Methods and apparatus for transcoding metadata

• US 8,601,163 B2
• Filed: 09/24/2010
• Issued: 12/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Company (US) LLC (RR Donnelley & Sons Company)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Arun, Feininger, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US12/890,216
• Publication Number:
  US 20110016231A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 709230-231, 709/246, 709/217, 725/136, 725/148
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/95 characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/35 Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• 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 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transcoding metadata are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to meter media content presented by a media consumption device comprises detecting at a metering device first metadata accompanying the media content presented by the media consumption device, receiving from a transcoder at the metering device second metadata associated with the media content presented by the media consumption device, the second metadata comprising third metadata that has been transcoded to form the second metadata, and processing the first metadata and the second metadata to meter the media content presented by the media consumption device.

Claims

1. A method to meter media presented by a media consumption device, the method comprising:

detecting, at a metering device, first metadata accompanying the media presented by the media consumption device, the first metadata being detected by the metering device in a media signal output from the media consumption device;

receiving, at the metering device, second metadata from a transcoder, the second metadata associated with the media presented by the media consumption device, the second metadata being received by the metering device in a second signal different from the media signal output from the media consumption device, the second metadata comprising third metadata that has been transcoded to form the second metadata, wherein the third metadata is not detectable by the metering device, and the second metadata comprises the third metadata after being transcoded into a format capable of being received and processed by the metering device; and

processing the first metadata and the second metadata at the metering device to meter the media presented by the media consumption device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first metadata comprises an audio code and the second metadata comprises data received wirelessly from the transcoder.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the third metadata comprises a timestamp not detectable by the metering device, and the second metadata comprises the timestamp after being transcoded into a format capable of being received wirelessly by the metering device.

4. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein processing the first metadata and the second metadata comprises comparing the first metadata and the second metadata for consistency.

5. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein processing the first metadata and the second metadata comprises supplementing the first metadata with the second metadata.

6. A method as defined in claim 1 wherein the metering device is portable, and the second metadata is received wirelessly from the transcoder.

7. A method as defined in claim 1 further comprising receiving a query from the transcoder for information regarding a metadata detection capability of the metering device, the second metadata determined based on a response to the query.

8. A tangible machine readable storage device or storage disk comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

detect, at a metering device, first metadata accompanying media presented by a media consumption device, the first metadata being detected by the metering device in a media signal output from the media consumption device;

receive, at the metering device, second metadata from a transcoder, the second metadata associated with the media presented by the media consumption device, the second metadata being received by the metering device in a second signal different from the media signal output from the media consumption device, the second metadata comprising third metadata that has been transcoded to form the second metadata, wherein the third metadata is not detectable by the metering device, and the second metadata comprises the third metadata after being transcoded into a format capable of being received and processed by the metering device; and

process the first metadata and the second metadata at the metering device to meter the media presented by the media consumption device.

9. A tangible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 wherein the first metadata comprises an audio code and the second metadata comprises data received wirelessly from the transcoder.

10. A tangible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 wherein the third metadata comprises a timestamp not detectable by the metering device, and the second metadata comprises the timestamp after being transcoded into a format capable of being received wirelessly by the metering device.

11. A tangible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to compare the first metadata and the second metadata for consistency.

12. A tangible storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 8 wherein the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to supplement the first metadata with the second metadata.

13. A metering device to meter media presented by a media consumption device, the metering device comprising:

a sensor to detect first metadata accompanying the media presented by the media consumption device, the first metadata being detected by the sensor in a media signal emitted from the media consumption device;

an interface to receive, from a transcoder, second metadata associated with the media presented by the media consumption device, the second metadata being received by the interface in a second signal different from the media signal emitted from the media consumption device, the second metadata comprising third metadata that has been transcoded to form the second metadata, wherein the third metadata is not detectable by the metering device, and the second metadata comprises the third metadata after being transcoded into a format capable of being received and processed by the metering device; and

a processor to process the first metadata and the second metadata to meter the media presented by the media consumption device.

14. A metering device as defined in claim 13 wherein the metering device is portable, the sensor comprises a microphone, the first metadata comprises an audio code, and the interface is to receive the second metadata wirelessly from the transcoder.

15. A metering device as defined in claim 13 wherein the third metadata comprises a timestamp not detectable by the metering device, and the second metadata comprises the timestamp after being transcoded into a format capable of being received wirelessly by the metering device.

16. A metering device as defined in claim 13 wherein the processor is to compare the first metadata and the second metadata for consistency.

17. A metering device as defined in claim 13 wherein the processor is to supplement the first metadata with the second metadata.