Source detection apparatus and method for audience measurement

• US 7,774,807 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2003
• Issued: 08/10/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Wheeler, Henry B., Lu, Daozheng
• Primary Examiner(s): Pendleton; Brian T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Saint Cyr; Jean D
• Application Number:
  US10/693,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088721A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,482 Days
• Field of Search: 725/19, 725/46, 725/21
• US Class Current: 725/21
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/39 for identifying broadcast space-time use of Electronic Programme Guides H04H60/72
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/41 for identifying broadcast space, i.e. broadcast channels, broadcast stations or broadcast areas
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/56 Arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition covered by groups H04H60/29-H04H60/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44222 Analytics of user selections, e.g. selection of programs or purchase activity monitoring of user selections in data processing systems G06F11/34; arrangements for monitoring the user's behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/173 with two-way working, e.g. subscriber sending a programme selection signal

Abstract

A system identifies which of first and second signal sources is supplying a program signal to a monitored receiver. The first and second signal sources and the monitored receiver are located in a household. The system extracts a reference program signature representative of an output of the monitored receiver and first and second source program signatures representative of an output of the first and second signal sources. The system identifies which of the first and second signal sources is a source of the program signal in response to the reference program signature and the first and second source program signatures.

Claims

1. A system for determining an operating mode of a recording/playing device comprising:

a first monitor configured to detect a first media signal output by a tuner configured to tune to a program signal;

a second monitor configured to detect a second media signal output by a recording/playing device configured to at least one of record and play a program;

a third monitor configured to detect a third media signal output by a receiver coupled to the recording/playing device;

a fourth monitor configured to detect a fourth signal that is a recording signal generated by the recording/playing device only during recording of the program to form a recorded program; and

a mode identifier coupled to the first, second, third, and fourth monitors and configured to identify an operating mode of the recording/playing device based on a comparison of the first and second media signals, a comparison of the second and third media signals, and a presence or absence of the fourth signal.

2. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify a record mode associated with the recording/playing device when the first media signal matches the second media signal and the fourth signal is present.

3. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify that the recorded program is received by the receiver when the second media signal matches the third media signal.

4. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify that the recorded program is not received by the receiver when the second media signal does not match the third media signal.

5. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify at least one of a play mode, a tune mode, a fast forward mode, a rewind mode, an off mode, or a receiver operating mode associated with the recording/playing device when the fourth signal is absent.

6. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify the play mode when the first media signal does not match the second media signal and the second media signal matches the third media signal.

7. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify at least one of the tune mode, the fast forward mode, or the rewind mode when the first media signal matches the second media signal and the second media signal matches the third media signal.

8. A system as defined in claim 7, wherein the tune mode comprises a mode associated with the recording/playing device tuning the receiver.

9. A system as defined in claim 5, wherein the mode identifier is configured to identify at least one of the off mode and the receiver operating mode when the first media signal does not match the second media signal and the second media signal does not match the third media signal.

10. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third media signals comprises at least one of a video signature or an audio signature.

11. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the mode identifier comprises an extractor configured to extract signatures associated with the first, second, and third media signals.

12. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the mode identifier comprises a correlator configured to correlate the signatures.

13. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the second, third, or fourth monitors comprises a non-invasive sensor.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein the non-invasive sensor comprises at least one of a microphone, a photodetector, or an inductive pickup.

15. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the first monitor is integrated with at least one of the second, third, or fourth monitors.

16. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the recording signal comprises an erase head signal.

17. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the recording/playing device comprises at least one of a video cassette recorder/player, a compact disc recorder/player, a digital video disc recorder/player, or an audio cassette recorder/player.

18. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein the receiver comprises at least one of a television receiver or a radio receiver.

33. A system as defined in claim 1, wherein at least one of the first, second, or third media signals comprises at least one of video content or audio content.

19. A method for determining an operating mode of a recording/playing device comprising:

monitoring for a first media signal output by a tuner configured to tune to a program signal;

monitoring for a second media signal output by a recording/playing device configured to at least one of record and play a program;

monitoring for a third media signal output by a receiver coupled to the recording/playing device;

monitoring for a fourth signal that is a recording signal generated by the recording/playing device only during recording of the program to form a recorded program; and

identifying an operating mode of the recording/playing device based on a comparison of the first and second media signals, a comparison of the second and third media signals, and a presence or absence of the fourth signal.

20. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein identifying the operating mode of the recording/playing device comprises identifying a record mode associated with the recording/playing device when the first media signal matches the second media signal and the fourth signal is present.

21. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein identifying the record mode associated with the recording/playing device comprises identifying that the recorded program is received by the receiver when the second media signal matches the third media signal.

22. A method as defined in claim 20, wherein identifying the record mode associated with the recording/playing device comprises identifying that the recorded program is not received by the receiver when the second media signal does not match the third media signal.

23. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein identifying the operating mode of the recording/playing device comprises identifying at least one of a play mode, a tune mode, a fast forward mode, a rewind mode, an off mode, or a receiver operating mode associated with the recording/playing device when the fourth signal is absent.

24. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein identifying the at least one of the play mode, the tune mode, the fast forward mode, the rewind mode, the off mode, or the receiver operating mode comprises identifying the play mode when the first media signal does not match the second media signal and the second media signal matches the third media signal.

25. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein identifying the at least one of the play mode, the tune mode, the fast forward mode, the rewind mode, the off mode, or the receiver operating mode comprises identifying at least one of the tune mode, the fast forward mode, or the rewind mode when the first media signal matches the second media signal and the second media signal matches the third media signal.

26. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein the tune mode comprises a mode associated with the recording/playing device tuning the receiver.

27. A method as defined in claim 23, wherein identifying the at least one of the play mode, the tune mode, the fast forward mode, the rewind mode, the off mode, or the receiver operating mode comprises identifying at least one of the off mode or the receiver operating mode when the first media signal does not match the second media signal and the second media signal does not match the third media signal.

28. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein identifying the operating mode of the recording/playing device comprises:

extracting signatures associated with the first, second, and third media signals; and

correlating the signatures.

29. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein at least one of the first, second, and third media signals, or the recording signal comprises at least one of a video signature, an audio signature, or a non-invasive signal.

30. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the recording signal comprises an erase head signal.

31. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the recording/playing device comprises at least one of a video cassette recorder/player, a compact disc recorder/player, a digital video disc recorder/player, or an audio cassette recorder/player.

32. A method as defined in claim 19, wherein the receiver comprises at least one of a television receiver or a radio receiver.