Display device on/off detection methods and apparatus

• US 9,420,334 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2013
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2005
• 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., Nelson, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, David
• Application Number:
  US14/015,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20140007153A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,082 Days
• Field of Search: 381/58, 381/122, 381104-109, 700/94, 725/18, 725/19, 725/14, 725/9, 725/12, 725/131, 725/139
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/32 Arrangements for monitoring conditions of receiving stations, e.g. malfunction or breakdown of receiving stations
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 17/04 for receivers
• 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

Abstract

Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein include performing audio code detection on an audio signal corresponding to an output of a presentation device. Such disclosed example methods also include determining a first result based on whether a valid audio code is detected in the audio signal, and determining a second result based on an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to performing audio code detection on the audio signal. Such disclosed example methods further include combining the first result and the second result to determine a third result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

Claims

1. A method to determine whether a presentation device is ON or OFF, the method comprising:

performing audio code detection on an audio signal corresponding to an output of the presentation device;

determining a first result based on whether a valid audio code is detected in the audio signal;

determining a second result based on an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to performing audio code detection on the audio signal; and

combining the first result and the second result to determine a third result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is ON when a first valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.

3. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when no valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.

4. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio gain level does not exceed a threshold.

5. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio gain level exceeds a threshold.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein combining the first result and the second result includes:

adjusting the first result based on a first weight; and

adjusting the second result based on a second weight.

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

perform audio code detection on an audio signal corresponding to an output of a presentation device;

determine a first result based on whether a valid audio code is detected in the audio signal;

determine a second result based on an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to performing audio code detection on the audio signal; and

combine the first result and the second result to determine a third result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

8. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7, wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is ON when a first valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.

9. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7, wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when no valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.

10. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio gain level does not exceed a threshold.

11. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio gain level exceeds a threshold.

12. The storage device or storage disk as defined in claim 7, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

adjust the first result based on a first weight; and

adjust the second result based on a second weight.

13. A metering apparatus comprising:

a sensor to obtain an audio signal corresponding to an output of a presentation device;

an audio processor to;

perform audio code detection on the audio;

determine a first result based on whether a valid audio code is detected in the audio signal; and

determine a second result based on an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to performing audio code detection on the audio signal; and

a decision processor to combine the first result and the second result to determine a third result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

14. The metering apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is ON when a first valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.

15. The metering apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when no valid audio code is detected in the audio signal.

16. The metering apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio gain level does not exceed a threshold.

17. The metering apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio gain level exceeds a threshold.

18. The metering apparatus as defined in claim 13, wherein the audio processor is further to:

adjust the first result based on a first weight; and

adjust the second result based on a second weight.