IP Library Granted Patent US 8,526,626
Granted Patent B2
US 8,526,626 · App. 12/831,870 · Granted Sep 3, 2013

Display device on/off detection methods and apparatus

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,526,626
App. No.
12/831,870
Granted
Sep 3, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

Display device ON/OFF detection methods and apparatus are disclosed. An example method disclosed herein to determine whether a presentation device is ON or OFF comprises determining an audio signature based on an audio signal corresponding to an output of the presentation device, comparing the audio signature to a set of reference signatures corresponding to a set of known media content, and determining a result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether the audio signature matches any of the set of reference signatures.

Claims (25)

1. A method to determine whether a presentation device is ON or OFF, the method comprising:

determining an audio signature based on an audio signal corresponding to an output of the presentation device;

comparing the audio signature to a set of reference signatures corresponding to a set of known media content; and

determining a result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether the audio signature matches any of the set of reference signatures, wherein the result is a first result, and the method further comprises:

determining a second result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to determining the audio signature exceeds a threshold, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio gain level does not exceed the threshold, and the second result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio gain level exceeds the threshold; and

combining the first result and the second result to determine an overall result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio signature matches any reference signature in the set of reference signatures.

3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio signature does not match any of the set of reference signatures.

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

determine an audio signature based on an audio signal corresponding to an output of a presentation device;

compare the audio signature to a set of reference signatures corresponding to a set of known media content; and

determine a result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether the audio signature matches any of the set of reference signatures, wherein the result is a first result, and the machine readable instructions, when executed, further cause the machine to:

determine a second result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to determining the audio signature exceeds a threshold, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio gain level does not exceed the threshold, and the second result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio gain level exceeds the threshold; and

combine the first result and the second result to determine an overall result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

5. The tangible storage medium device or storage disk as defined in claim 4 wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio signature matches any reference signature in the set of reference signatures.

6. The tangible storage medium device or storage disk as defined in claim 5 wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio signature does not match any of the set of reference signatures.

7. An apparatus comprising:

a sensor to detect an audio signal corresponding to an output of a presentation device; and

a processor to:

determine an audio signature based on the audio signal detected by the audio sensor;

compare the audio signature to a set of reference signatures corresponding to a set of known media content; and

determine a result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether the audio signature matches any of the set of reference signatures, wherein the result is a first result, and the processor is further to:

determine a second result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF based on whether an audio gain level used to adjust the audio signal prior to determining the audio signature exceeds a threshold, wherein the second result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio gain level does not exceed the threshold, and the second result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio gain level exceeds the threshold; and

combine the first result and the second result to determine an overall result indicating whether the presentation device is ON or OFF.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein the first result indicates that the presentation device is ON when the audio signature matches any reference signature in the set of reference signatures, and the first result indicates that the presentation device is OFF when the audio signature does not match any of the set of reference signatures.

Assignments (12)
RELEASE (REEL 054066 / FRAME 0064) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063605/0001 →
RELEASE (REEL 053473 / FRAME 0001) Recorded May 11, 2023
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 063603/0001 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 8, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: ARES CAPITAL CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 063574/0632 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Apr 28, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063561/0381 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jan 31, 2023
From: GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; GRACENOTE, INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: BANK OF AMERICA, N.A.
Reel/Frame 063560/0547 →
RELEASE (REEL 024849 / FRAME 0178) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061728/0284 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE PATENTS LISTED ON SCHEDULE 1 RECORDED ON 6-9-2020 PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 053473 FRAME 0001. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT. Recorded Oct 7, 2020
From: A.C. NIELSEN (ARGENTINA) S.A.; A.C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A
Reel/Frame 054066/0064 →
SUPPLEMENTAL SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jun 9, 2020
From: A. C. NIELSEN COMPANY, LLC; ACN HOLDINGS INC.; ACNIELSEN CORPORATION; ACNIELSEN ERATINGS.COM; AFFINNOVA, INC.; ART HOLDING, L.L.C.; ATHENIAN LEASING CORPORATION; CZT/ACN TRADEMARKS, L.L.C.; EXELATE, INC.; GRACENOTE, INC.; GRACENOTE DIGITAL VENTURES, LLC; GRACENOTE MEDIA SERVICES, LLC; NETRATINGS, LLC; NIELSEN AUDIO, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER INSIGHTS, INC.; NIELSEN CONSUMER NEUROSCIENCE, INC.; NIELSEN FINANCE CO.; NIELSEN FINANCE LLC; NIELSEN INTERNATIONAL HOLDINGS, INC.; NIELSEN MOBILE, LLC; NIELSEN UK FINANCE I, LLC; NMR INVESTING I, INC.; TCG DIVESTITURE INC.; TNC (US) HOLDINGS, INC.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC; VIZU CORPORATION; VNU MARKETING INFORMATION, INC.; NMR LICENSING ASSOCIATES, L.P.; NIELSEN HOLDING AND FINANCE B.V.; THE NIELSEN COMPANY B.V.; VNU INTERNATIONAL B.V.
To: CITIBANK, N.A.
Reel/Frame 053473/0001 →
CONVERSION Recorded Sep 10, 2010
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC., A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 024970/0621 →
MERGER Recorded Sep 10, 2010
From: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH, LLC., A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC, A DELAWARE LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
Reel/Frame 024969/0982 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2010
From: NIELSEN, CHRISTEN V.; NELSON, DAN
To: NIELSEN MEDIA RESEARCH INC., A DELAWARE CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 024969/0813 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Aug 17, 2010
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT
Reel/Frame 024849/0178 →