Methods and apparatus to monitor a media presentation

• US 9,614,881 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2014
• Issued: 04/04/2017
• 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:
  US14/577,888
• Publication Number:
  US 20150112466A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 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

Methods and apparatus to monitor a media presentation are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a housing defining a sleeve dimensioned to receive a monitoring device, the monitoring device to monitor the media presentation. The example apparatus includes a receiver carried by the housing to receive a first modulated audio signal from a media device via a wireless data connection using a wireless communication protocol, the first modulated audio signal associated with the media presentation, the receiver to output a baseband audio signal corresponding to the first modulated audio signal. The example apparatus includes a speaker carried by the housing to emit the baseband audio signal for receipt by the monitoring device within the sleeve. The example apparatus further includes a transmitter carried by the housing to modulate the baseband audio signal to form a second modulated audio signal, the transmitter to transmit the second modulated audio signal to wireless headphones using the wireless communication protocol.

Claims

1. An apparatus to monitor a media presentation, the apparatus comprising:

a housing defining a sleeve dimensioned to receive a monitoring device, the monitoring device to monitor the media presentation;

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

a speaker carried by the housing to emit the baseband audio signal for receipt by the monitoring device;

a transmitter carried by the housing to modulate the baseband audio signal to form a second modulated audio signal, the transmitter to transmit the second modulated audio signal to wireless headphones using the wireless communication protocol;

a first pairing button to cause the receiver to pair with the media device; and

a second pairing button to cause the transmitter to pair with the wireless headphones.

2. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the media device is a cellular phone.

3. The apparatus as described in claim 1, wherein the wireless headphones are Bluetooth wireless headphones.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first pairing control is a button.

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

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further including a processor to receive the baseband audio signal from the receiver, the processor to transmit the baseband audio signal to the transmitter, the processor to transmit the baseband audio signal to the speaker.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the media device includes at least one of 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.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further including the monitoring device, the monitoring device including:

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

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

9. The apparatus of claim 8, 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.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the speaker is oriented to emit the baseband audio signal in the sleeve towards the microphone of the monitoring device.

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

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

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

receiving a portable people meter within a sleeve formed by a housing;

pairing a cellular phone external to the sleeve to a receiver node within the housing;

pairing a transmitter within the housing to a wireless headset;

receiving a first modulated audio signal at the receiver node using a wireless communication protocol;

demodulating, with a processor carried by the housing, the first modulated audio signal to form a baseband audio signal;

emitting the baseband audio inside the sleeve using a speaker within the housing;

transmitting, with the transmitter, a second modulated audio signal to the wireless headset using the wireless communication protocol, the second modulated audio signal based on the baseband audio signal.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the pairing of the transmitter with the wireless headset is performed using at least one of a Bluetooth protocol, a ZigBee protocol, a wireless LAN protocol, an infrared data link, and an inductive link.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the wireless headset is a first wireless headset, and further including:

pairing the transmitter with a second wireless headset; and

transmitting the second modulated audio signal to the second wireless headset.

16. The method of claim 13, further including modulating the baseband audio signal to form the second modulated audio signal.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the audio receiver includes at least one of a wireless headset, a wireless earphone, or a speaker system.

18. The method of claim 17, further including identifying the media by:

transducing the baseband audio signal received from the speaker to an electrical signal; and

processing the electrical signal to identify the media.

19. The method of claim 18, further including transmitting an identifier of the media to a research organization.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein identifying the media includes decoding a code or extracting an audio signature from the baseband audio signal.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the media includes a program, music, video, or an advertisement.

22. The method of claim 13, wherein the communication protocol is an A2DP Bluetooth profile.

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

pair with an audio source device;

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

emit the baseband audio signal inside a sleeve formed by a housing of the machine;

pair with an audio receiver external to the sleeve; and

transmit a second modulated audio signal to the audio receiver using the wireless communication protocol, the second modulated audio signal based on the baseband audio signal.

24. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to pair with the 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.

25. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 24, wherein the audio receiver is a first audio receiver, and the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to at least:

pair with a second audio receiver; and

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

26. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to modulate the baseband audio signal to form the second modulated audio signal.

27. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 23, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to identify media by:

transducing the baseband audio signal to an electrical signal; and

processing the electrical signal.

28. The machine-readable storage disc or storage device of claim 23, wherein the first modulated audio signal is received using an A2DP profile.