Active system and method for remotely identifying RF broadcast stations
First Claim
1. A remote audience survey method for identifying RF broadcast stations to which radios are tuned, said radios having respective speakers coupled thereto, and said method comprising the steps of:
- broadcasting a radio frequency signal configured to cause one of said radios to emit an audio echo signal from its respective speaker, said speaker simultaneously electromagnetically radiating said audio echo signal; and
sensing said electromagnetically radiated audio echo signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A survey electronics package (32) of a survey system (10) includes a transmitter (36) and a receiver (38). The transmitter (36) transmits a survey signal which a radio (12) residing in a detection zone (14) receives and demodulates to generate an audio echo signal. The audio echo signal is magnetically radiated from a speaker (26) of the radio (12). The receiver (38) magnetically senses this magnetically radiated audio echo signal. A bandpass filter (48) in the receiver (38) and a correlation process (86) insure that only a valid audio echo signal is recorded. When the detection of a valid audio echo signal corresponds to a radio (12) tuned to a particular radio station, a record is made of the detection.
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Citations
26 Claims
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1. A remote audience survey method for identifying RF broadcast stations to which radios are tuned, said radios having respective speakers coupled thereto, and said method comprising the steps of:
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broadcasting a radio frequency signal configured to cause one of said radios to emit an audio echo signal from its respective speaker, said speaker simultaneously electromagnetically radiating said audio echo signal; and sensing said electromagnetically radiated audio echo signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A remote audience survey system for identifying RF broadcast stations to which radios are tuned, said radios having respective speakers coupled thereto, and said system comprising:
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a transmitter having a first antenna configured to transmit a radio frequency survey signal, said survey signal being configured to cause one of said radios to magnetically radiate an audio echo signal; a receiver having a second antenna configured to sense said magnetically radiated audio echo signal; and a controller, coupled to said transmitter and said receiver, said controller being configured to correlate said magnetically radiated audio echo signal to said survey signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. A remote audience survey system for identifying a radio station to which a radio located in a detection zone is tuned, said radio having a speaker coupled thereto, and said system comprising:
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a controller; a signal generator coupled to said controller and configured to generate a survey signal in response to control signals provided by said controller; a first antenna coupled to said signal generator, said first antenna broadcasting said survey signal in said detection zone to cause said radio to emit an audio echo signal from its speaker while simultaneously magnetically radiating said audio echo signal; a second antenna, said second antenna being configured to sense said magnetically radiated audio echo signal; a bandpass filter having an input coupled to said second antenna and having an output; and a detector having an input coupled to said bandpass filter and having an output coupled to said controller, wherein said controller is configured to correlate said magnetically radiated audio echo signal to said survey signal. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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Specification