Ultrasonic audience measurement system and method
First Claim
1. A method of identifying a number of people in a monitored area comprising the steps of:
- collecting a first reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area;
collecting a second reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area;
subtracting the first map from the second map to obtain a resulting map;
processing the resulting map to identify clusters having a minimum intensity;
calculating a weight coefficient of the identified clusters; and
comparing the calculated weight coefficients with predefined values.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Method and apparatus for identifying a number of people in a monitored area wherein a first reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area is collected that includes background objects. A second reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area is collected when people may be present in the monitored area. The first collected background defining map is subtracted from the second collected map to obtain a resulting map. The resulting map is processed to identify clusters having a minimum intensity. A cluster size of the thus identified clusters is utilized to identify clusters corresponding to people. The ultrasonic detecting method and apparatus is utilized with a wave signal receiver for identifying an audience composition of the receiver and determining the viewing habits of the public.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of identifying a number of people in a monitored area comprising the steps of:
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collecting a first reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area; collecting a second reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area; subtracting the first map from the second map to obtain a resulting map; processing the resulting map to identify clusters having a minimum intensity; calculating a weight coefficient of the identified clusters; and comparing the calculated weight coefficients with predefined values. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A system for identifying a number of people in a monitored area comprising:
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means for collecting a first reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area; means for collecting a second reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area; means for subtracting the first map from the second map to obtain a resulting map; means for processing the resulting map to identify clusters having a minimum intensity; means for calculating a weight coefficient of the identified clusters; and means for comparing the calculated weight coefficients with predefined values. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of determining the viewing/listening habits of the public by simultaneously identifying a signal being received by a receiver and the composition of the audience of the receiver comprising the steps of:
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detecting predetermined functional operational modes of the receiver; detecting a predetermined event; identifying a signal being received by the receiver responsive to said detected predetermined event; collecting a first reflected ultrasonic wave map of background objects in a monitored area of the receiver responsive to a predetermined operational mode of the receiver; collecting a second reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area responsive to said identified received signal; subtracting the first map from the second map to obtain a resulting map; processing the resulting map to identify a number of clusters having both a minimum intensity and a minimum weight coefficient; and storing the identified received signal, the number of the identified clusters, and the time of the second ultrasonic map collection. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A system for determining the viewing/listening habits of the public by simultaneously identifying a signal being received by a receiver and the composition of the audience of the receiver comprising:
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means for detecting predetermined functional operational modes of the receiver; means for detecting a predetermined event; means for identifying the signal being received by the receiver responsive to said detected predetermined event; means for collecting a first reflected ultrasonic wave map of background objects in a monitored area of the receiver responsive to a predetermined operational mode of the receiver; means for collecting a second reflected ultrasonic wave map of the monitored area responsive to said identified received signal; means for subtracting the first map from the second map to obtain a resulting map; means for processing the resulting map to identify a number of clusters having both a minimum intensity and a minimum weight coefficient; and means for storing the identified received signal, the number of the identified clusters, and the time of the second map collection. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification