METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETECT SPILLOVER IN AN AUDIENCE MONITORING SYSTEM
First Claim
1. A method to distinguish local media from spillover media comprising:
- sampling a first audio signal received by a first microphone;
sampling a second audio signal received by a second microphone, wherein the second microphone is separated from the first microphone by a first distance;
calculating, with a processor, a time delay between receipt of the first and second sampled audio signals;
determining, with the processor, whether the time delay is within a threshold time difference;
when the time delay is within the threshold time difference, identifying the media as local media; and
when the time delay exceeds the threshold time difference, identifying the media as spillover media.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus to detect spillover in an audience monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes sampling a first audio signal received by a first microphone. A second audio signal received by a second microphone is sampled. The second microphone is separated from the first microphone by a first distance. A time delay between receipt of the first and second sampled audio signals is calculated. Whether the time delay is within a threshold time difference is determined. When the time delay is within the threshold time difference, the media is identified as local media. When the time delay exceeds the threshold time difference, the media is identified as spillover media.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method to distinguish local media from spillover media comprising:
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sampling a first audio signal received by a first microphone; sampling a second audio signal received by a second microphone, wherein the second microphone is separated from the first microphone by a first distance; calculating, with a processor, a time delay between receipt of the first and second sampled audio signals; determining, with the processor, whether the time delay is within a threshold time difference; when the time delay is within the threshold time difference, identifying the media as local media; and when the time delay exceeds the threshold time difference, identifying the media as spillover media. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A tangible machine-readable storage medium comprising instructions which, when executed, cause a processor to at least:
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sample a first audio signal received by a first microphone; sample a second audio signal received by a second microphone, wherein the second microphone is separated from the first microphone by a first distance; calculate a time delay between receipt of the first and second sampled audio signals; determine whether the time delay is within a threshold time difference; when the time delay is within the threshold time difference, retain the media as local media; and when the time delay exceeds the threshold time difference, ignore the media as spillover media. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 20)
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18. An apparatus to distinguish local media from spillover media comprising:
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an audio sampler to sample a first audio signal received by a first microphone and sample a second audio signal received by a second microphone, wherein the second microphone is separated from the first microphone by a first distance; a direction detector to determine a time difference between receipt of the first and second sampled audio signals; and a filter to determine whether the time difference is within a threshold time difference, the filter to retain the media as local media when the time difference is within the threshold time difference, the filter to ignore the media as spillover media when the time difference exceeds the threshold time difference, at least one of the audio sampler, the direction detector, or the filter being implemented by hardware.
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Specification