Methods and systems to monitor a media device using a digital audio signal

• US 9,219,968 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Conklin, Chuck
• Primary Examiner(s): Kuntz, Curtis
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAUNG, THOMAS H
• Application Number:
  US13/340,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20130170657A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,454 Days
• 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: H04H 60/33 Arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions
• 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 21/44213 Monitoring of end-user related data arrangements for monitoring the users' behaviour or opinions in broadcast systems H04H60/33
• 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 and systems are disclosed to monitor a media device. An example method includes attempting to detect a transition in a digital audio signal output by a port of the media device. If the transition is detected, the example method includes determining the media device is in an on state. If the transition is not detected, the example method includes determining the media device is in an off state.

Claims

1. A method to monitor a media device, comprising:

attempting, with a processor, to detect a logical transition between two sequential bits in a sequence of bits of a digital audio signal output by a port of the media device, the digital audio signal being encoded with Differential Manchester encoding; and

when the logical transition is detected, generating operating state data with the processor, the operating state data including a first time and indicating that the media device was in an on state at the first time;

or

when the logical transition is not detected, generating the operating state data with the processor, the operating state data including the first time and indicating that the media device was in an off state at the first time.

2. The method of claim 1, further including transmitting the operating state data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the digital audio signal is output using a Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the attempting to detect the logical transition in the digital audio signal includes:

comparing a first binary state of a first bit of the sequence of bits to a second binary state in a second bit of the sequence of bits, the second bit occurring after the first bit; and

when the first binary state is different than the second binary state, determining that the logical transition has occurred;

or

when the first binary state is not different than the second binary state, determining that the logical transition has not occurred.

27. The method of claim 1, further including passing the digital audio signal to a second device via a second port of an activity monitor in communication with the first port and the second device.

5. A method to monitor a media device, comprising:

receiving, via a first port of an activity monitor connected in an audio path between a second port of the media device and a second device, a digital signal output by the second port of the media device, the digital signal being encoded with Differential Manchester encoding;

attempting, with a processor in communication with the first port, to collect audio from the digital signal; and

when the audio is collected, generating operating state data with the processor, the operating state data including a first time and indicating that the media device was in an on state at the first time;

or

when the audio is not collected, generating the operating state data with the processor, the operating state data including the first time and indicating that the media device was in an off state at the first time.

6. The method of claim 5, further including transmitting the operating state data.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the digital signal is output using a Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format.

8. The method of claim 5, further including transmitting the collected audio.

9. A system to monitor a media device, comprising:

a transition detector to;

attempt to detect a logical transition between a first bit and a second bit in a sequence of bits of a digital audio signal output by a port of the media device, the digital audio signal being encoded with Differential Manchester encoding; and

when the logical transition is detected, generate operating state data, the operating state data including a first time and indicating that the media device was in an on state at the first time;

or

when the logical transition is not detected, generate the operating state data, the operating state data including the first time and indicating that the media device was in an off state at the first time.

10. The system of claim 9, further including:

a database to store the operating state data; and

a timestamper to add the first time to the operating state data.

11. The system of claim 10, further including a transmitter to transmit the operating state data.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the digital audio signal is output using a Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the transition detector further includes:

a comparator to;

compare a first binary state of the first bit to a second binary state in the second bit, the second bit being immediately adjacent the first bit; and

when the first binary state is different than the second binary state, determine that the digital audio signal has transitioned;

or

when the first binary state is not different than the second binary state, determine that the digital audio signal has not transitioned.

14. A system to monitor a media device comprising:

a first port of an activity monitor connected in an audio path between a second port of the media device and a second device, the first port to receive a digital signal output by the second port of the media device, the digital signal being encoded with Differential Manchester encoding;

an audio determiner to attempt to;

collect audio from the digital signal; and

when the audio is collected, generate operating state data, the operating state data including a first time and indicating that the media device was in an on state at the first time;

or

when the audio is not collected, generate the operating state data, the operating state data including the first time and indicating that the media device was in an off state at the first time.

15. The system of claim 14, further including:

a database to store the operating state data; and

a timestamper to add the first time to the operating state data.

16. The system of claim 15, further including a transmitter to transmit the operating state data.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the digital signal is output using a Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format.

18. The system of claim 14, further including a transmitter to transmit the collected audio.

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

attempt to detect a logical transition between two adjacent bits in a sequence of bits of a digital audio signal output by a port of a media device, the digital audio signal being encoded with Differential Manchester encoding; and

when the logical transition is detected, generate operating state data, the operating state data including a first time and indicating that the media device was in an on state at the first time;

or

when the logical transition is not detected, generate the operating state data, the operating state data including the first time and indicating that the media device was in an off state at the first time.

20. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to transmit the operating state data.

21. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the digital audio signal is formatted using a Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format.

22. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the instructions are to cause the processor to attempt to detect the logical transition in the sequence of bits of the digital audio signal by:

comparing a first binary state of a first one of the sequence of bits to a second binary state in an immediately subsequent one of the sequence of bits; and

when the first binary state is different than the second binary state, determining that the logical transition has occurred;

or

when the first binary state is not different than the second binary state, determining that the logical transition has not occurred.

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

intercept, via a first port of an activity monitor connected in an audio path between a second port of a media device and a second device, a digital signal output by the second port of the media device, the digital signal being encoded with Differential Manchester encoding;

attempt to collect audio from the digital signal; and

when the audio is collected, generate operating state data including a first time and indicating that the media device was in an on state at the first time;

or

when the audio is not collected, generate the operating state data including the first time and indicating that the media device was in an off state at the first time.

24. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to transmit the operating state data.

25. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the digital signal is output using a Sony/Philips Digital Interconnect Format.

26. The tangible computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein the instructions are further to cause the processor to transmit the collected audio.