Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080215315 | METHODS AND APPRATUS FOR CHARACTERIZING MEDIA - Methods and apparatus for characterizing media are described. In one example, a method of characterizing media includes capturing a block of audio; converting at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of complex-valued frequency components; defining a band of complex-valued frequency components for consideration; determining a decision metric using the band of complex-valued frequency components; and determining a signature bit based on a value of the decision metric. Other examples are shown and described. | 09-04-2008 |
20080276265 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING SIGNATURES - Methods and apparatus for characterizing media are described. In one example, a method of characterizing media includes capturing a block of audio; converting at least a portion of the block of audio into a frequency domain representation; dividing the frequency domain representation into a plurality of bands; determining a characteristic difference of a first band of the plurality of bands based on a comparison of a characteristic of the first band and a characteristic of a second band different from the first band, wherein the characteristic of the first band occurs at a time that is different than a time at which the characteristic of the second band takes place; and determining a signature bit based on a characteristic difference. Other examples are shown and described. | 11-06-2008 |
20090070797 | METHODS, SYSTEMS, AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-PURPOSE METERING - Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes acquiring a rate of data transfer to/from the monitored location and comparing the acquired rate of data transfer to a threshold. The example method also includes setting at least one media monitoring device in a first bandwidth mode when the acquired rate of data transfer exceeds the threshold, and setting the at least one media monitoring device in a second bandwidth mode when the acquired rate of data transfer is below the threshold. | 03-12-2009 |
20090192805 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR PERFORMING VARIABLE BLACK LENGTH WATERMARKING OF MEDIA - Methods, apparatus, and articles of manufacture are disclosed in which auxiliary information is added to or removed from an audio signal. In one example, the information may be added to the audio signal using at least two frequencies that are dictated by two different frequency transformation block sizes, such that the two frequencies are not fully visible when an incorrect block size is used to perform a frequency transformation. Additionally, in another example, a decoder may compensate for time and frequency affects caused by removing old samples and adding new samples, which, in one example, alleviates the need to perform repeated frequency transformation using different frequency transformation block sizes. Other examples are described. | 07-30-2009 |
20100106510 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM AUDIO WATERMARKING AND WATERMARK DETECTION AND EXTRACTION - Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate samples, storing the samples in a buffer, determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples, extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, and storing the identifier in a tangible memory. | 04-29-2010 |
20100106718 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO EXTRACT DATA ENCODED IN MEDIA CONTENT - Methods and apparatus to extract data encoded in media content are disclosed. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate digital samples, determining a frequency domain representation of the digital samples, determining a first rank of a first frequency in the frequency domain representation, determining a second rank of a second frequency in the frequency domain representation, combining the first rank and the second rank with a set of ranks to create a combined set of ranks, comparing the combined set of ranks to a set of reference sequences, determining a data represented by the combined set of ranks based on the comparison, and storing the data in a tangible memory. | 04-29-2010 |
20120071995 | METHODS AND APPRATUS FOR CHARACTERIZING MEDIA - Methods and apparatus for characterizing media are described. An example apparatus includes a transformer to convert at least a portion of a block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of frequency components; a decision metric processor to: define a band of frequency components having real and imaginary spectral components, define a plurality of frequency bins within the band, determine respective difference functions for each of the frequency bins using a product of the real and imaginary spectral components of a corresponding group of the frequency bins, the corresponding group for a first one of the frequency bins including at least the first one of the frequency bins and a second one of the frequency bins selected based on the first frequency bin, and determine a decision metric by summing the difference functions; and a signature determiner to determine a signature based on the decision metric. | 03-22-2012 |
20130013324 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR CHARACTERIZING MEDIA - Methods and apparatus for characterizing media are described. A disclosed example apparatus includes a transformer, a decision metric processor, a signature determiner, and a processor to implement the transformer, the decision metric processor, and/or the signature determiner. The example transformer is to convert at least a portion of a block of audio into a frequency domain representation including a plurality of frequency components. The example decision metric processor is to: define a band of the frequency components; determine a difference in energy between a first convolution of a first complex vector with a first group of frequency bins in the band and a second convolution of a second complex vector with a second group of frequency bins in the band; and determine a decision metric for the band based on the difference. The example signature determiner is to determine a signature based on a value of the decision metric. | 01-10-2013 |
20130096706 | Methods and Apparatus to Perform Audio Watermarking and Watermark Detection and Extraction - Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. An example method includes receiving a media content signal, sampling the media content signal to generate samples, storing the samples in a buffer, determining a first sequence of samples in the buffer, determining a second sequence of samples in the buffer, wherein the second sequence of samples is of substantially equal length as the first sequence of samples, calculating an average of the first sequence of samples and the second sequence of samples to generate an average sequence of samples, extracting an identifier from the average sequence of samples, and storing the identifier in a tangible memory. | 04-18-2013 |
20130174190 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-PURPOSE METERING - Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes acquiring a rate of data transfer to/from the monitored location and comparing the acquired rate of data transfer to a threshold. The example method also includes setting at least one media monitoring device in a first bandwidth mode when the acquired rate of data transfer exceeds the threshold, and setting the at least one media monitoring device in a second bandwidth mode when the acquired rate of data transfer is below the threshold. | 07-04-2013 |
20130246609 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO TRACK WEB BROWSING SESSIONS - Methods and apparatus to tracker web browsing sessions are disclosed. An example method includes computing a sequence of numbers to be generated by a random number generator during a first browsing session associated with a browser given a first seed value; and determining whether a web site visit is associated with the first browsing session based on a received number. | 09-19-2013 |
20130262181 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PREDICT AUDIENCE COMPOSITION AND/OR SOLICIT AUDIENCE MEMBERS - Methods and apparatus to predict audience composition and solicit audience members are disclosed. A method to predict audience composition for future media involves obtaining indications of intent from first audience members to consume first media, determining a portion of the first audience members that were actually exposed to the first media, and predicting audience composition for a second media of second audience members based on the portion of the first audience members. | 10-03-2013 |
20140088742 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR IDENTIFYING MEDIA - Methods and apparatus are disclosed for identifying media and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for decoding identifiers after broadcast. An example method includes a portion of an identifying code from a media signal, determine a partition of the look-up table based on the portion of the identifying code wherein the partition of the look-up table includes reference signatures associated with the portion of the identifying code, and identify the media signal by comparing a signature extracted from the media signal to reference signatures in the partition of the look-up table. | 03-27-2014 |
20140105448 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM AUDIO WATERMARK DETECTION AND EXTRACTION - Methods and apparatus to perform audio watermark detection and extraction are disclosed. An example method includes sampling a media signal to generate samples, wherein the media signal includes an embedded message, determining a first symbol value for a first block of the samples, determining a second symbol value for a second block of the samples, and determining, using a processor, a resulting symbol value, representative of a part of the embedded message, based on the first symbol value and the second symbol value for the first block of samples and the second block of samples, wherein the first block and the second block partially overlap. | 04-17-2014 |
20140254801 | DOWN-MIXING COMPENSATION FOR AUDIO WATERMARKING - Example methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to implement down-mixing compensation for audio watermarking are disclosed. Example methods disclosed herein to compensate for audio channel down-mixing when embedding watermarks in a multichannel audio signal include obtaining a watermark to be embedded in respective ones of a plurality of audio channels of the multichannel audio signal. Such example methods also include embedding the watermark in a first one of the plurality of audio channels based on a compensation factor that is to reduce perceptibility of the watermark when the first one of the plurality of audio channels is down-mixed with a second one of the plurality of audio channels after the watermark has been applied to the first and second ones of the plurality of audio channels. | 09-11-2014 |
20140259033 | METHODS, SYSTEMS AND APPARATUS FOR MULTI-PURPOSE METERING - Methods and apparatus for multi-purpose metering are disclosed. An example method includes transmitting a first discovery inquiry message in response to a wakeup timer expiration signal, disabling a media detection circuit of the portable device when a base unit responds to the discovery inquiry message, and enabling the media detection circuit of the portable device when the base unit response to the discovery inquiry message is absent. | 09-11-2014 |
20140279856 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO UPDATE A REFERENCE DATABASE - Methods and apparatus are disclosed for updating an index of a reference data database. An example method includes, in response to receiving reference data at a reference database, inserting the reference data in a first portion of the reference database, updating a first portion of an index corresponding to the first portion of the reference database; and updating a second portion of the reference database by shifting the reference data from the first portion of the reference database to the second portion of the reference database, and after shifting, recomputing a second portion of an index corresponding to the second portion of the reference database. | 09-18-2014 |
20140282693 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PRESENT SUPPLEMENTAL MEDIA ON A SECOND SCREEN - Methods and apparatus to present supplemental media on a second screen are disclosed. An example method includes obtaining, at a digital media device, media identifying data from audio data of a portion of first media being presented via the digital media device; determining that the portion of the first media is an advertisement based on the media identifying data; detecting, at the digital media device, a command to cause the digital media device to skip the portion of the first media; and providing an indication to a second device in response to detecting the command, the indication to cause the second device to present second media. | 09-18-2014 |
20140343703 | DETECTING MEDIA WATERMARKS IN MAGNETIC FIELD DATA - Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture (e.g., physical storage media) to detect media watermarks in magnetic field data are disclosed herein. Example methods disclosed herein to detect media watermarks can include accessing multidimensional magnetic field data representative of values of a magnetic field measured within a first distance of audio circuitry that is to output an audio signal corresponding to media presented by a media device. Such example methods can also include processing the multidimensional magnetic field data to detect a watermark included in the audio signal. | 11-20-2014 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090259325 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM AUDIO WATERMARKING AND WATERMARK DETECTION AND EXTRACTION - Encoding and decoding methods and apparatus as described. In one example, a method of embedding auxiliary information into an audio signal includes sampling the audio signal to create an audio block; receiving a code; determining frequency components that will be used to represent the code, wherein different sets of frequency components represent respectively different information and wherein one frequency component from each set of frequency components is located in a code band and there are multiple code bands and spacing between adjacent code bands is equal to or less than the spacing between adjacent frequency components of each code band; determining amplitudes of the frequency components that will be used to represent the information, wherein the amplitudes of the frequency components are determined by a masking ability of the audio block; synthesizing the frequency components that will be used to represent the information, wherein the frequency components are synthesized with the determined amplitudes; and combining the synthesized code frequency components with the audio block. | 10-15-2009 |
20100134278 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO ENCODE AND DECODE AUDIO FOR SHOPPER LOCATION AND ADVERTISEMENT PRESENTATION TRACKING - Methods and apparatus to encode and decode audio for shopper location and advertisement presentation tracking are disclosed. A method for tracking a shopper includes receiving a first audio signal at a first location with a decoder attached to a shopping implement, determining a first code encoded in the first audio signal, receiving a second audio signal at a second location with the decoder, determining a second code encoded in the first audio signal, and transmitting the first code and the second code to a data retrieval device. | 06-03-2010 |
20100223062 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM AUDIO WATERMARKING AND WATERMARK DETECTION AND EXTRACTION - Methods and apparatus to audio watermarking and watermark detection and extracted are described herein. According to an example method, an identifier is encoded in media content when a different identifier has been previously encoded. According to another example method, messages decoded from media content are validated to provide improved decoding accuracy. In another example method, decoded symbols are stored in memory and synchronization symbols are located to detect a message encoded in media content. | 09-02-2010 |
20100280641 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE TO PROVIDE SECONDARY CONTENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH PRIMARY BROADCAST MEDIA CONTENT - Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to provide media content are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving audio output by a first media presentation device, obtaining at least one of a Nielsen code or an Arbitron® code from the audio, the obtained code being representative of at least one of the first media content or a broadcaster of the first media content, obtaining second media content based on the extracted code, and presenting the second media content on a second media presentation device different from the first media presentation device. | 11-04-2010 |
20120101827 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO EXTRACT DATA ENCODED IN MEDIA CONTENT - Methods and apparatus to extract data encoded in media content are disclosed. An example method includes sampling a media content signal to generate digital samples, determining a frequency domain representation of the digital samples, determining a first rank of a first frequency in the frequency domain representation, determining a second rank of a second frequency in the frequency domain representation, combining the first rank and the second rank with a set of ranks to create a combined set of ranks, comparing the combined set of ranks to a set of reference sequences, determining a data represented by the combined set of ranks based on the comparison, and storing the data in a memory device. | 04-26-2012 |
20130114831 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PERFORM AUDIO WATERMARKING AND WATERMARK DETECTION AND EXTRACTION - Encoding and decoding methods and apparatus as described. An example method of obtaining auxiliary information in an audio signal using a plurality of frequency components residing in a plurality of code bands comprises transforming an audio signal into a frequency domain representation; determining characteristic of frequencies of the frequency domain representation that may contain the auxiliary information; normalizing across the code bands the characteristics of frequencies of the frequency domain representation in a respective one of the code bands that may contain the auxiliary information, wherein the normalization is carried out against a characteristic of a frequency in that code band; summing the normalized characteristics of the frequencies representative of auxiliary information to determine a sum for a frequency representative of auxiliary information; and determining that the sum is representative of the auxiliary information. | 05-09-2013 |
20130205311 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO CONTROL A STATE OF DATA COLLECTION DEVICES - Methods and apparatus to control a state of data collection devices are disclosed. An example method includes generating a level of engagement based on an analysis of an audience associated with a media exposure environment; and controlling a state of a data collection device based on the level of engagement. | 08-08-2013 |
20130205314 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO SELECT MEDIA BASED ON ENGAGEMENT LEVELS - Methods and apparatus to select media based on engagement levels are disclosed. An example method includes generating an engagement level based on information related to an audience member in a media exposure environment; and selecting, based on the engagement level, one of a plurality of media collections from which a piece of media is to be select for presentation in the media exposure environment. | 08-08-2013 |
20140137146 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING SIGNATURES - Signaturing methods and apparatus as described. An example method includes applying a first function to a portion of digital data to produce a first windowed block, applying a second function different from the first function to the same portion of the digital data to produce a second windowed block, determining a first characteristic of a band of frequencies in the first windowed block, determining a second characteristic of the band of frequencies in the second windowed block, comparing the first characteristic to the second characteristic, and assigning a signature bit representative of the portion of the digital data based on the comparison of the first characteristic and the second characteristic. | 05-15-2014 |
20140189724 | METHODS, APPARATUS AND ARTICLES OF MANUFACTURE TO PROVIDE SECONDARY CONTENT IN ASSOCIATION WITH PRIMARY BROADCAST MEDIA CONTENT - Example methods, apparatus and articles of manufacture to provide media content are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes receiving an audio signal output by a first media presentation device, the audio signal being associated with first media content, decoding the audio signal to extract a code from the audio signal, the code identifying at least one of the first media content or a broadcaster of the first media content, setting a clock using a timestamp associated with the code, obtaining second media content based on the code and the timestamp, the second media content comprising a plurality of pieces of secondary content for respective ones of a plurality of timestamps, and presenting, at a second media presentation device, a first of the plurality of pieces of secondary media when its respective timestamp substantially corresponds to a time value obtained from the clock. | 07-03-2014 |
20140257969 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MEASURE EXPOSURE TO MOBILE ADVERTISEMENTS - Methods and apparatus to measure exposure to mobile advertisements are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a panelist database containing first time-location data identifying a first set of physical locations of a first vehicle at corresponding points in time; an advertising vehicle database containing second time-location data identifying a second set of physical locations of a second vehicle at corresponding points in time, the second vehicle to display a first advertisement; and credit logic to determine whether to credit the first vehicle with an exposure to the first advertisement based on the first time-location data and the second time-location data. | 09-11-2014 |
20140270354 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO MEASURE EXPOSURE TO LOGOS IN VEHICLE RACES - Methods and apparatus to measure logo exposure in vehicle races are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a vehicle database containing first time-location data identifying a first set of physical locations of a first vehicle at corresponding points in time, the first vehicle to display a first logo; a camera database containing time-camera view data identifying a set of views of a camera at corresponding points in time; and credit logic to determine whether to credit the first logo with an exposure to the camera based on the first time-location data and the time-camera view data. | 09-18-2014 |