Methods and apparatus for transcoding metadata

• US 9,609,034 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2013
• Issued: 03/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Original Assignee: The Nielsen Company LLC (MOOD Media Corporation)
• Inventors: Ramaswamy, Arun, Feininger, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US14/089,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20140082220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,219 Days
• Field of Search: 709/244, 709/246, 709/223, 709/217, 382/100, 713/176
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 20/95 characterised by a specific format, e.g. an encoded audio stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/35 Arrangements for identifying or recognising characteristics with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time, e.g. for identifying broadcast stations or for identifying users
• CPC Class Codes: H04H 60/73 using meta-information
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/1101 Session protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/60 Network streaming of media packets
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/611 for multicast or broadcast systems for broadcast or conference H04L12/18; arrangements for broadcast or distribution combined with broadcast H04H20/00; arrangements for broadcast applications with a direct linkage to broadcast information or to broadcast space-time H04H60/00; selective distribution of broadcast services, e.g. multimedia broadcast multicast service [MBMS], H04W4/06
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 65/765 intermediate
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/235 Processing of additional data, e.g. scrambling of additional data or processing content descriptors
• 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 21/4345 Extraction or processing of SI, e.g. extracting service information from an MPEG stream
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/4349 by extracting from data carousels, e.g. extraction of software modules from a DVB carousel
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/435 Processing of additional data, e.g. decrypting of additional data, reconstructing software from modules extracted from the transport stream
• 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 21/8133 specifically related to the content, e.g. biography of the actors in a movie, detailed information about an article seen in a video program

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for transcoding metadata are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to meter media content presented by a media device includes accessing first metadata accompanying media to be presented by the media device, the first metadata not being detectable by a metering device collecting audience measurement data associated the media device, transcoding the first metadata into second metadata having a format that is detectable by the metering device and capable of being inserted into at least one of an audio signal or a video signal corresponding to the media to presented by the media device, inserting the second metadata into the at least one of the audio signal or the video signal, and providing the at least one of the audio signal or the video signal with the inserted second metadata to the media device for presentation.

Claims

1. A method to meter media presented by a media device, the method comprising:

accessing first metadata accompanying media to be presented by the media device, the first metadata conveying a first identifier, the first metadata in a first format not detectable by a meter collecting audience measurement data associated with the media device;

transcoding the first metadata into second metadata that is to convey the first identifier, the second metadata to be associated with the media, the second metadata being transcoded to have a second format that is different from the first format, the second metadata having the second format being detectable by the meter and supported by an application programming interface (API) provided by the media device, the API being accessible by the meter; and

communicating the second metadata having the second format in a second transmission for receipt by the meter via the API provided by the media device, the second transmission being separate from a first transmission communicating the media and the first metadata having the first format, but the first transmission not communicating the second metadata having the second format different from the first format, to the media device.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first metadata corresponds to at least one of an audio watermark or a video watermark.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the second metadata corresponds to digital data formatted according to a data communications protocol.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the digital data includes a plurality of data fields.

5. The method of claim 4, further including inserting first information in a first one of the plurality of data fields, the first information corresponding to second information conveyed by the first metadata.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the first information corresponds to the first identifier conveyed by the first metadata.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first transmission is communicated via a first communication medium, and the second transmission is communicated via a wireless communication medium different from the first communication medium.

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

access first metadata accompanying media to be presented by a media device, the first metadata conveying a first identifier, the first metadata in a first format not detectable by a meter collecting audience measurement data associated with the media device;

transcode the first metadata into second metadata that is to convey the first identifier, the second metadata to be associated with the media, the second metadata being transcoded to have a second format that is different from the first format, the second metadata having the second format being detectable by the meter and supported by an application programming interface (API) provided by the media device, the API being accessible by the meter; and

communicate the second metadata having the second format in a second transmission for receipt by the meter via the API provided by the media device, the second transmission to be separate from a first transmission that is to communicate the media and the first metadata having the first format, but the first transmission not to communicate the second metadata having the second format different from the first format, to the media device.

9. The storage device or storage disk of claim 8, wherein the first metadata corresponds to at least one of an audio watermark or a video watermark.

10. The storage device or storage disk of claim 9, wherein the second metadata corresponds to digital data formatted according to a data communications protocol.

11. The storage device or storage disk of claim 10, wherein the digital data includes a plurality of data fields.

12. The storage device or storage disk of claim 11, wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to include first information in a first one of the plurality of data fields, the first information corresponding to second information conveyed by the first metadata.

13. The storage device or storage disk of claim 12, wherein the first information corresponds to the first identifier conveyed by the first metadata.

14. The storage device or storage disk of claim 8, wherein the first transmission is communicated via a first communication medium, and the second transmission is communicated via a wireless communication medium different from the first communication medium.

15. A transcoder comprising:

memory;

a processor in communication with the memory, the processor to;

access first metadata accompanying media to be presented by a media device, the first metadata conveying a first identifier, the first metadata in a first format not detectable by a meter collecting audience measurement data associated with the media device;

transcode the first metadata into second metadata that is to convey the first identifier, the second metadata to be associated with the media, the second metadata being transcoded to have a second format that is different from the first format, the second metadata having the second format being detectable by the meter and supported by an application programming interface (API) provided by the media device, the API being accessible by the meter;

cause the second metadata having the second format to be communicated in a second transmission for receipt by the meter via the API provided by the media device, the second transmission to be separate from a first transmission that is to the media and the first metadata having the first format, but the first transmission not to communicate the second metadata having the second format different from the first format, to the media device for presentation; and

a codec to provide the media to the media device.

16. The transcoder of claim 15, wherein the first metadata corresponds to at least one of an audio watermark or a video watermark.

17. The transcoder of claim 16, wherein the second metadata corresponds to digital data formatted according to a data communications protocol.

18. The transcoder of claim 17, wherein the digital data includes a plurality of data fields, and the processor is further to include first information in a first one of the plurality of data fields, the first information corresponding to second information conveyed by the first metadata.

19. The transcoder of claim 18, wherein the first information corresponds to the first identifier conveyed by the first metadata.

20. The transcoder of claim 15, wherein the first transmission is communicated via a first communication medium, and the second transmission is communicated via a wireless communication medium different from the first communication medium.