METHODS AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL A STATE OF DATA COLLECTION DEVICES

• US 20130205311A1
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Arun, Topchy, Alexander Pavlovich, Besehanic, Jan, Soundararajan, Padmanabhan
• Application Number:
  US13/691,579
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205311A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 725/9
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/24 Monitoring of processes or resources, e.g. monitoring of server load, available bandwidth, upstream requests monitoring of server performance or load G06F11/34; arrangements for observation, testing or troubleshooting for broadcast or for distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/42201 biosensors, e.g. heat sensor for presence detection, EEG sensors or any limb activity sensors worn by the user input arrangements for interaction with the human body based on nervous system activity detection G06F3/015
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4223 Cameras H04N23/00 takes precedence
• 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 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4532 involving end-user characteristics, e.g. viewer profile, preferences monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections

Abstract

Methods and apparatus to control a state of data collection devices are disclosed. An example method includes generating a level of engagement based on an analysis of an audience associated with a media exposure environment; and controlling a state of a data collection device based on the level of engagement.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

generating a level of engagement based on an analysis of an audience associated with a media exposure environment; and

controlling a state of a data collection device based on the level of engagement.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein controlling the state of the data collection device comprises activating a first component of the data collection device and deactivating a second component of the data collection device.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein controlling the state of the data collection device comprises activating active data collection and deactivating passive data collection.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the level of engagement comprises calculating a likelihood a member of the audience is paying attention to a media presentation.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein controlling the state of the data collection device based on the level of engagement comprises:

comparing the level of engagement to a first threshold when a first number of people is detected in the media exposure environment; and

comparing the level of engagement to a second threshold different from the first threshold when a second number of people different from the first number of people is detected in the media exposure environment.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the level of engagement comprises aggregating a plurality of likelihoods of engagement associated with a plurality of audience members.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the level of engagement comprises analyzing at least one of an eye position by comparing a gaze direction of an audience member to a direct line of sight for the audience member.

9. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the level of engagement comprises determining whether an audience member is performing a gesture known to be associated with a video game system implemented in the environment.

10. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein generating the level of engagement comprises determining directional aspect of an audio signal detected in the environment in comparison to a position of a presentation device.

5. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein controlling the state of the data collection device based on the level of engagement comprises comparing the likelihood to a threshold.

11. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

generate a level of engagement based on an analysis of an audience associated with a media exposure environment; and

controlling a state of a data collection device based on the level of engagement.

12. A storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to control the state of the data collection device by activating a first component of the data collection device and deactivating a second component of the data collection device.

13. A storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to control the state of the data collection device by activating active data collection and deactivating passive data collection.

14. A storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to generate the level of engagement by calculating a likelihood that one or more members of the audience is paying attention to a media presentation.

15. A storage medium as defined in claim 14, wherein the instructions cause the machine to control the state of the data collection device based on the level of engagement by comparing the likelihood to a threshold.

16. A storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to control the state of the data collection device based on the level of engagement by:

comparing the level of engagement to a first threshold when a first number of people is detected in the media exposure environment; and

comparing the level of engagement to a second threshold different from the first threshold when a second number of people different from the first number of people is detected in the media exposure environment.

17. A storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to generate the level of engagement by aggregating a plurality of likelihoods of engagement associated with a plurality of audience members.

18. A storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the instructions cause the machine to generate the level of engagement by analyzing at least one of an eye position of an audience member, an eye movement of the audience member, a pose of the audience member, a gesture of the audience member, a posture of the audience member, a position of the audience member relative to a media presentation device, or audio information.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a calculator to generate a level of engagement associated with an audience of a media exposure environment;

a rule to specify a condition of the media exposure environment for a corresponding state for a data collection device monitoring the media exposure environment; and

a controller to set a state of the data collection device based on a comparison of the level of engagement and the rule.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein, when the level of engagement meets the rule, the controller is to restrict the data collection device from collecting a first type of information and to allow the data collection to collect a second type of information.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, wherein the first type of data information is image data and the second type of information is audio information.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the controller is to:

compare the level of engagement to a first threshold when a first number of people is detected in the media exposure environment; and

compare the level of engagement to a second threshold different from the first threshold when a second number of people different from the first number of people is detected in the media exposure environment.

23. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the comparison of the level of engagement and the rule comprises a comparison to a value of the level of engagement to a threshold.

24. An apparatus as defined in claim 19, further comprising a media detector to identify media presented in the media exposure environment, wherein the level of engagement is to be associated with the identified media.