Systems and methods for using a remote control for presence detection

• US 9,756,387 B2
• Filed: 02/13/2015
• Issued: 09/05/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Rowe, Simon Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, MUSHFIKH I
• Application Number:
  US14/622,525
• Publication Number:
  US 20160241910A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 725 9- 12
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/41265 having a remote control device for bidirectional communication between the remote control device and client device unidirectional remote control device H04N21/42204
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/44204 Monitoring of content usage, e.g. the number of times a movie has been viewed, copied or the amount which has been watched monitoring of user activities for profile generation for accessing a video database G06F16/739; protecting generic digital content where the protection is independent of the precise nature of the content G06F21/10; arrangements for monitoring the use made of the broadcast services in broadcast systems H04H60/31
• 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 21/4667 Processing of monitored end-user data, e.g. trend analysis based on the log file of viewer selections
• 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 21/8358 involving watermark protecting executable software by watermarking G06F21/16; image watermarking in general G06T1/0021; watermarks inserted in still images for transmission purposes H04N1/32144; inserting watermarks during video coding H04N19/467

Abstract

The systems and methods discussed herein are directed to presence detection of portable devices of audience measurement panel members, and include a first audience measurement device in proximity to a media device, and a second audience measurement device in the form of a remote control for controlling the media device. The second audience measurement device may receive broadcast identification codes from the portable device of a panel member, and may transmit indicators of received signal strength to the first audience measurement device. The first audience measurement device may similar measure received broadcast signal strength from the portable device, and compare the local measurement and remote measurement to thresholds to determine whether the panel member'"'"'s portable device is likely in proximity, and thus that the panel member is likely consuming media from the media device.

Claims

1. A remote control for audience presence detection, comprising:

a wireless receiver configured to receive a first signal from a portable device of an audience member, the first signal including an identifier of the portable device;

a signal analyzer configured to measure a strength of the first signal and generate an identification of the strength of the first signal as measured by the signal analyzer; and

a wireless transmitter configured to;

transmit, to a measurement device, a second signal comprising the identifier of the portable device received by the wireless receiver and the identification generated by the signal analyzer of the strength of the first signal, the measurement device including a presence engine configured to identify the portable device as present, responsive to a determination that (i) the identification of the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the remote control as measured by the signal analyzer exceeds a first threshold, (ii) a strength of the second signal transmitted from the remote control to the measurement device exceeds a second threshold, and (iii) a strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the measurement device exceeds a third threshold.

2. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the signal analyzer further comprises a comparator configured to compare the measured strength of the first signal of the portable device of the audience member to a threshold;

and

wherein the wireless transmitter is configured to transmit the identification of the measured strength to the measurement device, responsive to the measured strength exceeding the threshold.

3. The remote control of claim 2, wherein the identification of the measured strength comprises an identification of presence of the portable device.

4. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the wireless transmitter is further configured to transmit an identifier of the remote control to the measurement device.

5. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the remote control and the measurement device are both associated with a media device.

6. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the remote control further comprises a transmitter configured to transmit a control command to a media device.

22. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the presence engine is configured to identify the portable device as present responsive to a determination that a second measured strength of the second signal exceeds a second threshold.

23. The remote control of claim 1, wherein the presence engine is further configured to identify the portable device as present responsive to a determination that a difference in the identification of the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the remote control as measured by the signal analyzer and the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the measurement device exceeds a fourth threshold.

7. A measurement device for audience presence detection, comprising:

a wireless receiver configured to receive;

a first signal from a portable device of an audience member, and

a second signal from a remote control, the second signal comprising an identification of a strength of the first signal measured by a first signal analyzer of the remote control, and transmitted responsive to the measurement, by the first signal analyzer, of the strength of the first signal;

a second signal analyzer configured to measure a strength of the received first signal and a strength of the received second signal; and

a presence engine configured to identify the portable device as present, responsive to a determination that (i) a strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the wireless receiver exceeds a first threshold, (ii) a strength of the second signal transmitted from the remote control to the wireless receiver exceeds a second threshold, and (iii) the identification of the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the remote control as measured by the first signal analyzer of the remote control exceeds a third threshold.

8. The measurement device of claim 7, wherein the second signal analyzer further comprises a comparator for comparing (i) the strength of the first signal to the first threshold and (ii) the strength of the second signal to the second threshold.

9. The measurement device of claim 7, wherein the identification of the strength of the first signal measured by the remote control comprises a positive presence identification.

10. The measurement device of claim 7, wherein the identification of the strength of the first signal measured by the remote control comprises a signal strength measurement value.

11. The measurement device of claim 7, further comprising a communications interface configured to transmit an identification of presence of the portable device to a measurement service, responsive to the identification of the portable device as present.

12. The measurement device of claim 7, wherein the remote control and measurement device are both associated with a media device.

13. The measurement device of claim 12, further comprising a program detector configured to record an identification of an item of content output by the media device.

24. The measurement device of claim 7, wherein the presence engine is further configured to identify the portable device as present responsive to a determination that a difference in the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the wireless receiver and the identification of the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the remote control exceeds a fourth threshold.

14. A method for audience presence detection, comprising:

receiving, by a wireless receiver of a measurement device;

a first signal from a portable device of an audience member, and

a second signal from a remote control, the second signal comprising an identification of a strength of the first signal measured by a first signal analyzer of the remote control, and transmitted responsive to the measurement, by the first signal analyzer, of the strength of the first signal;

measuring, by a second signal analyzer of the measurement device, a strength of the received first signal and a strength of the received second signal; and

identifying, by a presence engine of the measurement device, the portable device as present, responsive to a determination that (i) the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the wireless receiver exceeds a first threshold, (ii) the strength of the second signal transmitted from the remote control to the wireless receiver exceeds a second threshold, and (iii) the identification of the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the remote control as measured by the first signal analyzer of the remote control exceeds a third threshold.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising comparing, by the second signal analyzer, (i) the strength of the first signal to the first threshold and (ii) the strength of the second signal to the second threshold.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the identification of the strength of the first signal measured by the remote control comprises a positive presence identification.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the identification of the strength of the first signal measured by the remote control comprises a signal strength measurement value.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising transmitting, by a communications interface of the measurement device, an identification of presence of the portable device to a measurement service, responsive to the identification of the portable device as present.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the remote control and measurement device are both associated with a media device.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising recording, by a program detector of the measurement device, an identification of an item of content output by the media device.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the measurement device is associated with a media device in a first location, and further comprising:

receiving, by a wireless receiver of a second measurement device associated with a second media device in a second location, the first signal from the portable device of the audience member, and a third signal from a second remote control, the third signal comprising an identification of a strength of the first signal measured by the second remote control;

measuring, by a signal analyzer of the second measurement device, a strength of the received first signal at the second measurement device and a strength of the received third signal; and

identifying, by a presence engine of the second measurement device, the portable device as not present at the second location, responsive to a determination that (i) the strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the wireless receiver of the second measurement device exceeds the first threshold, (ii) the strength of the third signal transmitted from the second remote control to the wireless receiver of the second measurement device exceeds the second threshold, and (iii) the identified strength of the first signal transmitted from the portable device to the second remote control as measured by the second remote control does not exceed the third threshold.