IP Library Granted Patent US 9,374,629
Granted Patent B2
US 9,374,629 · App. 13/841,920 · Granted Jun 21, 2016

Methods and apparatus to classify audio

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,374,629
App. No.
13/841,920
Granted
Jun 21, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture are disclosed herein to classify audio. An example method includes determining a first count of volume events having a first period of time associated with the audio. The example method also includes determining a second count of volume events having a second period of time associated with the audio. The example method also includes classifying the audio based on the first count and the second count.

Claims (47)

1. A method to classify audio, the method comprising:

associating, by executing an instruction with a processor, blocks of audio sensed from a media presentation

device with volume events, a first audio block being associated with a first volume event when (1) the first audio block has a first volume value satisfying a volume threshold and (2) a ratio of the first volume value and a second volume value of a second audio block associated with a second volume event satisfies an event threshold;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a first count of volume events having respective elapsed times corresponding to a first range, a respective elapsed time of the first volume event corresponding to a first period of time between the first audio block and the second audio block;

determining, by executing an instruction with the processor, a second count of volume events having respective elapsed times corresponding to a second range; and

classifying, by executing an instruction with the processor, the audio sensed from the media presentation device based on the first count of volume and the second count of volume.

2. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including:

accumulating samples from the audio to form the first audio block; and

summing absolute values of the samples of the first audio block to determine the first volume value.

3. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the first volume value is determined subsequent to the second volume value.

4. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including, when the first volume value satisfies the volume threshold, retrieving the second volume value from a buffer to determine whether the first audio block is associated with the first volume event.

5. The method as defined in claim 4 , wherein the first volume value is stored in the buffer when the first volume value satisfies the volume threshold.

6. An apparatus to classify audio, the apparatus comprising:

a volume comparator to associate blocks of audio sensed from a media presentation device with volume events, the volume comparator to associate a first audio block with a first volume event when (1) the first audio block has a first volume value that satisfies a volume threshold and (2) a ratio of the first volume value and a second volume value of a second audio block associated with a second volume event satisfies an event threshold;

an adder to:

determine a first count of volume events that have respective elapsed times that correspond to a first range, a respective elapsed time of the first volume event to correspond to a first period of time between the first audio block and the second audio block; and

determine a second count of volume events that have respective elapsed times that correspond to a second range; and

a classifier to classify the audio sensed from the media presentation device based on the first count of volume and the second count.

7. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , further including a volume calculator to:

accumulate samples of the audio to form the first audio block; and

sum absolute values of the samples of the first audio block to determine the first volume value.

8. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a processor to at least:

associate blocks of audio sensed from a media presentation device with volume events, the processor to associate a first audio block with a first volume event when (1) the first audio block has a first volume value that satisfies a volume threshold and (2) a ratio of the first volume value and a second volume value of a second audio block associated with a second volume event satisfies an event threshold;

determine a first count of volume events that have respective elapsed times that correspond to a first range, a respective elapsed time of the first volume event to correspond to a first period of time between the first audio block and the second audio block;

determine a second count of volume events that have respective elapsed times that correspond to a second range; and

classify the audio sensed from the media presentation device based on the first count and the second count.

9. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to:

accumulate samples from the audio to form the first audio block; and

sum absolute values of the samples of the first audio block to determine the first volume value.

10. The method as defined in claim 1 , further including comparing the first volume value to a lowest volume value to reduce false volume event detections.

11. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the respective elapsed time of the first volume event corresponds to a number of audio blocks between the first audio block and the second audio block.

12. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the classifying of the audio includes:

identifying the audio as at least one of speech or not speech; and

in response to identifying the audio as speech, determining the audio is collected from a television program presentation.

13. The method as defined in claim 12 , further including determining the audio is collected from a video game presentation when the audio is identified as not speech.

14. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the classifying of the audio includes mapping the first count of volume and the second count of volume to a classification in a multi-dimensional lookup table.

15. The method as defined in claim 1 , wherein the classifying of the audio includes calculating a probability of the audio corresponding to a television program presentation.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the classifier is further to:

identify the audio as speech or not speech; and

in response to identification of the audio as speech, determine the audio is collected from a television program presentation.

17. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the classifier is further to map the first count and the second count to a classification in a multi-dimensional lookup table.

18. The apparatus as defined in claim 6 , wherein the classifier is further to calculate a probability of the audio corresponding to a television program presentation.

19. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:

identify the audio as speech or not speech; and

in response to identification of the audio as speech, determine the audio is collected from a television program presentation.

20. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the processor to map the first count and the second count to a classification in a multi-dimensional lookup table.

21. The tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 8 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to calculate a probability of the audio corresponding to a television program presentation.

Assignments (9)
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 037172 / FRAME 0415) Recorded Oct 13, 2022
From: CITIBANK, N.A.
To: THE NIELSEN COMPANY (US), LLC
Reel/Frame 061750/0221 →
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 →
SUPPLEMENTAL IP SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Nov 30, 2015
From: THE NIELSEN COMPANY ((US), LLC
To: CITIBANK, N.A., AS COLLATERAL AGENT FOR THE FIRST LIEN SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 037172/0415 →