Embedding information in generated acoustic signals

• US 9,661,402 B2
• Filed: 07/15/2014
• Issued: 05/23/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Topchy, Alexander, Soundararajan, Padmanabhan, Srinivasan, Venugopal
• Primary Examiner(s): File, Erin
• Application Number:
  US14/332,037
• Publication Number:
  US 20160021435A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,043 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 23/02 using infrasonic, sonic or ultrasonic waves
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 2209/823 where the data is sent when the measured values exceed a threshold, e.g. sending an alarm
• CPC Class Codes: H04Q 9/00 Arrangements in telecontrol or telemetry systems for selectively calling a substation from a main station, in which substation desired apparatus is selected for applying a control signal thereto or for obtaining measured values therefrom

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to embed information in generated acoustic signals are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to embed information in an acoustic signal output from an electric vehicle include obtaining a first audio signal to be used to generate the acoustic signal. Such example also include combining a second signal with the first audio signal, the second signal to convey first digital information that, when detected, indicates a presence of the electric vehicle. Such example methods further include providing the first audio signal with the second signal to an audio circuit that is to output the acoustic signal from the electric vehicle.

Claims

1. A method to embed information in an acoustic signal output from an electric vehicle, the method comprising:

obtaining a first audio signal to be used to generate the acoustic signal to be output from the electric vehicle;

embedding, by executing an instruction with a processor, a second signal conveying first digital information including sensed vehicle speed data in the first audio signal; and

providing the first audio signal embedded with the second signal to an audio circuit that is to output the acoustic signal from the electric vehicle.

2. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second signal further conveys second digital information identifying the electric vehicle.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein the second signal further conveys third digital information including telemetry data associated with the electric vehicle.

4. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the telemetry data is provided by a sensor monitoring an operating condition of the electric vehicle.

5. The method as defined in claim 3, wherein the telemetry data includes at least one of engine diagnostic data, tire pressure data, emissions system data, fuel level data, battery level data, or vehicle interior audio level data.

6. The method as defined in claim 1, wherein the second signal further conveys second digital information associated with one or more occupants of the electric vehicle.

7. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the second digital information indicates a number of occupants of the electric vehicle.

8. The method as defined in claim 6, wherein the second digital information indicates whether a first occupant of the electric vehicle is wearing a seat belt.

9. A tangible machine readable storage medium comprising machine readable instructions which, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

obtain a first audio signal to be used to generate an acoustic signal to be output from an electric vehicle;

embed a second signal conveying first digital information including sensed vehicle speed data in the first audio signal; and

provide the first audio signal embedded with the second signal to an audio circuit that is to output the acoustic signal from the electric vehicle.

10. The storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the second signal further conveys second digital information identifying the electric vehicle.

11. The storage medium as defined in claim 10, wherein the second signal further conveys third digital information including telemetry data associated with the electric vehicle.

12. The storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the telemetry data is provided by a sensor monitoring an operating condition of the electric vehicle.

13. The storage medium as defined in claim 11, wherein the telemetry data includes at least one of engine diagnostic data, tire pressure data, emissions system data, fuel level data, battery level data, or vehicle interior audio level data.

14. The storage medium as defined in claim 9, wherein the second signal further conveys second digital information associated with one or more occupants of the electric vehicle.

15. The storage medium as defined in claim 14, wherein the second digital information indicates a number of occupants of the electric vehicle.

16. The storage medium as defined in claim 14, wherein the second digital information indicates whether a first occupant of the electric vehicle is wearing a seat belt.

17. An apparatus to embed information in an acoustic signal output from an electric vehicle, the apparatus comprising:

a watermark generator to generate a watermark signal conveying first digital information including vehicle interior audio level data representing an audio level measured inside the electric vehicle; and

a watermark embedder to;

obtain an audio signal to be used to generate the acoustic signal to be output from the electric vehicle;

embed the watermark signal in the audio signal to generate a watermarked audio signal; and

provide the watermarked audio signal to an audio circuit that is to output the acoustic signal from the electric vehicle.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, wherein the watermark generator is further to generate the watermark signal to convey the first digital information and second digital information identifying the electric vehicle.

19. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, further including:

a sensor to sense an operating condition of the electric vehicle; and

an information generator to;

generate second digital information including telemetry data determined from sensor data obtained from the sensor; and

provide the second digital information to the watermark generator, the watermark generator to generate the watermark signal to convey the first digital information and the second digital information.

20. The apparatus as defined in claim 19, wherein the telemetry data includes at least one of engine diagnostic data, tire pressure data, emissions system data, fuel level data, battery level data, or vehicle speed data.

21. The apparatus as defined in claim 17, further including:

a sensor; and

an information generator to;

generate second digital information associated with one or more occupants of the electric vehicle, the second digital information being based on sensor data obtained from the sensor; and

provide the second digital information to the watermark generator, the watermark generator to generate the watermark signal to convey the first digital information and the second digital information.

22. The apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the second digital information indicates a number of occupants of the electric vehicle.

23. The apparatus as defined in claim 21, wherein the second digital information indicates whether a first occupant of the electric vehicle is wearing a seat belt.