when one or more of the subject and event is output.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said identifying further comprises analyzing one or more of a time, a frequency, and an amplitude associated with one or more human voices to identify the unique human voice.

9. A computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

program code on the computer readable storage medium that when executed by a processor provides the functions of;

detecting, via the voice capture and recognition unit, one or more human voices in the sensory receiving environment;

identifying each unique human voice among the one or more human voices;

determining a number of unique human voices detected in the sensory receiving environment; and

outputting the number of unique human voices as a count of audience members.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, further comprising program code for:

associating the sensory receiving environment with one or more of a subject and event;

determining the count of unique human voices within the sensory receiving environment associated with one or more of the subject and the event;

receiving the count of audience members from multiple sensory receiving environments;

calculating a total count of audience members received from multiple sensory receiving environments having one or more of a same subject and a same event associated therewith;

dynamically updating the total count of audience members for one or more of the same subject and the same event across the multiple sensory receiving environments when one or more new unique human voices are detected within one or more of the multiple sensory receiving environments;

tracking an amount of time one or more of the subject and event is outputted within the sensory receiving environment;

initiating the count of unique human voices when one or more of the subject and event is output at least a predefined minimum amount of time; and

when one or more of a new subject and a new event is associated with the sensory receiving environment, resetting the count of audience members; and

associating a subsequent count of audience members to one or more of the new subject and the new event.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said outputting further comprises program code for generating a graphical user interface (GUI), and displaying the total count of audience members within the GUI.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, further comprising code for:

storing the total count of audience members in a database;

automatically modifying the total count of audience members within the database when a new unique human voice is detected;

dynamically updating content displayed within the GUI when the total count of audience members within the database is modified;

when output of one or more of the new subject and new event is detected, for a predefined amount of time, the audience member count is dynamically reset;

initiating a new count of the audience members for one or more of the new subject and the new event;

updating a date, a time, an event listing, and the total count of the audience members; and

displaying one or more of a past event listing, a current event listing, the total count of audience members, and a future event listing within the GUI, wherein all current and previously outputted events are displayed with an audience count calculated when one or more of the subject and event is output.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, wherein said dynamically updating content displayed within the GUI further comprises program code for updating a date, a time, an event listing, and the total count of the audience members.

14. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein said identifying further comprises program code for analyzing one or more of a time, a frequency, and an amplitude associated with one or more human voices to identify the unique human voice.

15. An electronic device comprising:

a processor component;

a voice capture and recognition unit;

a network communication device; and

a utility executing on the processor component and which comprises codes that enables completion of the functions of;

detecting, via the voice capture and recognition unit, one or more human voices in the sensory receiving environment;

identifying each unique human voice among the one or more human voices;

determining a number of unique human voices detected in the sensory receiving environment; and

outputting the number of unique human voices as a count of audience members.

16. The electronic device of claim 15, said utility further comprising processing code for:

associating the sensory receiving environment with one or more of a subject and event;

determining the count of unique human voices within the sensory receiving environment associated with one or more of the subject and the event;

receiving the count of audience members from multiple sensory receiving environments;

calculating a total count of audience members received from multiple sensory receiving environments having one or more of a same subject and a same event associated therewith;

dynamically updating the total count of audience members for one or more of the same subject and the same event across the multiple sensory receiving environments when one or more new unique human voices are detected within one or more of the multiple sensory receiving environments;

tracking an amount of time one or more of the subject and event is outputted within the sensory receiving environment;

initiating the count of unique human voices when one or more of the subject and event is output at least a predefined minimum amount of time; and

when one or more of a new subject and a new event is associated with the sensory receiving environment, resetting the count of audience members; and

associating a subsequent count of audience members to one or more of the new subject and the new event.

17. The electronic device of claim 15, said utility for outputting further comprises processing code for generating a graphical user interface (GUI), and displaying the total count of audience members within the GUI.

18. The electronic device of claim 17, said utility further comprising processing code for:

storing the total count of audience members in a database;

automatically modifying the total count of audience members within the database when a new unique human voice is detected;

dynamically updating content displayed within the GUI when the total count of audience members within the database is modified;

when output of one or more of the new subject and new event is detected, for a predefined amount of time, the audience member count is dynamically reset;

initiating a new count of the audience members for one or more of the new subject and the new event;

updating a date, a time, an event listing, and the total count of the audience members; and

displaying one or more of a past event listing, a current event listing, the total count of audience members, and a future event listing within the GUI, wherein all current and previously outputted events are displayed with an audience count calculated when one or more of the subject and event is output.

19. The electronic device of claim 18, wherein said utility for dynamically updating content displayed within the GUI further comprises processing code for updating a date, a time, an event listing, and the total count of the audience members.

20. The electronic device of claim 15, wherein said utility for identifying further comprises processing code for analyzing one or more of a time, a frequency, and an amplitude associated with one or more human voices to identify the unique human voice.