Audience measurement during a mute mode
First Claim
1. Apparatus for monitoring a program signal transmitted by a broadcast source, wherein an audio portion of the program signal is combined with a coded signal for transmission as a combined signal, said apparatus including a receiver and a monitoring unit,wherein at least a portion of said monitoring unit is portable and responds to the coded signal for collecting information about at least one of the program signal and broadcast source, andwherein the receiver comprises:
- a tuner for detecting the combination signal transmitted by the broadcasting source,a loudspeaker,a switch between said tuner and said loudspeaker having a first condition for passing signals from said tuner to said loudspeaker and a second condition for blocking signals from said tuner to said loudspeaker,an actuator responsive to a mute mode command and coupled to the switch for controlling the condition thereof such that the switch is in the first condition during a normal operating mode and in the second condition during a mute mode,a code detector for detecting the coded signal and coupled to said tuner, andbypass means controlled by said actuator and coupled to said code detector for passing the coded signal to the monitoring unit during the mute mode.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A monitoring apparatus which is operable during muting, even though it relies on audio to monitor program signals transmitted by broadcast sources. The monitoring is performed by transmitting a combined signal derived by adding a code to an audio program signal. During muting, the audio is inhibited by actuating a switch. However, the code is separated from the combined signal and routed so as to bypass the switch in order to enable the monitoring to continue.
64 Citations
4 Claims
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1. Apparatus for monitoring a program signal transmitted by a broadcast source, wherein an audio portion of the program signal is combined with a coded signal for transmission as a combined signal, said apparatus including a receiver and a monitoring unit,
wherein at least a portion of said monitoring unit is portable and responds to the coded signal for collecting information about at least one of the program signal and broadcast source, and wherein the receiver comprises: -
a tuner for detecting the combination signal transmitted by the broadcasting source, a loudspeaker, a switch between said tuner and said loudspeaker having a first condition for passing signals from said tuner to said loudspeaker and a second condition for blocking signals from said tuner to said loudspeaker, an actuator responsive to a mute mode command and coupled to the switch for controlling the condition thereof such that the switch is in the first condition during a normal operating mode and in the second condition during a mute mode, a code detector for detecting the coded signal and coupled to said tuner, and bypass means controlled by said actuator and coupled to said code detector for passing the coded signal to the monitoring unit during the mute mode. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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Specification