Variable encoding and detection apparatus and methods

• US 8,761,301 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2013
• Issued: 06/24/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Luff, Robert A., Headley, Weston P.
• Primary Examiner(s): WANG, TED M
• Application Number:
  US13/776,402
• Publication Number:
  US 20130163658A1
• Time in Patent Office: 484 Days
• Field of Search: 375/295, 375/240, 375/340, 375/345, 455/24, 455/69, 455/126
• US Class Current: 375/295
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/00 Diagnosis, testing or measuring for television systems or their details
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 19/00 Methods or arrangements for coding, decoding, compressing or decompressing digital video signals
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2343 involving reformatting operations of video signals for distribution or compliance with end-user requests or end-user device requirements video transcoding H04N19/40; media packet handling at the source H04L65/762
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/234309 by transcoding between formats or standards, e.g. from MPEG-2 to MPEG-4 or from Quicktime to Realvideo conversion of standards in analog television systems H04N7/01
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/2383 Channel coding or modulation of digital bit-stream, e.g. QPSK modulation arrangements for detecting or preventing errors in the information received by adapting the channel coding H04L1/0009; analogue front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25891 being end-user preferences retrieval of video data in a video database based on user preferences G06F16/739; arrangements for recognizing users' preferences H04H60/46; user profiles in network data switching protocols H04L67/306; processing of user preferences or user profiles in wireless networks H04W8/18
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4348 Demultiplexing of additional data and video streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4382 Demodulation or channel decoding, e.g. QPSK demodulation analog front ends or means for connecting modulators, demodulators or transceivers to a transmission line H04L27/0002
• 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 7/17309 Transmission or handling of upstream communications

Abstract

Apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture for media monitoring are disclosed. In particular, the example apparatus, methods, and articles of manufacture determine a media source type associated with a media signal and select an encoding or decoding mode based on the media source type. An encoding operation encodes the media signal using the selected encoding mode and a decoding operation decodes the media signal using the selected decoding mode.

Claims

1. A method of encoding a media signal, comprising:

determining, with a processor, a media source type associated with a media signal by extracting a broadcast station code from the media signal;

selecting, with the processor, an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type; and

encoding, with the processor, the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the media source type is a television source, a radio source, or a computer source.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the media source type is at least one of an over-the-air broadcast signal, a cable broadcast signal, a satellite broadcast signal, an analog signal, or a digital signal.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the broadcast station code is at least one of a television station code or a radio station code.

5. A method of encoding a media signal, comprising:

determining, with a processor, a media source type associated with a media signal;

selecting, with the processor, an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type by selecting an encoding mode that uses a relatively high power level code or a relatively low power level code; and

encoding, with the processor, the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode.

6. A method of encoding a media signal, comprising:

determining, with a processor, a media source type associated with a media signal;

selecting, with the processor, an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type by selecting an encoding mode that uses a code having a first power level or a second power level greater than the first power level; and

encoding, with the processor, the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode.

7. A method of encoding a media signal, comprising:

determining, with a processor, a media source type associated with a media signal;

selecting, with the processor, an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type; and

encoding, with the processor, the media signal with the code by generating the code to have a predetermined frequency spectrum.

8. An apparatus for encoding a media signal, comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to;

determine a media source type associated with a media signal by extracting a broadcast station code from the media signal;

select an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type; and

encode the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the media source type is a television source, a radio source, or a computer source.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the media source type is at least one of an over-the-air broadcast signal, a cable broadcast signal, a satellite broadcast signal, an analog signal, or a digital signal.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 8, wherein the broadcast station code is at least one of a television station code or a radio station code.

12. An apparatus for encoding a media signal, comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to;

determine a media source type associated with a media signal;

select an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type by selecting an encoding mode that uses a relatively high power level code or a relatively low power level code; and

encode the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode.

13. An apparatus for encoding a media signal, comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to;

determine a media source type associated with a media signal;

select an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type by selecting an encoding mode that uses a code having a first power level or a second power level greater than the first power level; and

encode the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode.

14. An apparatus for encoding a media signal, comprising:

a processor coupled to a memory, wherein the processor is programmed to;

determine a media source type associated with a media signal;

select an encoding mode that uses a code having a power level that is based on the media source type; and

encode the media signal with a code using the selected encoding mode by generating the code to have a predetermined frequency spectrum.