Apparatus and methods for including codes in audio signals

• US 7,961,881 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Issued: 06/14/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Arbitron Inc. (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Graybill, Robert B., Lynch, Wendell D., Jensen, James M., Perelshteyn, Michael M., Sabin, Wayne, Hassan, Sayed
• Primary Examiner(s): Lanier; Benjamin E
• Application Number:
  US11/267,716
• Publication Number:
  US 20060222179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,048 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 380/252
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/14 for monitoring programmes
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/31 using in-band signals, e.g. subsonic or cue signal
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/13 Arrangements for device control affected by the broadcast information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/17 on recording information
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/40 for identifying broadcast time
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/44 for identifying broadcast stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/58 of audio determination or detection of speech characteristics in general G10L25/00; speech recognition in general G10L15/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/63 for services of sales data processing systems or methods specially adapted for electronic commerce G06Q30/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/66 for using the result on distributors' side
• CPC Class Codes: H04K 1/02 by adding a second signal to make the desired signal unintelligible
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/10 Frequency-modulated carrier systems, i.e. using frequency-shift keying H04L27/32 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 27/30 wherein each code element is represented by a combination of frequencies

Abstract

Apparatus and methods for including a code having at least one code frequency component in an audio signal are provided. The abilities of various frequency components in the audio signal to mask the code frequency component to human hearing are evaluated and based on these evaluations an amplitude is assigned to the code frequency component. Methods and apparatus for detecting a code in an encoded audio signal are also provided. A code frequency component in the encoded audio signal is detected based on an expected code amplitude or on a noise amplitude within a range of audio frequencies including the frequency of the code component.

Claims

1. A method for including a code having a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

producing a first code frequency component representing at least a portion of a first code symbol;

producing a second code frequency component representing at least a portion of a second code symbol separately from the first code frequency component;

assigning a respective amplitude to each of the first and second code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask the first and second code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal; and

including the first and second code frequency components in a simultaneous interval of the audio signal.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second code frequency components is initially generated so that its amplitude is selected for masking by the audio signal.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective amplitudes are assigned to the first and second code frequency components after the first and second frequency components are generated.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second frequency components are produced in response to data representing one symbol.

5. An apparatus for including a code having a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

means for producing a first code frequency component representing at least a portion of a first code symbol;

means for producing a second code frequency component, representing at least a portion of a second code symbol, separately from the first code frequency component;

means for assigning a respective amplitude to each of the first and second code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask the first and second code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal; and

means for including the first and second code frequency components in a simultaneous interval of the audio signal.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the means for producing the first and second frequency components are operative to produce the first and second code frequency components in response to data representing one symbol.

7. An apparatus for including a code having a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

a processor operative to produce a first code frequency component representing at least a portion of a first code symbol and a second code frequency component, representing at least a portion of a second code symbol, separate from the first code frequency component and to assign a respective amplitude to each of the first and second code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask the first and second code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal; and

a combiner operative to receive the first and second code frequency components and to combine the first and second code frequency components in a simultaneous interval of the audio signal.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the processor is operative to produce the first and second code frequency components in response to data representing one symbol.

9. An apparatus for including a code having a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

a processor having an input to receive an audio signal and operative to produce a first code frequency component representing at least a portion of a first code symbol and a second code frequency component, representing at least a portion of a second code symbol, separate from the first code frequency component, to assign a respective amplitude to each of the first and second code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask the first and second code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal, and to combine the first and second code frequency components in a simultaneous interval of the audio signal to produce an encoded audio signal;

the processor having an output to provide the encoded audio signal.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the processor is operative to produce the first and second code frequency components in response to data representing one symbol.

11. A method for including a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

producing a first code frequency component representing a first data;

producing a second code frequency component representing a second data;

assigning a respective amplitude to each of the first and second code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask the first and second code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal, wherein the first data represents a first symbol and the second data represents a second symbol, the first and second symbols being different; and

including the first and second code frequency components simultaneously in a simultaneous interval of the audio signal.

12. An apparatus for including a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

a processor operative to produce a first code frequency component representing a first data, to produce a second code frequency component representing a second data, and to assign a respective amplitude to each of the first and second code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask the first and second code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal; and

a combiner operative to combine the first and second code frequency components in simultaneous intervals of the audio signal, wherein the first data represents a first symbol and the second data represents a second symbol, the first and second symbols being different.

13. A method for including a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

producing a first plurality of code frequency components representing a first data;

producing a second plurality of code frequency components representing a second data, wherein the first data represents a first symbol and the second data represents a second symbol, the first and second symbols being different;

assigning a respective amplitude to each of the first plurality of code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask said each of the first plurality of code frequency components;

assigning a respective amplitude to each of the second plurality of code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask said each of the second plurality of code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal; and

including the first and second plurality of code frequency components in simultaneous intervals of the audio signal.

14. An apparatus for including a plurality of code frequency components with an audio signal, comprising:

a processor operative to produce a first plurality of code frequency components representing a first data, to produce a second plurality of code frequency components representing a second data, wherein the first data represents a first symbol and the second data represents a second symbol, the first and second symbols being different, to assign a respective amplitude to each of the first plurality of code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask said each of the first plurality of code frequency components, and to assign a respective amplitude to each of the second plurality of code frequency components based on respective abilities of the audio signal to mask said each of the second plurality of code frequency components in one of substantially simultaneous and non-simultaneous intervals of the audio signal; and

a combiner operative to combine the first and second plurality of code frequency components in simultaneous intervals of the audio signal.