Methods and apparatus for using location information to manage spillover in an audience monitoring system

• US 9,094,710 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2010
• Issued: 07/28/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nielsen Media Research, Inc. (Nielsen Holdings plc)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Lee, Morris, Nelson, Daniel, Headley, Weston
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhong, Jun Fei
• Application Number:
  US12/757,755
• Publication Number:
  US 20100199296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,936 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 12, 725/18, 725/19, 340/539.13
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G08C 2201/91 Remote control based on location and proximity
• 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 60/52 of users
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/25866 Management of end-user data customer care in data networks H04L41/5077
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4126 The peripheral being portable, e.g. PDAs or mobile phones
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4131 home appliance, e.g. lighting, air conditioning system, metering devices home automation data switching networks exchanging configuration information on appliance services H04L12/2807
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/43615 Interfacing a Home Network, e.g. for connecting the client to a plurality of peripherals home Audio Video Interoperability [HAVI] data switching networks H04L12/2805
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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: H04N 21/44224 Monitoring of user activity on external systems, e.g. Internet browsing
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/6582 Data stored in the client, e.g. viewing habits, hardware capabilities, credit card number arrangements where receivers interact with the broadcast H04H20/38
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/8352 involving content or source identification data, e.g. Unique Material Identifier [UMID]
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/16 Analogue secrecy systems; Analogue subscription systems

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture for using location information to manage spillover in an audience monitoring system are disclosed. In an example method, a first location signal and a second location signal are received substantially simultaneously at a portable metering device. The first location signal is emitted via a first device located at a first location and includes a first signal characteristic associated with the first location. The second location signal is emitted via a second device located at a second location and includes a second signal characteristic associated with the second location. The first location signal or the second location signal is selected based on the first and second signal characteristics. Media monitoring information is generated based on the selected signal.

Claims

1. A method of detecting spillover to generate media monitoring information, comprising:

receiving a first location signal and a second location signal substantially simultaneously at a portable metering device, wherein the first location signal is emitted via a first device located at a first location and includes a first signal characteristic associated with the first location, and wherein the second location signal is emitted via a second device located at a second location and includes a second signal characteristic associated with the second location;

identifying a location of the portable metering device as the first location or the second location based on the first and second signal characteristics;

receiving a media signal based on a media presentation presented by a media delivery device; and

disregarding the media signal when the media delivery device is not located at the location of the portable metering device.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first device is adjacent to a first surface of a wall and the second device is adjacent to a second surface of the wall.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are associated with at least one of a signal strength, a signal frequency, or a location code.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first device is one of a first radio frequency transmitter tower or a satellite and the second device is one of a base unit located within an indoor location or a second radio frequency transmitter located at an outdoor location.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein disregarding the media signal comprises determining that the media signal is associated with a spillover signal, the spillover signal being indicative of the media presentation presented in a second room and detected by the portable metering device located in a first room.

6. A method as defined in claim 5, wherein the media signal being associated with the spillover signal indicates that an audience member associated with the portable metering device was not sufficiently exposed to the media presentation to indicate consumption of the media presentation.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the location of the portable metering device is a first room, and wherein the media signal is identified as being associated with a spillover signal in response to determining that the media delivery device is not located in the first room.

8. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising storing an audio code associated with the media signal when the media delivery device is located at the location of the portable metering device.

9. An apparatus to detect spillover to generate media monitoring information, comprising:

a sensor to receive a first location signal and a second location signal substantially simultaneously at a portable metering device, wherein the first location signal is emitted via a first device located at a first location and includes a first signal characteristic associated with the first location, and wherein the second location signal is emitted via a second device located at a second location and includes a second signal characteristic associated with the second location; and

a processor to;

identify a location of the portable metering device as the first location or the second location based on the first and second signal characteristics;

receive a media signal based on a media presentation presented by a media delivery device; and

disregard the media signal when the media delivery device is not located at the location of the portable metering device.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the first device is adjacent to a first surface of a wall and the second device is adjacent to a second surface of the wall.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are associated with at least one of a signal strength, a signal frequency, or a location code.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the processor is to disregard the media signal after determining that the media signal is associated with a spillover signal, the spillover signal being indicative of the media presentation presented in a second room and detected by the portable metering device located in a first room.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the media signal being associated with the spillover signal indicates that an audience member associated with the portable metering device was not sufficiently exposed to the media presentation to indicate consumption of the media presentation.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the location of the portable metering device is a first room, and wherein the media signal is identified as being associated with a spillover signal in response to determining that the media delivery device is not located in the first room.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein the processor is to store an audio code associated with the media signal when the media delivery device is located at the location of the portable metering device.

16. A non-transitory machine accessible medium having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause a machine to:

receive a first location signal and a second location signal substantially simultaneously at a portable metering device, wherein the first location signal is emitted via a first device located at a first location and includes a first signal characteristic associated with the first location, and wherein the second location signal is emitted via a second device located at a second location and includes a second signal characteristic associated with the second location;

identify a location of the portable metering device as the first location or the second location based on the first and second signal characteristics;

receive a media signal based on a media presentation presented by a media delivery device; and

disregard the media signal when the media delivery device is not located at the location of the portable metering device.

17. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the first device is adjacent to a first surface of a wall and the second device is adjacent to a second surface of the wall.

18. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the first and second signal characteristics are associated with at least one of a signal strength, a signal frequency, or a location code.

19. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 16 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to disregard and the media signal after determining that the media signal is associated with a spillover signal, the spillover signal being indicative of the media presentation presented in a second room and detected by the portable metering device located in a first room.

20. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 19, wherein the media signal is associated with the spillover signal indicates that an audience member associated with the portable metering device was not sufficiently exposed to the media presentation to indicate consumption of the media presentation.

21. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the location of the portable metering device is a first room, and wherein the media signal is identified as being associated with a spillover signal in response to determining that the media delivery device is not located in the first room.

22. A machine accessible medium as defined in claim 16 having instructions stored thereon that, when executed, cause the machine to store an audio code associated with the media signal when the media delivery device is located at the location of the portable metering device.