Methods and systems for reducing spillover by analyzing sound pressure levels

• US 9,219,969 B2
• Filed: 03/13/2013
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Nielsen, Christen V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chin, Vivian
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, DAVID L
• Application Number:
  US13/801,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20140270195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,014 Days
• Field of Search: 725/9, 725/10, 725/12, 725/18, 725/24, 700/94, 381/56, 381/2, 381/77, 348/180
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/30 characterised by the use of a return channel, e.g. for collecting users' opinions, for returning broadcast space/time information or for requesting data
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/50 characterised by the use of watermarks
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 2201/90 characterised by the use of signatures
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/31 Arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/37 for identifying segments of broadcast information, e.g. scenes or extracting programme ID
• 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: H04N 21/4394 involving operations for analysing the audio stream, e.g. detecting features or characteristics in audio streams arrangements characterised by components specially adapted for monitoring, identification or recognition of audio in broadcast systems H04H60/58
• 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
• 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

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for reducing spillover in a media monitoring system are disclosed. An example method includes identifying media associated with media monitoring data. The media monitoring data is received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device. The example method includes identifying an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter. The example method includes comparing the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred. The example method includes crediting the media as a media exposure if spillover did not occur.

Claims

1. A method to reduce spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

identifying media associated with media monitoring data, the media monitoring data being received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device;

identifying an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter;

comparing, with a processor, the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if spillover occurred; and

crediting, with the processor, the media as a media exposure if the spillover did not occur.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a value of the expected sound pressure level depends on a time the media was presented at the first media presentation device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the actual sound pressure level is calculated by taking a logarithmic measure of a root mean square sound pressure of an audio signal associated with the media relative to a reference sound pressure.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the comparing of the expected sound pressure level to the actual sound pressure level includes comparing a difference between the expected sound pressure level and the actual sound pressure level to a threshold.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the crediting of the media as the media exposure includes marking the media monitoring data as credited.

6. The method of claim 5, further including transmitting the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

7. The method of claim 1, further including not crediting the media as a media exposure if the spillover did occur.

8. The method of claim 1, further including, if the spillover did occur, discarding the media monitoring data associated with the spillover.

9. The method of claim 1, further including, if the spillover did occur, marking the media monitoring data associated with the spillover as not credited.

10. A spillover manager to reduce spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

a sound pressure level comparator including a logic circuit to;

compare an expected sound pressure level for media associated with media monitoring data received from a meter associated with a media presentation device to an actual sound pressure level to determine if spillover occurred, the actual sound pressure level based on the media detected by the meter; and

a media creditor to;

credit the media with an exposure if the spillover did not occur; and

not credit the media with the exposure if the spillover did occur.

11. The spillover manager of claim 10, wherein the expected sound pressure level depends on a time the media was presented at the first media presentation device.

12. The spillover manager of claim 10, wherein the meter is to calculate the actual sound pressure level by taking a logarithmic measure of a root mean square sound pressure of an audio signal associated with the media relative to a reference sound pressure.

13. The spillover manager of claim 10, wherein the sound pressure level comparator is to compare the expected sound pressure level to the actual sound pressure level by comparing a difference between the expected sound pressure level and the actual sound pressure level to a threshold.

14. The spillover manager of claim 10, wherein to credit the media with the exposure, the media creditor is to mark the media monitoring data as credited.

15. The spillover manager of claim 10, wherein the media creditor is to discard the media monitoring data if the spillover did occur.

16. The spillover manager of claim 10, wherein the media creditor is to mark the media monitoring data as not credited if the spillover did occur.

17. A spillover manager to reduce spillover in a media measuring system, comprising:

a sound pressure level comparator to;

compare an expected sound pressure level for media associated with media monitoring data received from a meter associated with a media presentation device to an actual sound pressure level to determine if spillover occurred, the actual sound pressure level based on the media detected by the meter;

a media creditor to;

credit the media with an exposure if the spillover did not occur; and

not credit the media with the exposure if the spillover did occur; and

a transmitter to transmit the credited media monitoring data to a central facility.

18. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

identify media associated with media monitoring data, the media monitoring data being received from a first meter associated with a first media presentation device;

identify an expected sound pressure level associated with the first meter;

compare the expected sound pressure level to an actual sound pressure level collected from the media by the first meter to determine if the spillover occurred; and

credit the media as a media exposure if the spillover did not occur.

19. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein a value of the expected sound pressure level depends on a time the media was presented at the first media presentation device.

20. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the actual sound pressure level is calculated by taking a logarithmic measure of a root mean square sound pressure of an audio signal associated with the media relative to a reference sound pressure.

21. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the comparing of the expected sound pressure level to the actual sound pressure level includes comparing a difference between the expected sound pressure level and the actual sound pressure level to a threshold.

22. The computer readable medium of claim 18, wherein the crediting of the media as the media exposure includes marking the media monitoring data as credited.

23. The computer readable medium of claim 22, further including instructions that cause the processor to transmit the marked media monitoring data to a central facility.

24. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further including instructions that cause the processor to not credit the media as a media exposure if the spillover did occur.

25. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further including instructions that cause the processor to discard the media monitoring data if the spillover did occur.

26. The computer readable medium of claim 18, further including instructions that cause the processor to mark the media monitoring data as not credited if the spillover did occur.