Audience monitoring systems and related methods
Audience monitoring systems and related methods are described herein. An example audience monitoring system includes a beacon to be disposed proximate a media presentation device. The beacon is to transmit a ping signal. The system also includes a portable metering device to be carried by a person. The portable metering device includes a microphone to receive an audio signal and a processor to determine a distance value indicative of a distance between the portable metering device and the beacon based on the ping signal.
1 . A system comprising:
a processor; and
a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the system to perform operations comprising:
tracking a first location of a first portable metering device associated with a first consumer and a second location of a second portable metering device associated with a second consumer over a period of time based on a plurality of distance values associated with one or more surrounding devices at a media exposure measurement location where consumers are exposed to media;
comparing the first location and the second location over the period of time; and
based on the comparison, flagging meter data obtained by the first metering device and the second metering device over the period of time as corrupted meter data for which media exposure cannot reliably be attributed to the first consumer associated with the first portable metering device and the second consumer associated with the second portable metering device.
2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the first location of the first portable metering device substantially matches the second location of the second portable metering device over the period of time.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more surrounding devices comprise a beacon device disposed proximate to a media presentation device at the media exposure measurement location.
4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the plurality of distance values are determined based on a ping signal transmitted by the beacon device, the ping signal comprising an identification of the beacon device.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein:
(i) the first location of the first portable metering device is determined based on a first distance value of the plurality of distance values, the first distance value indicative of a distance between the first portable metering device and a first surrounding device of the one or more surrounding devices; and
(ii) the second location of the second portable metering device is determined based on a second distance value of the plurality of distance values, the second distance value indicative of a distance between the second portable metering device and a second surrounding device of the one or more surrounding devices.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first surrounding device is the second portable metering device, and the second surrounding device is the first portable metering device.
7 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the first surrounding device and the second surrounding device are the same device.
8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating an alert indicating that the meter data obtained by the first metering device and the second metering device over the period of time as the corrupted meter data; and
providing the alert for output on an output device.
9 . A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to perform operations comprising:
tracking a first location of a first portable metering device associated with a first consumer and a second location of a second portable metering device associated with a second consumer over a period of time based on a plurality of distance values associated with one or more surrounding devices at a media exposure measurement location where consumers are exposed to media;
comparing the first location and the second location over the period of time; and
based on the comparison, flagging meter data obtained by the first metering device and the second metering device over the period of time as corrupted meter data for which media exposure cannot reliably be attributed to the first consumer associated with the first portable metering device and the second consumer associated with the second portable metering device.
10 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the first location of the first portable metering device substantially matches the second location of the second portable metering device over the period of time.
11 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the one or more surrounding devices comprise a beacon device disposed proximate to a media presentation device at the media exposure measurement location.
12 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 11 , wherein the plurality of distance values are determined based on a ping signal transmitted by the beacon device, the ping signal comprising an identification of the beacon device.
13 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein:
(i) the first location of the first portable metering device is determined based on a first distance value of the plurality of distance values, the first distance value indicative of a distance between the first portable metering device and a first surrounding device of the one or more surrounding devices; and
(ii) the second location of the second portable metering device is determined based on a second distance value of the plurality of distance values, the second distance value indicative of a distance between the second portable metering device and a second surrounding device of the one or more surrounding devices.
14 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first surrounding device is the second portable metering device, and the second surrounding device is the first portable metering device.
15 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 13 , wherein the first surrounding device and the second surrounding device are the same device.
16 . The non-transitory machine readable storage medium of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise:
generating an alert indicating that the meter data obtained by the first metering device and the second metering device over the period of time as the corrupted meter data; and
providing the alert for output on an output device.
17 . A method comprising:
tracking a first location of a first portable metering device associated with a first consumer and a second location of a second portable metering device associated with a second consumer over a period of time based on a plurality of distance values associated with one or more surrounding devices at a media exposure measurement location where consumers are exposed to media;
comparing the first location and the second location over the period of time; and
based on the comparison, flagging meter data obtained by the first metering device and the second metering device over the period of time as corrupted meter data for which media exposure cannot reliably be attributed to the first consumer associated with the first portable metering device and the second consumer associated with the second portable metering device.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the first location of the first portable metering device substantially matches the second location of the second portable metering device over the period of time.
19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the one or more surrounding devices comprise a beacon device disposed proximate to a media presentation device at the media exposure measurement location.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein the plurality of distance values are determined based on a ping signal transmitted by the beacon device, the ping signal comprising an identification of the beacon device.