Data capture bridge

• US 8,930,003 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Issued: 01/06/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Krug, William K., Zhang, James
• Primary Examiner(s): MCCORD, PAUL C
• Application Number:
  US12/006,452
• Publication Number:
  US 20090169024A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,563 Days
• Field of Search: 700/94
• US Class Current: 700/94
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/165 Management of the audio stream, e.g. setting of volume, audio stream path
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2020/10546 specifically adapted for audio data
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 5/00 Near-field transmission systems, e.g. inductive or capacitive transmission systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/403 Arrangements for multi-party communication, e.g. for conferences data switching systems for conference H04L12/18; arrangements for connecting several subscribers to a common circuit, i.e. affording conference facilities H04M3/56; television conferencing systems H04N7/15
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2201/107 Monophonic and stereophonic headphones with microphone for two-way hands free communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/07 Applications of wireless loudspeakers or wireless microphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2420/09 Applications of special connectors, e.g. USB, XLR, in loudspeakers, microphones or headphones
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 2499/11 Transducers incorporated or for use in hand-held devices, e.g. mobile phones, PDA's, camera's
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 29/00 Monitoring arrangements; Testing arrangements for hearing aids H04R25/30; detection of loudspeaker connection H04R5/04; sound-field adaptation dependent on speaker detection H04S7/308
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 3/005 for combining the signals of two or more microphones specially adapted for hearing aids H04R25/407
• CPC Class Codes: H04R 5/04 Circuit arrangements, e.g. for selective connection of amplifier inputs/outputs to loudspeakers, for loudspeaker detection, or for adaptation of settings to personal preferences or hearing impairments combinations of amplifiers H03F3/68; stereophonic systems H04S
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/70 Services for machine-to-machine communication [M2M] or machine type communication [MTC]

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for gathering research data indicating exposure to audio content to a user of an audio source device and an audio receiver device. The audio source device wirelessly transmits an audio signal containing the audio content. The audio receiver device receives an audio signal containing the audio content. The audio receiver device includes a speaker to output the audio content to be heard by the user. The apparatus includes a bridge device for wirelessly bridging the audio signal from the audio source device to the audio receiver device. The bridge device includes a speaker for outputting the audio content from the audio signal. The apparatus also includes a monitoring device acoustically coupled to the bridge device for monitoring the audio content output by the speaker of the bridge device, and generating research data identifying the audio content.

Claims

1. An apparatus for gathering research data indicating exposure to media, the apparatus comprising:

a first receiver to receive a first modulated audio signal via a wireless data connection from an audio source device using a wireless communication protocol, the first modulated audio signal associated with the media, the first receiver to output a baseband audio signal corresponding to the first modulated audio signal;

a first transmitter to modulate the baseband audio signal to form a second modulated audio signal, the first transmitter to transmit the second modulated audio signal to an audio receiver using the wireless communication protocol; and

a monitoring device to receive the baseband audio signal, and to generate research data identifying the media, the audio source device including a second transmitter to transmit the first modulated audio signal to the first receiver, and the audio receiver including a second receiver to receive the second modulated audio signal from the first transmitter.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol comprises at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, a wireless LAN protocol, an infrared data link, or an inductive link.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor to receive the baseband audio signal from the first receiver, the processor to transmit the baseband audio signal to the first transmitter, the processor to transmit the baseband audio signal to the monitoring device.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio source device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a radio, a television, a game system, a computer, a GPS device, a DVD player, or a walkie-talkie.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio receiver comprises at least one of a wireless headset, a wireless earphone, or a speaker system.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a speaker to emit the baseband audio signal to the monitoring device, the monitoring device comprising:

a microphone to receive the baseband audio signal from the speaker; and

a processor to generate the research data identifying the media based on the received baseband audio signal.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises a memory to store the research data.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device is to decode a code identifying the media or to extract an audio signature identifying the media from the baseband audio signal.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing carrying the first receiver and the first transmitter, wherein the housing forms a sleeve in which the monitoring device is received.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a housing carrying the first receiver, the first transmitter, and the monitoring device.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media comprises at least one of a program, music, television, radio, or advertisements.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the audio receiver is a first audio receiver, and further comprising a third transmitter to modulate the baseband audio signal to form a third modulated audio signal, the third transmitter to transmit the third modulated audio signal to a second audio receiver.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the baseband audio signal is a stereo audio signal.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wireless communication protocol is an A2DP profile.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a first pairing button to cause the first receiver to pair with the audio source device;

and

a second pairing button to cause the first transmitter to pair with the audio receiver.

16. A method for gathering research data indicating exposure to media, the method comprising:

receiving a first modulated audio signal at a receiver node from an audio source device using a wireless communication profile;

demodulating, with the receiver node, the first modulated audio signal to form a baseband audio signal;

transmitting, with a transmitter, a second modulated audio signal to a first audio receiver using the wireless communication profile, the second modulated audio signal based on the baseband audio signal;

identifying, with a monitoring device, the media based on a characteristic of the baseband audio signal;

pairing the transmitter with a second audio receiver; and

transmitting, from the transmitter, the second modulated audio signal to the second audio receiver.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising pairing the transmitter with the first audio receiver using at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, a wireless LAN protocol, an infrared data link, and an inductive link.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising modulating the baseband audio signal to form the second modulated audio signal.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising transducing the baseband audio signal via a speaker.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the audio source device comprises at least one of a cellular telephone, a portable media player, a personal digital assistant, a smartphone, a radio, a television, a game system, a computer, a GPS device, a DVD player, or a walkie-talkie.

21. The method of claim 16, wherein the first audio receiver comprises at least one of a wireless headset, a wireless earphone, or a speaker system.

22. The method of claim 16, wherein identifying the media further comprises:

transducing the baseband audio signal to an electrical signal; and

processing the electrical signal to identify the media.

23. The method of claim 16, further comprising storing an identifier of the media.

24. The method of claim 23, further comprising transmitting the identifier of the media to a research organization.

25. The method of claim 16, wherein identifying the media comprises decoding a code or extracting an audio signature from the baseband audio signal.

26. The method of claim 16, wherein the media comprises a program, music, video, or an advertisement.

27. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

pairing the audio source device to the first receiver; and

pairing the transmitter to the first audio receiver.

28. The method of claim 16, wherein the baseband audio signal is a stereo audio signal.

29. The method of claim 16, wherein the communication profile is an A2DP profile.

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

demodulate a first modulated audio signal to form a baseband audio signal, the first modulated audio signal received from an audio source device using a wireless communication protocol;

generate a second modulated audio signal based on the baseband audio signal;

transmit the second modulated audio signal to a first audio receiver using the wireless communication protocol;

identify media associated with the baseband audio signal based on a characteristic of the baseband audio signal;

pair with a second audio receiver; and

transmit the second modulated audio signal to the second audio receiver.

31. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 30, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to pair with the first audio receiver using at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, a wireless LAN protocol, an infrared data link, and an inductive link.

32. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 30, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to generate the second modulated audio signal by modulating the baseband audio signal to form the second modulated audio signal.

33. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 32, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to transduce the baseband audio signal via a speaker.

34. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 30, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to identify the media by:

transducing the baseband audio signal to an electrical signal; and

processing the electrical signal.

35. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 30, further comprising instructions which, when executed, cause the machine to store an identifier of the media.

36. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 30, wherein the baseband audio signal is a stereo audio signal.

37. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 30, wherein the first modulated audio signal is received using an A2DP profile.