Audience measurement apparatus, system and method for producing audience information of a media presentation

• US 8,589,969 B2
• Filed: 12/07/2012
• Issued: 11/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Falcon, Fernando Diego
• Primary Examiner(s): CORBO, NICHOLAS T
• Application Number:
  US13/708,867
• Publication Number:
  US 20130179914A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 16, 348/734
• US Class Current: 725/13
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/45 for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44218 Detecting physical presence or behaviour of the user, e.g. using sensors to detect if the user is leaving the room or changes his face expression during a TV program methods or arrangements for recognising human body or animal bodies or body parts G06V40/10; methods or arrangements for acquiring or recognising human faces, facial parts, facial sketches, facial expressions G06V40/16; methods or arrangements for recognising movements or behaviour G06V40/20; arrangements for identifying users in broadcast systems H04H60/45

Abstract

Audience measurement methods and systems for producing audience information of a media presentation are disclosed. An example apparatus includes an audio capturing device to receive an audio signal corresponding to media presented in a local environment; a user interface including an audience member input, the selection of which is to indicate presence of an audience member; and a plurality of device inputs each corresponding to a respective type of media presentation device, the selection of one of the device inputs to indicate a type of media presentation device generating the captured audio signal; and memory to store first data associated with a first selection of the audience member input, the memory to store second data associated with a second selection of one of the device inputs, the memory to store the audio signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus, comprising:

an audio capturing device to receive an audio signal corresponding to media presented in a local environment;

a user interface including;

an audience member input, the selection of which is to indicate presence of an audience member; and

a plurality of device inputs each corresponding to a respective type of media presentation device, the selection of one of the device inputs to indicate a type of media presentation device generating the captured audio signal; and

memory to store first data associated with a first selection of the audience member input, the memory to store second data associated with a second selection of one of the device inputs, the memory to store the audio signal.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a processor to associate presence data gathered via the audience member input with media device type data gathered via the device inputs.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a processor to extract media identifying information from the captured audio signal.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the processor is to associate presence data gathered via the audience member input with the extracted media identifying information.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 3, wherein the processor is to associate the extracted media identifying information with media device type data gathered via the device inputs.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a feedback mechanism for each of the device inputs indicative of whether the corresponding one of the device inputs is currently selected.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein the feedback mechanisms comprise a visual indicator.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a feedback display associated with the audience member input, the feedback display to identify a name of a panel member assigned to the audience member input.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 1, further comprising a communication device to transmit data stored in the memory to a collection device.

10. A method, comprising:

capturing an audio signal from an environment in which media is presented;

in response to receiving a first selection of an audience member input of a user interface implemented on a handheld device, storing first data indicative of presence of a first audience member in the environment;

in response to receiving a second selection of a first one of a plurality of device inputs of the user interface, storing second data indicative of a first type of media presentation device generating the audio signal corresponding to the first device input; and

in response to receiving a third selection of a second one of the plurality of device inputs of the user interface, storing third data indicative of a second type of media presentation device generating the audio signal corresponding to the second device input.

11. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising associating media identifying information with the first data.

12. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising associating media identifying information with one of the second and third data.

13. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising associating the first data with one of the second and third data.

14. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising displaying feedback indicative of the second selection of the first one of the plurality of device inputs.

15. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising communicating the first, second, and third data to a collection device.

16. A method as defined in claim 10, further comprising electronically displaying a name of a panel member assigned to the audience member input.

17. A method as defined in claim 10, wherein the audience member input is assigned to a first panel member of a household.

18. A method, comprising:

processing a received audio signal with a processor of a portable device to extract media identifying information;

capturing presence information entered by a panel member via a respective one of a plurality of member inputs;

receiving an indication of a type of media presentation device generating the audio signal via a respective one of a plurality of device inputs, each of the device inputs selectable to indicate a respective type of media presentation devices; and

storing the media identifying information, the indication of the type of media presentation device generating the received audio signal, and the presence information in memory.

19. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising associating the media identifying information with the second.

20. A method as defined in claim 18, further comprising associating the first data with the second data.