Methods and apparatus to collect media monitoring information

1. A system to collect metering information, the system comprising:

a first media meter to generate first media monitoring information in response to media presented by a first media presentation device during a first data collection period and to generate second media monitoring information in response to media presented by the first media presentation device during a second data collection period;

a main storage to store the first media monitoring information during the first data collection period and to store the second media monitoring information during the second data collection period;

an archive storage to store the first media monitoring information during the second data collection period;

a first peripheral memory device removably couplable by an audience member to the first media meter to receive at least one of the first media monitoring information or the second media monitoring information; and

a second peripheral memory device removably couplable by the audience member to the first media meter to receive at least one of the first media monitoring information or the second media monitoring information,

during the first data collection period, the first media monitoring information being receivable from the main storage, during the second data collection period, the first media monitoring information being receivable from the archive storage and the second media monitoring information being receivable from the main storage, and the second peripheral memory device to receive the first media monitoring information from the archive storage after the first media monitoring information has been determined to be corrupted on the first peripheral device.

2. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first media meter further comprises:

a processor to generate the first and second media monitoring information;

a meter interface to couple the meter to the peripheral memory device; and

a meter timing device to generate timestamps.

3. A system as defined in claim 2 , wherein the first peripheral memory device further includes a peripheral timing device to synchronize a timer of the peripheral memory device with the first media meter.

4. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first peripheral memory device includes a physical data interface.

5. A system as defined in claim 4 , wherein the physical data interface includes a secure digital memory card interface, a multimedia card interface, a universal serial bus interface, or an IEEE 1394 interface.

6. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first media meter further comprises a visual interface to convey information to the audience member.

7. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first media meter further comprises an input interface to receive commands from the audience member.

8. A system as defined in claim 7 , wherein the input interface further comprises a data transfer button to initiate transfer of at least one of the first or second media monitoring information between the first media meter and the first peripheral memory device.

9. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first media meter further comprises a transceiver to communicatively couple the first media meter to a computer.

10. A system as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first peripheral memory device is removably couplable to a computer.

11. A system as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a second media meter, wherein the first media meter and the second media meter correspond to first and second media presentation devices, respectively.

12. A system as defined in claim 11 , wherein the first memory device is removably couplable to the second media meter.

13. A method of collecting media monitoring information, the method comprising:

instructing an audience member to couple a first peripheral memory device to a first media meter to retrieve media monitoring information collected during a first data collection period;

using a processor to transfer the media monitoring information from a main storage of the first media meter to the first peripheral memory device and to an archive storage of the first media meter;

instructing the audience member to remove the first peripheral memory device from the first media meter;

instructing the audience member to send the first peripheral memory device to a collection facility;

receiving the first peripheral memory device at a collection facility;

using a processor to verify integrity of the media monitoring information associated with the first peripheral memory device; and

when the verification indicates an error in the media monitoring information on the first peripheral memory device, instructing the audience member to couple a second peripheral memory device to the first media meter to retrieve the media monitoring information from the archive storage.

14. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising informing the audience member of a time to collect media monitoring information.

15. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein transferring the media monitoring information includes transferring one or more of a timestamp or a meter identification.

16. A method as defined in claim 13 , wherein the first peripheral memory device is sent to the collection facility by sending the entire first peripheral memory device to the collection facility.

17. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising:

instructing the audience member to removably couple a second peripheral memory device to the first media meter;

transferring the media monitoring information from the first media meter to the second peripheral memory device;

instructing the audience member to remove the second peripheral memory device from the first media meter; and

instructing the audience member to send the second peripheral memory device to the collection facility.

18. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising, prior to instructing the audience member to send the first peripheral memory device to the collection facility:

instructing the audience member to removably couple the first peripheral memory device to a second media meter;

transferring third media monitoring information from the second media meter to the first peripheral memory device; and

instructing the audience member to remove the first peripheral memory device from the second media meter.

19. A method as defined in claim 18 , wherein the first and second media meters correspond to first and second media presentation devices, respectively.

20. A method as defined in claim 13 , further comprising uploading the media monitoring information to a collection facility server for analysis.

21. A method as defined in claim 20 , further comprising:

erasing the media monitoring information associated with the first peripheral memory device; and

sending at least one of the first or a second peripheral memory device to at least one of the first or a second audience member for use in collection of media monitoring information for a subsequent collection period.

22. A tangible machine-accessible medium excluding propagating signals and storing machine readable instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

detect a first signal;

generate a first signature in response to detecting the first signal;

store the first signature in a main storage during a first data collection period;

transfer the first signature from the main storage to an archive storage during a second data collection period;

detect a second signal;

generate a second signature in response to detecting the second signal;

store the second signature in the main storage during the second data collection period;

detect a first peripheral memory device;

transfer the first signature from the main storage to the first peripheral device upon receipt of a transfer signal after the first data collection period;

transfer the first signature from the archive storage to a second peripheral device upon receipt of a transfer signal after the second data collection period when the first signature has been determined to be corrupted on the first peripheral memory device;

transfer the second signature from the main storage to the second peripheral device upon receipt of a transfer signal after the second data collection period; and

present a transfer completed signal.

23. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 22 , wherein the detected signal is one or of an audio signal or a video signal.

24. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 22 , wherein the generated signature is one of an audio signature or a video signature.

25. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 22 further including machine accessible instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to synchronize with the first peripheral memory device.

26. An article of manufacture as defined in claim 22 further including machine accessible instructions that, when executed, cause the machine to transfer one or more of a timestamp or a meter identification.

27. A method of collecting media monitoring information, the method comprising:

storing first media monitoring information in a main memory identifying media presented by a first media presentation device during a first data collection period;

generating second media monitoring information in the main storage identifying media presented by the first media presentation device during a second data collection period;

copying the first media monitoring information to an archive storage;

coupling a first peripheral memory device to a first media meter;

transferring the first media monitoring information from the main storage of the first media meter to the first peripheral memory device;

sending the first peripheral memory device to a collection facility;

transferring the first media monitoring information from the archive storage of the first media meter to a second peripheral memory device after the first media monitoring information or the first peripheral memory device is found to be corrupted; and

sending the first peripheral memory device to the collection facility.

28. A method as defined in claim 27 , further comprising determining a time to collect at least one of the first or second media monitoring information.

29. A method as defined in claim 27 , wherein the first peripheral memory device is sent to the collection facility by sending the entire first peripheral memory device to the collection facility.

30. A method as defined in claim 27 , further comprising, prior to sending the first peripheral memory device to the collection facility:

coupling the first peripheral memory device to a second media meter;

transferring third media monitoring information from the second media meter to the first peripheral memory device; and

removing the first peripheral memory device from the second media meter.

31. A method as defined in claim 27 , further comprising:

removing the second peripheral memory device from the first media meter; and

sending the second peripheral memory device to the collection facility.